Using Your Business to Give Back – How Entrepreneurs Bring Success to the Community

This is not another post about how challenging 2020 has been. There’s no need to convince you – or anyone else – of that. Today, it’s all about being part of the positive during these difficult times.

What positive, you ask? As people continue to struggle financially, emotionally, and in nearly any other way you can imagine, you might have to look closely to find the positive.

Trust me, it’s there.

It’s in the extra family time you’re gifted with due to a kid activity schedule that has been pared way down. It’s in the rediscovery of the peace + health benefits of a long walk or bike ride. So many people have been dusting off their bikes + enjoying spins around the neighborhood and beyond.

As an entrepreneur, you may be looking for more concrete ways – bigger ways – to make a positive impact in your community. And for that, high-fives all around!

YOU ARE NEEDED. YOUR LEADERSHIP + POSITIVITY ARE NEEDED.

Let’s get practical + talk about three areas in which you, as a business owner, can make a positive impact.

Showing Community Support

You have a passion for your business. You also have a passion for your community. So using your business to give back to the community you love is an obvious win-win.

What giving back could look like for your business.

1. Make financial or time contributions.
   Using your business to give back can take many forms. Make financial or time contributions to organizations offering help to those in your community. Food pantries, groups supporting locally owned restaurants, school children struggling with food insecurity – your business’ contributions could make a difference.
2. Think bigger.
   If you want to think bigger, consider running a food or clothing drive. As we enter fall + head toward winter, a coat, hat, and mitten drive could have a huge impact on families who are struggling to give growing children what they need.
3. Get creative.
   Get creative. Could you offer resources + products or your physical space to help an organization or offer a hand to a struggling business? Are there physical areas in your community that need some attention? Devoting your time + resources toward sprucing them up shows you care.
4. Put smiles on people’s faces.
   Don’t underestimate the power of putting smiles on people’s faces. A real estate company hosted a drive-thru “ice cream anti-social.” A simple act that showed their love for the community + desire to spread joy through the simple pleasure of an ice cream cone on a hot summer day. Consider hosting a drive-thru fall festival with cider + donuts or a pumpkin decorating contest hosted on your business’s social media page. Get creative!

Providing Economic Support

By its very nature, your business provides economic support to your community. By continuing to push forward, innovate + grow during challenging times, you are providing and even creating jobs.

In this post, I talked about how now is not the time to play it safe. Now is the time to own your position as a leader in your community. It’s time to grow + become even stronger. Make no mistake, being seen as a positive force in the community – a provider of jobs + skills – that’s giving back, too.

Giving back also looks like being a team player. A team leader. Commit to supporting other small businesses in your community by shopping + sourcing locally. Pulling together + championing each other will result in bonds among the small businesses in your community that will last long after this crisis has ended. We’ll get there in the end – together.

In addition to the taxes you pay that provide support + services to all, consider giving to local organizations such as the Chamber of Commerce or Development Authority.

Inspiring through Creative Support

Entrepreneurs are the most creative people in the world. Every day, they take ideas and turn them into viable businesses that provide services + products people want and need. They also provide jobs for members of their communities.

When your business is doing well, you can direct some of that creativity + hard work toward your community. Your ability to take dreams + turn them into reality in your business can do wonders for your community. No doubt there are areas that need attention, creativity + the special brand of out-of-the-box thinking entrepreneurs are known for.

It’s that ability that allows you to dream bigger dreams for your business. Dreams that you work hard to make come true. We talk about Aspirational Design℠ – ensuring your website reflects the vision you have for your business’ future. We should also have high aspirations for our communities. And be willing to work hard to meet them.

Use that same drive to help make some of your community’s dreams come true. You could sponsor and contribute time + resources toward the creation of a community garden. You’ll be part of creating a beautiful space that provides food + fellowship for those who are in need of both.

Maybe your genius means offering free training to those searching for jobs in your area. Some of those trained might even turn out to be good fits for future job openings.

Now is the perfect time to take your creative genius + put it to work to benefit those with whom you already work and play.

YOU ARE YOUR COMMUNITY

What do you want for your community? These are the people who supported you while your business was growing + continue to support you now. The people with whom you work + stand on the sidelines cheering your children on. What do you want for them?

As a successful business, you are in a position to give back. That is a privilege. It’s also an opportunity to leverage your success to expand your impact in the world – especially your own corner of the world.

Not feeling successful right now? Don’t let 2020 keep you hiding in the corner! You and your business are better than that. Apply now to move your brand forward confidently so you can give back to the people + causes that matter most.