Why Supporting Small Business Is Good For Your Community

November 22, 2018

Eight years ago American Express launched their Small Business Saturday initiative in an effort to support local businesses during the holiday shopping season. The push to support small businesses has grown year after year garnering support from the Senate in the form of a resolution supporting Small Business Saturday and recruiting thousands of volunteers to host events and activities for shoppers.

Locally owned businesses buy locally as well which reduces transportation costs and business owners can pass those savings on to you. They stimulate the local economy by creating jobs. Small business owners invest in their communities. This can come in the form of sponsorships for your little girl’s softball league, help your son complete his Boy Scout project or donate goods to be raffled off at a charity auction for a community member in need. They generate a stronger tax base which results in better public services like emergency services and schools. Small businesses create a uniqueness in their neighborhoods and where one succeeds, others open their doors to new experiences for you and your family.

I applaud American Express and its efforts to support small business owners and I encourage you to shop locally all year long. Not only are you patronizing a locally owned business, but you’re also helping your entire community when you chose a local retailer over a big box store. Don’t get me wrong, I love my big box stores, but as the daughter of a small business owner, there is a special place in my heart for those who dare to venture out on their own and work the long, hard hours it takes to make a small business succeed.