Oct 16, 2014

Small Business Saturday Becomes Holiday Tradition in Communities Across the Country in Only Five YearsBy Nicole Leinbach-ReyhleForbes.com

Since 2010, customers and small businesses alike have been able to kick start their holiday shopping season on a day celebrating the uniqueness, charm and economic impact that small businesses bring to communities nationwide. Recognized as Small Business Saturday – taking place the Saturday following Thanksgiving each year – this celebratory day was founded to encourage consumers across the country to support local, small businesses within their hometowns and beyond.

In only five years, Small Business Saturday has taken on a life of its own and it’s been very exciting to see how small business owners and communities have come together to own the day and make it special,” explains Lisette Bernstein, Vice President of Small Business Saturday at American Express.

With the support of American Express – a founding partner of Small Business Saturday – and fortitude of thousands of small business owners across the country, Small Business Saturday has quickly become widely recognized as the day to kick start the holiday shopping season. Anchored between Black Friday and Cyber Monday, small businesses stand out thanks in part to the national media attention Small Business Saturday generates, but also in part to the individual efforts small business owners nationwide contribute to make this day one of a kind. As a result, consumers are showing an increase in spending as each Small Business Saturday passes. In fact, a survey conducted on behalf of the National Federation of Independent Businesses and American Express identified that $5.7 billion was spent by consumers aware of the initiative on Small Business Saturday in 2013 alone.

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