AT&T : Are You Ready for Small Business Saturday?

Small Business Saturday is having a moment. Are you ready?

As small business owners prepare to harness the spending power of the millennial this holiday, I'd like to offer a few insights to ensure you're charged, prepared and ready.

I believe seeking professional advice is crucial to prepare for Small Business Saturday as well as the busy holiday season that follows. And when we asked business owners and business managers** about a variety of topics they would like professional advice on-ranging from growth opportunities to promoting their business-women consistently ranked every topic directionally higher than men except one: technology.

Are women ahead of their male counterparts when it comes to tech? Or are they less comfortable asking for help? Either way, sourcing input and strategic guidance is not a weakness. It's a strength.

Especially prior to the biggest small business shopping holiday of the year.

Having the right technology solutions can both evolve and revolutionize your business model, helping you adequately serve your customers day in and day out. Regardless of the type of advice you're seeking, though, it's key that you seek it. Whether you're a boomer or a millennial, man or woman, lean into other's expertise to strengthen your own.

As we look at the current state of mentoring and seeking professional advice, a recent AT&T survey* showed that just over half of respondents (52%) turn to family members as a source. Digital media is the next most used source for professional advice (24%), demonstrating a potential trend in that direction in the years to come.

Mentorship will continue to evolve, just like hectic small business shopping days will. So be open to new processes and advice. Be adaptable to the change on the horizon. And be prepared this Small Business Saturday.

Anne Chow - President National Business