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The micro business movement in Britain

Micro business Britain - who are they and why do they matter?


Welcome to Simply, if this is your first time, you may have noticed that we're all about micro business and I wanted to say more about my dedication to using the word micro and what it might mean to you.


Some twenty plus years ago I became a business owner for the first time after a corporate career that taught me much but that I ultimately didn't love. Here I was with a big old corporate business chip on my shoulder, barely admitting I was a small business at all. With buckets of business knowledge and yet none at all, I ploughed on.


The biggest eye opener for me, other than the fact no one paid me regularly and it turns out I didn't have a marketing department, was that I felt so isolated. This was pre social media, so my attempts to connect with folks like me were unfulfilling. It turns out 'small business' is often used as a big old generic terms for any business under about 50 employees. I would attempt networking as a one person business and be met with (friendly) suits, departments, leaders and mini corporates.


Where the hell were the people like me?


It turns out we have had (& still do I believe) a language problem that has a huge impact on the 96% of UK private enterprise with 0-9 employees. These are, in fact, micro businesses, and yet barely talked about and certainly not appreciated for their unique size and impact. Because they are subsumed into the 'small' label, it's hugely challenging to fully address the very particular experiences that micro business owners have, let alone help the British public understand who they are and why they play such a vital role in all our lives.


Here I am, some twenty plus years later and I'm still a micro business owner. I have been putting food on the table and paying my bills and tax all this time. My business has not become small (10-49 employees) and I have opted to stay micro because of what it enables in my life. I work with 100s of others who either have a direct impact on my business or who are part of a wider community that are transforming where they are.


So, what's the issue with not calling everyone small to encompass the micro at one end to the almost SME level? Why not just keep things simple?


Several, very important reasons:


  • Micros experience a very particular commercial environment that makes finance very hard to come by (for women it's significanty worse); are disproportionally isolated from networks and connections to other micros & face much lower consideration when funders are distributing business support, resulting in much less access to good quality coaching, business training & more.

  • Because micros are subsumed into the world of small, they are compelled to compete alongside much larger organisations with customers and stakeholders expecting the same levels of service or discount or simply not appreciating the special size of business they're engaging with.

  • Micros suffer from a lack of identity in the British psyche and specifically the customer base they're looking to attract. Not able to compete commercially with high street giants or larger organisations, there isn't enough understanding in the public eye, of the benefits of supporting micros in their communities or nationally.

  • By specifically labelling and understanding the very special qualities and needs of 0-9 sized enterprises, we're all able to benefit from the transformative effect that micros have on the economy, on communities, high streets and more. We provide widely seen and accessible examples of enterprise at a manageable size, the potential to grow personal income, develop start ups that survive and encourage innovation across all parts of the UK - all through micro business.


Simply has a mission to help transform more British lives through micro business. Bold, yes, but already beginning to happen.


By sharing stories, shining a spotlight, signposting & providing high quality, professional support, we're able to help micros blossom under the spotlight of who they really are. Micro in size but no less mighty in impact. Micros have the opportunity to grow confidence, ideas & innovation through shared knowledge, connection and community. Micros can grow micros too. We've all witnessed when one or two are successful in a high street, it breeds more of that great micro magic and thus breathes life into communities.


And this takes us to all of you out there who aren't micro business owners. If you list all the great experiences you've had in your life over the last 12 months, I'm willing to bet some hard cash on a lot of them involving micro businesses. A buzzing market, a newly opened independent on your high street, a personal note from an online purchase, an 'above and beyond' service from a micro expert, a top notch bake or weekend break, a course or training that has made all the difference. All 'micro experiences' that we now know to call them just that.


This micro movement is here to stay. Despite banging on about the word 'micro' for over 10 years, I'm more than heartened to discover that my voice is slightly less isolated. The volume is growing as people begin to more readily identify as micros and stand tall and proud. Side hustlers, shop keepers, artisan makers, professional experts, freelancers, designers, therapists, producers, dog walkers....the list is an endless, mighty celebration of all that we love best about business in the UK. More research is being done toto help stakeholders and decision makers understand the unique set of challenges and experiences faced by micros.


Now we can ask - 'are you a micro?'. Now we can say that we 'shop micro'. Perhaps we can choose to seek out micros first, with new understanding of their true value to our lives, community & country.


If you'd like to know more about micro business life in Britain, I'd urge you to join our email list (scroll to the bottom of this page), sharing transformative stories and offers from the world of micro business.


Try out our podcast 'A Micro Business Life' - with a new series due out in early 2025.


Finally, take a look at Simply Club, our membership community for micro business owners. A safe, welcoming place to share, learn and feel connected while making new friends.



Micro business Britain

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