Andrea Franklin was the winner of $500 prize given by organisers of the Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprise Day.Ms Franklin was randomly selected as the winner of the Bermuda Economic Development Corporation-sponsored event on June 27. The business she patronised that day, Pizza House Bermuda, also won a $500 prize, which the eatery in turn donated to cancer charity Pals.Initiatives to highlight the island’s smaller business included a series of interviews on the BEDC Instagram channel, highlighting businesses that have adjusted their business model to adapt to the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic.Danielle Paynter, owner of the NAB app, a local business focused on showcasing the island’s offerings in hopes of stimulating a larger local spend, partnered with BEDC as a host and influencer for the day.Ms Paynter said of the MSME businesses: “These people are risking the security of working in a traditional role to help add to the vibrancy of the island, create jobs for others, and we need to support them in order to ensure the sustainability of our economy.” Those who tuned in experienced live tours of the locations, got to know the business owners and their offerings. The BEDC encouraged the community to “Shop, Share and Support” local businesses for a chance to win $500 to spend at any local business, and help the business that they patronised to win $500 as well. The public was asked to shop, snap a photograph of their purchase, share their picture on Instagram, tag @bedcbda and the business where the purchase was made. Winner Ms Franklin said: “I only learnt about the promotion by chance and made a concerted effort to shop at small businesses for items I needed. “I think this contest was a fantastic idea and would definitely support in the future.”L Anthony Butterfield, operations manager of Pizza House Bermuda, said: “It’s a great idea to stimulate spending and we look forward to participating next time.” Ray Lambert, director of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises at BEDC, said: “These businesses are sometimes overlooked because of their size but they are at the heart of the community. They are enriched with the culture of Bermuda, the smiling faces of local employees and the hard work of dedicated owners. These businesses should be celebrated; not just on MSME Day but every day.” For more information, contact Bermuda Economic Development Corporation at 292-5570, visit online at www.bedc.bm or e-mail info@bedc.bm. To learn about the NAB app, visit www.nab.bm