The economy and you

The economy feels like it is treading water while wearing lead boots. Demand is patchy, costs remain stubbornly high, and the so-called recovery still feels largely theoretical for real-world businesses. From the ground up, there’s little confidence that anyone in Westminster has their hands firmly on the tiller. The Government’s stewardship has been reactive at best, lurching from headline to headline, instead of offering any coherent long-term strategy for growth. Tax is up, investment incentives are down, and hiring remains both expensive and unnecessarily complex. Confidence is really fragile, especially in sectors like real estate and SME lending, where activity depends on stability and vision neither of which is currently on offer by Labour. Unless there’s a shift from short-term fixes to bold structural reform, we are looking at another slow year where the flatlined GDP masks the deeper stagnation on the street.

As a small business owner, I feel like all I do is work just to pay taxes. There’s no real relief, no meaningful support, just an ever-growing burden. And while the major parties squabble over soundbites and blame each other for economic woes, they seem to forget who’s actually keeping the economy: running businesses like mine. We don’t have the luxury of spin, we have to deliver, every day. What’s missing is collaboration. I am frustrated that no one in government appears willing to work across the floor to support businesses of all sizes. The cost of doing business is still far too high and confidence remains low. Everyone wants to talk about growth, but how can we grow when we are being taxed to the hilt? Historically, revolutions start when you overtax your people and it’s starting to feel like we’re reaching that tipping point.

Until there’s a real shift in focus towards practical support for SMEs, not just slogans, the future remains uncertain.

Business is growing steadily for me - but I’m seeing a much bigger picture through my work with business leaders and leadership teams.

Right now, the economy is placing enormous pressure on leaders behind the scenes. Many are carrying huge mental strain and isolation. The government talks a lot about supporting business - but leaders need more than goodwill. They need practical support to sustain their wellbeing and capacity to lead.

My confidence for the future? Cautiously optimistic - but only if we start treating leadership wellbeing as a strategic priority, not an afterthought. Without healthy, resilient leaders, we won’t have healthy, resilient businesses or a thriving economy.