The Face of Small Biz

I went to shop down in Glendale, Arizona last evening. During the pre-Christmas season, the entire old-town area of Glendale put on the Glendale Glitters. There are all sorts of activities for families, couples, and our elder population. Just as I was arriving at the square, buses were pulling, bringing a number of senior citizens to the festivities.

For anyone who is concerned about their business in this dismal economic environment, this was indeed a promising site. We strolled around the square, watching the performances, stopping at the various tables and tents to see what people were promoting, and enjoying some of the snacks that were available outside the restaurants.

Then I stopped inside some of the small shops, housed in the old homes in the Catlin Court Historic District and chatted with some of the shopkeepers. Without exception, every one of them is interested in ways to improve their business throughout the year. The holiday season is certainly helpful, but the idea of raising the awareness of the general public to the plight of the small business owner is their number one concern. The big box stores make it so easy to run in and get everything you need, "one stop shopping".

The problem with "one stop shopping" is that it does not help your community. Those dollars you just spent there go to corporate headquarters, sometimes not even inside our own country's borders. The more money we send overseas equals less money that will continue to circulate in our own country, even our own community.

We will lose individuality. Every store will carry exactly the same merchandise. We will all become carbon copies of one another.

America is losing her greatness because we're all looking for a bargain!

Stop! Just for a moment, before you buy something, ask yourself, "Can I get this locally and make a difference in my hometown's economy?" If the answer is "Yes!" then make that extra stop and support a local small biz.

Small Biz Bits WordPress Blog Reinstated

It looks as though Small Biz Bits Blog has been reinstated with WordPress. 

I'm grateful to them for their quick response.  But, it does leave me just a bit nervous about entrusting all my efforts to that blog.  To that end, I will be posting to both blog forums, just so that I have a ready-made platform in case such a misunderstanding occurs again.

I may, eventually, distinguish between the two of them, but this way I'll reach both Blogger readers as well as WordPress readers.

Regardless, it's the message that is important. 

Small Biz Bits Blog May Be Changing Homes

This blog was originally hosted by WordPress...a company I have admired for some time. Unfortunately, they closed down my blog, for reasons as yet undisclosed.

I'm in the process of trying to get the blog reactivated, but in the meantime, I can't let this issue just wait until we sort things out.

Small Business in America is in TROUBLE!!!

Too many people are in too much of a hurry to look for opportunities to support their local businesses, looking instead for a bargain or a 'one stop shopping" opportunity.

There are a number of grassroots movements afoot to raise awareness to this problem that is bleeding our country dry. One is the 3/50 Project, which I'll handle in a separate post. Essentially, you choose three small businesses you would miss if they went out of business, and you pledge to spend $50 at those businesses. The pledge is only to yourself, and you don't spend $50 at each biz...you spend a total of $50.

Another is supporting CSA, or community supported agriculture. You pay a fee, usually quarterly, and each week you get a box of produce that is grown locally, and usually organically.

Stay tuned while I continue to seek out opportunities for even the smallest person in this country to begin to make a difference!