New research reveals that Brits generate 17 million moments of inspiration that go on to inform side hustles or small businesses each year.
New research from VodafoneThree finds that Brits turn 17 million ‘lightbulb moments’ of inspiration into side hustles or small businesses when they are out and about every year.
The study of 2,000 Brits shows that being able to act quickly on inspiration is critical. More than a third of Brits (37%) say they have missed the moment to develop a good idea because they failed to capture, explore or act on it quickly enough, while 42% believe they have just 30 minutes to act before inspiration slips away.
For many, their mobile is the tool that allows them to turn ideas into action. More than a third (35%) have used their smartphone to immediately search for information after feeling inspired, while 22% have used their mobile connection to work remotely, 20% to collaborate with others and 18% to share creative work.
Nine in 10 (92%) find their phone helpful for capturing or developing ideas, while 87% say mobile connectivity is important when they want to act on an idea or opportunity immediately. More than half (55%) say getting online while out and about has helped them turn inspiration into something tangible.
find their phone helpful for capturing or developing ideas
say mobile connectivity is important when they want to act on an idea or opportunity immediately
say getting online while out and about has helped them turn inspiration into something tangible
Mobile connectivity matters because inspiration often happens when we get outside and away from our desks.
More than half of Brits (55%) say nature inspires them, while a third (33%) get their best ideas while walking. The coast is the most commonly cited place for inspiration (36%), followed by the countryside (34%) and woodlands and forests (24%).
To help more people turn those moments of inspiration into action, VodafoneThree is expanding its ‘Opportunity Hub’ initiative to communities across the UK.
Each Opportunity Hub will be located in an area which has seen significant network upgrades as part of VodafoneThree’s £11 billion investment to build the UK’s best network.
Initially visiting Mansfield, Bourne, Hoddesdon, Rottingdean, Tynemouth and Abergavenny, the pop-up Hubs will transform local venues in the heart of each community. As a result, they will become spaces where people can: explore new ideas; access practical tools and advice; and take the next step towards turning inspiration into a hobby, side hustle or small business.
Visitors will be invited to take part in practical workshops delivered by Enterprise Nation, refresh their work profile with a free professional headshot, and discuss their ideas, ambitions and opportunities. All while reflecting on how connectivity can help support their everyday lives and unlock new opportunities.
VodafoneThree’s network investment is designed to make it easier for people to stay connected in precisely these moments, whether they are travelling, working remotely, exploring the outdoors or simply going about their day.
As part of the Opportunity Hub activation, local people will be invited to register for a free 7-day network trial, allowing them to experience firsthand how recent upgrades are delivering improved performance, reliability and coverage in their communities
“As our research shows, we reach for our phones the moment inspiration strikes – another reason why fast, reliable connectivity is so important. It’s also why we’re investing £11 billion to build the UK’s best network. By delivering stronger, more reliable connectivity, we’re helping people stay connected and make the most of every opportunity, wherever inspiration strikes.”
Andrea Donà, Networks Director, VodafoneThree
Showcasing local talent benefitting from enhanced connectivity
The Opportunity Hubs will also spotlight the people using mobile connectivity to take moments of inspiration from across their local community into art, businesses and hobbies.
These include: poet laureate Richard Bower from Mansfield, which has seen local network upgrades including up to 8x faster 5G speeds; papercut artist Rowena Roberts from Bourne, which has seen up to 4x faster speeds; and photographer Sophie Parkinson from Tynemouth, which is seeing 5G in areas that previously had no 5G coverage.
In Mansfield, poet laureate Richard C. Bower gave up his career as a careers advisor to pursue poetry full time after being encouraged to use writing as an outlet for his grief following the death of his mother. He subsequently landed a multi-book deal based on his social media posts.
Richard often finds inspiration while walking outdoors and bought his first smartphone to help stream poetry to his fans while exploring the countryside.
“Two months ago I got a mobile phone. I was then able to – when in the moment and feeling inspired – write down some words, some lines. I could look up certain words because those words are important to me. Before you know it, I’ve captured that moment. I’ve then uploaded a video of me reciting it straight onto my YouTube channel.”
Richard C. Bower
In Tynemouth, professional photographer Sophie Parkinson draws inspiration from the coastline, beaches and historic landmarks around her. Mobile connectivity plays an important role when she is out shooting, allowing her to adapt plans and access information while on location
“Without mobile connectivity, I wouldn’t be able to share my work with potential followers, and therefore they wouldn’t know I existed or know to come and support my business. It really is an important lifeline in my line of work.”
Sophie Parkinson
Meanwhile, Rowena Roberts, a papercut artist based in Bourne, Lincolnshire, knows how important it can be to capture an idea in the moment.
“As someone who lives in a small rural town, it’s really important to me to have mobile connectivity. While this town is simply stunning and beautiful, there’s only so many places I can show my work and there’s only so many people that can fall in love with what I do. Being able to access education, inspiration and community online is really key.”
Rowena Roberts
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Notes to Editors:
About the research
Research was conducted online by OnePoll among a nationally representative sample of 2,000 UK adults, representative by age, gender and region, between 12 and 17 August 2026.
