"The Small Business Revolution," a short-form documentary produced by Deluxe Corporation - a leading provider of small-business marketing services - debuts today and spotlights the stories of compelling and vibrant small businesses across the country. Dynamic entrepreneur and "Shark Tank" star Robert Herjavec serves as one of the documentary's key commentators as the film explores the excitement, nervousness and rewards of small-business ownership - as well as the role small business played in the recovery after the recent economic recession.
The Small Business Revolution campaign, championed by Deluxe, started in January to celebrate small businesses. Throughout the year, documentarians have been capturing the stories of 100 small businesses and showcasing them in the form of photo essays and short videos. The brand-new, 25-minute documentary that debuts today showcases several of those remarkable small businesses and features a cast of small-business thought leaders. You can watch the film at smallbusinessrevolution.org/documentary.
"Deluxe is a proud champion of small businesses, and the Small Business Revolution is our way of celebrating those people who work tirelessly to follow their dreams," said Amanda Brinkman, chief brand and communications officer for Deluxe.
The new 25-minute web documentary explores the personal and economic impacts of starting a small business, as well as the diversity of today¹s small-business landscape. Among the business owners featured in the film, we meet Kim Bartmann, a Minneapolis chef whose commitment to providing good jobs for the employees at her eight restaurants has earned her a stellar reputation in the dining community; Lynne and Ty McDaniel, owners of a Chicago vintage shop that helped revitalize a flagging neighborhood; and TechTown, a Detroit tech incubator that brings the city's most dynamic thinkers and makers together to find new potential for the city¹s future.
"The Small Business Revolution has brought so many incredible stories to people across the country who maybe wouldn't have seen the community impact of every small business," Herjavec said. "These unique stories have been inspiring to see, and I'm excited to be able to share some of our favorites in this new documentary."
The new film also features experts from the public and private sector who illustrate how small businesses have shaped our way of life. Herjavec and Brinkman are joined by Maria Contreras-Sweet, the administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration; Melinda Emerson, a thought leader known as the "Small Biz Lady"; David Bobbitt, president of the SCORE Foundation; and Dr. Timothy McCarthy, a historian and lecturer at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government.
In addition, Deluxe is awarding its first $25,000 grant this month to a lucky small business that was nominated as part of the Small Business Revolution Award program. The first winner will receive their prize this month, and three more $25,000 grants will be awarded before the end of the year. Anyone can nominate his or her favorite business for the awards at the SmallBusinessRevolution.org website until the end of October.
Deluxe invites small-business owners and consumers to join the revolution by telling stories of their favorite small businesses using the hashtag #smallbusinessrevolution, and the company will be rewarding consumers with surprises along the way.