SMALL firms across Scotland will be put on the map by the Small Business Saturday campaign, as it launches its nationwide roadshow in Glasgow at the end of the month, to support and celebrate small businesses facing mounting challenges.
Marking ten years of the campaign in the UK, Small Business Saturday’s Tour will arrive in Glasgow on 31 October and will go on to visit independent businesses across the city, before moving on to Fife on 1 November and Edinburgh on 2 November.
The Tour will spotlight local business owners and community leaders in these areas through interviews on social media, and local entrepreneurs from across the area are being encouraged to sign up and get involved.
Once again supported by BT Skills for Tomorrow, ‘The Tour’ will set off in Scotland on 31 October, and go on to visit 23 towns and cities across the UK during November, as part of the official count down to Small Business Saturday on 3 December.
“Small Business Saturday is a wonderful campaign and it is incredibly exciting that its nationwide Tour is kicking off in Scotland. Running a business can be really challenging, so having support to do the thing that you are passionate about and make a difference locally is really important,” said Leanne Farmer, Founder of A wee pedal, a bicycle tour company based in Edinburgh.
“The spotlight that the campaign brings in celebrating small firms just like us and encouraging people to shop locally and support small firms in their communities is more vital than ever now. The roadshow will provide a welcome boost to small firms across Scotland and is a brilliant way to kick off ten years of Small Business Saturday.”
As the roadshow makes its way around the UK there will also be opportunities for business owners across Scotland to take part in Small Business Saturday’s wider online programme of free business support that will run for a month from 31 October.
Virtual workshops and webinars on a range of business topics will be offered each day, as well as free one-to-one mentoring and opportunities for small businesses to tell their stories and network on Small Business Saturday’s social media channels.
A Small Business Happy Hour on Instagram will also take place each day with giveaways from local businesses all over the country that everyone can enter.
“We are so excited to be kicking off in Scotland and visiting small businesses here and across the UK, as we count down to Small Business Saturday with this tour,” said Michelle Ovens CBE, Director of Small Business Saturday UK.
“This year’s campaign is all about shining a light on the nation’s fantastic small firms and showing them some major love, at a time when many are facing a lot of challenges. I would encourage all small businesses across the region to get involved, whether it is in person or online.”
Small Business Saturday is a grassroots, non-commercial campaign, which celebrates small business success and encourages consumers to ‘shop local’ and to support businesses in their communities. The iconic campaign is celebrating its tenth year in the UK this year, with principal supporter American Express.
Chris Sims, BT’s managing director for its SoHo (Single/Small office, Home office) unit, said:
“The Tour is a fantastic initiative to reach out and support small businesses with the skills they need to scale up in key areas such as digital marketing and sustainability. We are delighted to be supporting it again this year, bringing insight from both our BT Skills for Tomorrow offering, as well as our new Digital Marketing Hub. In these challenging times for businesses we hope this provides a catalyst for growth in the lead up to the festive period, which is typically a very important time of year for these types of enterprise.”
With sustainability and energy saving high on the agenda for small firms, ‘The Tour’ features a fleet of environmentally friendly vehicles – including an electric van and ‘delivery style’ push bike – that reflect the sustainable switches many small business owners are making, whilst also highlighting the vital role small firms play in the race to net zero.
To get involved in The Tour locally, or book virtual one-to-one mentoring sessions and workshops, small businesses should visit https://smallbusinesssaturdayuk.com/the-tour
