When we support local businesses, we put Arizona first

Kimber Lanning

Submitted photo/Local First Arizona

Small businesses are the backbone of a community. Owners are focused on building relationships that last for years and thrive on referrals, versus just being transactional. Customers often know the owners and employees personally and the service tends to be more personal. Small business owners pride themselves on learning about their customers’ preferences and needs, resulting in higher levels of loyalty and trust over time.”

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Readers are invited to write us at yourvalley.net/letters or AzOpinions@iniusa.org to share your thoughts on the role and value of small businesses in Arizona. Please limit your letter to 300 words or less, and include your name, city and contact number in your email.

We are committed to publishing a wide variety of reader opinions, as long as they meet our Civility Guidelines, which can be found at yourvalley.net/civility-checklist.

OPINION — Supporting local businesses is among the most direct and impactful ways Arizonans can foster a thriving and diverse local economy. Local First Arizona’s Independents Week, June 29 to July 7, is about making this community visible and providing effortless ways for consumers to find and celebrate local businesses doing valuable work in our own backyards.

The statewide campaign celebrates the more than 6,000 Local First Arizona businesses that help power the state’s economy and give its communities character.

You’ve heard it before, but it is worth reiterating: For every $100 spent at a local small business, restaurant or service provider, roughly $45 stays in the local economy. In contrast, if you shop at a national retailer or eat at a chain restaurant, only about $13 remains local. That is a big difference.

It is also worth noting that locally owned businesses often use other local services for things like accounting, marketing and legal services, further amplifying the economic benefits of supporting local enterprises. Small businesses also generate the majority of new jobs in the local marketplace and keep wages in the community, building wealth for Arizonans.

Small businesses are the backbone of a community. Owners are focused on building relationships that last for years and thrive on referrals, versus just being transactional. Customers often know the owners and employees personally and the service tends to be more personal. Small business owners pride themselves on learning about their customers’ preferences and needs, resulting in higher levels of loyalty and trust over time.

The power of small, intentional choices can have a significant impact on locally owned and operated businesses. While many consumers don’t think their individual purchases matter, collectively the effect is immense. Choosing a local restaurant instead of a chain, hiring a local contractor versus a national brand and buying gifts from a neighborhood shop instead of a big-box store all add up to a big impact over time, especially when repeated across thousands and thousands of Arizona residents.

In fact, in a city with 700,000, shifting just 10% of collective spending from national to locally owned businesses can create an additional $130 million new dollars recirculating and 1,600 new jobs, according to the Michigan study The 10% SHIFT.

Local First Arizona represents thousands of independent businesses across the state. These businesses span every sector of daily life, including the auto mechanic who has serviced your family’s cars for decades, the accountant who knows you by name, the chef putting Arizona flavors on the map and the boutique where you find the most unique clothing and accessories.

If you are in the market to support a local business, start with the Local First Arizona directory localfirstaz.com/directory. It is a free resource for Arizonans who want to put their dollars to work in their own communities.

Kimber Lanning is the founder and CEO of Local First Arizona, a Phoenix-based nonprofit. Please submit comments at yourvalley.net/letters or email them to AzOpinions@iniusa.org. We are committed to publishing a wide variety of reader opinions, as long as they meet our Civility Guidelines.