This year, Small Business Saturday will fall on November 28th.
This “American Holiday” (as Wikipedia describes it) was created to encourage shoppers to not forget the small businesses during the biggest shopping days of the year.
As I write this it is March 15th and events are being cancelled or postponed, social distancing is a thing and people are not going out. At the beginning of this week, I watched an event planning business go from “we’ll make it through” to laying off employees, keynote speakers who were solidly booked lost their gigs and makers suddenly no longer have places to show and sell their goods.
I worry that some small businesses may not be around come Small Business Saturday. Yes, I know that there are all kinds of relief packages being put in place, but many small businesses have trouble accessing those services, even without an emergency situation like the coronavirus has brought. For many - relief is going to have to come from you and the community.
Small businesses were created to meet customers’ needs, fuel owner’s dreams and weave a stronger community. The owners of these businesses are your neighbors, friends and family.
It’s scary out there, but I have to agree with Ann Kim who posted on her Instagram account (@annbkool):
“I see, feel and hear your fear. I totally get it. I’m scared too, but we’re better than this. I know it’s difficult, but we must not act in scarcity. We have the power to act with love and harness our raging fear into FIRE. A fire that radiates light, compassion, empathy, generosity and kindness. Take only what you need and be mindful of others who may also be hurting. Gift a roll of toilet paper, an extra bottle of hand sanitizer or a container of rice to a neighbor. We’re all in this together and together we can get through this if we remain agile, think creatively, work diligently and stay calm. Our humanity depends on it. #fuckfear #fuelthefire”
So find ways to support your local small businesses. A few that I have heard of:
Order that gift from your local maker online if not in store
Have food delivered from your local restaurant or order ahead and pick it up -many are offering this service
Consider buying gift cards now for future use
Go ahead and meet with your coach or use that speaker - virtually
Take classes online - Spirit of the Lake Yoga is one such local business who has flipped their classes to virtual
Give to funds that support some of those micro-businesses
Write those Google Reviews - check out JKath’s blog post about this
And more….
As a society - we have been in similar situations before and we have always shown our resiliency, our creativeness and our ability to come together to support and care for each other. Now should be no different.
Don’t wait for Small Business Saturday.