Essentialise, which provides wellbeing strategy and training for organisations was founded by Blackburn psychologist Lee Chambers in 2020, inspired by his journey to learn to walk again following an accident.

The firm has now been selected to be part of this year’s SmallBiz100 line-up, which showcases impressive, independent businesses from across the nation.

Now in its tenth year, the UK Small Business Saturday will return on December 3, with a mission to support and celebrate the UK’s 5.5million small businesses, particularly as they face mounting economic challenges over the winter.

Lee Chambers

Mr Chambers said: “Being selected for this year’s Small Business 100 is a real honour and even more so given it being its anniversary year.

“It is great to be featured alongside some our friends, such as the Wellbeing Farm and Wakuda.

“It’s a challenging time at the minute for many small businesses, so being part of a supportive community of inspirational businesses is the biggest bonus of being recognised.”

Essentialise will be profiled by the campaign on November 9 as part of the 100-day countdown to Small Business Saturday UK.

Director of Small Business Saturday UK, Michelle Ovens CBE, said: “It’s fantastic to celebrate small firms just like Essentialise Workplace Wellbeing as part of our 10-year anniversary of the campaign.

“Over the past decade we have been able to spotlight dynamic businesses from across the nation, who remind us of the incredible tenacity and determination of small firms in this country.

“It’s brilliant to have Essentialise in this year’s SmallBiz100 line-up.”

A grassroots, not-for-profit campaign, Small Business Saturday first came to the UK in 2013 and has grown into an iconic campaign celebrating small business success and encouraging consumers to ‘shop local’ and support businesses in their communities.

The campaign was originally founded by American Express in the U.S. in 2010, and the brand remains the principal supporter of the campaign in the UK.

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 based businesses like accountants and digital marketeers.

Many small businesses take an active role in promoting the day by hosting events and offering promotions.

Over the time the campaign has run in the UK it has engaged millions each year, with a combined spend on the day topping more than £1billion.

Small Business Saturday attracts huge attention on the day itself, with an impact that lasts all year.

Last year the campaign trended at number one in the UK on Twitter, with the Prime Minister, leader of the opposition and the Mayor of London among those publicly supporting the campaign.

More than 90 per cent of local councils also supported the campaign.