A Guide to Celebrating Small Business Week 2024

The dates are set for National Small Business Week 2024! If you’re a small business owner, you’ll want to mark your calendar and get all the info. This article has the information you need, including a guide to the must-see events.

So when is National Small Business Week? This year’s event will take place Sunday, April 28 through Saturday, May 4, 2024.

What is National Small Business Week?

National Small Business Week unites entrepreneurs and small business owners during the first week of May each year to recognize their ingenuity, hard work, and valuable contributions. For more than 60 years, the U.S. Small Business Administration has celebrated small business owners' success stories during this annual event.

This year’s business events include a two-day virtual summit on April 30 and May 1. Participants can enjoy educational webinars, exhibition booths, complimentary business resources, and various networking opportunities. Attendance is free, but you must register to access all the offerings.

Check Out What Small Business Week 2024 Has in Store for You:

What’s an event without an awards ceremony? The winners of the SBA’s 2024 Small Business Persons of the Year will be officially recognized in person on April 28–29 during the National Small Business Week award ceremonies in Washington, D.C.

The National Small Business Association will also announce one of the state or territory awardees as the 2024 National Small Business Person of the Year.

Looking for more tips for Small Business Week? Check out the following daily activities for 2024:

Sunday, April 28

This is the first day of the SBA awards ceremony.

Kick the week off by joining the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) live Facebook events.

You also can check out what’s trending here.

Monday, April 29

The SBA in-person awards ceremony continues. Spoiler alert: You can check out the individual state winners here. Be sure to check back in with the SBA or one of Administrator Guzman’s social media accounts, as one of the state/territory winners will be awarded the Small Business Persons of the Year.

After kicking off the week at the awards ceremony, Administrator Guzman will launch a roadshow tour from April 30 to May 3, 2024. The tour will take her to Manchester, N.H., Milwaukee, Wis., Denver, Colo., and Billings, Mont., where she will be joined by local leaders to honor award-winning small businesses and discuss SBA initiatives and opportunities for the small business community.

Tuesday, April 30

All day (11:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m. ET/8:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. PT)

Part 1: Free Virtual Conference

The SBA is hosting the National Small Business Week 2-day Virtual Summit.

No matter where you’re located, you can join the SBA summit as it’s a virtual event.

This action-packed event includes educational sessions, links to online business resources, and the opportunity to hear from and chat with expert speakers. It’s a good opportunity to learn new business strategies and meet other like-minded business owners.

As we mentioned earlier, the 2024 SBA Summit is free, but it’s important that you register for it so you can have access to everything the virtual event has to offer:

• Action-driven content that can be applied to your business immediately.
• Expert business advice to help you navigate your business journey.
• Downloadable business resources to collect for future use.
• Networking opportunities to connect with business owners from across the country.

Be sure to check back in closer to the event for the virtual event agenda.

Wednesday, May 1

All day (11:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m. ET/8:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. PT)

Part 2: Free Virtual Conference

The SBA free virtual summit continues. If you haven’t already registered, you can do so here.

Registration is free, and you’ll gain access to the event’s full benefits. Continue to check the site for more information on the virtual summit’s agenda and any updates made closer to the event.

Thursday, May 2

The SBA isn’t hosting an official event on Thursday, but there are still plenty of other events, either online or in your area. Find an in-person local event by visiting Eventbrite and searching “Small Business Week.”

Friday, May 3

Are you thinking about starting your own business? SCORE, an SBA resource partner, offers live webinars for entrepreneurs that might be worth your time.

If you’re building your first business and have questions or concerns, you may want to check out their calendar during small business week. You’ll find information about starting your own business, from selecting the best business idea to business planning and learning what helps make a business successful.

Saturday, May 4

If you already have a business, finish the week by focusing on it and connecting with your customers or clients. Here are some ideas:

Share your company story. Why did you start your business? Do you have a passion for solving a particular problem or helping a group of people? Post your company’s story on your website, blog, and social media channels.

Customers love to hear why you do what you do. When you post, make sure to use one of the best small business hashtags,#SmallBusinessWeek, to potentially increase your exposure and help other business owners and customers find you.

Show customer appreciation. Small Business Week is the perfect time to thank your customers for their support. Try emailing them or mailing a card. Offer a coupon with your “thank you” — it can be a great marketing opportunity.

Partner with other businesses. The weekend can be a great time to team up with other businesses to offer a deal. For example, if you own a spa, consider finding a local hair salon and offering a dual promotion. Partnering with other businesses to host business events can also increase your business’s exposure.

Sign into social media. Connect with your customers online by hosting your own Twitter chat. First, pick a day and time (perhaps on that Saturday), then write down a list of common questions you can answer to help get the conversation started.

You’ll want to pick a hashtag to promote your Twitter chat ahead of time. Learn more about hosting Twitter chats here. They can be a great way to get to know your customers and also get useful business intel.

Here to Support Small Businesses All Year Long

At Simply Business®, we love National Small Business Week. In fact, we love small businesses every day of every week. It’s why we do what we do — helping small business owners find insurance coverage to protect the very thing they worked so hard to build — their business.

When it comes to finding the policy that’s right for your business, we help make the options clear. We help make the process simple. And best of all, we can make getting insurance for your business affordable. With our free online quote tool, we can have a quote ready for you in minutes. It can be that easy. That way you can get back to focusing on what’s really important to you — your business.

And we take care of you in other ways, too. Our robust Resource Center has a plethora of information you might need for running a successful business, including:

• Articles that offer advice for how-to, when-to, and why-to questions
• Free time-saving tools and templates, such as business plans and invoicing
• Info on contractor and business licensing
• And so much more

We designed our resource center to provide you business advice and tools to help run your small business. Also, it’s not necessary to have insurance through us to use these resources. They’re available to you anytime you might need them.

Keep Dreaming Big

This goes without saying, but Small Business Week is for you, the small business owner. You’ve put in long hours and dedication, and that’s what makes a business successful. Take some time to reflect on the hard work and all that you’ve accomplished.

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