Entrepreneurs know better than anyone just what it takes to get an idea off the ground, and to keep it alive. The common phrases associated with starting and growing a business are clichéd; the sleepless nights, the stress, the worry over payroll and the often crushing sense of responsibility – to family, employees and investors.

But clichéd or not, these experiences are very real and common among start-up founders, small business owners and large employers. They are also shamefully under-appreciated by ministers and officials. The lack of understanding is often nothing short of callous.

Consider the case of Kerry Larcher, who has run her salon in Hornchurch for........

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