I only want to go back to pre-single market (1/1/1993)
I had a thriving business before the open border single market invited the Chinese to set up pan-European distribution in the Benelux. Back then, I was selling to the Belelux and Germany. After 1993, I slowly and steadily became their buyer.
I worked a few years in Cambridge 1989-1992. Back then, Cambridge uni led the world in computing. There were many opportunities, not just flogging Chinese motherboards and Samsung memory chips. There were a lot of us small businesses in the Cambridge Science Park. These small companies needed protection and still do.
Open border policy is good after when 99% of your competitors have been eliminated. Well, that's the impression I got after talking with my son who works on blockchain technology last Tuesday.
Woosh....you seem very down about trading in general. We both run businesses that are supported by other businesses,I would be very poor if I had to rely solely on my e-bike business,let's be honest the UK market is saturated with small e-bike suppliers,chasing a small market,mostly fuelled by the Chinese.
I did try to sell Kudos to Holland,doing a few shows in Holland, but it became obvious that their higher volume market is very mature and the Dutch are quite loyal to their own brands,even if those brands start life in China.
I accept that UK customers have such a wide choice of bikes that they can buy a bike which exactly appeals,so it's necessary to provide something different,maybe that can be just cheap. I have stopped pushing the Kudos brand through shows,it sells a couple of bikes but is not cost effective. I accept that customers will occasionally find a Kudos bike that is ideal for them,but also accept that an alternative bike may be more suitable,it's not a product that you can rely on paying the mortgage.
On my core Motorsport business,Brexit is already making me look at products which primarily are aimed at the UK market,the EU being a bonus. Unfortunately that means taking sales from some of the smaller companies,In this respect Brexit will not be good for smaller companies.....the combination of higher business rates,more difficult trading conditions,minimum wages,workplace pensions etc is going to make it very difficult for independent traders,especially on the high street.
KudosDave