10 Ways Small Business Owners Can Support Global Entrepreneurship Week Locally

Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW), to be held November 12-18th, is the world’s largest celebration of the innovators and job creators who launch startups that bring ideas to life, drive economic growth and expand human welfare.

GEW offers a prominent platform for small business owners to showcase how they foster a culture that embraces innovation, imagination and creativity.

“During one week each November, GEW inspires people everywhere through local, national and global activities designed to help them explore their potential as self-starters and innovators. These activities, from large-scale competitions and events to intimate networking gatherings, connect participants to potential collaborators, mentors and even investors—introducing them to new possibilities and exciting opportunities.”

If you’re wondering how you can make a local impact along with 115 countries—and nearly 24,000 partner organizations planning more than 37,000 activities that directly engage more than 7 million people, here’s how:

1. Speak at your local college or university on entrepreneurship.

Many colleges and universities are open to hosting speakers, specifically successful small business leaders within the community that want to give back to today’s youth with discussions on leadership, free enterprise, entrepreneurship and more.

2. Buy locally from small and micro businesses.

As a consumer, you can deliberately focus on buying from small and micro businesses and support the growing entrepreneurship ecosystem within your community. Research indicates that, “when you buy from an independent, locally owned business, rather than a nationally owned businesses, significantly more of your money is used to make purchases from other local businesses, service providers and farms — continuing to strengthen the economic base of the community.”

3. Support social entrepreneurship and related causes.

Seek out social entrepreneurs to support socially and economically; such as Charity: Water, Change.org, BioLite, Freelancers Insurance Co. and others. Social entrepreneurship is on the rise, as entrepreneurs aim to change the world. “They identify and solves social problems on a large scale. Just as business entrepreneurs create and transform whole industries, social entrepreneurs act as the change agents for society, seizing opportunities others miss in order to improve systems, invent and disseminate new approaches and advance sustainable solutions that create social value.”

4. Explore initiatives to sell to micro and small businesses.

If it’s aligned with your business model and offering, grow revenue and develop new markets by expanding initiatives to sell to other small businesses.

“Whether you represent one of the many small businesses whose target market is other small businesses, or whether you represent a large organization [be aware of common mistakes to avoid] when selling to small business owners,” according to Small Business Trends Editor, Anita Campbell.

5. Seek out new relationships with local small business owners in your industry.

Make new friends withing your local small business community. Expanding your professional network can reap personal and business dividends in the future. Grab coffee with another entrepreneur and take interest in someone else’s business. You’ll be amazed at what you can learn and how your business will grow as a result of forming new and mutually beneficial relationships.