As an extension of its commitment to the small business community, The UPS Store announced the launch of its Small Biz Salute campaign, which celebrates small business owners nationwide during National Small Business Week.

Small Biz Salute rewards and honors small businesses for their hard work and gives them an opportunity to network and support each other. According to survey results released by The UPS Store¹, 73 percent of small business owners would find a firsthand connection with others in their industry helpful. In addition, 82 percent of small business owners who worked with a mentor while starting their business found the experience helpful in getting them through the process.

In an effort to facilitate the link between small business owners, The UPS Store is launching the week-long campaign to give entrepreneurs in several of the nation's top small business cities - Seattle, Austin and Atlanta - special opportunities to make meaningful connections with other entrepreneurs in their communities and gain valuable advice from small business experts.

"National Small Business Week is a special week for The UPS Store as it gives us an opportunity to further our support and commitment to small business owners," said Michelle Van Slyke, vice president of marketing and sales at The UPS Store. "Support for entrepreneurs comes in many forms, so Small Biz Salute was established to recognize small business owners for their hard work in their communities and help small businesses meet, celebrate and support one another."

The UPS Store's Small Biz Salute events in the three cities will celebrate and unite local small business owners. The week-long activities include:

• Local coffee shop takeovers. To help raise awareness about locally owned businesses, The UPS Store will be at select coffee shops in the three cities giving away free coffee* to consumers who choose to patronize small businesses. The UPS Store will also surprise co-working, startup and small business spaces through surprise coffee deliveries to their front doors.
• Evening happy hours hosted by The UPS Store, featuring local small business experts and chapter representatives from SCORE, a nonprofit dedicated to helping small businesses through education and mentorship, who will offer valuable advice on topics relevant to small business owners. The events will provide an opportunity for entrepreneurs to make one-on-one connections, learn from other small business owners and expand their network.

"The UPS Store is committed to helping small business owners launch and grow their businesses in any way we can," said Van Slyke. "Small Biz Salute is our chance to take a moment to pause, recognize and celebrate those who do so much for our local communities and economies."

The UPS Store is encouraging people nationwide to show their support of small business owners by sharing and celebrating their favorite small businesses on social media using the hashtag #SmallBizSalute.