I'm off by train to London today, then on to 11 Downing Street as part of Small Business Saturday, writes local entrepreneur and Spurtle 'TG Tips' contributor Tracy Griffen.
Griffen Fitness and a selection of other businesses from around the UK have been invited to a 1pm reception 'to celebrate the UK's first Small Business Saturday and the success of our GREAT British small businesses'. Catchy title.
The main thing on my mind today is pondering exactly what I'm representing when I'm there.
Recognition of small and micro businesses needs to happen in the UK. In Scotland, small businesses (0–49 employees) make up 98.1% of all businesses and 40.7% of all private-sector employment. It's mind-boggling just how big small business is.
I think it's great that the UK has followed the US, where Small Business Saturday was launched in 2010 – scheduled to take place on the Saturday after Thanksgiving and in contrast to Big Biz's 'Black Friday' and 'Cyber Monday'.
The UK's first Small Business Saturday takes place tomorrow on 7 December. Twitterers can use #SmallBizSatUK or Facebook.
My favourite organisation to volunteer for is the Federation of Small Businesses, where I really feel that I have a chance to have my voice heard. And we run some kick-ass events too!
We are living in a time where more people are questioning the ethics, reliability and quality of many large-scale businesses. Tesco shares have dropped and 'authenticity' is a buzzword. It is time that the mainstream looked at alternatives to the Starbucks and Amazons of the world.
Small is beautiful. Small is sustainable. Small is special.
Update from the train to London
Thankfully the weather today has allowed travel from Scotland.
Not only am I interested in representing small business at Downing Street today, but I'm also curious about attitudes of other UK small businesses towards Scottish business given next year's referendum. I’ll send another update later with results of my informal vox pop.
A number of small businesses involved in the Small Business Saturday campaign are meeting before the reception at the Red Lion – a pub on Parliament Street, famous for it's political history. We were going to meet at Costa coffee until I pointed out that it wasn't in keeping with the ideal of the day ...
So, having brushed up on the Autumn Statement and considered my list of demands (including a continuation of small business rates relief) for Number 11 Downing Street, I will sign off now and enjoy the rest of my smooth-running on-time train journey.
Update on the hoof
I'm at the Red Lion, Westminster, about to meet some of the #SmallBizSat100 who have travelled from around the UK for a Downing St reception
On our way into Downing Street with a bunch of other #SmallBizSat100 businesses. Everyone's rather excited.
On the quiet coach of the train back to Scotland listening to David Bowie 'We could be heroes' loudly on my headphones trying not to dance.
An update from the GNER quiet coach. I have failed miserably in not dancing. #shoesaff #comingbacktoscotland
What an amazing day!
I met many of the 100 small businesses featured in the Small Business Saturday campaign at the Red Lion before heading to Downing Street. We had a good blether and then went through security.
The reception at 11 Downing Street was a very friendly affair, with Matthew Hancock MP, Minister for Skills and Enterprise, and Sajid Jarvid, Financial Secretary to the Treasury, both speaking of their personal experiences of family small businesses. Cucumber sandwiches were served with cups of tea and coffee.
After an hour of enthusiastic networking, George Osborne popped by to say hello and we managed a snap of us with my Healthy Living Yearbook.
Scottish devolution was discussed by a few businesses, and frankly they were perplexed that Scotland should feel the need to disassociate itself from the union. I tried to to offer both sides of the argument, but it seems that many English businesses feel Scotland would be scuppered without Westminster. They genuinely did not recognise that Scotland has its own resources, both physically and intellectually.
I met the national chair of the Federation of Small Businesses there, John Allen. It was good to see him, but I look forward to the day a woman occupies that position. There was about one-third women at Downing Street ... getting closer to how it should be.
Overall it appears that micro business is being recognised as an economic force and certainly there were enough of us shouting its praises.
So, a highly successful day and I look forward to catching up with Deidre Brock tomorrow. I wish you all a happy Small Business Saturday. Shop small and help the economy. After all, if you don't, who will?
Why not join Tracy at Embo on Haddington Place (tomorrow, 2pm)? She'll be raising a quality cuppa to local small business with Leith Walk councillor and deputy lord provost Deidre Brock.
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Edinburgh North and Leith's Mark Lazarowicz MP has added his support to the grassroots SBS event on 7 December: 'I know that small businesses play a big role in Edinburgh North and Leith, and we are fortunate to have a number of local shopping streets with a large number of them.
'I hope that Small Business Saturday will become a regular annual event which will encourage people to shop from small businesses, and I will certainly be doing that myself this Saturday. People value the choice they get from smaller shops, which is why I want to celebrate the contribution they make to local communities.’