Research unveiled by BT Business today demonstrates the UK’s entrepreneurial spirit stands strong in 2023, with around 44% of the workforce revealing that they would like to start a business or side hustle in 2023. And with technology and improved connectivity making things easier than ever, almost 30% of UK workers are looking to start up their businesses and side hustles online.
Better mobile and broadband connectivity are vital to these entrepreneurs, as over 70% of those surveyed currently running a business or side hustle felt they could not effectively do so without reliable broadband and mobile connectivity.
With social media and e-commerce platforms on the rise, Mobile phones are now the device of choice for these small business entrepreneurs, with 59% choosing their phone as the top tech tool to run their operations, outstripping laptops and desktop computers.
The new data from BT Business highlighted the cost-of-living crisis as a driving force for these UK-based entrepreneurs, with 28% of respondents agreeing that extra cash is their main motivation in starting a business or side hustle.
Flexibility was also a strong motivator, with improvements in connectivity helping to spread the economic benefit of digital entrepreneurship across the UK, with over two-thirds of those surveyed saying that technology has empowered them to run their businesses in more rural areas of the country, away from cities.
To learn more about how UK-based entrepreneurs are benefiting from connectivity and their need for digital skills, please click here.