Simon is a Visiting Professor at Ulster University and an author of several books on enterprise and entrepreneurship.

In this episode we discuss:

· Simon’s background and how he got into working and studying enterprise.

· How governments support new business and does that actually work?

· What are the ideas and assumptions that support enterprise policy?

· Is research impartial and independent?

· The history of government interventions into enterprise and entrepreneurship

· What George Washington’s death and Greek doctors can teach you about government policy to support enterprise.

· Why clever people believe things can be damaging.

· Are small businesses just small big businesses and why enterprise shouldn’t be studied in business schools.

· Should every business set out to grow? And why big business thinking can be damaging to small businesses.

· Why you should stop trying to predict the future.

· Planning v preparing for uncertainty

· Anti-fragile and what it means for your business

· Ready, aim, fire v ready, fire, aim

· Why people aren’t as rational as economists think

· What changes Simon would make if he was in charge of government policy

· Two different ways to look at failure

Book Recommendations

Burned: The Inside Story of the 'Cash-for-Ash' Scandal and Northern Ireland's Secretive New Elite by Sam McBride

Scale: The Universal Laws of Life and Death in Organisms, Cities and Companies by Geoffrey West

Adapt: Why Success Always Starts With Failure by Tim Harford

Antifragile: Things that Gain from Disorder by Nassim Nicholas Taleb

The Black Swan by Nassim Nicholas Taleb

Effectuation: Elements of Entrepreneurial Expertise by Saras Sarasvathy

Herd: How to Change Mass Behaviour by Mark Earls

Seed to Seed: The Secret Life of Plants by Nicholas Harberd

Other Stuff we talked about on the Podcast

Hand dryers v paper towels: a Guardian long read

Simon Bridge

After gaining a degree in Engineering (at Cambridge) Simon worked at Rolls-Royce, the Royal Engineers and Harland & Wolff Shipyard before joining the Local Enterprise Development Unit (LEDU*).

In 1993 Simon left LEDU to set up his own business as a consultant and a facilitator of enterprise and voluntary/community sector development. His clients included government departments, education establishments, district councils, local enterprise agencies, private businesses and voluntary and community sector bodies. He also undertook assignments in Bulgaria, Lithuania, Mozambique, Romania, Russia, Slovakia and the Ukraine.

After leaving LEDU Simon continued to explore enterprise and probe the knowledge shared about it. As well as delivering conference papers, academic articles and lectures he has written or co-written several books about aspects of enterprise. Since 2008 he has also been a Visiting Professor at the Ulster University Business School.

*NB LEDU was wound up in 2002 when Invest NI was created.

Find Simon here: simonbridge@btconnect.com

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Andi Jarvis, Eximo Marketing.

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