Judy Heminsley is looking sideways at Jelly. Ed.
Emma of Enterprise Nation tweeted a fascinating comment from a senior BT manager. It was along these lines: “People are no longer looking up for business help and advice, they are looking sideways.”
It is this shift in thinking that accounts for the surge of interest in coworking and Jelly since the end of last year. People are looking for a place where they can get answers and advice from fellow freelancers and small business owners in a uniquely relaxed atmosphere. The support is quick, direct and simultaneously builds connections between local businesses.
The comment also appears to chime with the Conservative promise to get rid of Business Link and replace it with a mentoring scheme. As an enterprise trust business adviser, I was always anticipating the question ‘What makes you think you can be of help to me, when I’m taking the risk of working for myself and you have a nice, safe salary plus perks?’ Rather to my surprise the question never came, and also to my relief, as I felt I had no adequate answer.
How do we best help the many people who will be looking to self-employment in the near future, knowing they are likely to be looking sideways, not up?
Judy, I am tempted to suggest a re-read of my tongue-in-cheek page on Electoral Reform. Particularly the part that suggest no one should be allowed to become an MP unless they have had a ‘proper’ job previously. The people we meet at networking events, at Jelly, in the Enterprise Nation forums etc. are people who are experiencing business firsthand and, therefore, their views are more ‘authentic’ than someone who may have learned about it only in a book.
I like your definition of a ‘proper job’. And wouldn’t it be nice to think that at some future point we could also govern ourselves ‘sideways’? What a lot of time, energy and money that would save!