17 Nov Why is Small Business Important? Why Support it?
November 24th is Small Business Saturday. American Express has a whole series of commercials telling us to support our local small businesses during our holiday shopping trips, but WHY is it really important?
Unless you have been living under a rock you have heard of global warming, chemicals and dangerous elements in our food, and inhumane treatment of people and animals. These are all major global issues. They are all also issues that no one person, business or political property is going to address alone. If you have ever read The Story of Stuff by Annie Leonard you probably understand how expansive this issue is. If not let me spin a quick tale to help you understand better.
Well while you try to imagine this story there are parts of the world where some, or all, of this story are true now and you as a consumer encourage it.
You may be aware of this all already. You may also have the internal argument I have with myself regularly. Save the planet…save money…save the planet…not spend my whole life researching every element of my life…save the planet…not be a soap box evangelist that people run from. Well the easiest compromise to this conflict is to let someone else figure it out for you. Now that is a bit obvious but it can be that simple. So how does this fit into buying local from small businesses?
If you are seeking to buy produce, clothing or goods in general that are environmentally responsible, made in ways that are ethical, or are better for our planet and its people you need to understand their production, and the supply chains, as well as the commodities that go into them, and the people that touch all of this along the way. That can be a lot to research. If you are like me you may think “who has the time for all that?” But what if you shrink the supply chain? The shorter the supply chain the less to research and understand. If the retailer that sells you the goods either produces the goods or is willing to do the research and commit to supplying products you know fit the standard you have a solution is born. If that retailer is living in your community and part of the local social fabric they become a stake holder in your community and all the better. How many super companies and retailers do you know that you can say that about? If your local brewery can tell you where their raw goods come from, who makes the beer and how it gets to market and the large scale brewery couldn’t give you the name of a single factory worker which seems like it is better? Now would you pay a few dollars more for the local brew over the large scale factory brew? This is where someone will always pop up with the what about Patagonia argument. Well Patagonia is an exception to this rule for sure. It is such an exception that books have been written about it. The small business is able to see it’s many parts and products with a greater degree of clarity. Isn’t it easier to see your town fully rather than the universe?
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