The Importance of Small Business

Hello Fashionistas ~

Something has really been on my mind lately . . . It seems these days that most people just want what they want & they don’t care where they get it. But I truly believe that if people don’t stop & think about it, a truly cool part of America will disappear. That “cool part” I’m talking about is SMALL BUSINESS. 

Owning a boutique has been a fun, yet challenging experience. It is so much fun to be able to have a vision come to life. Creating an eclectic collection of goods that I love that I can bring to others. My goal is to provide items that the customers get rave reviews & lots of compliments on when they wear them or decorate their home with them. There is something about a compliment that just makes your day . . . gives you confidence, makes you smile, & just boosts your mood. LOVE that like no other! 

At one point in my life, I put myself in a challenge to pay 3 sincere compliments a day. Some to random strangers I crossed paths with throughout my day & some to coworkers or people I knew. What I realized through doing that, was that not only did I brighten their day, but it brightened mine as well. I need to do it again because it really improved my outlook, my attitude, & my mood.

While I said the boutique has been fun, it has also been challenging. I can’t tell you the number of times where my office door was open & people didn’t know I was around the corner & I heard them whispering to their friend to photograph the tag & look online to see if it could be found cheaper anywhere else. Or the number of times someone has said they could get that on Amazon for $5 cheaper. That is SO disheartening. On so many levels. 

I try to never shop on Amazon. But sadly so, there are so many things that can only be found there. But it will always be my last go-to. Amazon has become so huge that it is putting so many other small businesses out of business. We just can’t compete. I even read an article about Jeff Bezos & his super yacht being too big to fit under a historical bridge somewhere & that they dismantled it for him. That blew me away. When is enough money enough? At what cost to others does one person conquer the world?

The economy has been so tough these last few years. We’ve all had to buckle down & be discretionary about our spending. So I totally get needing to save money where one can. But I do believe people need to consider some things before they always pick the cheapest option.

First & foremost, your community. How many times do you drive through a cute town where the downtown is starting to look run down & half empty? That is so sad to me. And one thing I really love is when you see a community rallying to revive their old downtown. One such community is the one where I graduated high school. Augusta, Kansas. If you are ever in the Wichita area, take the short drive of 30 minutes & check it out. Fun shops & a sense of community. I also love our current location of Hill City, South Dakota. The merchants here pull together to do fun events to draw people to town. We also have an amazing Hill City Art’s Council that puts on some fabulous events that draw people to the community & help the businesses as well. So always remember community. It is so important. 

Second thing to consider when shopping small and local is the ripple effect. A healthy small business employs local people, helps diminish blight from an empty storefront, & puts money back into the community through sales tax generated for improvements & programs. 

Third consideration is what businesses do for the community on a charitable level. It is rare that a week or two goes by where I am not asked for a donation of some sort for an organization, an individual or family in need, or to support local youth activities, etc. It feels good to give & support the community. However, if the community doesn’t support the business, the well runs dry & it is hard to give. 

And the last thing I want to mention is BIG vs. SMALL. Many vendors sell wholesale to stores like mine & also sell direct to the consumer. The big guy is competing with the little guy that feeds their business. That alone makes it tough to compete with them. With freight costs the highest they’ve ever been, the boutique owner must eat the freight cost on having the merchandise shipped to the store to keep their price the same in order to compete with the big guy selling direct to the consumer, cutting profits drastically. To buy local allows you to see the quality first-hand, allows you to try things on before you buy & saves you the hassle of a return. The vendors often have their merchandise for sale on their websites before their boutiques even receive their shipments. Always getting a jump start on the small guy. Then they put things on sale before we often get a chance to even have it on the floor for a few weeks. Once again, it’s hard to compete. 

I’ll get off my bandwagon now. I’m not being negative. Truly just being honest. I hope it provides some food for thought & makes you reevaluate where you spend your money. It could make a world of difference to your surrounding area & the people within it. Have you asked yourself which it most important to you? Helping your community or saving a few bucks?