What do customers want? Doing business makes us think about other people’s perspective. Photo by Deb Brown, used by permission.

You’ve probably heard me say this one before:

The best way to save your town is to start your own small business.

I have four reasons that back that up:

1. You’ll decide what values to put first
2. More small businesses means more jobs*
3. Locally-owned businesses are the key to local prosperity*
4. You’ll return more of what you earn to the local economy*

*Research-backed conclusions. Read more here: Want to help save your small town? Start your own business.

Now I have a fifth reason, and it’s a bit deeper.

Buying and selling requires us to talk to each other.

Community happens when people talk to each other. We’re rebuilding social capital while we’re chatting over a purchase. I see value in building bonds like this.

And there’s a deeper level.

Selling something requires us to think about other people.

We have to think about what other people will like, what they will buy. That is thinking about another person’s perspective. That’s a valuable skill. I’ve been considering lately how many large challenges we face as a society that come down to not thinking from other people’s perspectives. Our communities could use more empathy.

So you’ll be hearing me say this one now:

Local commerce rebuilds community.

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About Becky McCray

Becky started Small Biz Survival in 2006 to share rural business and community building stories and ideas with other small town business people. She and her husband have a small cattle ranch and are lifelong entrepreneurs. Becky is an international speaker on small business and rural topics.

• The Idea Friendly Method to surviving a business crisis - October 6, 2020
• Join me for the Rural Renewal Symposium online Oct 13 - September 26, 2020
• Cheap placemaking idea: instant murals - September 11, 2020
• Refilling the rural business pipeline - July 7, 2020
• Huge vacant buildings: grants to renovate? - June 9, 2020
• Economic self defense for small towns  - June 7, 2020
• The best things you can do for local businesses in light of coronavirus - March 27, 2020
• How to get more parking downtown without adding any spaces - March 7, 2020
• Exact Yeti Blue mic volume and Windows settings to reduce background noise - February 17, 2020
• Getting local businesses to cooperate with you: Shop Hopping Around Brownsville - December 16, 2019