Small Local Business – The Heart of America
By Lynn Blamires feature writer for My Local Utah
America is a fertile bed for entrepreneurs. There are so many ways to legitimately make money in this country. It requires a willingness to work and sometimes it means doing the kind of work other people are not willing to do.
Small Business Ideas Are Creative
I have seen some creative ideas for small businesses and many of them are centered on services. A common opportunity is yard care – a weekly service that lifts a chore off the homeowner. Startup costs are not prohibitive.
A creative idea is a weekly service to remove dog dung from yards. Others include cleaning rain gutters and power washing the big garbage bins we roll out to the street weekly. My son found an opportunity to make money when he was quite young selling cold soft drinks over the fence at a nearby golf course.
How You Spend Money Affects Your Community
These are opportunities to make money, but the other side of the coin is spending it. It doesn’t take long to realize that a lot of people want your money. You are a part of a community and therefore you have an opportunity and a responsibility to make it a place in which you would like to continue to live.
Just Because It Is There Does Not Mean It Is Local
One way to do that is to shop at local businesses. One of the first things you have to do is know what defines a local business. The restaurant business is an easy place to learn. Mcdonald’s is not a local business. It is one of the largest franchise businesses in the world. A portion of the money you spend there will stay in the community, but the majority goes to the corporate center which is located out of state.
Most Fast-Food Restaurants Are Not Local
Fast food eateries are saturated by franchised businesses. They don’t have to be listed, they are quite prevalent. An advantage they have is that you can walk into any of them and know exactly what you will get. They are consistently good, but they are not a local business.
A local fast food business would be Burger Stop in Layton, Burger Bar in Roy, or Burly Burger in South Weber. These three are successful local businesses that are consistently good and deserve our support.
More Upscale Restaurants Are Local
We have many more local restaurants outside of fast food fare that is locally owned. Fortunately, they are too numerous to list. They are easy to find because there will only be one or two and not more than a few, but they will be a local business in your community and important to support.
Other Opportunities to Shop Local
Farmer’s Markets, local fruit stands, auto repairs, and flea markets provide ways to buy locally. Just look as you drive through town, there is child care, laundry, bike shops, and shops for personal appearance, and local businesses are easy to find.
Local Businesses Are Unique and People Come to Shop
“Local shopping is crucial to the growth and expansion of our city. If we want our community to continue to develop, we have to offer something that other communities don’t. Our local business scene is something that’s unique to our city for travelers, and provides quality and convenience for residents.” “Since local businesses are not tied to any national sales or marketing strategies, we will get a wider variety of products and services…This also means you won’t run into the exact same mix of restaurant and retail anywhere else.” https://www.metrofamilymagazine.com/15-reasons-to-shop-locally/)
The Metro Family Magazine also pointed out that “Local shopping is crucial to our continued growth because the success of local businesses attracts and encourages other entrepreneurs to start local businesses, which leads to more jobs and revenue re-circulating throughout our community.”
The Math Supports Spending Locally
The magazine supported these statements with mathematical reasons to shop locally. “For every $100 spent at a locally-owned business, $73 remains in the local economy. Compare that to the same $100 spent at a non-locally owned business, where only $43 remains in the local economy. Recent research from Civic Economics (www.civiceconomics.com) indicates that local eateries return nearly 79 percent of revenues to the community, compared to just over 30 percent for chain restaurants.”
A community’s wealth, the standard of living, and tax revenue are increased when profits stay local. Most businesses start out as small local businesses – it is the American Dream.
We are just coming out of the effects of the pandemic – one of the worst times to own or start a small business. Where is the Utah organization with a program to support local businesses and Utah entrepreneurs?
My Local Utah – a Small Local Business That Supports Local Business
There is a .com in Davis County that is focused on supporting local business owners and it is focused on Utah – MyLocalUtah.com. Having its startup in 2020 – the middle of the pandemic, My Local Utah was created to focus on the economic recovery for local Utah businesses.
My Local Utah Is a Women-owned Small Business
Created by a local entrepreneur who came from a long line of small business owners in her family, she understands how to make small businesses successful. Her parents started an old-fashioned restaurant sinking their entire life savings to start their own business.
Her first job was at the age of 14 and started her own business after working three jobs to get through college in 1999. Twenty-five-plus years later as a wife, mom, and small storefront business owner, it has become her passion. My Local Utah was created to help small business.
My Local Utah Has a Program for Success That Won’t Break the Bank
My Local Utah offers a small business package for a minimal price. Look at what is included for $100 per month on an annual contract:
Featured Digital Listing, Business Portal, and Landing Page on MY LOCAL UTAH
Digital Listings to Our Network of 3500
Digital Display Ad
Email Marketing
Text Marketing
Geo-Targeted Digital Display
Local Business Training by Certified Experts/TBD (Covid-19 Pending)
Business-to-Business Discounts
$100 off Advertising & Marketing Services
Social Media Marketing on Our Network of Followers and Subscribers
Branding Kit
Website Badges
Annual Advertiser Business Article Featured
It will pay for you to go to the My Local Utah website and learn how your small business can benefit from this program. Similar programs are offered in Utah at thousands of dollars more.
Small Business Saturday
Small Business Saturday is November 26. This day has been set aside to recognize and support small businesses in your community. Show your support by shopping locally.