Support local business!
Support local business is a phrase we hear quite a lot. We're told to shun the national and international faceless giants and help our local community. It can be hard to do, especially as the larger companies can often be quicker and cheaper. Also, while these larger companies can be somewhat robotic and soulless the people that work there are friends and family, and we wouldn't want them out of a job.
Why should we support local business?
I firmly believe in spending time and money with local business', that's partly as I am a local business owner, and I know how important local support is, but also, I find the level of service is always higher. Ultimately, if you're business is good enough you will survive. It's very rare that a great business doesn't stay open and that's part of the challenge of running one. It's your job to get enough customers to thrive, and if they don't show up it's not their fault, it's yours.
That is why local businesses have a high level of service, it matters directly to the staff that it thrives, there's no other branch that can buffer the losses of bad sales, if the money isn't made, you don't get paid. In a small business there is no guarantee that you're getting paid that month, often the last person to get paid is the business owner, ask any of them how long they were open before they started paying themselves, you'll be surprised.
So, use the local coffee shop rather than Starbucks, buy the locally brewed beer rather than the cheap mass produced lager, go to your local independant gym rather than the local globo-gym. If your in Northampton I can point to many local alternatives that offer superior quality, feel free to ask.
Speak to you Friday,
Josh.
Image found HERE.