Member Article

Starting small business makes people happier, more determined.

Starting a small business makes people happier and more determined, reports research ahead of UK’s annual Small Business Saturday

Starting their own company has made a majority of Britain’s small business owners happier and more determined, according to the findings of a new survey of small businesses undertaken by the organisers of the UK’s annual Small Business Saturday campaign, which this year culminates on Saturday December 3rd.

Two thirds of respondents said being their own boss had made them happier; 59% said they were more determined, whilst almost half (49%) said they were now more confident. 44% of those surveyed said they were working longer, 46% said they were working harder. Just under a quarter said they were more stressed than in their previous job compared with 17% who reported lower stress levels.

Of those questions, 39% said they had started their business because they wanted to turn a passion or a hobby into a business. Starting a business had always been an ambition for a fifth of respondents; 15% for whom starting a business had been their best option after redundancy or unemployment and a similar amount for whom starting their own business had been the next logical career step.

Optimism is high with 71% of small business owners surveyed saying that their business has grown over the past twelve months and 79% who expect it to grow over the next 12 months. More than three quarters of respondents said it was either important or very important to them that their business either has a positive social impact or makes a positive contribution to their local community. 78% said they regularly collaborate with other local small businesses.

Getting to do what they love was cited by 26% of respondents as the best thing about being a small business owner in the UK today. This was followed by 18% who mentioned a feeling of accomplishment and 16% who mentioned ‘being their own boss’.

Now in its fourth year Small Business Saturday is already the UK’s most successful small business campaign. Last year an estimated £623 million was spent with small businesses across the UK on the day – up £119 million on last year and an increase in spending of 24%. The day itself also generated huge buzz on social media with Small Business Saturday trending at number one on Twitter. Over 100,000 tweets were sent in support of Small Business Saturday on the day itself with a combined reach of more than 25 million people. An estimated 75% of all local authorities actively supported the campaign on the day in a variety of ways, from staging or supporting small business events to offering free parking.

The initiative exists as a nationwide promotional and marketing tool for small businesses, something for business owners to join up with and use for the benefit of their own small business. It is totally free to participate and all and any small businesses can get involved, from one-man-bands, through to a high growth office, and from tradesmen to social media gurus. In addition to the campaign itself, the team also delivers help and advice alongside opportunities to connect with other small businesses. In short, Small Business Saturday exists to support, inspire and promote small businesses.

Small Business Saturday, which is a grassroots, not-for-profit campaign, was originally founded by American Express in the U.S. in 2010 and it remains the principal supporter of the campaign in the UK, as part of its on-going commitment to encourage consumers to shop small. The campaign also benefits from the backing of leading business organisations including the Federation of Small Businesses and Enterprise Nation. The campaign is also supported by PRS For Music, TalkTalk Business, Vistaprint, Post Office, Clear Channel, STIHL, Virgin Media Business, Facebook, Dropbox and Indeed.

Logos, digital banners, a social media guide and toolkits are available to download from the website www.smallbusinesssaturdayuk.com and can be displayed online or on premises. Businesses around the country can also upload information to the ‘My Small Business Finder’ on the website (www.smallbusinesssaturdayuk.com) on what special events or promotional offers they will be running for Small Business Saturday.

More information on Small Business Saturday can also be found on the Small Business Saturday Facebook page (www.facebook.com/smallbusinesssaturdayuk) and Twitter feed (@SmallBizSatUk).

Ends.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Howard Robinson .