It’s National Small Business Week: Celebrate Your Story

If there’s anything we know, it’s that there’s nothing small about small business -- according to the Small Business Association, small businesses make up 99.7 percent of U.S. firms and 2 out of every 3 jobs in the US.

This week is National Small Business Week and we want to celebrate small business owners and their stories. We asked small business owners on LinkedIn what they are in it for and heard stories highlighting the inspiration behind starting a business, the journey in launching a business, lessons learned along the way, and more. Here are a few of our favorites:

“For me, it’s certainly been a lot of work, but there’s something that’s opened up about the freedom and flexibility to learn. I feel the opportunity to really make a difference and start a conversation.” - Kat Holmes, KATA
One of the things that’s at the core of me and my entrepreneurial career is that I love to be needed and love to be a solutions partner." -Doug Berg, MyAlerts

We want to hear from you, too!

Whether you’re a business owner, entrepreneur, or a proud small business employee — we want to hear your story. Share a video on LinkedIn, telling us what are you in it for.

Not part of a small business? This is still a great moment to share why you support small businesses and give a shout out to your favorite brands and inspirational leaders.

Here’s how to easily create and share a video on LinkedIn using the small business week filter:

  1. Make sure you’ve updated to the latest version of the LinkedIn app for Android or iOS

  2. Tap the video icon in the share box using your personal profile page

  3. Record or upload a video (learn more)

  4. Add the small business week filter by tapping the icons on the top right (learn more)

  5. Use the hashtag #CelebrateSmallBusiness in your caption and tag other small business people with an @mention

small business filter

More LinkedIn Tips for Small Businesses

Small business week is as much about celebrating small businesses as it is helping them succeed. We realize that running a business can take a village, and we’re here to help. We’ve highlighted a few easy ways to help grow your business using LinkedIn:

  1. Update your Profile and Company Page. It’s important to showcase your expertise by building an authentic LinkedIn profile that highlights your professional story. Beyond your personal LinkedIn profile, boost your company's brand by building a LinkedIn company page that tells the unique story of your business. Learn more by checking out our small business e-book.
  2. Build skills that will help you run your business. Whether you're building a company or working as a freelancer, it's important to continue to expand your skill set so you can take your business to the next level. Check out these courses on small business marketing, bootstrapping, SEO, and more.
  3. Use LinkedIn’s monthly Workforce Report to stay on top of local trends. Understanding the dynamics of your local economy can help you better reach your potential customer or future employee. Whether it’s creating a marketing campaign to communicate with people moving to your city, or figuring out where to recruit from when you are looking for a specific skill, the Workforce Report can provide the insights you need to get ahead of your competitors.
  4. Hire for the long-term, or for right now. Finding quality talent is crucial as you grow your business. Yet even with stiff competition from big companies, LinkedIn research found that 87% of professionals are interested in hearing from you. So whether you're looking for your next full-time employee, or simply need help with a project, LinkedIn has a number of tools to help you build your team.

We look forward to hearing your inspirational stories this week and include the hashtag #CelebrateSmallBusiness when you post.