American Express hosts an annual “Small Business Week” to celebrate and support small businesses. This week-long event features special deals, insights, and opportunities for card members.
Introduction
Behind every small business is an entrepreneur with a dream. Of opening the perfect bakery. Building their community through service. Bringing joy with a store full of treasures. These aspirations drive people to take terrifying leaps, sacrificing security to chase passion.
But passion alone cannot guarantee those daring jumps will lead to smooth landings. Turning small business dreams into reality requires fuel. Financial capital but also social support, expertise, technology, and visibility. Too few receive enough to ignite their vision or sustain it once lit.
This stark need prompted American Express to nurture that spark of entrepreneurship. What began in 2010 as Small Business Saturday grew into a weeklong celebration now known as Amex Small Business Week. This year it runs April 30 – May 6, aligned with National Small Business Week recognizing over 32 million small enterprises driving America’s economy.
For seven days, Small Business Week spotlights that conduit powering innovation, resilience,e, and prosperity. Amex and an ecosystem of partners provide invaluable resources to embolden entrepreneurs. Financial discounts ease strains and demonstrate commitment. Virtual seminars with luminaries impart hard-won wisdom. Marketing assets amplify visibility. Insights uncover growth opportunities. Hashtags stitch together a community.
It is a golden week where entrepreneurs feel truly seen, supported, and empowered. But also an urgent reminder of the importance of sustaining these efforts year-round.
Small Business Week aims to provide wind beneath entrepreneurs’ wings at the very moment they show signs of faltering. When hopes dim after months or years of tireless hustle with little external validation. When resolve starts wavering under the weight of setbacks, rejection, or loneliness.
It offers revitalizing gusts to help entrepreneurs regain altitude after devastating storms like pandemics, recessions, or disasters. Boosts to lift dreams to new heights built on lessons from the past. Tailwinds to speed recovery and progress.
Because vibrant small businesses strengthen communities. They cultivate jobs. Infuse innovation. Brighten neighborhoods. Foster future entrepreneurs and talent. Local companies kept consumers afloat through turmoil. Now Small Business Week helps entrepreneurs carry on toward a more flourishing, equitable future.
Overview of American Express Small Business Week
Amex Small Business Week first launched in 2010 as “Small Business Saturday” and has since expanded into a full week supporting small enterprises.
What is American Express Small Business Week?
- A week dedicated by American Express to promoting and supporting small businesses in the US
- Features deals, insights, and resources to help small business owners
- Part of Amex’s broader commitment to backing small enterprises
When is American Express Small Business Week 2023?
- April 30 – May 6
- Coincides with National Small Business Week, the first week of May
What does Amex offer during Small Business Week?
- Special statement credits, discounts, and rebates for card members
- Access to business insights and expertise
- Marketing materials and assets for promotion
Who can participate in American Express Small Business Week?
- Owners of US small businesses accepting American Express Cards
- Must have eligible American Express Business Credit Card
Deals and Financial Offers During Small Business Week
One of the hallmarks of Amex’s Small Business Week is special discounts, rebates, and offers.
Statement Credits
- Spend certain amounts, get a statement credit
- Credits range from $5 to $150 back
- For expenses like wireless, shipping, advertising
Discounted Tools and Services
- 50% off select tools and services
- Options like Wix, Slack, Quickbooks, TSheets
- 3 months free then discounted monthly rate
Increased Rewards Points
- Certain purchases earn 5x or 10x reward points
- Categories like office supplies, utilities, gas
- More value from everyday business spend
Reduced Fees
- Waived or reduced fees for things like transactions, deposits, terminals
- Lowers cost of business operations
Insights and Resources for Growth
In addition to financial incentives, Amex provides valuable insights to drive small biz success.
American Express Business Insights Hub
- Central site with guides, strategies, insights
- Webinars, videos, and playbooks on critical topics
- Actionable advice from business experts
Amex for Business Podcast Series
- A weekly podcast focused on small business topics
- Interviews with influential entrepreneurs
- Tips and strategies for growth
Virtual Seminars and Events
- Live and on-demand seminars with business leaders
- Discussing business strategy, marketing, leadership
- Customized insights for every industry
Marketing Assets and Content
- Social media graphics, logos, digital banners
- Customizable email templates
- Digital advertising templates
Focus on Specific Small Business Industries
Amex aims to provide tailored resources across key sectors.
Retail Industry
- Inventory management, visual merchandising tips
- E-commerce expansion, improving online experience
- Flexible financing offers
Restaurant Industry
- Technology guidance on table management, online ordering
- Social media strategy, marketing best practices
- Help with staffing challenges, optimizing operations
Professional Services Industry
- Growing client rosters, networking events
- Partnerships, outsourcing to scale
- Funding initiatives like digital presence
Fitness and Beauty Industry
- Hybrid business models, virtual services strategy
- Social media marketing education
- Client communication and loyalty building
How Small Businesses Can Prepare
Owners can take proactive steps to maximize American Express Small Business Week:
Confirm Eligibility for Offers
- Carefully review terms for any qualifications
- Enroll business in the Amex Offers program
- Add relevant Amex cards to the account
Spread the Word & Promote Deals
- Utilize the #ShopSmall hashtag and assets
- Email customers about deals and discounts
- Promote on social media networks
Evaluate Business Needs
- Identify key expenses that could be discounted
- Assess where rewards could help earn more value
- Consider what education could be beneficial
Make Strategic Plans
- Map out purchases to align with statement credits
- Schedule relevant webinars and events to attend
- Prepare promotions leveraging marketing assets
Frequently Asked Questions about American Express Small Business Week
What types of small businesses can participate?
Retailers, restaurants, services, fitness studios, salons, and other small enterprises accepting American Express cards in the US qualify.
Do I need an Amex card to access deals and resources?
Yes, most offers, discounts, and education require an eligible American Express Business Credit Card.
Where can I find the latest details on Small Business Week?
Visit the American Express Shop Small website and check their social media channels. Also, watch for direct mail and email.
Can I access the seminars and events at no cost?
Yes! Amex Small Business Week webinars, seminars, and events are free for eligible card members to attend. Many are also replayable.
Are nonprofit small businesses eligible?
Some resources and insights apply to nonprofits but eligibility for financial offers varies. Nonprofits should verify specific qualifications.
In summary, American Express Small Business Week is an annual occasion for entrepreneurs to get deals, community, and insights to help small businesses not just survive, but truly thrive. Mark April 30-May 6, 2023 in your calendar and start preparing now to make the most of this amazing opportunity. When small businesses succeed, communities flourish – so let’s #ShopSmall together.
Conclusion
The shopkeepers, restaurateurs, and freelancers honored during Small Business Week often seem invisible the other 51 weeks each year. But we neglect them at our collective peril.
Structural flaws in systems of support continue allowing promising ventures to fizzle out before realizing their full potential. Institutional barriers and biases still inhibit far too many diverse entrepreneurs. Policymakers, corporations, and consumers have overlooked these engines of prosperity for too long.
But initiatives like American Express’s Small Business Week shine a vital light on the cornerstones of economic vibrancy. It seeds an understanding of small businesses’ central role in securing society’s welfare. Of why communities crumble when they crumble. It fuels crucial conversations on how to provide fertile ground for every aspiring entrepreneur to take root, not just the privileged few.
Because when given the sustenance all small businesses need to survive and then thrive – capital, community, expertise – they lift entire nations.
The deals and education delivered during one short week alone cannot guarantee lasting success. But the inspiration, instruction, and connections gained sustain entrepreneurs in the challenging days and years after. It equips them to better weather inevitable tests in the long road ahead. Reminds them they do not walk alone.
Participants must pay forward this support. Share hard-won wisdom with others still learning how to fly. Build partnerships that lift each other higher. Use elevated platforms to amplify diverse voices that still go unheard. Spend money where it feeds dreams in your community.
And this cycle of nurturing entrepreneurs old and new, time and time again, is how Small Business Week transforms into fruitful harvests benefitting whole regions. Strengthening small businesses today secures more just, resilient economies tomorrow.
So let Small Business Week ideals permeate public and private sector efforts year-round. Advocate for policies protecting main street shops from turbulence. Modify corporate strategies considering reverberations down supplier chains. Uplift minority-owned brands through commerce and contracts.