Small business champion
The owner of a small luxury handmade chocolate business has been named as one of 20 entrepreneurs around the UK to become a Small Business Saturday champion for 2015, with the remit to promote locally this year’s event on Saturday 5 December, when the UK’s 5.2 million small businesses are placed in the national spotlight.
Russell Pullan, owner of Fifth Dimension Chocolates, was a member of the first Small Business Saturday 100 in 2013. Fifth Dimension Chocolates specialises in luxury handmade chocolates, using high-quality single-origin cocoa combined with classic and unusual flavours, inspired by their passion for food and travel.
“Small Business Saturday plays a valuable role in focusing the minds of consumers and fellow business owners on what small businesses can offer in terms of range of products and services and levels of customer service,” explains Pullan. “Most people in this country either own a small business, work for a small business or know somebody who does so we are delighted to have been asked to champion Small Business Saturday 2015 and to do what we can to get people thinking small.”
Now entering its third year Small Business Saturday is already the UK’s most successful small business campaign. Last year 16.5 million adults went out to support a small business on Small Business Saturday with 64 per cent of the UK aware of the campaign. The UK’s small businesses between them provide 60 per cent of private sector jobs and nearly 50 per cent of private sector turnover.
Michelle Ovens, national campaign director for Small Business Saturday UK, says: “Last year, small business owners, local authorities, a wide range of other organisations and members of the public really embraced Small Business Saturday. It succeeded because people recognised the importance of having a vibrant and successful small business sector and not only came out on the day itself but got involved in the run-up to it in their local communities.
“Our Champions have a crucial role to play in mobilising that support and in ensuring that Small Business Saturday comes to life for small business owners in their local areas. They are our feet on the ground.”