Giving to charity is a side-pleasure of owning a business

One of the most surprising pleasures of running a business is ... giving money away!

Yes, incredible as it may sound, giving money away is a side-pleasure of being the owner of a business. But, of course, you want to give it away to deserving causes, by which, of course, I mean charity.

I own a business that doesn't have a huge turnover, and I make enough money to get by, rather than get mega-rich. Yet still I find it a great pleasure to give around 10 per cent of my profits to charity. Although my business could be international it tends to provide a local service, so I have so far given to local charities (and it's my business so it's my decision!).

I would much prefer to give money to charity rather than the taxman, who'll use it for his own purposes, many of which I might not agree with (and don't even start me on MPs' expenses!).

When I first gave money to charity from the business I was amazed at the sense of pride I felt. Yes, I had managed to make a little bit of money for the company, and give some away to a worthwhile cause. Marvellous.

As long as the business continues to make a profit, I will continue to contribute to charity. If you're a business owner and you're not doing it already, I suggest you try it too.