Small Biz Saturday: 5 Reasons to Support Small Businesses

Every single business in operation today was at one time a small business. Whether it expanded to a multi-billion-dollar operation or maintains a staple local business in its community, small businesses play a crucial role in our economy all across the world.

We are proud to be one of many Kansas City small businesses. Remaining small and local gives us a chance to get to know and support our neighbors.

It gives us a passion and a purpose that may be lost if expanded farther.

And most importantly, it allows us to further impact our community in a way that can truly make a difference.

As part of our five year anniversary celebrations, we compiled a list of 5 reasons why you should support a small business like MADI Apparel. 

You support a local entrepreneur.

70% of small businesses are owned and operated by a single person. Starting a business is extremely risky and daring; supporting small businesses is just one way to acknowledge that bravery and help further someone’s dream and impact. And because 12.5% of small business owners are immigrants, you may make a greater impact than you think.

You help your community grow.

For every $100 you spend locally, $68 stays within the community. From creating new jobs locally to expanding options for consumers in certain neighborhoods, local businesses help grow the community as a whole. Small businesses are often a character of its town or neighborhood, helping shape it to be what it is and creating familial relationships with homeowners and business owners in the area. 

At MADI Apparel : When you shop with our small business specifically, you're helping employ local Kansas City women to make the products you purchase. Every piece is thoughtfully designed by our founder and cut/sewn by women-owned production houses in our city. We also train Kansas City women facing employment barriers how to sew our products in our MADI Makes program. Once they graduate, we're able to employ them in-house.

For every item you purchase in our MADI Apparel flagship store, a pair of underwear is donated to a woman in a Kansas City domestic violence shelter, rape crisis center, post-prison temporary housing, and other local organizations.

Your dollar goes farther.

Small businesses are more likely to utilize products and services from other small businesses, including credit unions, retailers, farmers, and more. By purchasing something from one small business, your dollar goes farther and impacts more people and businesses, developing a stronger community from the ground up. 

At MADI Apparel:

1. We contract women-owned small businesses in our city to cut/sew all products. We even contract-employ a local Kansas City Maker to hand dye and print most of our seasonal color collections.

2. We ethically source sustainable fabrics from small business fabric suppliers throughout the US. We work with a small business to make our garment labels and tags.

It’s better for the environment.

Small businesses often have a smaller carbon footprint than larger companies. According to Changemakers.com, “Entrepreneurs are the solution to global warming. Small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) are at the forefront of saving the environment.” More and more small businesses are taking steps to reduce their impact on the environment in whatever ways possible. And because many parts of the business come locally as stated above, it’s more accessible for small businesses to be eco-friendly than large corporations.

At MADI Apparel:

1. We ethically source sustainable fabrics from small business fabric suppliers throughout the US. Most of our fabrics like sustainable modal and long lasting laces are even made in the US! We even work with a small business in New York to make our garment labels and tags.

2. Our cut and sew operations are location in our headquarters city, Kansas City. We're able to keep our carbon footprint low with limited shipping/freight. Because our products are all hand cut by real women (and not machines), we're able to make the most of our fabric and keep our waste close to none.

3. We even contract local makers to hand-dye and hand-print our color collections using sustainable dyes. This saves thousands of gallons of water.

It’s often a better experience.

Small businesses rely on positive reviews and referrals, meaning it’s a business priority to emphasize good customer relationships and experiences. And if you’ve ever shopped local, you can almost feel the passion and caring from the moment you walk in the building. Employees are often more helpful, offering specific advice rather than generic business pitches. Customer service comes directly from an in-store employee, rather than someone overseas with little to no knowledge of the actual product itself.

There are 28 million small businesses in the U.S., outnumbering corporations 1162 to 1. This means that wherever you are, there’s a small business near you that you can support on November 30 for Small Business Day. 

Your small-business purchase is a way to help your community at large (while still getting a little something for yourself.)

Only 50% of businesses survive five years. Thank you to everyone who has helped support small businesses like ours to be able to reach this point. We look forward to serving you for years to come.

And as part of our 5 year anniversary and Small Business Day, we’re offering all customers $5 off their purchase on November 30. So stop in and grab a stocking stuffer or a gift for yourself.