This afternoon I attended an excellent event in Swindon with Rachel Reeves MP, Hosted by Anne Snelgrove, where local business people discusses the problems facing small businesses in the current economic climate. 

Discussions about starting a new business, the effects of the current 20% VAT rate and various topics on employment were on the agenda, along with some networking time and it was a thoroughly interesting event. 

I wasn't aware until today that Swindon, where we're based, has one of the highest youth unemployment levels in the region and it's still climbing.  It was also quote alarming to hear that a number of businesses, and not a small number I'll add, are actively limiting their businesses earning potential in order to stay below the VAT threshold as even though revenue would be lower profitability increases due to the savings associated with not being VAT registered.

I came away from the event feeling energised, there was a fair bit of interest in what we're doing with the Workwise Portal service and it gave me an interesting perspective on how more established businesses are finding it increasingly difficult to maintain their revenue levels - something that Workwise can help with by minimising the amount of time spent with billing and credit control aspects of a business.