Yvonne Gorman will be helping to launch this year’s Small Business Saturday (SBS) initiative in London on Tuesday (July 8).
Yvonne, who runs Essential Print Services on Pride Park, is one of only seven businesses hand-picked from across the UK to attend the event in the British Library and have a stand showcasing her business to a host of national figures from the world of politics, business and industry.
She has also been asked if one of the event’s high-profile speakers can interview her about the impact last year’s first-ever SBS had on her business.
This year SBS falls on Saturday, December 6. It’s a day when everyone is encouraged to make a special effort to shop local and support small businesses in their communities. The idea began in America four years ago and has received cross-party support. It is part of a year-round grassroots campaign that casts a spotlight on small businesses and the vital role they play in our economy.
Yvonne said: “Getting involved in last year’s SBS was wonderful for me and my business. After signing up to support the campaign online, Essential Print Services was featured in the SBS Top 100 – a countdown of firms, featured one a day, on the SBS Facebook Page. It really helped to raise our profile locally, regionally and nationally.”
As one of the SBS Top 100, Yvonne was invited to a reception at Downing Street where she met Chancellor George Osborne (pictured below); Shadow Business Secretary Chuka Umunna (pictured below) and Enterprise and Skills Minister Matthew Hancock.
Yvonne said: “It was a fantastic opportunity to discuss the challenges and issues faced by small business owners. To be contacted again now and asked if I would be one of just a handful of UK business owners at this week’s launch is very exciting.”
This year, the higher profile that Yvonne has enjoyed – partly as a result of the SBS publicity – has led to speaking engagements where she has championed small businesses and their importance to Derbyshire’s economy. Yvonne’s business has continued to grow and she has moved to bigger premises and taken on a third staff member.
Yvonne, who launched her company in 2011, said she would encourage all local small businesses to seize any opportunity to support this year’s SBS campaign online and through planning special events or promotions they could run on the day itself: “You never know what opportunities may come your way – as they have for me – and it’s a valuable chance to showcase the quality and service that small businesses can offer.”
