Be A Hero, Shop Small!
Let me get this straight I don’t mean you’ve got to turn into Wonder Woman or Superman, some of you may turn into the Incredible Hulk when you’re Christmas shopping but that’s a different story! I mean to say that it is true, that each time you place an order with a small independent business that person (because it will be a person and not a computer that receives your order), will do a little happy dance. Their day will be a bit brighter and their business will be a bit healthier. Every time an order drops into my inbox it’s like a little light goes on for me it’s knowing that someone out there values what I do and I just want to say thank you to you for that.
Be A Hero, Shop Small
I think “Buy local” and “shop small” have become slogans of this decade. We are all seeing the advantages in spending our money this way and enjoying the greater community feeling of using local gift shops, bakers, farmers market and coffee shops. Getting to know the faces behind the businesses you love connects you to the people who work hard to give the best service they can. Your support helps them and their business flourish which in turn pays their bills, feeds their families and allows them to shop in their local community too.
There are some great resources out there to help you find that perfect small business and I thought i would share some of my favourites with you: Just a Card, Made By Hand Online and Design Nation to name a few. I have shared links below so you can do some lunch time browsing while you cosy up with your bowl of soup!
JUST A CARD is a grassroots campaign started and run by Sarah Hamilton and a small team of volunteers. They are on a mission to encourage people to value, support and buy from small businesses, artists and makers. Every sale, even just a card, is vital to their prosperity and survival.
The JUST A CARD campaign is about so much more than shopping. It’s about people, their imagination, creativity and sheer hard work. It’s about shops, markets, fairs, exhibitions – anywhere where people enjoy being part of a shared community including online. JUST A CARD is helping to spread the message that supporting small businesses and shopping local is a win-win, you get things made and sold with care and passion and people like me can continue to do what we love.
Keep an eye out for Indie Week 2021 – 22-26th November on Instagram. Just a card logo by @SarahHamiltonPrints. Cover illustration by @angela.chick.illustration
Holly Tucker – Founder of Notonthehighstreet and Holly & Co
Holly & Co is a small business that exists to support other small businesses. There is a wealth of fantastic information available and Holly and her team regularly travel across the UK visiting indie shops and businesses to help promote them and shine a light on what they are doing.
“We’re on a mission to encourage everyone to vote with their money and shop independent. Small businesses are the life blood of the UK economy, with SME’s (Small and Medium sized Enterprizes) making up 99.9% of all private sector businesses in the UK, and , after one of the toughest years in recent history, now more that ever small needs our support.
We’re spearheading a movement, calling on consumers to understand the value of their pound and where they spend it. Encouraging everyone to vote with thei money for the kind of world they want to live in.”
You can follow #CampaignShopIndpendent on Instagram to see a gorgeous selection of businesses across the UK. There are beautiful looking shops in every corner of Britain so wherever you live you’ll be able to find a gem of a small business where you can spend your pounds.
Made By Hand Online is run by a small team in Devon.
Made By Hand Online (madebyhandonline.com) is run by a small team in Devon. They showcase a truly authentic and individual range of contemporary British Craft. Their website and brand was designed to express a deep respect for the making community and to truly represent the value of high quality handmade products.
"Our carefully curated website brings together a community of approximately 130 selected makers from around the UK to celebrate and sell their work online. We also highlight exceptional contemporary craft events and resources for the industry. You'll find a diverse range of jewellery, ceramics, sculpture, textiles and more.” You can find my work here too.
Design-Nation
If you are a maker I would recommend wholeheartedly that you take a look at becoming a member. If you are looking for a really special gift then I suggest you make a cuppa and spend some time looking through the amazing array of makers and artists who are in their portfolio. Some of the most acclaimed and innovative crafts people belong to Design Nation.
Design-Nation will be taking applications for the next round of memberships until the 5th November 2021.
Small business Saturday
This is another great way to find new independent businesses across the UK. It is another grassroots campaign, run by Small is Big CIC (Community Interest Company) not-for-profit. Although the campaign is only run over 1 day, their aim is to promote small businesses through out the year and they have a directory on their website which you can access at any time.
SBS was started by American Express in the USA about 10 years ago. Since then, it has moved the the UK and last year, reported the following statistics:
£1.1 billion spent with small businesses across the UK on the UK's eighth Small Business Saturday, according to estimates.
15.4 million people turned out to support small businesses.
Small Business Saturday also drew high engagement on social media, with #SmallBizSatUK and #SmallBusinessSaturday the UK’s top two trends throughout the day.
Politicians including the Prime Minister, leader of the opposition and the Mayor of London all publicly supported Small Business Saturday.
Small business Saturday saw a massive surge in Facebook, Instagram and Twitter posts with more people sharing their small business stories.
I hope that this has proved to be a useful read, please share it with anyone who might benefit from business support or with friends who love to browse and find new small business to buy from in the run up to Christmas.