How we can all Support Local on Small Business Saturday

By Kathy Kyle Bonomini, Co-Founder – DigiKind

How are you going to Shop Local this Small Business Saturday?

Shopping locally doesn’t have to be the last resort. To celebrate Small Business Saturday, 4th December 2021, we’ve created a DigiKind Gift Guide to help you make great choices this Christmas and invest in our community.

There are many ways we can all be sustainable, ethical consumers and businesses. We can work together to support our local community to be resilient, no matter what challenges come our way.

As a Small Biz 100, we are proud to support our local communities and British businesses. That’s why we created this guide. It’s our round up of some of the innovative small businesses, non-profits, councils, business improvement districts and well, superstars we’ve been fortunate enough to meet this year. If we’ve missed anyone, please help us to add your favourites to our guide. (We’ve seen a lot of amazing content – please help us and share your favourites in each section.) 😀

Our guide is organised into the following sections:

Here are a few ways to support each other this 4th December (and every day):

✅ Shop Local. Shopping Locally reduces your carbon footprint. Shop with makers who source locally and employ local staff.

✅ Partner with ethical makers, like Blue Patch, a directory of sustainable makers across the UK.

✅ Reserve space in your shop for independent sellers, local artisans, vintage sellers, makers and creators. If you’re a bigger shop, make room for the independents.

✅ Swap services. The UK Swap Shop is a good place to start for this. Trade your services for stuff you need or want to give.

✅ Don’t want to consume stuff? Shop Local and gift experiences, events, shows, music and vouchers. You can buy all of these goodies locally, too.

✅ Collaborate with partners, create pop ups shops and support the “place” versus only your own business.

✅ Evaluate your supply chain decisions and make sure your purchases align with your values and impact on the environment.

✅ Create a circular economy. Upscale, reuse, shop slow, shop second hand and vintage. Decide if you need your purchase, if you need it new — and remember there are brilliant small businesses who offer innovative upcycling and recycling options. Treasures abound! Check out Cucumber Clothing’s Loan-To-Own Revolution for inspiration.

✅ Be kind to yourself and each other. Ultimately small businesses are all working hard to thrive and innovate. The past few years have been challenging on so many levels. Find opportunities in obstacles. Disruption usually brings innovation. So be kind and remember that we are all in this together. 🌿🌿🌿

✅ Do you have a “Buy Local” Shopping List? We do – check it out! From Self-Care, Pet-friendly lists, kid’s toys to local restaurants and cafes — we created this one for our client at #MyRoyalBorough. Check out our #IndiesAtoZ campaign and join in!

✅ Join Small Business Britain’s Small Business Saturday campaign and engage with the amazing network of these brilliant, wonderful businesses.

✅ Meet the Small Business 100, who we have been featuring on our digital channels (what an inspirational bunch!)

Join us

If you are a small business, Business Improvement District (BID), nonprofit, Indie, or local government body — tag us at @BeDigiKind we will continue to promote you, especially on #SmallBizSatUK. 

Join our movement and #BeDigiKind.