A Wolverhampton business has made it into this year’s SmallBiz100 line-up following a helping hand from City of Wolverhampton Council.

The Gently Used Book Club, an online business based in Penn Fields, has been named as one of the nation’s 100 most impressive independent firms by the Small Business Saturday UK campaign.

It is a proud moment for owner, Pat Austin, and she has thanked the council’s business growth team for providing the grant to buy IT equipment and support and advice through the Relight Business Programme to kickstart the business she founded during the Covid pandemic in 2021.

The Gently Used Book Club aims to save books from landfill and get them into the hands of readers. Subscribers get hand-picked secondhand books delivered to their door every month.

Ahead of Small Business Saturday on December 7, the council is joining the call to encourage public support for local small businesses like Pat’s.

The council also continues to run a regular workshop and business diagnostic programme and has helped more than 200 small businesses over the past four months.

Pat said: “It makes me very proud to see my hard work recognised in this way and I’m so grateful to the team at Small Business Saturday for choosing my business to be part of their campaign.

“I could not have done this without the help and support of the business growth team at Wolverhampton Council, and the Black Country Growth Hub.

“The Black Country Growth Hub gave me a grant to have the website built; and the council, as well as giving very useful training on marketing and social media, also gave me a grant for IT equipment, which I really needed.

“Most recently I attended one of the many council workshops – this time a Women Entrepreneurs Masterclass – it was so inspiring to hear the stories from the panel, and great to think I now also have my own story to share.”

Councillor Chris Burden, the council’s Cabinet Member for City Development, Jobs and Skills, said: “Pat is one of the many success stories – we pride ourselves on being an entrepreneurial city, and to think Pat established this business during lockdown and is now seen as one of the top 100 most impressive small firms in the UK by the Small Business Saturday Campaign is just incredible.

“I’m delighted our business growth team has been there to support her along the way.

“We’re determined to keep Wolverhampton’s business community vibrant and resilient by working with our local businesses and their employees, those who are self-employed, and those looking to start a business.”

As well as the Ignite business hub at i10 (WV1 1LH), local businesses have access to over 50 business support schemes many of which are funded through Business Growth West Midlands.

For more information please visit Business Growth Wolverhampton | City Of Wolverhampton Council or call 01902 555572 for a free business diagnostic.

Running in the UK for over a decade, Small Business Saturday is the UK’s most successful small business campaign, which takes place each year on the first weekend in December, celebrating small businesses and encouraging consumers to 'shop local' and to support businesses in their communities. 

To get involved in Small Business Saturday UK visit https://smallbusinesssaturdayuk.com