Why Do You Need to Support Small Businesses

02 Aug Why Do You Need to Support Small Businesses

How exactly do you and your local community benefit from small businesses?

Why you need to support small businesses

I am a small business owner myself so I acknowledge the risk and challenges that comes with running and starting your own thing. Hence, I make it a point where I find ways to support small businesses, especially in my area.

Whether you grew up in a small town or in an urban area, there is a certain feeling that gravitates you towards shopping locally. It could be pride, a sign of respect, or a genuine support for a friend or a relative, knowing the dollar you spent went to, not just a community member, but a business owner who you know needs all the support she/he can get.

Like I said in one of my posts, I believe that most independent businesses are run by people – not by boards, not by shareholders, not by algorithms. You get a different kind of care and quality in their product because their work is a reflection of themselves. Instead of focusing on the next market they’re expanding into or the next round of funding they’re raising, they’re focusing on the details and being the best they can be.

And I think that’s the beauty of it.

When you buy local foods and produce, you are buying from local farmers. You gain access to fruits and vegetables that you know are chemical free and organic, thereby improving your family’s health. Furthermore, you are contributing to the growth of the local economy. When a consumer buys local, significantly more of that money stays in the community. Chain businesses, on the other hand, tend to get their supplies from corporate, as well as having store managers and employees that aren’t as personally invested in buying local.

There is also a unique kind of connection to the owner or staff of a small business when you purchase to them. The transaction is more intimate and the rapport is greatly established. You easily get to know them on a personal level. Consequently, this kind of relationship gives you access to better customer service. Asking for help from large companies tends to be a nightmare. When you shop local, the business owner is usually directly connected to every employee in the store. That leads to a personal approach that often means any problem you have is taken seriously.

Small businesses come and go. It could be because of large chain retailers or any other reason but if you come to think of it, we, as a community member, can actually help them. The next time you need to purchase a product or a service, look for local small businesses in your area. Think of them.

Let’s support local.

Disclaimer:

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