Is Britain Still a Place We Can Call Home

Is Britain still a place we can call home? And is the UK doing enough to support the small businesses keeping its economy moving? In this episode of **How to Not Start a Business**, Joel and Leon have one of their most open conversations yet, exploring the challenges of entrepreneurship, the rising cost of running a business, racism, immigration, national identity and the changing face of Britain. We start by discussing what it really costs to employ someone in the UK, from recruitment and training to employment law and the financial risks business owners take. We compare working cultures in America, France and Britain and debate whether the UK government should be doing more to support entrepreneurs through grants, tax relief and affordable funding. But the conversation takes a much more personal turn. Joel shares his experiences of racism growing up in Britain, including an incident involving his own children that made him question his sense of belonging. Leon offers a powerful comparison between racism and tinnitus, something that can remain in the background until it suddenly becomes impossible to ignore. We also explore immigration, the Windrush generation, religion, Christianity and how cultures evolve as people move across the world. We don't agree on everything, and that's the point. These are conversations worth having. *In this episode:* The real cost of hiring employees in the UK Why small businesses need more government support UK vs US vs French workplace cultures Business taxes, rising costs and entrepreneurship Racism and what it means to feel British Immigration, identity and the Windrush generation Christianity, religion and cultural change What the future could look like for Britain *Time Stamp* 00:00 Halloween, spending and business 03:34 Employment law and letting staff go 07:34 Working in America vs France 10:02 Speed, decision-making and employee rights 12:09 The real cost of hiring 15:27 Government loans, grants and business support 22:28 Tax relief for startups 24:21 Business rates and rising costs 27:25 The decline of UK manufacturing 32:32 Do I still belong in Britain? 36:13 Racism affecting my own children 37:08 Racism is like tinnitus 39:05 Is racism part of Britain's history? 40:41 My first experience of racism in football 42:28 Leon's emotional return to Ethiopia 45:16 Immigration and belonging 48:07 Legal immigration and changing communities 54:30 Christianity, culture and national identity 57:22 How religion is changing worldwide 01:01:25 Passing faith to the next generation 01:04:11 Migration and cultural change 01:08:01 Windrush and the contribution of immigrants *Join the conversation:* Is Britain still a good place to start a business and raise a family? Are small businesses getting enough support? And what does being British mean to you? We'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments, even if you disagree with us. *Connect with us:* Joel – Cringe Technologies https://cringetechnologies.co.uk/ Leon – Elevation Trading https://elevationtrading.net/ Subscribe for real conversations about business, entrepreneurship, life and the challenges that come with building something of your own. #ukbusiness #entrepreneurship #smallbusinessuk #racismintheuk #immigration #britishculture #businesspodcast #blackbritish #ukpolitics #howtonotstartabusiness --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Listen on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/033Ng88... Listen on Apple Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... *🚀 CONNECT WITH US | WORK WITH US* Enjoying the conversation? Both Joel and Leon run their own businesses and welcome enquiries from potential customers, businesses and organisations looking to work with them. 💻 *Joel – Cringe Technologies Ltd* Looking for professional IT support, managed IT services or technology solutions for your business or school? 🌐 Website: https://cringetechnologies.co.uk/ 📈 *Leon – Elevation Trading* Interested in finding out more about Elevation Trading and the services Leon offers? 🌐 Website: https://elevationtrading.net/ 🤝 *Business Enquiries & Collaboration* Whether you're looking for professional services, business opportunities or potential collaborations, visit our websites to learn more and get in touch. 🎙️ *How to Not Start a Business* Real conversations. Real experiences. Real lessons from running and growing businesses.