KIRKSVILLE & MACON, Mo. — When it comes to the United States economy, many experts say it could not run without small businesses like these right here in the Heartland.
“They are the backbone of our community,” said Macon County Economic Development Executive Director Laura Bradshaw. “Small Business Saturday is a celebration of our small businesses. They are the heart of our community and when you think about spending your dollars in a small business in Macon County, it stays in our community.”
Owning a small business is an important, but not an easy job.
Around 20% of companies fail in their first year and around half don’t make it five years.
Limited resources and staff cause the owners to work multiple roles and long hours to make sure everything is running smoothly
“They’re not kidding when they say when you run your own business,” said Macon County Business Owner Daniel West. “It’s a lot of work. We’re down here to 10:00, 11:00 at night and opening back up at 6:00, 7:00 in the morning.”
“It’s a lot of work, a lot of hours, I put in around 60, 65 hours a week usually,” said Macon County Business owner Caleb Shoush. “But a lot of behind-the-scenes stuff, a lot of computer work. So there’s a lot that goes on that’s, not right up front necessarily.”
Around 46% of private sector employees in the United States work at small businesses according to the United States Small Business Administration Office of Advocacy.
But these stores aren’t just important for the jobs they create.
When you shop locally you are keeping your dollar right here in the Heartland.
“For every dollar spent, with a local business, on average $0.68 of that gets reinvested into the local community,” said Kirksville Small Business Counselor Bryce Cardwell. “You’re not just supporting the small businesses, you’re also helping support ball clubs and local events and the people that run those businesses.”
To celebrate what they do for their communities and help support local mom-and-pop shops, every year Americans celebrate small businesses the day after Black Friday on Small Business Saturday.
The increase in revenue and customers is important as it could be a make or break for these companies.
“A lot of businesses, this is where they make the icing on the cake,” said Kirksville Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Marie Murphree. “It’s where most a lot of their, profit actually comes from and it’s because we have people who come into town who shop our local businesses and it’s just this is a hugely important season for them.”
When you’re doing your holiday shopping hop by your local mom-and-pop shop to find the perfect gift.