A Derby businesswoman has been selected as one of a dozen ‘small business heroes’ ahead of a nationwide event aimed at promoting small, independent firms.
Each year, Small Business Saturday chooses 12 business owners to be the spokespeople and public face of the campaign.
And Yvonne Gorman, owner of Essential Print Services, on Pride Park, is among those to be named a “Small Business Hero”.
Small Business Saturday is a grassroots, not-for-profit campaign that celebrates small business success and encourages consumers to ‘shop local’ to support businesses in their communities.
Originally founded by American Express in the US in 2010, it was launched in the UK in 2013 where it has grown in popularity and influence year-on-year. This year, Small Business Saturday falls on December 7.
Yvonne has previously played a key part in the growth of Small Business Saturday, particularly in Derby, having been selected as part of the SBS100 in 2013 and being nominated as a Small Business Saturday UK Champion, which has seen her visit Downing Street twice to fly the flag for small businesses.
This year, she will be highlighting the impact that the campaign can have for a business on a national level.
The news comes shortly after Yvonne was nominated for a Great British Entrepreneur Award where she was recently a finalist for the Small Business Entrepreneur of the Year category.
She has also been anonymously nominated for an English Women’s Awards for Business of the Year, the results of which will be announced next month.
Yvonne said: “I’m honoured to be a Small Business Hero and to be part of such a fantastic initiative.
“We have such a strong small business community in Derby and I’m proud to play my part in that.
“It’s a bit overwhelming to have such recognition. I work very hard to champion small businesses and to support the local business community so it’s heartwarming to have that acknowledged.”
