Seriously though, these are worrisome days if you watch the nightly news (which I do not thank goodness).  There are messages flying at us every day that tell us the financial system is on the verge of collapse, the auto industry is on the verge of collapse, we’re hanging on by a thread…

Well, let us be a voice of light in these dark times….help is here, and that help is YOU.

Though it’s often paid lip service,  small business really is the engine behind our economy.  Here are some statistics:

According to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), there were nearly 23 million small businesses in the U.S. in 2002, representing 99.7 percent of the nation’s total number of employers. Collectively these businesses employ half of the private sector workforce, pay 44.3 percent of the total U.S. private payroll and generate 60 to 80 percent of new jobs annually.

And here’s the best part:  We don’t need a multi-billion dollar bailout to get this sector right back on track.  Unlike hulking, multi-national organizations which have a ‘process’ by which they increase ‘headcount’, Local Independent businesses respond much more quickly to increased demand.  Johnny has 3 people running his store, things are way too busy for those three for a week, Johnny hires #4.

If you’re wondering, yes, this all leads somewhere.  While we haven’t really gone public yet (stay tuned for a powerful series of events during the month of March),  a collaboration of Local Independent Business Networks from all around New England is launching a new, compelling and timely campaign.

The 10% Shift is a grassroots initiative lead by Local Independent business owners, Local Independent Business Networks, community leaders, politicians and citizens from all around New England.  We are asking for individuals, businesses, nonprofits and, whenever possible, government agencies to shift 10% of their purchases from non-local business to Local Independents this year.  Doing so would yield tremendous benefits for our local economy, those positive effects would happen this year, and it would happen without the use of one single tax dollar.

Learn more about the 10% Shift study in Michigan here via BusinessWeekOnline.

10% is a reasonable number too.  We’re not asking you to drastically change your life and go live on a hippie commune…we’re just asking you to find ways (and we provide tools to help) to make a modest behavior shift. This program is all about our collective power.  A modest change by some, would yield huge results for all.

So consider this me throwing down the gauntlet.  I think people are ready for a change in the way we approach business, and we believe that Local Independents play a huge role.  In a lot of ways, many of us are asking:  But what can I do?  Consider that question answered.

We’ve powered this campaign by launching a website that tells the story, offers you the chance to make the shift, and gives you tools to figure out how:  check out – http://www.10percentshift.org.

I’m shifting 10%…how about you?

Keep it Local, Keep it Fresh
jG

P.S. – One more thing.  In a time when so many issues divide us, turn us against each other and nullify our collective power as citizens, this campaign is a uniter.  Take, for example, Peggy Noonan. Peggy writes for the Wall Street Journal OpEd pages, was an aide to President Reagan and a speechwriter for President George W. Bush.  Here is the last few lines of one of her recent articles:

The comeback will be from the ground up and will start with innovation. No one trusts big anymore. In the future everything will be local. That’s where the magic will be. And no amount of pessimism will stop it once it starts.

This issue is not Red or Blue, it’s not Black or White…it’s all about Green (in dollars and philosophy).

There will be no layoffs, but also no raises: I am keeping all compensation level with 2008.  Each of them knows their work and our general performance as a team will play a large part in our success this year.  That success will determine what kind of bonuses I am able to give at the end of the year.  Everyone gets it.  This is a good stretch of time: all thirty of my employees are happy to be here, have been working well together and know their jobs pretty well.  After eighteen years in business, I know this is a blessing, and could change for many reasons beyond my control.  But just now, I sigh with relief and pleasure.

I made a pledge on a moms’ political web site to speak and act positively this year.  This notion came from two sources: fatigue at hearing conditions on every statement of intent or action: “With the economy the way it is…” or “Until the fall I had expected to…” or “Considering the situation now…” and my husband saying to me in response to some similar statement spoken (inadvertently–) by me: “Your talking that way IS the problem!”

Yes, it is so: depression is a state of mind, and one we can change.

Granted, banks are skittish, granted unemployment is growing.  Yes, there are big troubles throughout the system.  But anyone in business knows a few things about money, especially those of us who are close to the ground: knowing our customers, knowing our staff.  The big guys may be in serious trouble, some of what they do or don’t do may affect us, but we are still able to work, to produce a product to sell.

While watching pennies may not be fun, and may be more necessary just now, it is possible, and it is a good idea anyway, even when times get better.  While negotiating selling prices is a challenge, it is possible, and in the cycle of commerce we are both consumers and producers, so while my guests are looking for the best deals, and I am finding ways to offer them, I am looking for great deals too, to keep my costs at a minimum.

The point is to keep moving, to keep selling and buying, marketing, experimenting, improving, planning.  It is our doubt that will bury us.  Our hesitation, our losing our faith in ourselves, in our employees, in our mission, in our customers, in the system can only worsen the situation.  Act as if until you are.  We should all act as if until we are.

Our friend Joe Grafton at Somerville Local First sent along this little tid-bit and I thought I’d share it with you. It’s just yet another reminder of the benefits of shopping locally. When you spend your hard-earned bucks locally, that’s more money for the local economy. It’s a system that benefits everyone – there’s no downside. Check it out…

There’s a new study out, further quantifies the benefits of shopping locally.  It shows that if 600,000 residents shifted 10% of their shopping locally, the community would experience tremendous economic benefits, such as:

* 1600 jobs would be created
* There would be $137 Million in new economic activity
* There would be $50 Million in new wages earned

You can find the Exec Summary and Full Report here.

– Ben