The government should be asking successful entrepreneurs about how to grow small businesses in the UK, the founder of a fast-growing telecoms firm has argued.
Matthew Riley, the founder of Daisy Communications, said he has received no support whatsoever from the government and wasn’t even eligible for an overdraft until four years ago. He also criticised his local MP, Gordon Prentice, for the lack of interest he has shown in the firm.
Riley started Daisy from a garage eight years ago, and is now CEO of Daisy Group following a £200m AIM flotation in June. While many manufacturing firms in the North of England have closed or scaled down, Daisy (based in Nelson, Lancashire) employs 280 staff and is looking to recruit 150 more in the New Year.
“While you would expect such expansion in tough economic times to be celebrated, our local MP Gordon Prentice has never asked to visit us and see what we’re all about and we have never had any offers of any government support or advice,” Riley said.
“I have enjoyed success without government support and will continue to do so, but I think Sir Alan and Lord Mandelson could learn a lot from the setbacks and frustrations Daisy has endured along the way and perhaps this in turn will help other ambitious entrepreneurs in the future.”
Riley said the “enterprise-led” recovery championed by Mandelson, whereby private businesses will create the jobs and growth needed to get the economy back on its feet, would be helped greatly if the government actually spoke to successful entrepreneurs about the barriers to growth they have faced.
He is urging Enterprise Champion Sir Alan Sugar and Lord Peter Mandelson to pick up the phone and talk to him, and others like him, about they can help small businesses grow.
“It seems that anyone enjoying success without government or support agency intervention is ignored, when we should in fact be celebrated, applauded and used as a good example to others sharing our entrepreneurial vision,” Riley added.
“When the government starts to speak to real people who have enjoyed the highs and suffered the lows of business, they can truly begin to offer real assistance to the thousands of UK SMEs.”
In profile: Daisy founder Matthew Riley on his £200m AIM flotation, taking on BT in the mid-market and being introduced to 'another world' by Sir Philip Green
© Crimson Business Ltd. 2009