Why did this business strike such a chord with me?
- Because these are difficult times! All you have to do is drive through a local subdivision and see how many for sale signs are up in people’s yards. Then drive up and down Poplar and Germantown road and you will see the same with retail space. Many of these businesses used to thrive in better times, or they have shut down all together. Many are owned by people that live right here in our local community. When THEY struggle, we ALL struggle.
- Not only are these difficult times, but the pace of change is increasing rapidly for small business owners. Remember when you use to get all your local business info in the Sunday Paper, radio or TV? Now there is the internet, your smart-phone, facebook, twitter, direct mail, local grass roots events, and the list goes on. It is not easy for small businesses to reach their target market with limited resources and so many choices.
- Because at the end of the day, if our community supports LOCAL businesses, we all win. When we shop at businesses that are locally owned, as opposed to ones that are part of the “big box national chains,” more money stays right here in our community, vs the out of town corporate headquarters.
I know it may be idealistic to think the locally owned business can still thrive, and even prosper like days gone by. I also may learn that this it is challenging out there for small businesses to invest in their businesses, even at the affordable price of $25 per month!
However, we all face challenges when trying to start something new. I look forward to sharing not only my challenges and successes in the months ahead, but most importantly, the wonderful businesses in this great community of ours.
Sincerely,
Kim Olivito
