What is Small Business Saturday?

Every year, the Saturday after Black Friday becomes a day to support small business in the form of Small Business Saturday.

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But what exactly is the function of the day? Here are a few facts:

Small Business Saturday began in 2010

According to the American Express website, Small Business Saturday was started by the financial company in 2010. The first Small Business Saturday was Nov. 27 of that year. In 2011, the U.S. Senate unanimously made the day official. The day celebrates small businesses and encourages supporting them and how they impact communities.

A government agency exists to help small businesses

The U.S. Small Business Administration is a government entity that, according to its website, was founded July 30, 1953, and provides assistance to small businesses. Some forms of assistance include loans, management assistance, outreach to women, minorities and armed forces veterans, counseling sessions and government contracting.

There's a website for locating small businesses

Those interested in supporting small business in their area Saturday can visit shopsmall.com, which redirects to a page on the American Express website. Users can click the "find shops" button, type in their location or have it accessed by their internet browser, and local small businesses will show up on a map.