Arif Efendi is a philanthropist and entrepreneur who is also the founder and principal of Aethos Capital. A UK single-family office and advisory company that focuses on various sectors and industries, including property, hospitality, technology, and sport. This article will provide an overview of business trends predicted to feature prominently in the UK in 2025 and beyond.
Research from Intuit QuickBooks suggests that 2025 could mark the year of the entrepreneur in the UK. The country is poised for a surge in self-employment. According to a poll of 3,000 UK adults, 52% of survey participants were considering launching their own business within the next 12 months.
From 2020 to 2024, the UK saw a decline in self-employment numbers, falling from 5mn to 4.3mn respectively. However, these new findings seem indicative of a potential turning point, with the Intuit QuickBooks report suggesting that UK citizens are on the brink of ‘redefining entrepreneurship’ by leveraging digital tools and embracing side hustles, seeking financial independence as an antidote to the country’s current economic challenges.
Many of the participants in the poll were keen to retain their employed role while building a side hustle in their spare time as part of plans to increase their take-home pay. 68% of respondents agreed that the stability provided by a regular income stream was too tempting to pass up.
Nevertheless, employment perks such as the security of a retirement plan were also valued highly by poll participants. In short, the research suggests that, for UK nationals, running a business in their spare time offers an alluring means of accessing financial freedom and stability without incurring significant financial risk.
Rob Burlison serves as the director of International Corporate Affairs for Intuit QuickBooks. He theorised that the findings highlight a shift in the UK’s entrepreneurial landscape, with a renewed focus on side hustles and self-employment. As Mr Burlison suggested, starting a business need not be complicated or costly. Rather, one of the biggest stumbling blocks for would-be entrepreneurs is simply a lack of confidence.
In the poll, 40% of participants agreed they would start a business if they had confidence in their business ideas. The survey revealed that the start-up cost of a UK business is £3,000, with 10% starting with zero investment. Many respondents cited financial constraints as a driving force behind their increased appetite for entrepreneurship. indicating a willingness to overhaul their finances in the coming year. 62% of participants said they would keep New Year’s resolutions, saving for the future or sticking to a budget.
The UK’s Start Up Loans programme has continued to go from strength to strength. Providing valuable support for entrepreneurs and small businesses. According to a new independent evaluation, ventures backed by a Start Up Loan have a significantly higher survival rate. 69% survive their first five years versus 43% of non-backed businesses. Encouragingly, for every £1 the programme costs the UK Government, £5.50 of gross value is added to the UK economy. In addition, for each loan, one additional job was created, the independent evaluation reveals.
In addition to a nationwide shift towards self-employment, technological innovation is another theme predicted to feature prominently in the UK business ecosystem throughout 2025 and beyond. Recent years have seen a continual uptick in the adoption of AI and blockchain solutions, as well as the implementation of large language models and other AI innovations capable of capturing the world’s imagination.
With the potential to revolutionise various market sectors, such technologies are tipped to become widely available in the coming years, enabling businesses to optimise their operations through enhanced efficiency and scalability. Forward-looking organisations are increasingly investing in research and the implementation of emerging technologies. The potential of next-generation innovations to help them stand out in saturated markets and maintain long-term profitability.
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