THE importance of supporting small businesses was driven home when entrepreneurs across greater Belfast were spotlighted by the national Small Business Saturday roadshow.
With an aim to support small businesses facing persistent economic challenges, the SBS tour visited the city to support and celebrate firms.
The Tour, which set off from Scotland earlier in the week, is travelling across the UK for a month as part of the official countdown to Small Business Saturday.
Taking place on the first Saturday of December each year, the campaign celebrates small business success, encouraging consumers to 'shop local' and to support businesses in their communities.
The tour met husband and wife team Raymond and Laura Millar, who run The Butchers & Deli Monkstown. Other visits included Caitrin Kincaid, founder of the ‘kid friendly exercise game’, CubeFun, and there was a flurry of activity on social media, where live-streamed interviews took place with Ellie McBride, founder of Calibrated Concepts, and professional photographer Tara Torrens.
“It was brilliant to see the tour team back in Belfast. It was great to get the opportunity to network with other local business owners and SmallBiz100 alumni, and hear about their entrepreneurial story,” said Claire Loftus, managing director of Evolve HR.
Once again supported by BT Skills for Tomorrow, the Small Business Saturday tour’ is visiting 23 towns and cities across the UK during November, making use of electric vehicles to reduce emissions and reflect the sustainable switches many small business owners are making as part of their role in the race to net zero.
Michelle Ovens, director of Small Business Saturday, said: “Small business owners make up such an important part of the economy here in Northern Ireland, so it’s great to celebrate them.”
Small Business Saturday (www.smallbusinesssaturdayuk.com) is a grassroots, non-commercial campaign, originally founded by American Express in the US in 2010.
