You can read its article on Hot 100 superstar Terry List here.

When we interviewed List about how his eponymous company is battling through the recession, he slammed the government: "I think if you completely rework the political system and put people in charge who really know their stuff – top business and financial people – then you’ll get somewhere. But instead you’ve got all these government departments with ministers in charge of subjects they’re not qualified in."

He’s not the only Hot 100 entrepreneur to be disillusioned with the government. When we surveyed all 100 business owners, a measly five per cent said the government’s recently announced measures would help their business.

"I’m not surprised,” says Darryl Eales, chief executive of LDC, the private equity company that sponsors the Hot 100. "When the government reduced the standard rate of VAT from 17.5 per cent to 15 per cent at the end of last year, the majority of entrepreneurs thought it was purely cosmetic and an utter waste of time. It smacked of the government wanting to be seen to be doing something when, in reality, it had very little or no impact."

Related articles:The Hot 100 2009

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