The 1st December marked the 6th Small Business Saturday, encouraging shoppers to support small businesses, particularly during the festive period. At X-Forces Enterprise we have seen the hard-work, unfaltering dedication and passion which goes into turning a business idea into reality therefore a day of recognition of these efforts is well deserved!
Small businesses are the backbone of the UK economy with a combined annual turnover of £2 trillion and employing 16.3 million people (Federation of Small Businesses). Many startups are formed either due to the entrepreneur’s passion for a certain product or service, a gap seen in the market or a skill which they would like to share with the world. When you support Small Business Saturday you are saying to these entrepreneurs that you appreciate their skills.
Small businesses face challenges on a daily basis, from individual concerns such as cashflow, to shared concerns such as declining high street trade. Small Business Saturday serves as a reminder to entrepreneurs that they’re not alone and not only are they surrounded by a whole community of entrepreneurs, but there are also numerous organisations who are able to support them in their efforts. It also serves as an inspiration to any budding entrepreneurs considering starting a small businesses of their own. And for those who are unsure as to how successful the Small Business Saturday campaign is…last year #SmallBizSaturday was trending at no1 on Twitter and an additional £748million was spent with small businesses.
But even though #SmallBizSaturday is over, you can still keep the momentum going and encourage people to shop from small businesses especially during the festive period. Here are some tips on how:
For more advice on how to grow your startup, book onto one of our free Business Start up skills workshops: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/x-forces-enterprise-6521671359