Small Enterprise Britain helps the UK’s 5.5 million small companies by means of stories, occasions and campaigns. This contains Small Enterprise Saturday, a marketing campaign which has now been working for over a decade. Its founder, Michelle Ovens CBE, was impressed by her ardour for small companies and the communities round them which have all the time been a part of her life:
“Small companies want entry to assist, funding, and coaching, however for an entire host of causes this may be laborious for them to entry. I needed to construct a platform to actually increase assist for small companies and throw a highlight on the worth they bring about. Their tales and successes need to be celebrated, in order that has all the time been a key a part of Small Enterprise Britain’s goals to foster development and enhance confidence.”
What would your recommendation be to companies trying to encourage and assist the group round them?
“Small companies are on the coronary heart of communities and supply enormous worth regionally. Taking the time to be taught what the group round you wants will likely be extraordinarily impactful–get entangled in native occasions, community as a lot as attainable, and hearken to folks’s tales and considerations.
“By connecting on this means you’ll get a extremely good image of the folks and companies that encompass you, and uncover alternatives to make an impression regionally that permits everybody to thrive.”
What are your plans for the longer term?
“I’m particularly obsessed with bridging the hole for underrepresented entrepreneurs, who usually have extra issue securing funding, and accessing the assist they should develop – akin to coaching, occasions, networking and mentoring.
“By way of the Lilac Evaluate for instance, which Small Enterprise Britain is spearheading, we’re working to deal with the inequality confronted by disabled founders and elevate entrepreneurial alternative throughout the UK. We run comparable campaigns to spice up entrepreneurial inclusion, akin to by means of initiatives to assist feminine founders and enterprise house owners from various backgrounds.”
