Ninth yearly Small Business Day happening this week

31st August 2020 By: Simone Liedtke - Creamer Media Social Media Editor & Senior Writer

September 4 will mark the ninth yearly Small Business Friday − the biggest small business day of the year in South Africa.

Small Business Friday is dedicated to supporting the diverse range of local businesses that create jobs, help boost the economy, and enhance communities around the country.

The movement celebrates small businesses ranging from retail stores and restaurants to guest houses and hairdressers, and everything in between.

National Small Business Chamber (NSBC) founder and CEO Mike Anderson says entrepreneurship is one of the cornerstones of the South African economy and it is, therefore, vital to sustain this sector.

“Small Business Friday has gained incredible momentum over the past nine years. It remains important to keep reminding people to get involved and support small business.”

The NSBC anticipates enormous, nationwide support for the movement this Friday as it marks the start of a 365-day drive to celebrate and recognise the importance of the small business community.

“We really want people to ‘go big’ by supporting the small,” he comments.

The NSBC launched Small Business Friday in 2012.

“We didn't know how big it was going to be. We were surprised how fast it happened and the extent of it. More importantly, it drove real results for small businesses across the country that day and changed the habit of many consumers forever,” says Anderson.

He says the future plan is to win even more support, not just from small businesses, consumers and activists but larger companies it could partner with to promote the cause, and importantly, to lobby government officials to enhance the every-day life of the small business community.

"Simply committing to a few simple tasks will help drive the movement and of course strengthen the small business sector,” Anderson comments.