If you ever think about getting into business for yourself, you need to get comfortable with change.

Smart businesses know change is where it’s at. If you can’t change, or you can’t adapt to rapidly changing circumstances, your business is going to be left behind. This year is going to be a year of decisions, debate and change. Small business owners need to be flexible, and ready to adapt.

Even in the face of natural disasters like the floods in Cumbria or the traffic chaos of Operation Stack, small business can be relied on to step up and take adversity in their stride.

Some people see change as something to be resisted at all costs. This is not an idea FSB members have ever supported.

Whether it’s better ways to manage your business banking or finding completely new products and services, small businesses are always found at the forefront of innovation, often leaving big business scrambling to catch up.

"The truth is the business environment will always change and good businesses are well used to dealing with whatever is thrown at them..." - Bill Fox, FSB

The Chancellor has called for the UK to become “a higher wage, lower tax, and lower welfare society”. A catchy sound bite for the newspapers but it’s increasingly clear that businesses are expected to step up and play a key part in delivering it.

Next year will see the introduction of new policies like the national living wage, the small business rollout of the workplace pension, changes to dividend taxation and the introduction of the apprenticeship levy.

Each of these changes will bring their own challenges and require all businesses to adapt – but they also present opportunities.

The truth is the business environment will always change and good businesses are well used to dealing with whatever is thrown at them.

The FSB’s role will be to make sure that where change is proposed it is well thought-through and small businesses are properly consulted and supported.

Our grassroots are what make us different and the evidence we source from our membership will be invaluable to policy makers in 2016.

If you want to be a part of a dynamic business organisation, which is member led, with fantastic member benefits, visit our website www.fsb.org.uk.