13 Unique Ways Small Businesses Can Make a Powerful Impact in their Communities
Right now humanity is a little shaken up. Even though we can’t come together physically, we can support one another from a distance.
To find inspiration we asked 13 small businesses, “What's the best way for a business to make a powerful impact on the world?”
Here’s what they have to say.
Sponsor a Local Team or Event
Things like local plays and little league teams are always in need of sponsorships from small businesses. When sponsoring one of these, it’s a win for everyone involved. Your business gets advertising in the community and the local kids get a sleek play program and cool jerseys. Participating in partnerships fosters a true sense of community.
Kenna Hamm, Texas Adoption Center
Get Involved with Local Legislation
What happens in the local government and national legislation may impact small businesses in a profound way. Being educated and involved in the changes being made in regards to small businesses at a local, state, and even national level will create a better outcome for your business and others. This also allows you to be in the know about the resources that government entities like the Small Business Administration (SBA) offer.
Provide Real Value
Now more than ever, businesses should look to improve people's lives. It's not about feel-good marketing jargon. It's all about providing subject matter expertise and products that make people's lives better and easier. People don't want fluffy "we're in the together" messaging. They need brands to provide value to their lives.
Rita Winiecki, Brand Strategist
Donate to a Local Charity
As a local enterprise, there’s nothing better that you can do for your community than donate to local charities. Do your research and find a charity that is near and dear to your heart. Small businesses should constantly strive to better the community in which they exist, creating a sense of belonging and support that can’t be rivaled by big corporations.
Purpose Over Profit
Think about purpose before profit. Or at least consider purpose and profit equally. Focus more on your stakeholders than your shareholders and the profits should correlate to the amount of value you create for people.
Be People Driven
To be people-driven instead of money-driven. If a business lets empathy and understanding of their customers lead their business practices, they will not only be able to make revenue but also create an environment where their customers have a personal relationship with their brand/product.
Lloyd Hopkins, Million Dollar Teacher Project
Ask the Right Questions
The best way for a business to make a powerful impact is to ask the right questions: what, who, where, why, how. What is the history, who are the marginalized, where is the imbalance of power, why has the injustice persisted, how can our resources improve the situation less bad for those in need? Too many social good campaigns are focused inwardly (on the appearance and approval of a company) instead of focused outwardly (on the target beneficiaries). Challenge distributions of power, lean into the unspoken norms of the status quo, listen more than you speak, and do the non-linear work of unpacking what justice could look like for your chosen social issue.
Grace Mueller, Research Associate
Act Out of Kindness
In my opinion, a small act of kindness can go a long way. For example, if a business actively shows their employees they're appreciated by engaging in (what may seem like) small celebrations such as 'national employee appreciation day' or offering programs within the culture that allow employees to participate in company-sponsored volunteer activities, from the top down, all individuals will be able to make a powerful impact on the global society. At the end of the day, kindness fuels confidence; confidence drives success; success fosters powerful impact; and a powerful impact grown from an act of kindness means everything.
Meghan Chayka, Assistant Brand Development Buyer
Whatever You Do, Do it with Integrity
I believe the best way to have an impact, on one person or the world, is to do good. Whatever it is your business creates -- a product or a service -- do it with integrity. Treat your employees with dignity, treat your customers with the respect you want to receive as a customer, give back to your community every chance you get. You can be a very small business, providing a very specific thing to a very specific customer and still be a powerhouse of influence on the world.
Patrick Sullivan Jr., Jigsaw Health
Be Real
I think there are many ways businesses from completely different industries can make an impact on the world. As for the best way to make that impact, I feel that it must be genuine. The effort needs to be something that everyone involved is at least interested in if not passionate about. This doesn’t have to be part of the main objective the business has either. For example, I work at a local SEO company and we made an office outing out of volunteer work at a local food bank. The reason this is impactful is in the motivation behind the action. Essentially, our company showed enough care about their community to get personally involved.
Stay True to Your Purpose
To get in alignment with their true purpose and stay true to that and what they feel makes them unique. I often say that "you can't lose if you run your own race." For businesses, if you stay true to what you hope to accomplish and do it well, you can have a big impact.
Gresham Harkless, Blue 16 Media
Follow Your Passion
Know your passion and be fearless in pursuing it. We place so many limitations on ourselves based on a fear of rejection. Believing in your business must stem from an authentic passion. Customers are smart and can smell a fake a mile away.
Candace Cotton, Halo Branded Solutions
Connect with the Community
Connection to the community is the best way to build organic and impactful growth. When you think of your community, I urge you to think outside of just your employees and your clients or guests. People who live in the area your company is located in, schools that are nearby, these are all valuable parts of a company's place in the world. When you open yourself up to making a difference, caring about those around you is a great first step. If you're curious about what they need, just reach out and ask!
Annie deKanter, Brand Development Manager
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