Capitol Connection: Support “Small Business Saturday”

From the Office of State Senator Kevin Witkos

Small businesses are the lifeblood of our communities, and supporting them is vital to supporting a healthy economy and way of life.

According to the U.S. Small Business Administration’s 2014 report, Connecticut has 329,307 small businesses that employ 710,034 people, or what was about half of the state’s private workforce in 2011.

This coming Saturday, I look forward to celebrating and supporting all these businesses and I hope you will join me in the national effort to “Shop Small.” The Saturday after Black Friday has become known as Small Business Saturday thanks to a movement encouraging people to shop at local businesses after the holiday rush to the big box stores. American Express founded the unofficial holiday, which has been spreading around the country since 2010.

This relatively new annual “holiday” puts the focus on our local businesses: the mom-and-pop storefront, the pizza place down the street, the local boutique, and all the other businesses that are owned and operated not by huge corporations, but by our neighbors, friends and family members.

Small businesses spark local economic development and recovery. Nearly 2 out of every 3 jobs created in the private sector over the past decade have come from small companies, according to American Express. It may be hard to compete with big box stores, but small businesses have a certain charm, quality and ability to meet local needs better than any national chain.

And most importantly, when we shop local, we are supporting local jobs and local people.
How can you join the movement?

If you are a customer, get out and get shopping – locally. Don’t wear yourself out too much on Black Friday, and save some energy to visit a local storefront on Saturday. To find nearby small businesses, check out the business locator: shopsmallnow.americanexpress.com/ShopSmall?linknav=us-loy-open-shopsmall-headermap. Also, share information about Small Business Saturday with your friends and family. If you’re on social media remember to use the hashtag #ShopSmall to help get the word out.

If you are a business, invite local customers to shop using the free marketing materials available on www.americanexpress.com/us/small-business/Shop-Small/. From in-store signage and email templates to real world advice, the Shop Small website has many tools to help businesses of all sizes get involved.

Shop small, buy local and support our neighbors this holiday shopping season. Learn more about Small Business Saturday here.