23 Reasons Local Business Matters
Every city is fueled by the heart and passion of local businesses.
Supporting a local business doesn’t put money into investors’ pockets on the other side of the world, but you might help send a child to piano lessons, soccer practice, or contribute to an owner’s next family gathering.
Our culture is shaped by the way we spend money and by the causes we support. We want to highlight the heart behind inspirational local businesses so you can see the real people, vision, drive, and passion behind local business owners. Local businesses are worth supporting because of the amazing people behind these businesses.
These 23 local business owners were asked why their business exists and here we share some small snippets from their answers. To see their full responses, follow the Story On Publication as we release individual features over the next few months.
1. Clothes Pony & Dandelion Toys
“I know every single person who walks in here and if I don’t know them I’ll get to know them real fast. We would rather have chocolate ice cream all over our clothing than to ever discipline anyone.”
2. Akinz
“When I designed in college, it was all about cocktail dresses and couture and I decided I didn’t want to do that anymore.”
3. Jim Hewitt, owner of The Cupboard
“There’s a good feeling and a satisfaction when we really help people out, not just sell items, but help people.”
4. Sunday Supply Co.
“We are about people and quality over quantity– the quality of relationships and the quality of customer service.”
5. The Little Bird Bakeshop
“Feeding people is the way I show love. It feeds my soul, and I hope theirs too! The Little Bird Bakeshop is a blend of a dream and a healing.”
6. Studio Be Salon
“Watching our guests feel renewed, reach new goals, and become better people is what fuels our team every day.”
7. The Bean Cycle
“We exist to be a pillar of our community and a role model for young people.”
8. Me Oh My Coffee and Pie
“… when everything else that comes with running a small business can seem so challenging at times — if your community wants you, then you’ve succeeded.”
9. Bindle Coffee
“We want to create a place where you can take a physical breath out and rest.”
10. Elevate Chiropractic
“Many don’t have a vision for a better future because they’ve never had a voice to help show them what life could look like with better health.”
11. Rebel Popcorn
“Rebel Popcorn was born by accident during a homebrewing session.”
12. Judy Fossum VoiceOvers
“Every person and every business (businesses are really people) have a voice and a ‘sound’…”
13. Horse and Dragon Brewing
“When we finally got the courage to throw it all in behind a brewery of our own, our daughters, friends, extended family, and several key employees were willing to support us in a thousand ways.”
14. Storm Men’s Shop
“By shopping at Storm, you are helping contribute to finding a cure– a cause you can feel good about while looking your best.”
15. Blue Skies Winery
“We exist because there is a big world of wine out there and we want to make it approachable and accessible to everyone in this community that we love so dearly. ”
16. Elevation 5003 Distillery
“I hit a point in my personal and professional life where I recognized the importance of following my dream and never looking back on my career and regretting not taking a chance.”
17. Corndoggies: Artisan Corndog Food Truck
“We like to do things the right way (also known as the hard way).”
18. HEYDAY
“It has truly been a family effort to bring HEYDAY to life. Everyone has made sacrifices, and each of us has seen the hard work required to bring ideas to life.”
19. Pateros Creek Brewing
“I grew up in Fort Collins and wanted to give back to the community I love while doing something I am passionate about.”
20. PHOCO
“I didn’t want to be the one taking all the photos, but I wanted to give other photographers opportunities to live off of their own work.”
21. Nuance Chocolate
We spent thousands of dollars on esoteric equipment, read everything from blog posts to scientific journals, and then started experimenting.”
22. Midtown Arts Center
“In any given season, there is truly something for everyone.”
23. Old Firehouse Books
“We provide Fort Collins and Northern Colorado with a local, independent, and community-oriented bookstore that celebrates authors, books, and the people who read them!”
The heart of a community lies in the hearts of the people. Local businesses are a beautiful expression of how the people in a community can work together to bring real value to the people they love.
Stay tuned to the Story On Publication to meet the individual owners of these businesses. We will be releasing individual short business stories over the coming months. You won’t want to miss this series.
In the last 12 months, Story On has helped Otterbox, Asian Hope International, Galvanize, and others use their inspirational stories to market their great brands. Do you want help turning your stories into business growth? Contact us at info@storyon.co or www.storyon.co.
