Categories: Business Owner Highlights

"Think Global, Act Local"

While we haven’t seen the numbers from this year’s small business Saturday, we can probably assume it was a rousing success. The campaign garnered over 2.7 Million “Likes” on Facebook and had the Twittersphere buzzing with thousands upon thousand of tweets tagged with #smallbusinesssaturday.

President Obama’s campaign even gave the event the presidential push.

All of this is extremely heartening to see, especially during harder economic times. The phrase “Think Global, Act Local” is more than just a cute rhyme that fits well on t-shirts and placards. Working locally to improve your community is one of the most effective acts of kindness that you can undertake, and the results of working locally are typically felt right away. Even if you don’t have the time to volunteer or help out, you can do your part by putting a little thought into where you shop and buying from local, small businesses. Small businesses create jobs, pump money into the local economy and helps everyone in the community.

eLocal put out an awesome and highly informative Info-Graphic that shows exactly how doing something as simple as buying from local, small businesses instead of giant chains can both help your community and the natural environment:

Click to See the Entire Info-Graphic

As the graphic shows, buying from locally owned stores does more than just help your hometown. It really can have far reaching effects both economically and ecologically! So instead of buying groceries at Wal-Mart, drive out to a Farmer’s Market. And instead of doing your holiday shopping at Target, try and throw a little business to smaller, specialty stores.

Yes, doing this can take a little more time and energy, but the effects are wide reaching and, as eLocal’s graphic shows, well worth the effort. Hopefully we can extend the amazing reception Small Business Saturday received and continue to help local stores get a piece of the ever coveted market of holiday shoppers.

So enjoy your holiday shopping, and remember to give a little love to your local small business.

Deborah Sweeney

Deborah Sweeney is an advocate for protecting personal and business assets for business owners and entrepreneurs. With extensive experience in the field of corporate and intellectual property law, Deborah provides insightful commentary on the benefits of incorporation and trademark registration.

Education: Deborah received her Juris Doctor and Master of Business Administration degrees from Pepperdine University, and has served as an adjunct professor at the University of West Los Angeles and San Fernando School of Law in corporate and intellectual property law.

Experience: After becoming a partner at LA-based law firm, Michel & Robinson, she became an in-house attorney for MyCorporation, formerly a division in Intuit. She took the company private in 2009 and after 10 years of entrepreneurship sold the company to Deluxe Corporation. Deborah is also well-recognized for her written work online as a contributing writer with some of the top business and entrepreneurial blogging sites including Forbes, Business Insider, SCORE, and Fox Business, among others.

Fun facts/Other pursuits: Originally from Southern California, Deborah enjoys spending time with her husband and two sons, Benjamin and Christopher, and practicing Pilates. Deborah believes in the importance of family and credits the entrepreneurial business model for giving her the flexibility to enjoy both a career and motherhood. Deborah, and MyCorporation, have previously been honored by the San Fernando Valley Business Journal’s List of the Valley’s Largest Women-Owned Businesses in 2012. MyCorporation received the Stevie Award for Best Women-Owned Business in 2011.