About
Hello, I'm Claire
I've run my own small business since 2005, so I know how hard the getting found bit is. That's why I made this. It's a directory of independent businesses, all of them run by real people.
Have a look round. If you find someone you like, buy from them, book them, or pass their name on. And if you run a small business yourself, you can be on here too. Listings come with membership of my Small Business Marketing Club.
If you are looking for a business
Every business here is run by a real person
Not a call centre, not a marketplace seller, not a brand with a warehouse. Some of them make and sell things. Some of them are the person who turns up and does the work: photographers, therapists, tutors, cleaners, coaches, decorators. Either way it is somebody who answers their own emails, usually around a job or children or both.
How to find what you want
Use the search box at the top of any page. It looks through every business name, description and town, so "cake Harrogate", "dog walker", "bookkeeper" or "wedding photographer" all work. If you would rather have a browse, the areas are listed on the home page and every business sits in the one or two that fit it best.
Buying, booking and hiring
Clicking a button takes you to that business's own website, shop or booking page, and whatever you buy or book is between you and them. Their own prices, delivery times, terms and cancellation policies apply. A lot of them are one person, so a reply might take a day rather than an hour, a made to order piece takes as long as it takes, and the good ones get booked up.
If you own a business
Listings are free with your membership
Every business here is a member of the Small Business Marketing Club. There is no charge for a listing on top of your membership, no upgrade, and no way to pay for a better position. While you are a member, your listing stays up.
You do not have to write anything clever
You fill in a short form about what you sell, who it is for and what people usually come to you for. We write the listing from your answers, in the words a customer would actually search for rather than industry ones. You get your logo, a short description, where you are, how far you reach, and a button straight through to you.
One business, up to two areas
Pick the area that fits best, and a second one if it genuinely applies. Keeping it to two is deliberate: it means somebody browsing is not scrolling past the same business over and over, and it keeps every listing findable rather than scattered.
What happens after you submit
Listings are checked before they go live, so allow a few days. We will email you when yours is up. If you need something changed later, send us a message rather than filling the form in again.