Big boats and little boats - the Royal Ocean Racing Club's iconic Fastnet Race took place this year, and for many this is the pinnacle of offshore racing - the equivalent to climbing Everest. And yet, competitors can take part in this race (with the necessary sailing experience) on boats and yachts ranging in size from the big boys - the superyachts Nikata at 115ft long and Rambler 88 at 96ft long - to the smallest boats at just 30ft long.

Although line honours will go to the fast, furious and large boats with professional crews, the overall winner of the Fastnet Challenge Cup is often a much smaller boat, arriving in Plymouth several hours or days after the big yachts, and crewed by families and friends, hence winning on corrected time. A French yacht did just that this year.

So, if you compare running a small business with competing in the Fastnet race, it might not seem obvious at first how a comparison can be made - but small business are always competing against the big boys, think of giant supermarkets and the local corner shop, think of local businesses who battle against the odds in offering similar services and products as the world market leaders.........

The Fastnet Race is, to my mind, a great analogy. It shows that small can win over big, through sheer determination, and the willingness to battle on and succeed no matter how difficult it can get. Running your own small business is the same - we need to look at the big boys, know what they offer but continue in our quest to beat them at the same game!!

#Cowes