For one week, the biggest screen in London belongs to small business

The lights at Piccadilly Circus are one of the most iconic spots in London. I used to work in an office overlooking them, and as someone who works in marketing, I used to dream of running a campaign on those screens one day. This historic advertising space usually belongs to the largest and most recognisable brands.

That’s why I’m really excited that for one week from 28th September, four of our amazing small business customers from across London will be rubbing shoulders with these big brands in the lights of Piccadilly. 

At Xero we’re so proud to support over one million small businesses and their advisors in the UK. We picked these four businesses to showcase not just their importance, but the importance of every single business like them and how thankful we are to play a small part in their story.

Small businesses are at the heart of every high street and every neighbourhood. But they rarely get recognised at the scale of big business. I’m married to a small business owner – my husband has run one for 6 years – so I know what this means. It can mean late nights, juggling multiple jobs, missing family events, chasing invoices, and so on. I’ve also seen first-hand how much difference an accountant makes to easing some of that pressure.

Most small business owners started for a reason that had nothing to do with spreadsheets. They started because they love what they do. We wanted to put that on arguably the most famous screen in the world, and give them the recognition they deserve.

Meet the London businesses 

N5 Kitchen, Finsbury Park

What began with Millie’s private cheffing, with Suzie coming in to help with dinner parties and odd jobs, has grown over eight years into a much-loved cafe and catering business. For them, it’s always been about people, their team, their regulars, and the small glimpses into customers’ lives they get every day.

Grace & Thorn, East London

An independent East London florist bringing colour, craft and personality to the city, one arrangement at a time. Founded by Nik Southern in 2011 and based near London Fields, they’ve spent over 15 years helping people see flowers differently. Alongside their nationwide bouquets and London flower delivery service, they create wedding flowers, event installations, and corporate flowers.

Deptford Boxing, Deptford

After eight years of coaching, and around the time his first son was born, the founder John Dang took a leap of faith. A crowdfunder raised enough to get the gym off the ground, and two and a half years later it’s a grassroots fixture in the community he grew up in. Coaching is the passion. The business side took some learning, and he’s the first to say that the team and community around him make all the difference.

De Nadas, across London

De Nadas opened its first empanada shop on Golborne Road in Notting Hill in 2022. It now has shops in Shoreditch, Stoke Newington, Kew Gardens and Bethnal Green, plus a central kitchen. The founders love being part of the neighbourhood, getting to know the people around them, and converting plenty of first-timers into empanada fans.

A huge thank you to the founders behind these small businesses; Millie, Suzie, Nik, John, Annabel, Ñako and Nico, for sharing your stories with us and making my dream of running a campaign in Piccadilly Lights come true. What better way to do it than with small businesses. 

Love is why so many businesses started

You’ll see this message loud and clear in the Piccadilly billboards, the love these four business owners have for what they do and the communities they support. Small business owners start out of a love for what they do, but running the business, especially the financial side, can get in the way of that.

Our job at Xero is to be the helping hand that takes care of some of the admin, so owners can spend more time on the things they started their business for. And, to support the most important people behind these businesses, accountants and bookkeepers. They’re the ones who make sense of the numbers when the owner is, in the words of one of our featured founders, “not a numbers person”. They’re there for every step – spotting problems early, celebrating the wins and giving small businesses the confidence to focus on their passion.

This campaign is for small business owners, and for the accountants and bookkeepers who support them.

Support your local businesses 

As we head into autumn, it won’t be long before everyone starts thinking about the festive season. So I’d ask one thing. When you’re buying gifts, booking the work Christmas lunch or getting coffee, think about the independent businesses on your doorstep. Every pound spent locally goes further than you think. It pays wages, keeps high streets alive and helps someone keep doing what they love.

If you’re passing through Piccadilly Circus this week, look up and then go and support a small business near you.