I founded an organization, if you could even call it that, by the name Shop Small Challenge. Throughout the years we have managed to gain close to 800 members on our Facebook group. Every day I commit time to it and recently have even rented an office space to run my venters (Shop Small Challenge, Manda & Friends and Sr. Consultant with Beauty Counter.) Most days I feel like I am beating my head into a brick wall.
The apathy shown by consumers about where they shop and the quality of products they buy is astounding. Yet even more astounding is the apathy that other entrepreneurs have for the same. Sure, there are those of us who try extremely hard to buy everything we can through other small businesses; others have no desire to do so. The occasional retail relapse is bound to happen, but it should be exactly that. A relapse. You jump back into shopping small and shopping locally after the relapse has occurred, especially if you yourself know the hardships of being self-employed.
Is it harder to shop small than it is to shop at the all-inclusive mega mart? Of course! Shopping at Mega Marts in the first place drove all the locally owned shops out of business. It was designed that way! Is it cheaper to shop at the Mega Mart? Yes and No. First, we don’t “deserve” low prices at the expense of other human beings in foreign countries making these goods for us. Second, we don’t save money by cramming all those stellar deals we don’t need into our carts.
When you shop small you can shop with specification. You need a plant to gift to a friend? Go to the local florist and buy a plant, just a plant. It really is that simple and if we all used this logic the middle class would be booming and so would our Main Streets.
Quit being so apathetic about the goods you buy and bring into your home. Stop complaining that the middle class is disappearing unless you are willing to do something about it! Take the Shop Small Challenge!
Join us on our Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/shopsmallchallenge/ or page https://www.facebook.com/Shop-Small-Challenege-805224549617045/ and post your small business (who doesn’t love free advertisement) AND post your shop small purchases and give those small businesses and shout out.
I am always looking for surrogates to introduce Shop Small Challenge to their circles, if you are passionate about this the way I am than please text me at 720.471.2580 or email me at shopsmallchallenge.com