North-East entrepreneurs leading the way (From The Advertiser Series)

Survey reveals businesses areforming well despite difficult economic cliamte

6:00pm Tuesday 22nd January 2013 in Business By Steven Hugill

NORTH-EAST companies led by entrepreneurs are flourishing in the difficult economic climate, according to a new report.

Firms across the region are outperforming national competitors with higher sales and rising profits.

A survey from the Entrepreneurs' Forum's Business Tracker Survey shows more than half of businesses who responded have reported increased sales, with a similar number experiencing higher profits between July and September.

Nigel Mills, chairman of the Entrepreneurs' Forum, which has about 400 members across the region, said: "Entrepreneurial businesses in the North-East are growing despite all the challenges the world is throwing at them.

"Entrepreneurs have a growth agenda, whereas others may have a survival agenda, and the fact our members' businesses are growing at a higher rate than the economy at large shows they are finding ways through the barriers and countering the pressure on prices.

"It is all about confidence and having a positive attitude, and entrepreneurs have taken up the challenge to drive the economy forward."