Working Brits want to start their own business in 2017

Research from accounting software company FreeAgent has found that one in ten Brits would like to start their own business in 2017.

The research, which surveyed 1,000 working people in Britain, found that the majority of workers wish to become entrepreneurs, with 54 per cent saying that they would like to work for themselves.

Planning

The survey revealed when workers are intending to start their own business, with 25 per cent planning to work for themselves in the next few years, 10 per cent aiming to become their own boss in 2017, and 30 per cent wishing to set up their own business at some point in the future but with no set plans yet.

The main reasons for workers wishing to become self-employed were also identified. Wanting to have a choice over the type of work undertaken was the main motivator, cited by 51 per cent of respondents. This was followed by earning a bigger income at 37 per cent, following a passion at 36 per cent, and feeling a greater sense of achievement at 35 per cent.

Women were found to be more entrepreneurial than men for the year ahead, with 11 per cent wishing to set up their own business in 2017 compared with 8 per cent of men.

Desire

FreeAgent Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder Ed Molyneux commented: “Unsurprisingly, the desire for a better work-life balance and the ability to choose the type of work they perform are key reasons for many people who want to start a business.”

He added that it is interesting to see that working fewer hours is less of a factor, and this is perhaps because people realise the time commitments that are necessary in order to create a business that is successful.