It's gratifying to plant something and watch it grow. The satisfaction of pulling that first tomato or pepper off the vine is like no other because you planted, you watered, you weeded, you fertilized, and you cared for those vines all summer. You have invested your time and energy into your garden and now you don’t only get to reap the rewards, but you can feel good knowing that your investment paid off.
Wouldn’t it be great to get that same type of satisfaction by making an impact on a small business in your community? You can! There are a number of ways to help grow your local community from simply being a frequent customer to investing financially in local businesses should they ever raise capital from their community.
As the world begins to open back up it's vital that we show our support to the local businesses that pivoted to provide essential services from food to fitness.
For example, there's an Italian restaurant in my neighborhood called Angelo’s that opened around 15 years ago by a husband and wife. She cooked and he waited tables. The food was fantastic but because they made everything fresh, and it was just the two of them, it took longer than the big chain restaurants a few miles away. I didn’t mind the wait not only because the food was so good, but because they made me feel at home by greeting me by my first name, shaking my hand, and asking about my family. This community connection is what I loved, it made me feel a part of something greater, I was more than just a customer. Soon I started telling my friends about Angelo’s and in a short period of time, I started seeing people I knew every time I ate there.
Over the years the business has grown and recently the owners son started working in the kitchen. Looking back, I know that by supporting Angelo’s over time, I helped contribute to their success and that gives me a gratifying feeling much like the satisfaction of planting my garden and pulling vegetables off the vines.
Success doesn’t happen overnight so when you make an investment in something, whether it is your garden or a small local business, the impact of that investment carries on…sometimes from generation to generation.
What's an investment you made that has been gratifying to watch grow? How can you invest in your community today to plant seeds for the future?
