TikTok has formed a new SME Council to give Britain’s small businesses a bigger say in the evolving digital economy, bringing together entrepreneurs, founders, and content creators who have used the platform to fuel growth.
The inaugural gathering of the council, held at Stoke-on-Trent town hall, saw 20 small and medium-sized business owners from across the UK convene to share experiences and shape a manifesto for government, due to be published this autumn.
TikTok says the initiative is designed to help shape the future of small business by giving entrepreneurs a forum to exchange insights, influence policy, and better understand how to harness digital tools to reach new audiences. With more than 1.5 million UK SMEs now active on TikTok, the platform has emerged as an unlikely but powerful force in Britain’s business ecosystem.
The council includes a diverse mix of industries — “a butcher, a baker, and a candlestick maker,” according to Ali Law, director of public policy and government affairs for TikTok UK and Ireland. That includes Rachel Spence, founder of Bear Burners in South Shields, who joined the council to campaign for clearer, more practical government guidance for first-time founders. “Small businesses make up an incredible amount of the UK’s economy,” she said. “But a lot of the time you have to figure it all out on your own.”
For others, the TikTok-hosted event stood in contrast to more traditional business organisations. Louise Rogerson, chief clinical officer of Manchester-based sleep-tech firm Levitex, said: “It felt modern and welcoming. Sometimes Chambers of Commerce can feel a bit intimidating for early-stage founders who don’t fit the usual mould.”
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