Meet Scotland’s most inspiring entrepreneurs as Small Business Saturday 2025 campaign kicks off

The firms were named as this year’s Small Business Saturday campaign gets underway. The annual initiative aims to “celebrate and uplift” independent businesses by encouraging the public to support and spend money locally. Each business will be showcased as part of a 100-day countdown to the main event itself, which is due to be held on Saturday December 6.

West Lothian online pregnancy support platform AlignBirth, Alloa Ballet Company in Clackmannanshire and Glasgow-based sustainable innovation business Project Harmless are among the ten firms north of the Border featured in this year’s “SmallBiz100” line-up, with the selection being made following a national search.

Despite some signs that small business confidence is bouncing back, the UK’s 5.45 million or so small firms continue to face an array of economic challenges, including higher national insurance contributions and wage costs. Campaigners argue that public support will be vital for small businesses heading into the final critical peak period of the year and essential to powering much-needed economic growth.

Small Business Saturday is a non-commercial campaign that was founded by American Express in the US in 2010, and the credit card giant remains the campaign’s principal supporter in the UK.

Michelle Ovens, director of Small Business Saturday UK, said: “Small businesses are the nation’s favourite businesses - bringing immeasurable value to our local communities and powering the wider economy.

“From family-run cafés and local restaurants, to independent makers, services and traders, this year’s SmallBiz100 represents some of the UK’s most-loved small businesses. It is exciting to kick off this year’s campaign with so many fantastic businesses from across Scotland featured,” she added. “With small firms still facing lots of challenges​, public support makes all the difference as independent firms enter their most critical quarter of the year.”

Heather Shrimpton, owner of Alloa Ballet Company, said: “We are absolutely thrilled to have been chosen as part of the SmallBiz100. Small Business Saturday is such an important campaign, shining a light on the passion, creativity and community spirit that small businesses like ours bring - for me, that means inspiring children, supporting families, and sharing the joy of dance with our community."

The other small businesses featured from Scotland include: Ablekids Press, an Inverness-based publisher and bookshop founded by Pauline Mackay, specialising in children’s bilingual books and local history; AYT Foods, understood to be Fife’s first Afro-Caribbean grocery store; Breagha By Nic, a Stirling-based gift shop showcasing handmade items from more than 70 small creative businesses, alongside jewellery and art prints; and Brilliantly Brave, a Moray-based greeting card and wall art company, which re-invests all profits into community-led mental health support.

The other Scottish representatives are: Sarah Longfield, a creative business coach based in Glasgow; Shine Books, an inclusive children’s series created by Jo North that celebrates diversity, and is based in Kirknewton; and Warrior In Training, a Paisley pilates venture focusing on” mindful movement”.

Temitope Ajayi-Salami, founder of AYT Foods (Fife), said: “Being chosen for the SmallBiz100 is a proud moment for me and the AYT Foods family. This journey started with a desire to bring culturally familiar food to our community, and it’s grown into something far more meaningful.

“Campaigns like Small Business Saturday remind us that even the smallest businesses have big stories and even bigger impact."

Jo North of Shine Books added: “The Small Business Saturday campaign is such an important platform for celebrating and supporting small businesses, and I’m thrilled to be a part of it.”

On Small Business Saturday, customers across the UK go out and support all types of small businesses, from independent shops and restaurants, to small service and business-to-business firms such as plumbers and accountants. Many small businesses take an active role in promoting the day by hosting events and offering promotions. More than 90 per cent of local councils supported the campaign, which trended across social media on the day.

Dan Edelman, general manager, UK merchant services at American Express, said: “Through our long-standing support of Small Business Saturday, American Express is proud to champion the nation’s small businesses. Congratulations to this year’s SmallBiz100, which once again showcases the incredible vibrancy and innovation of small firms and the valuable contribution they make to local communities.”

Optimism

Optimism among the UK’s small and medium-sized businesses has grown for a third consecutive year, according to American Express’ latest SME barometer research conducted in partnership with Small Business Saturday, which quizzed decision makers at some 1,000 UK small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). Almost seven in 10 (69 per cent) say they are confident about the future of their company - rising slightly from 67 per cent in 2023 and 65 per cent in 2022. There are also encouraging signs when looking ahead to the remainder of the year, with almost three-fifths of respondents (57 per cent) believing that sales will be better this year than in the closing months of 2024.

Business coach Sarah Longfield added: “I'm a proud bald business owner, having lost my hair through alopecia a few years ago, and opportunities like this give me a valuable platform to shout about what I do and send out the message that having a visible difference does not stop you from being a successful entrepreneur. I’m excited to connect with the other 99 businesses too, getting a chance to support and celebrate small enterprises across the UK.”

From sheds to gin and refills, this 20-stop roadshow will champion Scotland's small businesses