Instagram has teamed up with Small Business Britain, a supporter of small businesses around the country, to launch its first UK mentorship programme for small businesses. The Small Business Mentorship programme aims to support entrepreneurs and small businesses, celebrating their creativity and resilience after the difficult 18 months we have all endured.
The mentorship programme will offer five UK-based small businesses a content workshop afternoon with one of the UK’s top Instagram creators, an hour-long virtual coaching session with a business mentor, three monthly hour-long sessions with an Instagram product expert, and £1,000 work of Instagram ad credits. Entry is open to any small business in the UK.
“The past 18 months have been tough for small businesses and this mentorship programme is about supporting and helping business owners hone their creative and commercial skills in the digital space. This is a real opportunity for those looking to learn more about social commerce, creator content strategy and Instagram advertising,” said Gord Ray, Brand Development Lead at Instagram.
“Small businesses have an unprecedented opportunity to re-shape the way people engage with, and buy from their brands – we want to make sure they seize it. We hope this mentorship programme will bring ambitious small businesses together, encourage creativity, and help ‘the nation of shopkeepers’ accomplish great things in the run up to the Holiday period, and beyond.”
Though only five businesses will be chosen to join the programme, all entrants will receive a specially curated digital toolkit of best practice guides for social commerce for Instagram.
The deadline for entries is 19 September, and the winners will be contacted after 27 September. The programme will run between October and December.
“It is vital for small businesses to develop digital skills to flourish and thrive. Instagram is a powerful channel for engaging audiences, and its importance has only increased during the pandemic. We are excited to be working with them on this programme which offers a really great opportunity for ambitious entrepreneurs,” said Michelle Ovens CBE, Founder of Small Business Britain.
