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How Small Businesses Can Support Each Other This Small Business Saturday (and All Year Long)


Two small business owners smiling and fist-bumping outside shops labeled "Candle Studio" and "Cupcakery Bakery". Warm lighting, casual setting.

Small Business Saturday is the perfect moment to support small businesses and strengthen the local entrepreneurs who power our communities. Whether you’re a maker, retailer, service provider, or running your business from home, there are simple and meaningful ways to lift up fellow business owners. In this guide, we’re sharing six practical ways you can shop small, collaborate, leave reviews, share resources, and build a stronger small business community: this weekend and all year long.

🛍️ 1. Shop Small Yourself

Barista with orange hair and bearded, in yellow polka-dot shirt and red apron, serving coffee to a woman in a pink sweater, in a bright cafe.

You’re part of the local ecosystem — and your buying choices matter.

When you shop small, you’re not just making a purchase. You're helping another owner pay their staff, buy materials, keep the lights on, and keep pursuing their dream.


Simple ways to shop small:

  • Grab your morning coffee from a local café

  • Choose local makers for birthday and holiday gifts

  • Pick up supplies from neighborhood vendors

  • Hire small businesses for services like printing, photography, catering, or repairs

Your support doesn’t just stay local, it strengthens the entire small business ecosystem.

🤝 2. Collaborate

A female candle shop owner holds a large candle while interacting with a male baker in a red apron on a teal background. The baker is holding four colorful cupcakes on a tray. Gold coin icons float between them, with storefront illustrations behind them.

There’s no such thing as competition when collaboration builds the entire community.


Some ideas:

  • Create co-branded gift bundles

  • Host joint pop-ups or community events

  • Team up for workshops or classes

  • Swap products or features (your baked goods in their shop, their handmade items in yours)

  • Share marketing costs on seasonal promotions

When two small businesses share a spotlight, they reach twice the audience — and make twice the impact.



📣 3. Share the Love Online


Two small business owners on a light blue background. One holds a large smartphone showing social media icons, while the other points to it. Floating icons for Facebook, Instagram, and social likes surround them.

Social media visibility is like oxygen for small businesses and showing support is free.


The simplest actions make the biggest difference:


  • Like their posts

  • Comment with something genuine

  • Share their content to your stories

  • Save the posts you love

  • Tag a friend or customer who’d love their products


These tiny actions help small businesses reach new customers and stay visible in the algorithm.



💬 4. Refer, Review & Recommend


Two small business owners standing together on a red background. A woman in a yellow floral top holds a referral card, while a bearded man in a red apron displays a phone with a storefront icon. A plant, covered dish, and smiling yellow cat appear near them.

Referrals are powerful. Reviews are priceless.


A single 5-star review or heartfelt recommendation can:

  • Improve search rankings

  • Build trust with new customers

  • Encourage repeat business

  • Help small businesses stand out against big-box competitors

Ways to support:

  • Recommend your favorite shops to clients and customers

  • Tell friends and family about your go-to businesses

  • Leave a thoughtful Google, Yelp, Facebook, Etsy, or Shopify review

  • Share your favorite businesses in newsletters, group chats, or community groups

Your words carry weight and your endorsement goes further than you think.



🧰 5. Share Resources

Man in red kimono holds tablet with "AI" icon displayed on screen. A woman in blue floral shirt holds a wrench near a toolbox and small robot. Pink background, cheerful mood.

No one understands the journey like another entrepreneur. Sharing what you know makes the path smoother for everyone.

Pass along:

  • Tools that save time

  • Software that simplifies your work

  • Vendors you trust

  • Grant and funding opportunities

  • Templates, checklists, and workflows

  • Business lessons you learned the hard way

When small business owners share knowledge, the entire community levels up.



✨ 6. Invite a Small Business Owner to Shophand


A construction worker in a yellow hard hat shows a tablet with the Shophand logo to another small business owner holding a covered food tray. They stand on a bright yellow background with share icons.

One of the most meaningful ways to support a fellow owner? Give them a tool built just for them.

Shophand is a hybrid of simple tech + real human support, designed to help non-techie small business owners work smarter, not harder.

This Small Business Saturday, invite another entrepreneur to join the Shophand. It’s one of the most impactful gifts you can give a fellow small business owner.

Pilot members get:

  • Early access to the Shophand 5k Small Business Boost Grant

  • Grant & funding resources

  • Feature rollouts as we build

  • The chance to shape the platform built for small business owners

Whether they’re overwhelmed, scaling, or just need a helping hand, Shophand gives them practical tools, guidance, and support to run their business with confidence.

👉 Join the Pilot + Apply for the Small Business Boost Grant: www.shophand.com/small-business-boost-grant



How We Can All Support Small Businesses Year-Round

💛 This Small Business Saturday — and Every Day — Let’s Show Up for Each Other

Supporting small businesses isn’t about grand gestures. It's about the small, consistent actions that build momentum:

A purchase. A comment. A referral. A shared tool. A heartfelt review. An invitation to Shophand.

Saturday, let’s celebrate the hustle, the heart, and the humans behind every small business... and let’s continue lifting each other up all year long.

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