We've just announced that Simply Club is finally open again to welcome in new micro businesses - honestly it's a big whoop after our in depth overhaul of the website and brand new membership platform - Member Hub.
One of the questions I am asked often is why Simply Club & why specifically just for micro businesses?
Micro businesses make up a whopping 96% of private business in the UK. There are over 5.2 million of them and about 65% are single person businesses. Often scooped up into the language net of 'small business', which, in fact, are technically businesses with 10-50 employees, micros are little focussed on or talked about in mainstream media or outside of academic study.
Perhaps it's our focus on marrying the words business and growth that somehow creates oversight for micro businesses. Often not seen as prospects for scaling up or rapid expansion, many a funded programme or TV show overlooks these millions of tiny but impactful enterprises.
But there's no lack of ambition or dedication here. Micro businesses are providing Britain with a deeply rich seam of innovative & flexible work for millions who in turn breathe sustaining life into local communities, not to mention being the connective tissue for many a larger organisation.
As a micro myself, I spent the early years of being a business owner feeling isolated as a result of not 'seeing' myself in networks or business support organisations. Where I did find support, it was often jargon filled and only seeking exponential growth as the outcome. In addition to this, where small & micro businesses met, it was frequently in specific groups - women, professions, tourism, young Mums etc. Nothing wrong with that per say, but not offering the opportunity of connecting with businesses of all sectors but shared size and thus experiences.
Simply Club is a community membership for micros because it's vital to support the transformation of so much through this incredibly important group. Micro businesses are often set up as a result of leaving previous employment in search of more balance, less stress or to fulfil a dream. Micro businesses are often set up my women as they become mothers as they search for working hours that support family life and flexibility. Micro businesses are now more often set up as so called 'side hustles' as folks try to augment their incomes or explore some of the elbow room that the pandemic may have given them a glimpse of. Micro businesses are often set up by those who can simply not tolerate the stress that modern work life often creates.
Without lots of in depth research around, we do know too, that micros are especially good at sustainable - in that they are often living wage payers, generous to community, committed to people & planet over profit and great at conserving energy, reducing waste and creating short, transparent supply chains. I would argue, that they're leading the way in teaching lessons of innovation, ethical practice and purpose led enterprise.
The help we provide, training we offer and community we encourage are all entirely focussed on this specific and special approach to business. Doing away with unhelpful jargon, creating resources in small, bite sized chunks to fit around capacity & encouraging knowledge sharing & building working relationships, Simply Club is here to help transform more lives through micro business - both for the owners and the customers and communities they serve when they thrive.
If you are a micro business owners, then take a look at what's on offer in Simply Club - a place just for you and your kind of company.
If you're not a micro owner, then there's much to celebrate for you too. Meet Simply Club via our Directory to enjoy the growing tribe of outstanding and dedicated people who are making such a difference.
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