Small yet Mighty: How Small Businesses Impact Communities

Whether you’re starting a small business, an experienced owner, or a supporter of a small business in your city, communities need small businesses to survive and thrive.

They’re small yet mighty, but if you’re looking to understand how small businesses impact communities, here are just a few reasons why the world needs more of them.

Creates Local Jobs

As of 2020, small businesses have created approximately 1.5 million jobs annually, meaning that 64 percent of jobs created in the US were by small businesses.

One great benefit of small businesses is they create more jobs and opportunities for people to participate in their city.

A small business might offer employees better wages compared to the better benefits that many chains use to cover up cheap wages.

Families need jobs to live comfortably, so when a small business opens in a small town and offers local jobs, they might change someone’s life.

Adds Unique Character to Town

Have you ever been to a small town in Colorado, Arizona, or Alaska? What did you notice? Was it anything like visiting Chicago, New York, or Los Angeles? There’s usually one small thing that sets apart these cities from each other: the town’s unique character.

Many small towns have a unique identity because of the small businesses, the people who reside there, and the culture surrounding the city limits. Small businesses bring a sort of charm that big cities only wish to have.

Improves Local Economy

Often, the money spent in small businesses filters right back into the town’s local economy. Additionally, since small businesses offer local jobs, the people who work for them can spend their earned wages on other services in town.

Moreover, many small businesses may attract tourists to the area due to its distinct nature, contributing to the community’s economic health.

From coffee shops to comic stores, these small businesses offer the town something everyone can enjoy and purchase.

Brings Community Together

Every owner has a story behind their small business, bringing more people together in the community. Whether the owners form relationships with other owners or their customers, small businesses are great for uniting the community.

Sure, a Starbucks barista may remember your name if you go there enough times. In contrast, a mom-and-pop coffee shop can instantly connect with their customers because they put in the time and attention to their business.

Small businesses represent more than entrepreneurship and the pursuit of dreams; they represent the idea of community and what it means to live together as humanity.

Promotes Eco-friendly Practices

When you visit small towns, their local businesses are often in the middle of the city among the rest of the stores. In other words, there is no need for vehicles and driving back and forth across town.

When an employee works at a small business, they can bike, skateboard, rollerblade, or even walk to work. This is great for the environment because it reduces air pollution, which will heavily impact the planet’s future.

Encourages Entrepreneurship

Small businesses come to life because one person had the dream and did everything in their power to make it happen.

So when a customer visits a small business, they might learn about the owner’s backstory of how it all started and feel inspired. Small companies have the unique superpower of encouraging people to pursue their dreams of entrepreneurship.

Local businesses are often the product of the “American Dream” and serve to push people to realize their own talent to create something new. This brings even more entrepreneurial spirit into communities!

Requires Fewer Resources

When retail, restaurant, and shopping mall chains push their way into local communities, the town often needs to utilize many of its resources to make room for them. This can include town infrastructures like parking lots, warehouses, garages, and more.

However, a small business aims to work within the city limits or even from the owner’s home, reducing the need for additional resources.

All an owner needs is a storefront to benefit the community, which can be great for conserving energy. Furthermore, a small business owner may take advantage of wholesale shipping packaging options to send products. This can save money and resources for the community.

Product Diversity

You can take a drive to any town and visit Target, Walmart, Kohl’s, Walgreens, you name it, and find essentially the same products for the same prices. Many chains view it as beneficial to revolve the same products throughout their lines, but what they ultimately lack is product diversity.

Small businesses benefit from making personalized products, enabling them to stand out in a sea of commercial giants.

Local businesses offer their unique products based on their customers’ needs rather than weekly discounts that push people to spend more money.

Supports Charities

You may frequently see a local business owner sponsoring a youth sports team or organizing a volunteer event to clean up community litter.

One of the many great things about small businesses is they often partner with and support local charities that support the community. This is another way they give back to their community.

Small business owners have the benefit of representing themselves as a part of the community and can encourage consumers to donate and volunteer. They live and work within the community, which allows them to help others.

Improves Job Satisfaction

Sure, a retail giant may offer jobs in the community, but a small business provides meaningful work to employees, offering them something more than corporate benefits. Employees enjoy working in a small business more than commercially popular stores.

Because small business owners and employees bring the community together, many describe going to work as going to work to hang out with friends.

Additionally, when an employee knows they’re making a real difference in the community and environment, it’s easy for them to take more pride and satisfaction in their work.

Small businesses are small yet mighty, but it’s crucial to understand how small businesses impact communities because they’re changing the world one product at a time.