Your Halloween decorations are likely stowed away and you may even be sporting garland on the mantle by now. I don’t know, does garland even go on the mantle? I digress. We are headed fast and furiously into the holiday season.

Before we talk about Christmas, we have to talk about Thanksgiving. November = Thanksgiving for me, and the top-of-mind topics include gratitude, reflection, insight, and thankfulness, obviously.

So, I want to talk about shopping. What!? I know, I just said that I wanted to be all reflective and grateful – how are the two connected?

This month I want to talk about small business. Not even small businesses, micro-businesses, and solopreneurs are up for discussion – and this is not really ‘for’ them, it’s for those of you that ARE NOT them.

I’d like to give you some insight into the small business owner that may influence your thinking this holiday season, and maybe forever more. The ones like me, and maybe you. Even if you don’t identify as a small business owner or solopreneur you absolutely know them. Not even ‘know of’ them, you actually know them by name.

You’re intimately familiar with a few of them online, even though you haven’t met in person.
They are your cousin, neighbor, sister or friend.
Probably have at least one in your small group, sports team parents or happy hour circle.
It’s your local skincare lady, coach, virtual assistant, social media manager or neighborhood shop owner.

Go ahead! Use your fingers and count the 5 or 10 that come to the top of your head.

They need you. We need you.

And not in the way that you think – we don’t need you to be the consumer of our product or service. I mean, you can if you want and it makes sense – but that’s not what I’m here to tell you about.

Keep reading, this support that we all could use will cost you nothing.

The Challenge

According to the Small Business Administration, about 20 percent of small businesses fail in the first year – not bad, 4/5 are hanging on tight! However, after that, the numbers take a dramatic turn for the worse. Only about half of small businesses stay alive for five years. Approximately 33 percent make it ten years.

Of those 10 people that you know, it’s possible that only 3 or 4 will celebrate a 10 year anniversary.

Without sales or clients – there is no business. Period. If the faucet runs dry on new sales, the business also dries up. Therefore ‘marketing’ or getting the word out to new people about said business is incredibly important. It’s not up to you to make a sale. That business owner must have a terrific product/service and they have to know how to price it, close the deal, etc. That’s on them.

Now, this is not an opportunity for any kind of pity party. Or even advice giving from someone that’s made it to the half way point.

I want to create awareness for you, the non-entrepreneur with a few insights for you to do something with. Again, nothing hard – these are the softest, slow pitches….ever.

The Obvious, I Think

It’s hard work going into business for yourself.

It can often feel lonely. It requires tremendous sacrifice.

The learning curve is steep sometimes with the ‘business side’ of the business, versus the craft or service that is provided.

But we don’t talk about these things out in the open. If your favorite solopreneur is lucky she has a supportive family, a coach or mentor, and great resources to guide, cheer, and educate.

The Not-So Obvious

Let’s talk money, shall we?

The ‘price point’ that your fave solopreneur charges are for the value of the product/service and the outcome it provides.

It’s not the price tag she puts on her worth, because #priceless of course. It also may only scratch the surface of the time that she puts into the product or service behind the scenes. Remember too, that she has several operating expenses to just keep the lights on, not to mention the taxes.

A solopreneuer’s benchmark according to honestlybookeeping.com is 50% owner’s pay of gross revenue.

That is precisely what my owner’s pay percentage is currently as well; the rest goes to fees to operate and optimize the business, hire support, pay taxes, put a little aside for a rainy month, etc.

So, that price tag of $797 for that service – your gal gets to keep half. And that sticker price for the handcrafted skin cream, it’s not really $44, it’s $22 that she pockets.

We will never be as inexpensive or maybe even efficient as Amazon, Target, or Walmart. Our ability to leverage that kind of capital, order in massive bulk, or hire/fire in a flash won’t ever be true. But, you don’t really WANT us to be Amazon either.

If I’m reading the room correctly you want to KNOW the people that are providing your services and crafting the products you’ve come to know and love. And you’re starting to appreciate just what it takes to operate that ‘little business’ of theirs. (Please avoid our side eye, and don’t ever call it that.) It’s actually a small business, with a big heart.

And there are a few ways that you can support, without even busting out your debit card.

4 Easy Ways to Support Solopreneurs

1. Engage on Social Media

If your favorites are on social media, there are plenty of ways that you can legitimately help support that business.

Routinely, like their posts.
Occasionally, comment on their post.
When you feel compelled, share their post on your stories or with a friend.
Save the tidbits that resonate with you.

These small items that take you seconds can help organically give their share a boost and send it out to more people, maybe even their next new client or customer.

2. Share when Appropriate

When you hear your friend, family member or neighbor express a need/desire for fill in the blank product or service, run through your memory bank of whether or not you know a small business owner that could fill that void before you go to the internet search bar or as Siri or Alexa.

Go a step further and ask your favorite solopreneur who her ideal client is, or what you could be listening for around the Thanksgiving dinner table that may connect the dots between their service and your sister in law’s pain point.

3. Feedback Requested

If you have constructive feedback about the product or service, share it! Direct feedback is so welcome and helps us improve our product and service – which is what we always want to be continually doing.

And if you’ve experienced our product or service in some form or another, write a review or share a testimonial. These are some of the most powerful ‘social proof’ tools we can have in our business that helps with our marketing efforts.

4. Shop Small.

If you’re already going to be making a purchase, shop small. I’m not asking you to go blowing your budget on things you don’t need or want – hear me clearly, I’m a financial coach at my core.

Go into that purchase knowing that it won’t be the least expensive option, and it likely won’t be on your doorstep the next morning between 4a-8a, but the money you spend will help support purchasing groceries, buying new soccer cleats, and making a mortgage payment.

Entrepreneur Feedback

Recently, as I asked a few small business owners to share in their own words what would be helpful to them, you’ll notice we’re all pretty aligned here.

Ashley Whaley Podshark Media podsharkmedia.com

Checking in … simply asking how things are going?! It’s so funny how friends and family who aren’t self-employed don’t ask. 😉
Liking, commenting, and sharing on social!
Being encouraging. When a friend or family member compliments or highlights the work we do, it’s a real energy booster! 🙂

Kelly Flowers Eleven 14 Financial Coaching https://www.ramseycoach.com/eleven14financials

Like and share post on social media
Write a comment of post, acknowledging them.
Refer people they know, pay attention to what people are saying around them.

Genelle Holub Faceit Skin |faceitskin.net

Sharing your social media
Shout out to each other’s posts!
Forwarding/sharing emails and blogs
Sharing freebies like samples, biz cards, and information cards.

All of these can be done while working from a desk! So easy.

Genelle called it you guys; so easy.

And, Action!

Prospectingtoolkit.com shared this recent roll up of soloprenuer statistics, and they say that about 10% of the workforce are entrepreneurs. What if 10% of your purchases were from small businesses – matching the workforce percentage? That would make a big difference in your local community and economy. Heck, maybe you’re an over achiever and every 2 out of your 10 purchases were small business focused.

Supporting small business owners isn’t just for the Saturday after Thanksgiving.

I’m grateful for you, taking the time to read and take action. After all, I’m a household of entrepreneurs too, and I have the privilege of supporting other entrepreneurs as well.

Thank you for joining me on my journey to influence!

Beyond Small Business Saturday: Four Simple Ways to Show Support