Support local businesses for Shop Small month

November marks Shop Small month, a national movement to highlight the importance of small businesses and encourage Australians to support them.

Aquabumps founder and photographer Eugene Tan runs an art gallery with his partner Debbie Tan.

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Small business owners are showing healthy levels of optimism across Australia, despite growing fears for our country’s economic climate.

New research shows small business owners believe they are at no risk of becoming insolvent in the next three to five years.

The Economy of Shopping Small: The Future of Small Business report, commissioned by American Express, found that 39 per cent have ideas, plans and visions they believe would grow their business for the future.

Research shows small business owners believe they are at no risk of becoming insolvent in the next three to five years.

Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Kate Carnell said small businesses make a significant contribution to the economy and people’s lives, with 12.7 million Australians involved with a small business in some way.

November marks Shop Small month, a national movement founded by American Express to highlight the importance of small businesses and encourage Australians to support them.

“It’s a reminder to all of us to back the small business community and help owners and operators unlock growth opportunities by ‘shopping small’ in November and all year round,” American Express vice president of small merchants Lisa Belcher said.

Aquabumps is a Bondi-based art gallery, founded by Eugene Tan and his partner Debbie Tan.

Aquabumps is among the many family-owned businesses embracing a new wave of ideas.

The Bondi-based art gallery, founded by Eugene Tan and his partner Debbie, combines their passions for photography and surfing by selling photo prints of the morning beach life around Bondi Beach.

“At first, people were asking to buy our photos, so we took them to a printer and got them rolled. We didn’t realise this was a business in the making,” Ms Tan said. “We’ve had steady growth for two decades and the business is very consistent.”

The couple believe that small businesses like theirs continue to drive the future of Australia.

“We are the voice of creatives, entrepreneurs and those willing to give it their all,” Ms Tan said.

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