What's your purpose?

I’m really chuffed to be the new editor of Nett. Small business and online technology are parts of my heritage and I’ve strongly advocated both throughout my career in journalism and business writing.

Technology and small business are a great match. The information revolution has turned ideas cooked up over coffee and businesses that started out in someone’s garage into global leaders.

I believe people have three main drivers for going into business for themselves:

• Success. You can only spend so much time making someone else rich before you decide you might as well work hard towards your own wellbeing.
• Choice. You can earn an income in a way that suits your lifestyle and other commitments, such as looking after children. But at a deeper level it’s about shaping your destiny. If you have a great idea, you don’t have to explain it to management or tiptoe around workplace politics. You do it, and live with the consequences.
• Purpose. Psychologists say we focus too much on things that don’t make us happy. Money, possessions and good times don’t make us as happy as we expect or for as long as we think. The sure-fire secret turns out to be having a sense of meaning. It’s the feeling we get from volunteering our time or raising money for charity; that what we do makes a difference and gives something back to society. But it can also come from running your business ethically or finding ways to reduce its environmental impact.

Have I missed anything? What motivates you personally? I want this to be a dialogue, which is why the print edition of Nett now has a letters page and we encourage your comments on the website.

We’re also trying to get the voices of small business owners into more news, features and expert panels like Think Tank. After all, who is a better small business expert than someone who runs one?

You’ll notice some other changes over the coming months. But what won’t change is what Nett stands for: championing small business, helping you navigate the world of technology and giving you the information and inspiration you need to succeed.