6 Reasons Why to Support Small and Local Businesses

Krista and I love to support small businesses. We have been especially inspired by the passionate and visionary women entrepreneurs we have come to know this year.

Owning a small business is not an easy venture, but 2020 has been an even more challenging time to own one. Continued varying levels of lockdowns and restrictions have meant less people visiting stores and 63% of small businesses are reporting a decrease in sales. Small businesses need our help (re: our shopping dollars) more than ever this year.

But why is shopping at small businesses a good thing? And why is it important to support these local, small businesses that are struggling?

Here are 6 reasons why.

6 Reasons to Support Small Businesses

1. Small Businesses Provide Jobs

Small businesses provide employment to Canadians. But how much employment can small businesses provide? As of 2017, small businesses employed almost 70% of the private labour force (or 8.3 million Canadians).

2. Small Businesses are Innovative

Where large corporations are focused on their bottom line, small business owners are creative and are focused on filling a need in their communities. Like Make Nice Company, who started to make solid dish soap when she couldn’t find an alternative to soap in plastic bottles.

3. Small Business Owners are your Neighbours

Supporting a small business means you are directly supporting someone’s dream and someone’s family instead of a large corporation. Buying from a small business impacts a real person’s life–someone that lives in your community.

“When you buy from a small business, an actual person does a little happy dance.”

Unknown

4. Small Businesses Circulate Money into the Community

It just makes sense. When you spend money in your community, it will be re-circulated back into your community. “Micro businesses employ local citizens and are an economic engine that causes cash to move through the community’s economy.”- Journal of Extension

5. Small Businesses Support your Community

Have you seen the memes out there that tell you to support small businesses because Amazon is not going to sponsor your soccer team? That’s true. Small businesses give more time, merchandise, and money than corporations do.

[S]mall and medium businesses and their owners give more charitably on a percentage basis than their corporate counterparts. 

Eric groves, The Philanthropy Journal

6. Small Businesses are Unique

While large corporations and chain stores have the same items scattered throughout all of their locations, each small business is going to be a uniquely curated selection done by the owners.

Supporting Small Businesses Supports a Bigger Picture

When we looked at sustainable fashion options during our series this summer, it became apparent that large production of mass quantities of merchandise that are travelling from distant places has a large, negative impact on the environment.

Small businesses often operate on a small batch basis, creating less waste. Small businesses will often source materials and partnerships with other small businesses, creating a beneficial loop for the environment and the local economy.

There are just so many reasons to shop small!

What are other people saying about small businesses?

We asked our Twitter community why they love to support small businesses and one respondent puts it like this:

“I like to support small businesses because I know I am helping put food on a family’s table rather than funding a CEO’s new vacation home.” – The Thrifty Commitment

Small business owners feel that love! We asked small business owners what it means to them to have someone support their business.

Here’s what business owners are saying:

“It makes me hopeful that some customers share the same vision as I for durable products that don’t cost the earth, nor its people.” – A. Plavis, Recreative Apparel

“I appreciate it every time someone supports my business because they’re also supporting my dreams and helping me build my dream life. I’m very grateful that someone chose to invest in my products & services :)” – Izzy Matias

“We still call our parents when we get a big order.” – Eco Bumble

Shopping at small businesses means you are directly supporting the dreams of others and that support is clearly not taken for granted.

Why do you love to support small businesses?