small business; broadband

This article is a lovely microcosm of why connectivity matters for the entrepreneurial development of rural communities. It tells us without connectivity new businesses have one hand tied behind their back. It tells us:

Enterprise Nation is one of the UK’s most active small-business networks, offering advice and support to more than 75,000 members. Emma Jones, the company’s founder, knows that connectivity plays a key role in helping a small business to grow and stay agile.

Today, as part of an ongoing series of events organised by Canon and the Telegraph, Ms Jones is giving essential connectivity tips to Shanice Parris, the entrepreneur behind London-based start-up Gluten Freedom Club.

Drawing on Ms Parris’ skills as a professional chef and her personal experience as the daughter of a coeliac sufferer, Gluten Freedom Club is an online business offering recipes and advice for anyone looking to maintain a healthy but enjoyable gluten-free diet.

“It’s based on cooking from scratch, rather than buying products from supermarkets,” says Ms Parris. “When people are first diagnosed, so many things seem off limits. This is a place for people to come to be inspired.”

Ms Jones advises that there is a clear strategy to pursue when building a well-connected online enterprise.

“You may wish to follow what we call The three Cs: content, community and commerce,” she says. “The great thing about running an online business is that you can build it and scale it from your back bedroom, drawing people from all over the world – but it takes time to grow your community before you can commercialise it.”