22 May 2008


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SMEs need help too

Product Chain

Simon Dunn

Product Chain's Simon Dunn on support for fledgling businesses

Simon Dunn: supporting SMEs

My chum Kenty, aka Alan Kent, worked for a printing company in the UK for over 30 years.

He worked though take over, amalgamation, downsizing, acquisition, rationalisation and much more corporate fun and games.

In fact he was part of the senior management team. In December 2007 the firm went bust. Absolutely bust. Nothing left, no pension, no pay off, nothing, diddly-squat, and nought.

I have known Kenty (not an original nickname but his actual is unprintable) for 10 years.

He is a great chap. Generous, a devoted family man, enthusiastic, charitable; the man cares.

All the good things one looks for in a human being.

His dark side: he drinks a lot of beer with me and our other chum, Kempo, and knew many very ugly girls before he married Karen.

At Christmas, Alan had Christmas Day as normal and, after a few London Prides on Boxing Day following the Wycombe Brentford match, announced he was going to set up on his own.

Fifty six years of age, children at private school, pension in tatters, Kenty is off, on his own.

Kempo and I both run our own businesses, in completely different fields, and we know the pitfalls for the young and foolhardy.

Naturally, as the Pride did its work, we advised Kenty to think hard about this and even offered help in finding a suitable well paid job to get back on track.

Kenty was not having it. With support from Karen, all of our company printing, Kempo’s as well (not a lot but some cash flow), and a few leads, Kenty is off.

For all the right reasons he has to sign on at the Job Centre. Here goes. But what does the government really think it is doing in the way it treats people like Kenty?

He is a solid individual who, we conservatively calculate, has paid to the state in taxes, directly related to his income, something in the region of £500,000 over his career.

Now, he is treated like a free loader and “chancer”.

His argument – he is starting up a business and therefore unable to look for work – is rejected.

It almost meant he would not qualify for any support at all.

Surely in time the government must realise he will be employing people, contributing to the state as we SMEs do in a massive way.

Do they want to encourage him? Not one single bit.

Are the banks interested? No. They are too wrapped up in gambling shareholders’ money (our pensions) on madcap high risk US mortgage debt.

Something Kenty, Kempo or I (aka The Lads of the Village) will not be doing.

I’m not sure if anyone reads this any more as it is a web-driven piece rather than printed (pun, sorry) matter.

But if you have an issue with your current printer, feel like taking a punt, or just want to support an entrepreneur beginning a long haul, then please contact Kenty.

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