Recession offers "opportunity" to start own business

Date: 22nd June 2009

NFEA, the national enterprise network, has suggested that the current economic climate offers the chance for people to create their own business and work from home.

The comment, made by NFEA chief executive George Derbyshire, comes a couple of weeks prior to the start of Home Enterprise Week.

Mr Derbyshire said: "Many more people are thinking not 'I'll go out and find myself a new job' if they've been made redundant, but 'here's an opportunity to start up a business'."

More than 60 per cent of small businesses are started from home, according to the NFEA.

Furthermore, the organisation suggests total of eight million people are expected to earn their living from home-based employment this year, a figure that could well increase should Mr Derbyshire's prediction prove true.

Mr Derbyshire went on to defend the work-from-home ethic and outline future NFEA plans.

He said: "There is a view that a business operated from home is not a legitimate business, that it is more of a hobby.

"We want to put those enterprises on a respectable footing."

The Home Enterprise Week is organised by the NFEA and runs from July 6th to 10th.