How Small Businesses Can
Support & Help Each Other Grow

As small business owners and workers, we know firsthand that these past 12 months have not been easy. It’s created a brand new set of challenges for those of us with small teams and modest resources. We’ve all watched as many small businesses we know personally or love from afar have temporarily or permanently closed.

One could assume that this would create competition amongst small businesses, especially those working in the same industry. Fortunately, this is our chance to lean on each other and hold on to the belief that we’re stronger together.

Now that we know over 99% of employers are small businesses - it is essential that we do what we can to help each other grow! By working together we can continue to keep our communities strong and money in our local neighborhoods.

Keep reading to discover why we are indeed stronger together, while learning ways we can continue to support and help each other grow ~

#StrongerTogether #ShopSmall #ShopLocal

♦︎

1. Share opportunities

Scenario: A regular customer of yours mentions needing something that you don’t sell or specialize in.

How you can support another business: Choose to refer that customer to another small business that you know will better fit their needs.

How this helps each other grow: This is a huge way to let another small business know you support them. And who knows, that same business may do the same for you someday! You also help that customer invest in another small business, and gain their trust and potential future business. Everybody wins!

Meet the team behind a Brooklyn-based WorkOf designer, Pieces.

“When we team up, we all succeed and keep money in our community.”

— Shopin.nyc

♦︎

2. promote each other

Scenario: You’re a well known business within your community and industry. You discover a brand new company that is just getting started, with an amazing offering but small audience.

How you can support another business: This can be as small as re-sharing their social media posts, or as big as hosting that small business’s launch event in your brick-and-mortar store.

How this helps each other grow: Sharing another business’s content instantly increases their audience which can translate to future sales for them! Also by sharing what matters to you, you engage and connect to your existing audience which can turn into more business for you.

♦︎

3. network

Scenario: You’re an older business with a wide customer base but you want to breathe new life into the sales/marketing/building methods that you’ve been using for years. You have some contacts in your field who want to do the same.

How you can support another business: You host a (virtual) networking event with others in your industry.

How this helps each other grow: Networking = sharing ideas! This is an opportunity to discuss with those in our industry to see what may be working for other small businesses and what is not. Networking can also provide opportunities to create collaborations.

Behind the design with a Brooklyn-based WorkOf designer, Richard Haining.

♦︎

4. Use another small business’s services

Scenario: You’re in the process of opening a new brick and mortar store.

How you can support another business: You decide to source furniture and materials from local businesses, rather than big-box stores. You choose to use software created by small companies to help your business run smoothly.

How this helps each other grow: An easy way to support another small business is to simply be their customer! This is the ultimate show of support and can help validate future recommendations.

Behind the scenes with an Austin-based WorkOf designer, Half Halt.

♦︎

Don’t forget: we are stronger together

- so let’s keep working together and continue to grow
our small businesses + local communities!

As a proud Brooklyn-based small business, we at WorkOf pride ourselves in supporting the creative class by representing independent designers across the USA and Canada.