Three big opportunities for SMEs in 2025
We’ve heard enough about the tough times for small businesses, here are three big opportunities all SMEs can go for, writes small business commissioner Emma Jones
Small businesses have undeniably had a tough time but there are opportunities ahead. Depending on the type and trade of small business, issues can differ, whether it be a hospitality operator struggling with increased costs or a tech startup accessing new talent. Yet the opportunities are common and I feel there are three big ones for small firms to currently consider.
1. Sell to government
The first opportunity is to sell to government. With central government committed to making it easier for SMEs to sell to the public sector, either direct or via larger suppliers, there is significant contract potential for small businesses. The Procurement Act that came into effect in February 2025 is powering this shift to increased SME spend and there is a supportive minister in the form of Georgia Gould who is also looking at a Commercial Innovation Hub that will “foster procurement innovation by trialling new approaches”. Whether you’re selling catering or cloud services, government is buying what you offer. Source relevant contract opportunities on the Find a Tender service.
2. Sell overseas
The next opportunity is to sell overseas. Again, this potential for revenue uplift applies to both product and service-based businesses. Since Brexit, thousands of small businesses put international trade on hold as it became too difficult and admin heavy, but fast forward to 2025 and the UK now has 39 trade agreements in place with 73 partners. These include recent trade deals with India, Australia, New Zealand and Japan plus a digital deal with Singapore. Free trade deals have SME chapters that focus on ensuring firms of any size can make the most of the opportunity. To finance this expansion, UK Export Finance is actively looking to fund more SME exporters with a target to secure £12.5bn worth of new international contracts by 2029. The UK Export Academy is a good place to start.
3. Embrace digital tools
And finally, I come to the digital opportunity. High-performing small businesses are embracing low-cost technologies to sell online, build a brand, streamline processes and effectively manage teams. Upping your digital tools is an opportunity open to all, with courses and training taking place every day, online and off, delivered by government and the technology providers and platforms themselves. The next frontier is to leverage the UK’s lead position in open finance to connect small business apps so founders can be served the right support and insight, based on knowledge of company performance compared to peers. This turns the relationship of ‘looking’ for support and opportunities to one where instead this is served to the business, with application forms for small business grants, credits, programmes and competitions partially pre-filled based on known data.
Across these opportunities, my role is to ensure businesses get paid on time for the work delivered. Chasing late invoices can be a soulless task and we are on a mission to make life easier by getting money moving through the economy and into the hands of small firms.
Selling to government, exporting overseas and embracing digital tools offer small businesses the opportunity to increase revenue and manage costs, whilst boosting employee morale. Realising the gains from these opportunities gives us a chance to re-acquire our business mojo and ensure the UK remains a great place to not just start a business but also to grow. Millions of people in the form of small business customers and cheerleaders are willing you on to succeed. So am I.
Emma Jones CBE is small business commissioner and founder of Enterprise Nation