Make Small Business Saturday More Than a One-Time Event

November 30, 2019, is Small Business Saturday®. Starting in 2010, American Express designated this day—the Saturday after Thanksgiving each year—to encourage people to "Shop Small." The financial services company reports that since the commemoration began, "Consumers have reported spending an estimated $103 billion across all Small Business Saturdays combined."

As a community revitalization expert, I welcome every chance to shine a spotlight on the small businesses and local entrepreneurs who make up the economic engine of most small and mid-size towns and cities.

Days like Small Business Saturday can help business owners get face time with customers who might not normally shop there. And consumers get to see what they might be missing—the personal connections and experiences they may not always get from online or big box retailers.

Still, shopping small and local can and should be more than a symbolic one-day-a-year event. Anyone who wants a stronger, more vibrant community needs to support their small businesses every day. They are the key to economic revitalization. They play a vital role in creating the "sense of place" that gives a community its competitive advantage.

According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, small businesses create two out of every three net new jobs in the private sector. What's more, over half of all Americans own or work for a small business.

For the full story, see this week’s Ogden Reporter. Subscribe by calling 1-800-558-1244 ext 122 or email Deb at circulation@midamericapub.com or by clicking here.