From Blue Monday to Bright Monday as Shifties hosts Liveathon for small businesses

Alex Hughes, the Cambridgeshire-based entrepreneur behind the small business community Shifties, is hosting a 24-hour Liveathon to support small business owners through the so-called most depressing day of the year - Blue Monday.

Starting at 12am on the morning of January 18, Alex will talk for 24 hours non-stop with small business owners, mental health experts, advisors, and the local business community, while completing challenges, sharing stories and advice on how to shift to a positive mindset in 2021.

Blue Monday is expected to be particularly difficult this year for small businesses still struggling with the impact of an extraordinary and incredibly challenging 2020. The ‘Speak Up’ event aims to be the antidote to negative thinking and will focus instead on tales of resilience and survival – for both businesses and individuals – and explore why good communication and a supportive community is so important.

Alex Hughes will encourage the audience to share their concerns and questions in the live feed, whilst hearing real stories of people’s lives and businesses. There will be opportunity to interact with the guests, prizes to be won to encourage donations throughout the 24-hour period and buckets of inspiration to drive a message of positivity.

Alex, who has roles at other local businesses including Snuggeries and Silvertone Cleaning Company, said: “Small businesses are the lifeblood of the local economy, but this past year has placed huge pressures on the people behind them. Running a business can feel lonely – but it doesn’t have to be that way. With the right support network, your chances of success grow tenfold. The ‘Speak Up’ Liveathon aims to reverse the traditional doom and gloom associated with Blue Monday and show how good communication and the support of a community can make running a business fun, whilst also increasing your potential to grow. If things are getting you down, our message is simple: speak up – you’re not on your own!”

The event is hoping to raise £10,000 for the charity CPSL Mind, an organisation devoted to supporting people with mental health concerns, and their families across Cambridgeshire, Peterborough and South Lincolnshire. Special guests joining the Liveathon include St Neot’s Mayor Stephen Ferguson, Danielle Bridge, the founding director of ABC Life Support CIC and trainer at Mental Health First Aid England, local councillors, representatives from CPSL Mind and small business owners.

Shifties was launched in 2018 and includes Shift Momentum, the accelerator for small businesses, and Shifties, a supportive community of 1,000 small business owners and entrepreneurs. Members of the community are inspired to grow their businesses by sharing successes, challenges and experiences with one another, and by learning at events and collaborations.

“So delighted to take part in this Liveathon – a great way to kick off 2021,” said strategic partnership consultant Rachel Hales of the event.

“Blue Monday will be replaced with a ‘Bright Monday’ in my eyes. Come and hear inspiring stories of hope, change, positivity, connection and community.

“We are better together.”

The event is open for anyone to join here.