40 Inspirational Small Business Quotes (You’ve got this!)

Small businesses are the backbone of communities, the engines of innovation, and the embodiment of entrepreneurial spirit! From local coffee shops to the startups that are changing the world, small businesses are built on dreams, hard work, and determination.

In this blog, we’ve curated a collection of small business quotes to capture this spirit and uplift small business owners and entrepreneurs. These quotes are meant to encourage entrepreneurs to keep pushing forward as a force for change.

Whether you want to support a local business, drum up sales, motivate your team, or share the story behind your business, a compelling quote can sum it all up. Then all you have to do with your quote is to add it to a video or post, paste it into your caption, or even write it on a sticky note and continue to chase your entrepreneurial dreams!

Add your quote to a video – it’s easy!

We all know how important video content is online, but small business owners are often stretched thin. The good news is that you don’t need to hire a professional video editor or marketer to create professional videos! With Animoto, all you need to do is select a template, drag and drop your media, and customize as much or as little as you’d like.

Check out our collection of templates below (check them out here) for product promos, explainers, events and more. Then, use our beginner-friendly customization tools to add your brand and make every video your very own.

Inspirational and motivational small business quotes

Need some inspiration? Look no further. Here’s a collection of quotes from some of the greatest entrepreneurs and thinkers of all time. They’re sure to give you the boost you need to keep you going and reimagine what’s possible.

• "Success is not final; failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts." Winston Churchill
• "The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing." – Walt Disney
• "Great things in business are never done by one person. They're done by a team of people." – Steve Jobs
• "A small business is an amazing way to serve and leave an impact on the world you live in." – Nicole Snow
• "Don’t be afraid to give up the good to go for the great." – John D. Rockefeller
• "It’s not about ideas. It’s about making ideas happen." – Scott Belsky
• "Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning." – Bill Gates
• "Small businesses can be nimble and responsive to customer needs in a way that large businesses cannot."
• "Every great business started with a simple idea and the courage to take the first step."
• "Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful." – Albert Schweitzer
• "Dream big, start small, but most of all, start." – Simon Sinek
• "The most successful entrepreneurs I know are optimistic. It's part of the job description." – Caterina Fake, Co-founder of Flickr
• "Success doesn’t come from what you do occasionally, it comes from what you do consistently." – Marie Forleo, Founder of Marie Forleo International
• "Every challenge your business faces is just an opportunity in disguise—success is about how creatively you uncover it."
• "Don't be intimidated by what you don't know. That can be your greatest strength and ensure that you do things differently from everyone else." – Sara Blakely, Founder of Spanx
• "There is no force more powerful than a woman determined to rise." – Bosa Sebele
• "Building a business is not about being the best at something; it's about being the best at learning and adapting."

Small business quotes about growth and progress

The success of any small business lies in its ability to grow, but growth is often accompanied by challenges. Scaling up, expanding into new markets, finding new solutions, and even sustaining the business over years requires focus, determination, and a willingness to evolve. Not everyone has this ability innately, but it can definitely be sparked!

Here’s a collection of quotes that speak to the importance of growth and progress in the journey of a small business. These words of wisdom offer inspiration and guidance for those striving to move forward and reach new heights.

• "The secret of getting ahead is getting started." – Mark Twain
• "I wake up every morning and think to myself, 'How far can I push the company forward in the next 24 hours?'" – Leah Busque, Founder of TaskRabbit
• "In the business world, the rearview mirror is always clearer than the windshield." – Warren Buffett
• "Focus on being productive instead of busy." – Tim Ferriss
• "The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step, and each step you take builds your small business to new heights."
• "Growth is never by mere chance; it is the result of forces working together." – James Cash Penney
• "Every small business is a story of risk, resilience, and the belief that something great can grow from something small."
• "Adaptability is about the powerful difference between adapting to cope and adapting to win." – Max McKeown
• "Your business is never 'too small' to innovate."
• "Building a successful business means being able to navigate change and uncertainty without losing focus on your mission."
• "Make every customer a brand ambassador by exceeding their expectations at every turn."
• "Small business success is fueled by ambition and sustained by persistence."

Quotes about the impact of small businesses

Small businesses do more than just drive growth in the economy—they shape the character of their communities and inspire change! Whether through job creation, fostering innovation, or building personal connections with customers, small businesses leave a lasting mark wherever they thrive.

That change and focus on community should be celebrated. So here are some quotes that highlight the profound and positive impact small businesses have on the world around them! These words serve as a reminder of the essential role small businesses play in building stronger, more vibrant communities and why everyone should support them.

• "When small businesses succeed, communities thrive."
• "People do not buy goods and services. They buy relations, stories, and magic." – Seth Godin
• "You don’t build a business, you build people, then people build the business." – Zig Ziglar
• "Small businesses are the heart of a community. They build jobs, opportunities, and local pride."
• "A small business is not about the owner, but the value it brings to the community around it."
• "The best way to predict your future is to create it." – Peter Drucker
• "Small businesses offer something bigger companies often can’t: personal connection and authenticity."
• "Behind every small business, there’s a story worth knowing. All the corner shops in our towns and cities started somewhere."
• "To build a strong community, we must support the dreams and growth of our small businesses."
• "Small businesses remind us that every giant company started with a single idea and a leap of faith."
• "There is no better way to support your local community than by shopping small and supporting local businesses."

Where to share your small business quotes

Why not share your inspiration with the world? Below are unique ways you can share these small business quotes with the biggest impact. We recommend adding them to a video to make sure that they are seen and engaged with online. Here are some ideas and video templates to get you going!

Share a motivational quote in a video

These quotes alone are more than enough to make a splash online. The best way to amplify it is with music and photos like these! Choose a photo that resembles you and your business then just add a song to make it hit home.

Share your story

Do any of these quotes remind you of how your business got its start? If so, you can use them as part of your “about us” origin story.

Tell your audience what makes you different

Every small business is one of a kind. The story of how you got started and the passion that drives you forward never disappears. In fact, it’s probably the main reason why clients choose to support you over anyone else! So share that story and the quote that sums it up with a video like this.

Make a promo

These quotes reflect the beauty and magic of shopping small. So let’s share them in a promo video like this one! You can use this video on small business Saturday or any time throughout the year.