This is Small Business Week in Canada. It is set aside each year to recognize the contribution entrepreneurs and small business owners make to our national economy and social well-being.
It has been sponsored by the federal lender BDC for more than four decades but this one holds special significance because of COVID. It was a disruptor for many businesses, particularly smaller ones that found themselves facing everything from outright closures to partial operations such as curb-side or delivery only.
But a new study from ScotiaBank has determined that business owners themselves feel they are doing better than expected. More than half are doing as well or better than before COVID – a testament to their ability to pivot, a term that itself was coined over the past 18 months. Consumers are also encouraged to Shop Local, something those not in business themselves can do to support the enterprises that create jobs and investment in their own communities. For those who are in business, it may also be a time to become a mentor to assist someone who is just starting the entrepreneurial journey
