National Small Business Week is April 29 to May 5. This week is an annual event which observes and recognizes small businesses across the country.
In an interview with BYU-Idaho Radio, Jeremy Johnson, Eastern Idaho Marketplace Manager for Better Business Bureau Northwest and Pacific, explained how small businesses have a big impact on Idaho.
“In Idaho alone, small businesses make up 99.2 percent of our local economy and 55.4 percent of people employed in Idaho are employed by a small business,” Johnson said.
Johnson said a small business is any businesses with 500 employees or less.
She said it is important for people to remember to try to support small businesses since so much of the economy is generated from them.
“By supporting them we really are supporting our local economy and so many of our neighbors and friends that are employed,” Johnson said.
She said it’s important for you to do some research on the businesses you want to support since there are businesses that will take advantage of people.
“There’s lots of great businesses out there, but there’s some businesses that are just out there to take advantage of people so it’s always good to do your research,” Johnson said.
Johnson said not a lot of the small businesses will succeed after one year of opening.
“Only about 20 percent survive past that first year,” Johnson said. “Idaho businesses just like any other businesses are doing their best, they’re putting their best foot forward so we definitely want to support them.”
Other advice she had for people who want to support small businesses is to be a loyal customer, shop locally, refer the businesses to friends and share their Facebook or other social media pages.
“Go to a small business, give them a shout on social media… just continue to support your local economy,” Johnson said.