Meet Northern Ireland’s Most Inspiring Entrepreneurs

Small businesses from across Northern Ireland feature in Small Business Saturday’s SmallBiz100 as it kicks off 2025 campaign

Impressive small businesses from across Northern Ireland have been included in a line-up of the UK’s 100 most inspiring entrepreneurs for 2025, launched by the Small Business Saturday campaign.

As the annual campaign kicks off its call to celebrate and support the nation’s favourite businesses, Belfast’s natural haircare brand Percy & Pop, co-working space The Hub Newry, Saintfield safety business Fly High Inspections and Still I Rise Diversity Storytelling in Belfast, are among those from across the country featured in this year’s ‘Small Biz 100’ line-up of the UK’s most innovative and admired small businesses.

Each business will be showcased as part of a 100-day countdown to Small Business Saturday on 6 December. The campaign aims to celebrate and uplift independent firms by encouraging the public to support and spend with small businesses.

READ MORE: Women In Leadership To Gather For Cross Border She Leads Event

After a national search, this year’s SmallBiz100 line-up includes an array of small firms from across the UK, with small businesses featured from Northern Ireland including:

• Fly High Inspections - based in Saintfield and led by John Braniff, Fly High Inspections uses drones and thermal imaging for safer, faster, and eco-friendly site inspections
• Percy & Pop - Based in Belfast and led by Sarah McKegney, this natural children’s haircare brand offers vegan, tear-free products that make bath-time easier and fun
• Still I Rise Diversity Storytelling - led by Orla McKeating in Belfast, is a diverse storytelling business inspired by raising a mixed-race son.
• The Hub Newry - co-founded by Suzanne Murdoch, this coworking and event space offers a supportive community for remote workers and micro businesses.

Despite signs small business confidence is returning, the UK’s 5.45 million small firms continue to face an array of economic challenges. Campaigners say public support will be vital for small businesses heading into the final critical peak period of the year and essential to powering much-needed economic growth.

“Small businesses are the nation’s favourite businesses – bringing immeasurable value to our local communities and powering the wider economy,” said Michelle Ovens CBE, Director of Small Business Saturday UK.  

“From family-run cafés and local restaurants, to independent makers, services and traders, this year’s SmallBiz100 represents some of the UK’s most-loved small businesses. It is exciting to kick of​f this year’s campaign with so many fantastic businesses from across Northern Ireland featured. With small firms still facing lots of challenges​, public support makes all the difference as independent firms enter their most critical quarter of the year.”

Small Business Saturday is a grassroots non-commercial campaign that was originally founded by American Express in the U.S. in 2010, and the brand remains the campaign’s principal supporter in the UK.

Dan Edelman, General Manager, UK Merchant Services at American Express, said: “Through our long-standing support of Small Business Saturday, American Express is proud to champion the nation’s small businesses. Congratulations to this year’s SmallBiz100, which once again showcases the incredible vibrancy and innovation of small firms and the valuable contribution they make to local communities.”

Optimism among the UK’s small and medium-sized businesses has grown for a third consecutive year, according to American Express’ ‘SME Barometer’ research conducted in partnership with Small Business Saturday, which surveyed decision makers at 1,000 UK small and medium sized businesses. Almost seven in 10 (69%) say they are confident about the future of their company — rising from 67% in 2023 and 65% in 2022. There are also encouraging signs when looking ahead to the remainder of the year; almost three-fifths of respondents (57%) believe sales will be better this year than in Q4 2024.

Small Business Saturday is the UK’s most successful small business campaign.   Over the decade it has been running in the UK it has engaged millions of people and seen billions of pounds spent with small businesses across the UK on Small Business Saturday, with an impact that lasts all year round.

“Being named one of this year’s SmallBiz100 is an honour, it shines a light on the role neighbourhood coworking spaces play in helping small businesses and communities thrive,” said Suzanne Murdock, MD & Co-Founder of The Hub Newry.

“Small businesses are built on heart and resilience, we’re proud to be recognised in the SmallBiz100 for championing both every day.”

READ MORE: Northern Ireland’s Top Innovators Shortlisted for 2025 Invent Awards

On Small Business Saturday, customers across the UK go out and support all types of small businesses, from independent shops and restaurants, to small service and b2b businesses like plumbers and accountants. Many small businesses take an active role in promoting the day by hosting events and offering promotions.  

Last year, the campaign saw support from the Prime Minister, the Mayor of London, as well as the Chancellor of the Exchequer. Over 90% of local councils also supported the campaign, which trended across social media on the day.  

To learn more Small Business Saturday’s SmallBiz100 visit https://smallbusinesssaturdayuk.com/

Sync NI's Summer 2025 magazine celebrates women in tech across Ireland as we continue to encourage more women to enter the thriving sector and address the current gender imbalance. Read the Summer 2025 Sync NI Magazine online for free here.