Welcome to Brexit For Dummies and thank you for choosing me to guide you through the tricky topic of Brexit.

When the United Kingdom (UK) voted to leave the European Union (EU) on June 23, 2016, the result sent shockwaves around the world. In the years since, we’ve witnessed a complex (and seemingly never-ending) negotiation process, all sorts of political point-scoring, and a whole heap of steaming uncertainty. This book is designed to cut through all that and get to the critical information you need to understand and navigate Brexit.

Let me say upfront that I’m not a politician, I’m not a political journalist, I’m not an economist, and I’m not a civil servant. So, what, you might be wondering, qualifies me to write Brexit For Dummies?

I’m a British business owner, investor, and entrepreneur. I own and run several businesses in the UK, each one impacted by Brexit in slightly different ways. This gives me a solid foundation to write a book aimed at others — especially those in business in the UK — who have been scratching their heads at the news and wondering what Brexit means for them.

And what if you’re not in the UK? What if you’re in Europe or the United States, for instance, and you find yourself looking at Brexit from the outside in, wondering what the heck is going on? If that’s the case, I welcome you to our (not very) sunny shores and look forward to giving you a Briton’s perspective on Brexit.

About This Book

Few words have the power to divide the nation like Brexit. Walk into any pub, shop, or office in the UK and ask the people inside what they think about Brexit, and you’ll get very different answers. In fact, the Brexit referendum divided opinion like nothing I’ve ever seen before. People who grew up together voted in opposite directions. Meals among friends descended into heated political debate. The “B-word” was banned from many a family gathering.

Few Brits were or are “on the fence” about Brexit. In my experience, most people in the UK feel pretty strongly one way or the other. In addition, most newspapers skewed heavily for or against Brexit.

Because of this, unbiased information about Brexit can be hard to come by. Yet, regardless of which way we voted, neutral information is exactly what we all need at this point in the Brexit journey. The UK has voted to leave the EU; when it does leave, we must all begin to navigate the UK’s new relationship with the EU.

For example, what happens to EU citizens living in the UK (and vice versa)? What might change for British businesses that export/import goods to/from the EU? How should businesses prepare for what comes next? What positive opportunities lie ahead for companies in the post-Brexit world?

In these pages, I answer all these questions and more — and always in an impartial way. You might say I’m on the fence and I’m staying there, at least for the duration of this book! Come join me up here. There’s plenty of room, and the view’s great.

Precisely because I’m a political “outsider,” I can deliver the unbiased information you need. In other words, I’m not trying to get you to vote for me, and I’m not trying to “spin” the facts to further my own agenda. Like you, I’m just trying to deal with Brexit, strip away the hype, and prepare myself and my businesses for life after Brexit.

So, as you may have guessed, impartiality is a core concept of this book. Here are two other concepts that Brexit For Dummies is built upon:

• We get it — Brexit is a serious topic, with serious, real-world implications. But do we have to be bored to tears (or, worse, whipped up into a furious rage) while reading about it? I don’t think so. That’s why this book is designed to explore Brexit in an interesting, engaging way, as well as in a balanced way.
• The UK’s relationship with the EU is complex and wide-reaching. To cover every aspect of negotiations and the UK’s future relationship with the EU would be impossible in a short, easy-to-read guide like this. That’s why this book leans more toward the business aspects of Brexit, as opposed to implications for areas like security, defense, foreign policy, and so on. For many people, whether they own a business or are employed in a business, it’s the business implications that present (potentially) the biggest headaches.

One final, practical thing to note about this book: Within this book, you may note that some web addresses break across two lines of text. If you’re reading this book in print and want to visit one of these web pages, simply key in the web address exactly as it’s noted in the text, pretending as though the line break doesn’t exist. If you’re reading this as an e-book, you’ve got it easy — just click the web address to be taken directly to the web page.

Foolish Assumptions

Most authors have a specific audience in mind as they write. I’m no different. So, while I was writing this book, I made some assumptions about you as a reader:

• You’re looking for a balanced guide to Brexit, written by someone who’s not out to score political points or put the fear of God into you. You want the facts, and you want to be left to your own political opinions, thanks very much.
• You sometimes feel like you’re suffering from information overload or Brexit exhaustion. You know you need to be informed about Brexit; you just want someone to pull together the “must-know” info in one easy-to-read resource.
• You run a business or work in a business, and you’re concerned how Brexit might impact your everyday business processes. You want to know how to assess the potential impact and make a realistic plan for the future.

If that sounds like you (and I hope it does!), this book is just what you need.

Icons Used in This Book

To help you get the most out of this book, I highlight key points of advice with the following eye-catching icons. Look out for these helpful symbols throughout the book and you can be sure you’re picking up on the most important info:

You’ll no doubt want to commit certain info from this book to memory. But how do you know what’s key and what’s not? Check out this icon for the must-read Brexit info that you’ll want to remember.

I use this icon to highlight handy hints and tips that are designed to save you time or effort, or generally make your life a little bit easier as you navigate the world of Brexit.

This icon draws your eye to things to avoid, or areas where professional advice is a must.

Anything marked with the Technical Stuff icon is, well, a bit technical. It’s not essential to your understanding of the subject at hand, but if you’re a wonky sort, you’ll probably find this material fascinating!

Beyond This Book

In addition to the book you have in your hand, you can access some helpful extra content online. Check out the free Cheat Sheet for bonus Brexit content. You can access it by going to www.dummies.com and entering Brexit For Dummies in the Search box.

You can also find lots of additional information for business owners at www.dummies.com. Whether you’re just starting a business or looking to expand your skills in networking, leadership, project management or whatever, you’ll find plenty of inspiration and advice on the website.

Where to Go from Here

Right then, where do you want to start?

One of the great things about For Dummies books is that they’re designed to be read in any way that works for you. So, if you want to read the entire book from cover to cover, go for it.

But maybe you have a burning desire to understand how the UK came to hold a referendum on EU membership. In which case, skip ahead to Chapter 2 and read about the UK’s rocky relationship with the EU. Need to know how Brexit affects employees from the EU? Chapter 7 is what you’re looking for. Interested in potential business opportunities after Brexit? Turn to Chapter 11, my friend. You can pick and choose the chapters that appeal to you most, so flip through the table of contents and take it from there.

Not sure where to begin? That’s fine, too. Just turn the page and see what comes next.

IN THIS PART …

Get a quick overview of Brexit.

Understand the ups and downs of the United Kingdom’s relationship with the European Union.