When you support a small business you’re supporting a dream

We live in a world where people’s dreams matter to them more than anything else. We, human beings all share one thing in common, and that is the eagerness to achieve a set goal. It takes a single moment to visualise a dream of your life, but it takes a long while to turn that dream into a reality. No matter how big or small, bizarre or absurd, everyone has that one ambition in their life, which is always etched in their hearts forever. To reflect that engraving on your heart, it requires that one impulsion, and you are ready to set off on the journey of finding a way to fulfil those dreams.

Today, I aim to honour each and every small business around the world, those who have dared to live the dream of their life. Through this platform, I intend to acknowledge their countless efforts, dedication and resilience.

A maiden venture is always experimental, and entrepreneurs are not always sure whether they will be able to take that first step or not. There is a slight reluctance, indecisiveness, hesitation and anxiousness around them. They have an idea of what they want to do, but they are unsure whether they will be able to affiliate their vision with their clients. Success, fame, profit, and so on, are all secondary concerns, in contrast to the main one they seek for, which is growth. When they begin their journey, they have to start from scratch. So, when these entrepreneurs think of a venture, the planning involves a great amount of uncertainty.

The fear that strikes them is not to prove to people that they can do it, but first to prove to themselves that they have that level of competence to step into the vast business world.  From a shaky start to a slow growth, they strive to make their mark in today’s competitive business industry. The struggle becomes real as there are plentiful businesses out there offering similar types of services or products as theirs, and in the midst of all that crowd, they have to make their presence felt and honoured. Trials, obstacles and setbacks are a part of their journey, but what they learn from these vital experiences are the key to their success, as nothing substitutes experience. What keeps them going is persistent hard work and patience, as they lack basic resources to advertise and market themselves as the larger companies tend to do.

They literally run on word of mouth and they rely solely on social media for depicting their work. They closely aim on building rapport with their customers, who they sometimes know personally, and they try their very best to accommodate to their needs in every possible way. With every order they receive and cater for, they anticipate a message of appreciation, which gives them a boost, as well as the encouragement to build on their work with a feeling of contentment. Despite a limited clientele and inadequate profits, they still float on the surface amidst these struggles. It is the endurance and courage that saves them from sinking. 

Hence proven, all you need in order to transform your vision into a reality is a skill and a strong belief in your capabilities. Do not let anyone put you down and make you feel as though you cannot make it through.
Paulo Coelho rightly states: “Everybody has a creative potential and from the moment you can express this creative potential, you can start changing the world.”

I am so proud of all the entrepreneurs that I know, and those I don’t know. I would like to extend my best acknowledgement to each and every one of them.

Whether you are baking a fancy themed cake for a child’s first birthday, or you are capturing someone’s fairy-tale wedding through the lens of a camera, you are preserving someone’s jubilations, as memories for a lifetime! While you carefully design bespoke hampers or are decorating and adorning a banqueting hall for someone’s special day, you must take pride in beautifying and embellishing one’s most awaited occasion, and the joy you bring to the hearts of those involved will always be cherished. As a caterer, when you fill your grocery cart and get ready to spice up an event with your mouth-watering dishes, or as you sell clothing and other products online, you must know that you are meeting someone’s requirements, whilst they sit in the comfort of their own homes! Whether you are a talented make-up artist, who is glamming someone up on a particular day, or you are a DJ, who creates the celebratory ambience to make everyone rejoice on your electrifying tunes on someone’s big day, each and every small business has its own significance in our lives. Thank you to each and every one of you for adding a great deal of worth to our community!

We are all aware of these unprecedented times, and the predicament due to Covid-19, and how people from the small local entrepreneurs to the enormous multinational companies, how everyone has been affected. While this dilemma has put the sturdiest businesses on the brink of being as vulnerable as the frailest ones, let’s ensure that the small businesses in our respective communities are recognised and supported, so that their hard-earned names and laurels never fade away. Please, let’s take a moment to applaud each business entrepreneur you know, or any small businesses you have ever come across. Let us acknowledge their true essence and bring a positive change in the great world of business. Let’s pledge to offer our utmost support and respect to these very hard-working, dedicated and inspiring entrepreneurs.

Let’s encourage and promote the small businesses around us. While we are all fond of tagging the big designer brands when we use any of their products, consider giving a recognition to any local products or services that you have used. Follow them on social media, give them truthful reviews, and support them by appreciating their work. Remember, when you purchase from the “big labels”, you do not have the option to negotiate with the prices. You simply pay what they demand. Therefore, I urge you, when dealing with these small-scaled businesses, try not to adapt penny-pinching to bargain with them, as they already have reduced profit margins. Last but not the least, let them know that they are valued!