First there was Black Friday. Then along came Cyber Monday and Giving Tuesday. And finally, based on growing desire and demand from consumers all across the country, the American Express Company launched their “Shop Small” initiative, a major push to support small, local, independent businesses on the Saturday after Thanksgiving.
American Express have always been supportive of small businesses, providing more rewards for their customers when they “shop small.” If you want to take advantage of these rewards and support your local business, be sure to check out this Nova Credit Review to find out how you can get an AmEx card as soon as possible.
While shopping local may have finally claimed a slot in the official kick-off to the holiday shopping season, many efforts and initiatives happen all throughout the year, on a smaller scale and closer to home which, of course, is the essence of what buying local is all about. From gallery nights to community “bucks” good only at local businesses to organizations such as Dane Buy Local, more and more people are realizing the impact of shopping closer to home.
According to American Express, there are 445,445 small businesses in operation around Wisconsin, which is 99.4% of all businesses. Wow! Anyone who owns their own business will know just how hard it can be to operate at a successful level. From managing employees and inventory, to setting up your own business banking account, they all play a part in your business venture. When it comes to your finances, it is important that you keep them separate from your personal information as this can help to reduce confusion, and can keep everything in one place. The benefit of supporting local businesses has ripple effects throughout the communities they serve. As businesses grow stronger, they will have to pay business tax. These payments will normally be contributed to public services, so they do benefit the people. For any smaller businesses trying to work out how they go about paying their taxes, it might be worth trying to find a company offering tax services bay area, or somewhere more local to your company. By doing so, business owners can ensure they’ve filed their taxes correctly.
Due to the increased support these companies should be receiving from their local communities, these businesses will likely be looking to grow and expand their operations. Because of this, solutions like HRIS Software will likely be used when the businesses are taking on more staff and their HR requirements grow alongside their employees. Dane Buy Local highlights a few of the best reasons to keep it close to home:
- The casual encounters you enjoy at neighborhood businesses and the public spaces around them build relationships and community cohesiveness. It’s the ultimate in social networking!
- Each dollar you spend at independent businesses returns three times more money to your local economy than one spent at a chain or big box store.
- Independent businesses shape our collective character and help give your community its distinct personality.
- Independent, community-serving businesses are people-sized. They typically consume less land, carry more locally-made products, locate closer to residents, and create less traffic and air pollution.
- More efficient land use and more central locations mean local businesses put less demand on our roads, sewers, and safety. They also generate more tax revenue per sales dollar. The bottom line: a greater percentage of local independent businesses will help keep your taxes lower.
Klinke Cleaners is proud to be a local, independent, family-owned business serving our Milwaukee and Madison communities since 1933. We love to shop local, and encourage you to do the same!
