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Enterprise flourishes where ecosystems connect.
Economic growth is the defining challenge for governments, local leaders and communities alike. Does the shift to devolution, place-based leadership and local growth finally allow us to create the conditions in which enterprise can thrive naturally?
Drawing on more than thirty years of practical experience alongside international research, Phil Teasdale introduces a new framework for understanding how places can create opportunity from within.
Written for policymakers, economic development professionals, local authorities, universities, business support organisations, community leaders and entrepreneurs, Creating Confluence combines evidence, real-world case studies and practical tools to help strengthen enterprise ecosystems. It delivers:
- A blueprint for creating places that generate resilience, innovation and inclusive growth over the long term.
- Global research grounded in local experience.
- A multidisciplinary perspective, bringing together placemaking, entrepreneurship, economic development, systems thinking and civic leadership.
- Actionable insights for leaders and practitioners alike.
At a time when governments are seeking sustainable economic growth and communities are looking for renewed confidence and opportunity, Creating Confluence offers a practical and optimistic vision for how meaningful change can be created, together.
Phil Teasdale is the Founder and Chief Executive of Enterprise Made Simple, one of the UK's leading enterprise and business support organisations. For more than twenty years he has worked with entrepreneurs, local authorities, universities, policymakers and communities to create opportunities through enterprise, innovation and skills development. His work has supported thousands of business owners and informed programmes designed to strengthen local economies across the UK.
An Amazon number one bestselling author, keynote speaker and strategic adviser, Phil combines practical delivery with international research, drawing on insights from leading enterprise ecosystems in the UK, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and the United States. His work challenges conventional approaches to economic development, advocating instead for place based, collaborative ecosystems that enable people and businesses to thrive. He is based in North Yorkshire, UK.
Foreword
A perspective from Lord Hesletine
Introduction: Why Places Matter More Than Ever
Part One: Understanding Confluence
Chapter One – The Growth Paradox
Chapter Two – Beyond Business Support
Chapter Three – The Power of Place
Part Two: The Creating Confluence Framework
Chapter Four – The Architecture of an Enterprise Ecosystem
Chapter Five – People Before Policy
Chapter Six – Institutions that Enable Growth
Chapter Seven – Indigenous Growth
Part Three: Learning from Places
Chapter Eight – Lessons from Around the World
Chapter Nine – Why Some Places Thrive
Part Four: Creating Change
Chapter Ten – Designing Confluence
Chapter Eleven – Measuring What Matters
Chapter Twelve – The Next Decade
Conclusion – Creating Places Where Opportunity Flourishes
Afterword – An Invitation to Create Confluence
Appendices
The Creating Confluence Framework
Enterprise Ecosystem Diagnostic
Questions for Your Place
Further Reading
Acknowledgements
About the Author