Rallying Around Small Business Recovery Through Small Unites

Communities around the country are powered by small businesses. As these businesses tackle immense economic challenges and look to re-emerge and thrive in the new normal, Capital One and its partners, GoFundMe.org, Ogilvy, HundredX and National Urban League, launched Small Unites. 

Small Unites is a national advocacy program designed to rally consumers and businesses around the small businesses they love. Small businesses enrich communities across the country; 44 percent of U.S. economic activity is generated by small businesses, and they support about 50 percent of private employees in the U.S. 

There are numerous ways to get involved for consumers, small business owners and corporations.

Consumers can take small actions that make a big impact 

Any consumer can take immediate action to financially support and reinvigorate small businesses by:

• Making cash donations: Smallunites.org will facilitate cash donations to verified small business fundraisers, or to the Small Business Relief Fund, powered by GoFundMe. Donors can also support the National Urban League’s Entrepreneurship Center Program and find minority-owned businesses in their local communities to support.
• Championing a business on social media: In this time of financial insecurity and uncertainty, it may not be possible to donate or pre-pay for services from small businesses. Consumers can show their love on social media, where they will receive a shareable badge to demonstrate their dedication to support Small Unites. This makes it easy to refer and recruit others to participate.
• Providing feedback through online reviews: Through HundredX’s platform, consumers can contribute without cash. Users can leave private reviews for businesses they know. When they do, they’ll support HundredX’s goal of creating up to $1 million for programs that support minority-owned businesses. 

Providing online reviews can also help small businesses to understand feedback and adapt to better meet customer needs.

Small business owners can access resources and best practices

In addition to empowering consumers to champion the small business brands they love, Small Unites provides a robust resource center for small business owners and entrepreneurs. The Small Unites Community Hub offers business advice, marketing best practices, and firsthand stories of small business owners who have demonstrated their resilience in the face of adversity. 

Small business owners will also have access to a Small Unites toolkit built by Ogilvy that includes guides to marketing, public relations, social media and B2B and direct-to-consumer outreach. 

Corporations can unite for small businesses

Small Unites creates an environment where big businesses can support small businesses, and small businesses can support other small businesses, regardless of the competition. The initiative offers a comprehensive and inclusive platform, allowing all types of companies to provide access to leadership and talent and more.

Supporting small businesses is an all hands-on deck effort 

“While the show of support for the small business community from major corporations and individuals alike has been extraordinary thus far, we needed a single support group like Small Unites that brings everyone together,” said Brad Jiulianti, Head of Small Business Card at Capital One. “Capital One Business is proud to be part of this movement as we rally around and support small businesses who unite our communities across the country, especially when they need us most.”