Recently I was working on an article on growth and whether every business needs to get bigger. I'm, a prime example myself - as a freelance, sole trader, there's simply no way I can "grow" - it's a structural thing about the business I'm in. On the one occasion I tried it, by publishing newsletters and taking on external contributors, it didn't work and it served only to demonstrate that my skills were in writing rather than in managing a business.
Fortunately I have never been in a position in which someone has told me how I must or mustn't conduct my affairs, outside the usual regulatory bits and pieces. Which is why it's with some concern that I note what The Guardian is reporting about Shell. It seems that if you don't want to grow to manage six petrol stations, you can no longer be sure of Shell as your supplier.
Which, if you had a family business or just wanted to make enough money to feed yourself, is a bit rough.
