A comprehensive approach to small business is needed
Victoria Tishina, owner of a clothing brand and participant in the Petersburg Design project, on the new needs and opportunities for small businesses in Petersburg
“Small businesses in Petersburg are doing well overall, the business climate in the city is good, you can move forward and develop, including with borrowed funds. Yes, small businesses are still given preferential loans at 1-5%, and this is with a key rate of 18%. This year, we expect that loans for small businesses will even increase in volume, and they will be issued in the amount of up to 20 million rubles. At the same time, this year it was already announced that financial support programs for small and medium-sized businesses will be curtailed from 2025. If this happens, then we can write off the industry.
Until this happens, it is important to develop a comprehensive approach to supporting small businesses. For example, at a meeting with the new management of the Property Relations Committee (PRC) at the site of the Commissioner for the Protection of Entrepreneurs' Rights, I suggested that PRC issue premises to small manufacturing businesses without tenders and based on a written request, but I received a formal reply. It is important to explain what is wrong now. Firstly, PRC has a terrible website on which nothing is clear. Secondly, the premises that they offer to small businesses without tenders meet the needs only of businesses of the 1990 model. Their square footage is small, and the premises are usually in the basement. But this does not mean that the city does not have other available premises. Perhaps it is worth inviting officials to the production facility and showing what is needed. And this, first of all, is large, bright premises. After all, you cannot drive workers of modern production - designers, engineers, managers - into basements with an area of 90 square meters. Therefore, it is important for us to reach an understanding - what the city can offer businesses, but the authorities should also understand that the needs of entrepreneurs have changed significantly over the past 30 years. Now, a light industry enterprise is not a sewing workshop, they work on the principle of an experimental workshop and outsourcing. But, unfortunately, there is no comprehensive understanding yet. We only see the dedicated work of the Committee on Industrial Policy, Innovations and Trade (KPPIT), but this is already an important signal that such mutual understanding is possible, it remains to tighten up other committees.
We understand that small businesses compete with other applicants in the market for large premises. But we also have our advantages - we are a long-term project that deals with import substitution, and this affects the business climate in the city. Tourists will come not only to visit the Hermitage, but also to see and, perhaps, buy products from local designers, walk along the street of local production and small boutiques, like in Paris or London. This will give the city additional points of attraction. In addition, having received such premises from the city, the entrepreneur makes repairs, and then often buys it. So the city does not lose anything, but only gains - both the renovated premises, and the money for its purchase, and the image of the city location.
One of the successful city examples of support for entrepreneurs is the "Petersburg Design" program. It has been operating for three years. What designers and entrepreneurs are now taught there for free, I studied for a long time and for a lot of money. This training provides the first entrepreneurial level, and the second - training in marketing and personnel production, this is especially important because marketing in the sector is difficult, and everyone is very poor with personnel now. They simply do not have any. But the opportunity for such training is also an important component of the development of the business climate in the city.
Such high-quality developments of the city in the field of business support must be preserved. As well as certificates for sewing products, which we could receive and partially cover the costs of production.
Next year, as a result of tax reform, taxes for small businesses will increase, reporting will become more complicated, which means that it will be necessary to hire an additional person. The same with labeling of clothes. From September 15, a ban on the sale of products without labeling comes into force, and it will be necessary to hire a separate person who will only deal with this. Rent has also increased, bank loans are becoming more expensive. In these conditions, it is important to work in synergy with city committees, to have common goals. And not only KIO and KPPIT, but also the tourism committee and the printing committee, which is in charge of advertising and information in the city, should stick together. We need to work together."
Source - https://spb.plus.rbc.ru/news/66b085527a8aa90b7c0bf63a