I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving. We were fortunate to have a great day filled with a lot of family time and too much food. Now that we have given thanks, Christmas will be here before we know it. It seems that everyone is getting into the Christmas spirit a little bit earlier than usual this year which is just fine with me. After all, it is the most wonderful time of the year. If you haven’t started your holiday shopping, I would love for you to join me in shopping small this year to support the Missouri business owners that keep our communities going.
Tomorrow is Small Business Saturday which was created to encourage Americans to forgo planning Thanksgiving around “Black Friday” sales – many of which have been moved online so you don’t have to cut family time short. Rather than standing in long lines at large retailers, Small Business Saturday is an opportunity to support the people who work tirelessly to keep Main Street Missouri going. Small businesses owners are some of the hardest working people in our state and supporting them is a win for all of us. Choosing to shop small means you are supporting our local communities, and helping small businesses thrive and continue to provide good jobs for people in our area. Not to mention, small businesses often have a special selection that you can’t find in the bigger stores.
It’s no secret that being a small business owner in our country over the last year has been a largely uphill climb. They are unfortunately some of the first to suffer when our country faces economic troubles. Historic inflation, supply chain issues, and labor shortages have made being an American small business owner more difficult than usual. According to a November 2022 poll, small businesses across America are struggling with rent costs, with 37% of them unable to pay October rent on time. Many of these businesses rely on an uptick in holiday season earnings, but inflation is unfortunately putting them behind the curve. And according to the National Federation of Independent Business, 90% of small business owners reported “few or no” qualified applicants for the positions they need filled last month. As we head into the holiday season, shopping small and supporting these people who work so hard for our state is extra meaningful.
Small businesses here in Missouri and across the country are the embodiment of the American Dream. The vast majority of them were started by Americans who were willing to risk it all to reinvest in their communities. Here in the Third District where we have many rural communities, small businesses are absolutely vital to the health of our local economies and job force. Without them, Main Street America wouldn’t be able to survive and we’re fortunate to have so many Missourians who continue to keep our towns and cities going with their businesses. As the Christmas shopping begins, please remember that when you shop small, you are doing more than purchasing a product. You’re supporting your fellow Missourians and helping our state’s economy thrive. I hope you’ll join me in participating in Small Business Saturday and continuing to shop small throughout the holiday season!
CONTACT US: I encourage you to visit my official website or call my offices in Jefferson City (573-635-7232) Washington, Mo. (636-239-2276), or Wentzville (636-327-7055) with your questions and concerns. If you want even greater access to what I am working on, please visit my YouTube site, Facebook page, and keep up-to-date with Twitter and Instagram.