Sophie Cornish talks small business

Sophie Cornish is co-founder of Notonthehighstreet.com, a multi-award winning online shopping site, which supports over 1,600 small businesses. Launched in 2006, it is set to make over £15 million this year. A judge in this year's Website of the Year Award (2010), we caught up with Sophie to talk small business and how it has survived the recession.

The recession must have hit a lot of small businesses. Have they come out the other side stronger? In what ways?

I can only speak for our small businesses and for these yes, they have definitely come out stronger. A recession forces you to be more creative, think laterally, have exceptional focus and determination; it also shows you how to be resourceful with a limited budget. These are key skills to flourish in any economic climate. All our small business partners managed to do this and as a result we have seen consistent continued growth in all sectors of the site.

Do you think there has been a backlash against high street shops (big business) in recent years in favour of small business?

Customers are far more aware of the power they exercise when they choose where they shop these days. Certainly our customers know when they buy directly from small businesses that they are influencing success and growth of a local or small entrepreneurial company. I think customers enjoy this experience and feel part of a community, a sense that is lacking when dealing with huge corporations.

In what ways has the internet helped small businesses to flourish?

The internet is a huge resource for small businesses. It allows thinking big whilst being small. It provides an online platform and a much wider market than you would have through traditional methods such as a shop. In addition, by having an online marketplace rather than a physical shop your overheads are much lower allowing you to save money.

What happens when a small business get bigger, is there still a place for them on NOTHS?

We're proud to be able to say that we've seen hundreds of our small business partners grow substantially whilst with us and they still, very much, remain at the heart of what we are. We actively encourage their growth and it's really satisfying to see them do so well. We ourselves started off really small with just 95 partners and we now have 1600 so we know how it feels to grow and would never deter it!

Does a small business that has grown automatically lose some of its appeal? How can a big business retain a small business feel? Or can't they?

I don't think it loses any of its appeal. There are many great examples of businesses that retained their values and integrity even after dramatic success. As long as everyone in the company knows and subscribes to the core business beliefs it will maintain its purpose and direction.

Sophie Cornish is a judge in The Good Web Guide's Website of the Year Award 2010. Click here to find out more.

17 September 2010