Greg Wright: Fast movers who prove there are reasons to be cheerful

Perhaps a sea of dour faces could drag an entire economic system down?

George Bernard Shaw had a quiet warning for those who always look on the dark side of life.

As he once noted: “Take care to get what you like, otherwise you will be forced to like what you get.”

These words echoed around Leeds City Museum last week, as firms who have defied the worst slump for decades gathered to celebrate their collective success at the Fastest 50 Awards, which were run by the Yorkshire Post in conjunction with top 100 law firm Ward Hadaway.

Many of these firms have achieved phenomenal growth at a time when many of their competitors were going bust.

Shaw was quoted by Alex McWhirter, the chief executive of Finance Yorkshire, who reminded the audience about how far the region’s economy has come in the past decade.

Ten years ago, Yorkshire had the lowest business start-up rate in England. Today, it is home to small firms with global aspirations, like Frogtrade, based in Halifax which supplies top-of -the range learning packages for schools.

Its products are now used by more than a million people worldwide and it has eyes on further growth opportunities overseas.

Frogtrade rubbed shoulders with firms that date from a vanished era. For example, John Good & Sons, based in Hull, was founded in 1883, a time when the sun never set on the British empire. Today, it’s one of the largest independent ship agency firms in the UK.

Also claiming a place in the Fastest 50 was Simcyp, a Sheffield-based company which helps to speed up drug development.

There was also a healthy number of manufacturers and retailers on the list.

What do these high growth companies have in common?

The answer, quite simply, is good management. There really is no substitute for a shrewd head at the helm.

It’s far too easy to lay all the blame for a company’s dire performance on “indifferent” banks and Government spending squeezes.

Policymakers can throw umpteen spanners in the works but far-sighted management will always anticipate problems and tackle them head on

So firms, for example, who looked to emerging markets and didn’t build up massive debts are much better placed than those who let borrowing, to almost quote Shakespeare, dull the art of husbandry.

The firms that have seen their fortunes rise in recent years, have, in general, controlled costs while finding ways of setting themselves apart from the chasing pack.

So that means asking fundamental questions: “What makes us special? How do we let customers know that we are unique?”

Chatting to the winning companies, I was struck by their obsession with customer service and lack of complacency.

The most endearing quality was their humility.

After celebrating their hard-won successes, they roll their sleeves up and get on with the next day’s work.

To return to the George Bernard Shaw quote, is our pessimistic view in danger of becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy?

After an appalling end to 2010, in which the bad weather caused chaos and economic gridlock, there are some reasons to be cheerful.

In his speech, Mr McWhirter observed that, initially, we may see jobless growth.

However, I believe that many firms will start hiring again, albeit on a modest scale, before the year is out.

Optimists have had a hard time in recent years.

The financial crisis shattered the belief that the cycle of boom and bust had gone forever.

There were certainly no pessimists among our Fastest 50.

They are beacons of hope for the UK economy who have used innovation and common sense to chart a steady course for their enterprise.

Without support for calculated risk-takers, the economy will stagnate.

The Fastest 50 are all quite capable of growing a business in the face of terrible economic headwinds.

But they still need support from those who can cause a stir in the corridors of power.

That’s why the business representatives on the newly created Local Enterprise Partnerships must not be scared to flex their muscles.

A lot of political capital has been invested in the LEPs.

It will be up to the LEP board members to ensure that the voice of Yorkshire business is heard when national policy decisions are made.