http://www.ft.com/comment/columnists/lukejohnsonhttp://www.ft.com/rss/comment/columnists/lukejohnsonFT.com - Luke Johnsonen© Copyright The Financial Times Ltd 2008. "FT" and "Financial Times" are trademarks of the Financial Times. See http://www.ft.com/servicestools/help/terms#legal1 for the terms and conditions of reuse.support@ft.comTue, 22 Jul 2008 20:17 BSTFri, 25 Jul 2008 12:30:26 BSTNewspapers60http://news.ft.com/cms/d1f3ce1a-6bbe-11da-bb53-0000779e2340.gifhttp://www.ft.com/comment/columnists/lukejohnson(PICS-1.1 "http://www.classify.org/safesurf/" L gen true for "http://www.ft.com/" r (SS~~000 1))http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/cb453e50-580b-11dd-b02f-000077b07658.htmlhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/cb453e50-580b-11dd-b02f-000077b07658.htmlTo make it as a munitions king you needed to be not just ingenious, but have a flexible attitude towards the ethics of the trade, writes Luke Johnson Tue, 22 Jul 2008 20:17 BSThttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/da643822-5285-11dd-9ba7-000077b07658.htmlhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/da643822-5285-11dd-9ba7-000077b07658.html The internet has helped unleash ambition but I worry that a lot of new companies are fragile constructs, not built to weather severe business conditions, writes Luke Johnson Tue, 15 Jul 2008 20:10 BSThttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/edee1d2a-4cfb-11dd-b527-000077b07658.htmlhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/edee1d2a-4cfb-11dd-b527-000077b07658.htmlIn the UK too few business superstars are willing to take time out of the private sector to help in areas such as education, health and welfare, writes Luke Johnson Tue, 8 Jul 2008 19:06 BSThttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/f8e73760-4793-11dd-93ca-000077b07658.htmlhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/f8e73760-4793-11dd-93ca-000077b07658.htmlIf you want to get a British entrepreneur worked up, one topic is bound to raise their temperature to boiling point: the clearing banks' behaviour, writes Luke Johnson Tue, 1 Jul 2008 20:09 BSThttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/a209d58e-41fc-11dd-a5e8-0000779fd2ac.htmlhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/a209d58e-41fc-11dd-a5e8-0000779fd2ac.htmlAlpha males can achieve great things but often sacrifice their personal lives. New men, however, may end up compromising their careers, writes Luke Johnson Tue, 24 Jun 2008 19:39 BSThttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/a2c7bf8c-3c79-11dd-b958-0000779fd2ac.htmlhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/a2c7bf8c-3c79-11dd-b958-0000779fd2ac.htmlWhile most of us believe ideas occur to a privileged few, fledgling businesses should learn that any new thought is only a combination of old elements, writes Luke Johnson Tue, 17 Jun 2008 19:29 BSThttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/343d7ac2-3709-11dd-bc1c-0000779fd2ac.htmlhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/343d7ac2-3709-11dd-bc1c-0000779fd2ac.htmlThe new generation of nomadic entrepreneurs, nicknamed the 'kinetic elite', work out of hotel lobbies, airport lounges and cafes, writes Luke Johnson Tue, 10 Jun 2008 19:34 BSThttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/a26d2374-317f-11dd-b77c-0000779fd2ac.htmlhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/a26d2374-317f-11dd-b77c-0000779fd2ac.htmlA vast gulf is opening up between the retirement rules and provisions in the public and the private sectors. And the private sector has to fund the lot, writes Luke Johnson Tue, 3 Jun 2008 19:34 BSThttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/789e489a-2c0a-11dd-9861-000077b07658.htmlhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/789e489a-2c0a-11dd-9861-000077b07658.htmlI take my hat off to the women entrepreneurs who are changing the way we think about lingerie – an industry with attractive margins, writes Luke Johnson Tue, 27 May 2008 20:43 BSThttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/4649d3ea-2666-11dd-9c95-000077b07658.htmlhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/4649d3ea-2666-11dd-9c95-000077b07658.htmlWhy do people hate capitalism? Ever since I was 18 I have known that founding a business was the best fun you could have with your clothes on, says Luke Johnson Tue, 20 May 2008 21:49 BSThttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/860fe1dc-1b84-11dd-9e58-0000779fd2ac.htmlhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/860fe1dc-1b84-11dd-9e58-0000779fd2ac.htmlJail inmates display all the natural characteristics of the entrepreneur and we should try to harness their creativity for the benefit of all, says Luke Johnson Tue, 6 May 2008 21:08 BSThttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/6096f62c-15fb-11dd-880a-0000779fd2ac.htmlhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/6096f62c-15fb-11dd-880a-0000779fd2ac.htmlThere are quite a few advisers out there helping start-up companies for a fee, however, by-and-large, you are often better off helping yourself, says Luke Johnson Tue, 29 Apr 2008 22:14 BSThttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/eab164a4-1070-11dd-b8d6-0000779fd2ac.htmlhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/eab164a4-1070-11dd-b8d6-0000779fd2ac.htmlA rash of new business periodicals is about to burst on to the scene but how will they compete with the established opposition, asks Luke Johnson Tue, 22 Apr 2008 19:44 BSThttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/70111f64-0b07-11dd-8ccf-0000779fd2ac.htmlhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/70111f64-0b07-11dd-8ccf-0000779fd2ac.htmlThe most common excuse I hear from those who want to start a business – but haven't had the courage – is that they can't raise the money, complains Luke Johnson Tue, 15 Apr 2008 19:24 BSThttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/ad72cac0-0589-11dd-a9e0-0000779fd2ac.htmlhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/ad72cac0-0589-11dd-a9e0-0000779fd2ac.htmlAn unremittingly pessimistic view of the world fails to see the bigger picture – a fact that the über-critical media would do well to take to heart, writes Luke Johnson Tue, 8 Apr 2008 21:03 BST