Emily Parker spoke with author Richard Higginson about his new book 'A Voice to be Heard', and what it takes to be a successful entrepreneur.

Richard: Keeping the company competitive. In business you have lots of competitors and you need to be on the ball.

You need to keep a well-motivated workforce and many of our entrepreneurs were very attentive to the needs of their employees; they showed exceptional care in looking after them. A happy and satisfied workforce is more likely to provide good service for the customer, so that was very important for them.

One of our employers that we feature in the first chapter is Mark Mitchell, who runs a car dealership in Cheshire. He and his wife visit any employee who has a baby; they go round to the house and they gift them a teddy bear, some wellington boots, pink or blue depending whether it's a boy or a girl, and a Bible. This is their way of showing care for their employees, showing compassion and concern, but also providing some Christian input into their lives.

Another key relationship for many entrepreneurs is the relationship with suppliers, the people who supply products to them. This can often be a tricky relationship, and can become adversarial, but some of our entrepreneurs went out of their way to treat their suppliers well and to be good suppliers themselves, attentive to their needs as well as their own.

Emily: What biblical principles are key?

Richard: Creativity is one. As I say, I've emphasised innovation as a key aspect of entrepreneurship, so creativity is key. Our entrepreneurs generally felt that their creativity ultimately stemmed from God, and they looked to God to stir their creative juices as it were and to provide inspiration.

Another was integrity, which I think is a combination of honesty and consistency and transparency. So it's about high standards across the whole of your life, and not living a life that's compartmentalised. Not all our entrepreneurs pretended that they managed to practice this all the time, but that's certainly what they aspire to. Showing integrity means a willingness to bear the cost sometimes. It means you're not willing to do something that other business people might do. In particular not taking bribes for instance, to win important contracts in international business.

Another key principle was that of stewardship, and the idea of holding what you have on trust from God and seeking to handle the resources that God has given you and handle them well, and in a judicious way. To make the most of the resources that God has given you.

As I've already said, a concern for relationships was a key factor; concern for relationships right across the whole spectrum of business, so relationships with employees, with customers, suppliers, and with your investors.

Finally, something that was a very strong characteristic was perseverance. Our entrepreneurs were people who'd often faced considerable setbacks and obstacles, but they persevered. Their Christian faith has given them a hope and a resilience and an ability to come back from setbacks.

One notable thing about entrepreneurs is that they tend to have a positive mind-set, even in the midst of difficulties, so they're very much 'glass half-full' people rather than 'glass half-empty'. They tend to see the good side rather than the bad side.

Emily: What advice would you give to somebody that's thinking about taking those first steps?

Richard: I would encourage them. I love to see people with an entrepreneurial spirit and having a go.

What particular services they go into, that's very much dependent on where their expertise and interests lie, so they need to go into something that they know something about.