The Qurate Retail Small Business Spotlight program has evolved over the past two years along with the retail and social considerations on which the company has focused, providing an ongoing example of how retailers can reach out and support diverse communities in the course of business by providing opportunity.
As retailers in general weave social considerations into their strategies, Qurate has been adapting its SBS program to make a more effective way for the company to address specific concerns while also creating business opportunities for itself and its partners in the program who today represent a diverse range of entrepreneurs.
Conceived at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, when small businesses were hard pressed by store closings and consumer movement restrictions, SBS now operates from a broader agenda, providing diverse entrepreneur opportunities for national exposure through several of Qurate Retail Group’s brands including QVC, HSN and Zulily.
Virginia Nguyen, Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer, Qurate Retail Group
Virginia Nguyen, vice president and chief diversity officer at Qurate Retail Group, told HomePage News, “Entrepreneurship has always been at the heart of our business and is a vital part of our commitment to our communities. What SBS has really shown us is Qurate Retail Group’s unique ability to support those who have traditionally been denied access to the resources and networks needed to grow their business. It’s also taught us that there is always an opportunity for innovation and creativity during times of crisis.
“By working directly with SBS participants, we’ve gained valuable insights on the type of support that is most effective in helping small businesses thrive,” Nguyen continued. Additionally, our mentorship program has proven to be a mutual learning experience, giving us an inside look at the challenges small businesses face in today’s environment. All of this learning allows us to finetune our efforts and more effectively leverage our platforms to foster entrepreneurship and advance diversity, equity and inclusion in the small business community and in society at large.”
Qurate Retail Group initiated the Small Business Spotlight with the National Retail Federation Foundation in May 2020 focused on helping small businesses challenged by the pandemic, SBS was part of a $45-million Qurate global response to the Covid-19 pandemic. The company conducted a second-phase initiative later that year to assist 40 Black-owned businesses. In 2021, Qurate Retail Group and the NRF Foundation increased the number of selected businesses to 100 and focused on supporting a wider range of underrepresented entrepreneurs, so that now, on qvc.com and hsn.com, shoppers can find Small Business Spotlight winners brought together under banners including LGBTQ+, Veteran-Owned Businesses, AAPI-Owned Businesses, Black-Owned Businesses and Women-Owned Businesses.
Among the LGBTQ+ banner items featured on hsn.com, the EZ-Drinks pitcher, for example, is a modern pitcher that comes equipped with five cocktail rulers, each exactly measuring four cocktail recipes. Products offered under the various headings run from housewares to food to beauty to eye care. The program includes Handy Sandy bins, bags, luggage and packing cubes, which fall under Asian American Pacific Islander banner.
Qurate has continued to invest in and expand the program each year as it has expanded its goals for diverse representation and provided more robust opportunities for exposure including, for the first time in 2022, through Qurate’s Zulily operation.
Qurate has described the SBS program, which also provides pro-bono, in-kind services, such as mentoring, as one that has matured to become the company’s flagship corporate responsibility program. It has showcased more than 200 entrepreneurs across on-air and digital platforms and provided in excess of $7 million in value to participants who, in many cases, have reported a direct boost to their businesses.
In the short term, the SBS program has given businesses access to QVC and HSN’s audience – estimated to be 94 million households — and social media, and streaming platforms. The benefits are immediate, with participating businesses reporting a substantial increase in sales and engagement from customers.
-Virginia Nguyen, Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer, Qurate Retail Group
As such, SBS has grown and evolved to become a more thoroughgoing support structure for diverse entrepreneurs.
“In the short term, the SBS program has given businesses access to QVC and HSN’s audience – estimated to be 94 million households — and social media, and streaming platforms,” Nguyen said. “The benefits are immediate, with participating businesses reporting a substantial increase in sales and engagement from customers. To optimize our impact and create long-term value for participants, we’ve also leaned into the mentorship aspect of the program. Participating small businesses are given the opportunity to apply for pro bono skills-based mentoring from Qurate Retail Group team members, where business owners work with team members from across Qurate Retail Group for between two weeks and three months to help address a challenged area of their business. These are skills and resources they can leverage throughout their careers to continue building their businesses long after they have been featured on our platforms.”
The roots of the SBS program are planted in the work Qurate banners have done with entrepreneurs for decades. In initiating the program, Qurate struck a partnership with the National Retail Federation to help jump-start the effort.
Suzanne Quigley, Director of Global Corporate Responsibility, Qurate Retail Group
“Qurate Retail Group has a long tradition of helping small business owners and entrepreneurs launch and grow their brands, said Suzanne Quigley, Qurate director of global corporate responsibility. “As small businesses navigated the public health challenge brought on by COVID-19, we saw an opportunity to leverage our storytelling capabilities and platforms to help these businesses recover and thrive again.”
Phase one of the program resulted in the first 20 small businesses from across the United States getting to reach national audiences on QVC and HSN during May and June of that year. With that start, Quigley said, Qurate used the power of its retail platforms “to amplify these businesses across all of QVC and HSN’s channels, as well as dedicated digital promotion.
She said that, in the aftermath, Qurate sought to expand the scope of the SBS initiative and determined to highlight 40 Black-owned businesses as part of Qurate’s response to social and racial injustice issues. While providing opportunities to promote their businesses, Qurate wanted to ensure small businesses got additional aid through SBS.
So, Quigley said, “36 team members mentored 16 small business owners on how to navigate the pandemic, providing pro bono services valued at nearly $450,000 to help these businesses analyze areas for improvement.”
Mentors helped SBS business owners to develop growth strategies around website functionality, marketing and brand development and merchandising, among other critical factors.
“We’ve come a long way since 2020,” Quigley says. “While we’re no longer in the worst throes of the pandemic, Qurate Retail Group is continuing to grow and expand the initiative based on the success and impact we’ve seen so far. Since its launch, SBS has provided over $7 million in donated airtime, digital support and other pro-bono, in-kind services to more than 200 featured entrepreneurs.
“In 2022, we grew opportunities for on-air exposure: all participating businesses, approximately 100, will be appearing live on-air on QVC, HSN or QVC2 during one of seven heritage and recognition months,” Quigley continued. “Additionally, for the first time, Zulily is offering specially curated shoppable events during each featured heritage and recognition month, with products from select SBS businesses that meet certain sourcing requirements. Moving forward, SBS will continue to evolve. In fact, we’ve pledged to highlight 500 underrepresented small businesses by 2025 through this program and other initiatives.”
Quigley said Qurate followed up the SBS first phase with a review revealing that 80% of participating businesses enjoyed increases in online sales and new customers.
We’ve come a long way since 2020. While we’re no longer in the worst throes of the pandemic, Qurate Retail Group is continuing to grow and expand the initiative based on the success and impact we’ve seen so far. Since its launch, SBS has provided over $7 million in donated airtime, digital support and other pro-bono, in-kind services to more than 200 featured entrepreneurs.
-Suzanne Quigley, Director of Global Corporate Responsibility, Qurate Retail Group
“These results were encouraging to see and affirmed that our company is uniquely suited to support entrepreneurs from all backgrounds and provide a robust platform for growth,” Quigley said. “These insights invigorated our focus on expanding the program and exploring new ways in which we could grow our impact.”
Nguyen said evaluation is an important part of the SBS program.
“To grow this initiative meaningfully, we’ve taken the time to listen to participants and benchmark our progress and impact,” she said. “Our follow-up survey of 2021 participants revealed some truly compelling figures that support the success of the program. In 2021, many of the participants who appeared on air on QVC or HSN reported doubling their sales following their exposure. On average, these entrepreneurs experienced a 78% increase in web traffic, a 41% increase in number of customers and a 26% increase in email subscribers.”
Of course, numbers can only tell so much of the story. As such, Qurate, as is the case with presentations on its platform, looks to the human element as key to relating how the SBS program has proceeded.
“Aside from the numbers, what really excites us is hearing the tangible impact of SBS on people’s lives,” Nguyen said. “One anecdote that comes to mind is that of Kevin Gatlin, founder of Playtime Edventures in Charlotte. In February 2021, the month he appeared on-air in SBS for Black History Month, his sales surged 300% over the prior month and his website traffic increased 1,900%. On the day of Kevin’s airing, his customer calls more than tripled.”
This type of positive impact on real, human lives is why we exist as a company, using our platforms and relationships to bring people and resources together around important challenges and inspire a better world.
-Virginia Nguyen, Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer, Qurate Retail Group
Nguyen said that Gatlin called SBS a lifesaver for his business, which went from growing to struggling in the aftermath of COVID-19 restrictions. Under the circumstances, the SBS program helped Playtime Edventures pivot and survive. On-air exposure on QVC and HSN allowed the company to introduce its special bedsheets, which double as game boards featuring checkerboard and related designs, to millions of people and capture sales. The exposure led to other business opportunities and connections that are elevating the company to new heights.
“This type of positive impact on real, human lives is why we exist as a company,” Nguyen said, “using our platforms and relationships to bring people and resources together around important challenges and inspire a better world.”
Today, potential SBS participants have to meet the program eligibility requirements, including employing 100 or fewer workers and being 51% owned by an entrepreneur of a diverse background, as well as having an e-commerce capability and social media presence.
“In terms of the underrepresented groups SBS supports, each cohort aligns with one of seven heritage and recognition months: Black History Month in February, Women’s History Month in March, Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month and National Military Appreciation Month, both in May, Pride Month in June, National Hispanic Heritage Month, September 15 to October 15, and National Disability Employment Awareness Month, in October,” Nguyen said.
Even as it extends aid to businesses that may need a boost to overcome hurdles that would otherwise keep them from reaching their potential in the market, SBS also is a part of what Qurate is doing internally to address its social agenda.
“Corporate responsibility is a critical part of our purpose, priorities and principles as a company,” Quigley said. “As a key function within our broader CR program, SBS complements both our business and social priorities. The program also builds on the company’s long-standing foundation of supporting small businesses. Over the years, Qurate Retail Group has helped entrepreneurial brands become success stories through the power of live video storytelling, discovery-driven shopping experiences and loyal customer community-building. In short, it’s a win for the company and the community alike.”
As she looks to the future of the SBS program, Nguyen wants to see growth and innovation in support of participating small businesses.
“By 2025, we’ve committed to spotlighting 500 underrepresented small businesses through Small Business Spotlight and other initiatives,” she says. “Aside from increasing the number of participants, we continue exploring new ways to increase exposure for brands and provide behind-the-scenes support through SBS’ mentorship component. This is an ongoing initiative that we’re going to continue to nurture and grow moving forward.”
