By Josie Kemp
As a nation we were used to having everything we wantede at big supermarket and high street stores. However, this all changed when lockdown struck and we could no longer use those big-name non-essential stores anymore.
As people were stripped of being able to go out and spend on luxury items they would have once been able to buy, small businesses became the new superstores.
People became more aware that the big brand stores were not going to be of assistance with the things that we craved – such as clothes, jewellery and other trinkets – during the lockdown ahead of us.
Celeste’s Creates is a new small business owner who started her business after experimenting with resin last June.
She told Yorkshire Voice: “With working from home doing my business it’s been okay; I’ve limited my post office trips during lockdown but apart from that I’ve been extremely lucky!”
With lockdown restrictions having been so tight at the start it must have been difficult for small businesses to get their products out to the customers as postal services were delayed for quite a long time at a certain point in the lockdown.
With small businesses it may be difficult to gain a following at first but once you have enough attention coming to your business it is easy to make sales.
It may seem all doom and gloom at times but there can be some positives in this pandemic for small businesses, as Celeste confirms.
“Some positives include developing skills, experimenting, which I love, and meeting new people all over the UK and worldwide.
“I find my international orders so breathtaking. It’s like – wow, these people know I exist.”
Now it is not only people who have benefited from this lockdown.
There have been many new upcoming small businesses that cater to animals that have become very popular in the recent lockdown.
New business The Doggy Baker on Instagram makes all-natural ingredient treats for dogs to make sure none of the dogs who eat her treats are going to suffer any consequences from eating anything they should not be.
“It has been both amazing yet difficult during this lockdown,” says The Doggy Baker owner. “I have been receiving so many orders so it has been great, but it can be overwhelming with the lockdown restrictions still going on.
“A really big positive for me is seeing the feedback from all the different customers and especially seeing all the pictures I get back of the dogs.”
I hope after the lockdown restrictions ease and we slowly ‘go back to normal’ that people still continue to support small businesses and help out the people who helped us get through the pandemic.
#supportsmallbusinesses #lockdown