Why Going Small is Actually Going Big

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Today is Small Business Saturday. It’s not my favorite that it is sandwiched between Black Friday and Cyber Monday or what I surprisingly heard on the radio today referred to as “Thanksgetting” from a Verizon Wireless commercial. That was shocking to hear and I hope I never hear it again!

One thing I DID hear this Thanksgiving is about all the big corporations who were brave enough to go against the grain and actually close their doors down on Black Friday in honor of HUMANITY! REI was the first to do it and not only did they close, but they also paid their employees for the work day they were missing. Holy smokes. What a concept.

And here it is a day of honoring small businesses…companies where doing such a thing as closing your doors on Black Friday (or any day of the week for that matter) is a big deal. Most people don’t realize it but being a small business owner is RISKY business. We never really get that satisfaction of “being done” at the end of a work day as there is always stuff to do! And profits from one month to the next can vary greatly so much so that we have to learn to be flexible with our plans and desires. Not to mention our whole lives can be taken over trying to save our businesses when the economy takes a hit. Even a small hit can mean big consequences.

Read also:Naropa Magazine Features Mindi K. Counts, LAc & Inner Ocean Empowerment Project

Loans often with ridiculous interest rates, commercial rental property which is outrageously expensive in Boulder (the highest in the nation I heard!?!), and (in my case) the constant need for continuing education credits and for holistic health care professionals in Boulder – SATURATION, there is just so much to look out for at every corner.

And yet, if you love what you do – you do what it takes to be in business.

As a small business owner, you are also at the mercy of your community. If the community sees your value and reciprocates by shopping with you, then you will have a good opportunity to create something really stable and community-supported. Another amazing thing about small businesses is that they are more likely to put their profit back into their very own community! What big businesses do you know do that?

I can’t tell you how much respect I have for the people who risk everything to create the vision of their dreams. I, myself did that many years ago. I am a holistic medical professional and I have a private practice in Lafayette. I LOVE what I do. Which makes it all worth it to me.

I’m not one to offer discounts and “hot deals” for my practice (except of course to people who are experiencing hardship). I spend a lot of time with my clients – as much time as is needed to help them get better and then EVEN better than that! Of course, if you know me, you know I travel and volunteer in super-poor places offering this medicine for weeks or months at a time. In fact, for every dollar I earn in my office, inevitably a good portion of that goes toward my international work. So my clients don’t ever need to actually donate to my international work, they already are by coming in and taking care of themselves!

I offer Gift Certificates and if you have been seeing me for a while then you know how good this medicine is! Perhaps the best thing you could do on Small Business Saturday would be to consider buying a gift certificate for someone you love. The gift of healing is priceless, after all.

You can do that on my website by clicking here.

Regardless, take a moment if you can and just honor small businesses today. And maybe, just maybe, if you need to purchase something today – do it at a small business. Use this day as an excuse to check out that new little shop you’ve been curious about. And enter their shop knowing that behind that door is someone who didn’t just take one small risk, but they take and continue to take several big risks each and every day to be available to you. By entering their small business, you will not only grow your community that much bigger but you will help it grow stronger.

If you want to learn more about my international work, click here.

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