GoDaddy study reveals 'huge' impact made by microbusinesses to local economies

Microbusinesses generate new jobs, raise income and significantly increase GDP in their local communities, according to a ‘landmark’ report that pinpoints the tangible economic benefits that entrepreneurs bring to their local areas.

The findings come from Venture Forward, an annual international research initiative by GoDaddy and additional analysis from economics consultancy Frontier Economics. In what is believed to be the first study of its kind in the United Kingdom, the results demonstrate the significant economic impact that start-ups can have on their communities.

Venture Forward maps the concentration of digital microbusinesses, typically defined as having 10 employees or fewer, with a unique domain and active website, against local population sizes to assign every constituency in Britain a Microbusiness Density figure, which measures the number of microbusinesses per 100 people in each constituency.

Driving job growth

While entrepreneurs have long been lauded as employers in their local communities, these findings reveal their contribution to job creation is more significant than previously thought.

For every additional microbusiness started, the study found that seven jobs are created. This includes direct factors, such as hires by the business itself, and indirect factors such as increased demand for products and services from suppliers, which leads to further hires.

Bury South in Greater Manchester saw an almost three times increase in the logged Microbusiness Density between 2020 and 2021, which equates to 20 new jobs per 100 people.

St Albans saw one and a half times increase over the same period, generating an additional 9 jobs per 100 people. Hazel Grove, also in Greater Manchester, would see an extra nine jobs per 100 people created based on its logged Microbusiness Density increase.

Increasing wages

Microbusinesses also substantially increase pay in their local areas, according to Venture Forward. The analysis shows that for every one point increase in Microbusiness Density, median annual pay for full-time workers increases by £1,400, a 4.4 per cent increase over the sample’s median annual pay of approximately £31.5k.

This is especially important at a time when many Brits grapple with the rising cost-of-living. In Bury South, this equates to a median rise of £4,060 per full-time employee living in the area, while St Albans and Hazel Grove saw rises of £1,960 and £1,860 respectively.

The study also found that the availability of super-fast broadband also plays a role in supporting income. A one percent increase in broadband availability is associated with an increment of about £110 in median annual pay, demonstrating the importance of connectivity to microbusiness and wage growth.

Boosting GDP

The study has also been able to put a figure on the local GDP growth that comes as a result of rise in job creation and boost of earnings delivered by microbusinesses.

Each additional microbusiness per 100 people delivers a £37,000 rise in local GDP. In Bury South, this is equivalent to £107,300, while local GDPs in St Albans and Hazel Grove will have risen by £51,800 and £44,400 respectively.

By Matthew Neville – Senior Correspondent, Bdaily

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