One Big Circle

Inspired Chaos is... small business.

From the time we’re small children, we’re taught about the circle of life. Cause and effect. One little thing leads to another greater thing, that thing causes something even bigger, onto another thing, something else… a chain of events, all of it circling around to create one large productive movement. We aren’t usually taught however, that there’s a circle of economy and a circle of community development that works very much the same way as that circle of life.

That circle starts at the top, the beginning, with you – the community consumer. You need some gifts for friends and family, or maybe yourself. You decide to shop at a small business like Inspired Chaos for your goods instead of a faceless box store. When you walk into that small business to make a purchase, that money is going to that small business – let’s call the owner “Jinna” for fun.

Jinna closes her store at the end of the day, and when she goes to lock up realizes that she can’t deal with that pesky doorknob and deadbolt another day. They stick and it’s impossible to fully secure her business. So, she walks down the street to Hunter’s Hardware, another small (family-owned) business. The staff welcomes her warmly and asks how her golden retrievers are – there’s a relationship, a kindness. Jinna purchases a new doorknob/deadbolt set to replace the one at her house, ensuring that the money she earned that day goes to another small business. As she’s checking out, the local handy-dude Vinny is also checking out…

“Want me to help you replace your hardware there, Jinna?”

Vinny walks back with her and makes that job easier. Jinna pays him. Again, keeping that money right in the community. Vinny decides to go to the spaghetti dinner down the road at a local church for his dinner since he has the cash Jinna just gave him. It’s a fundraiser for a local non-profit. There goes that money – into the community.

The owner of Hunter’s Hardware, let’s call him, “Dandy,” is tired after working hard all day and offers to take his wife (Tana) out for dinner. They go out to eat at a local restaurant (who buys fresh produce from local farmers.) Dandy and Tana just love their server who they tip generously. That money is going straight to a local mom, “Joy.”

That local mama, Joy, puts all her extra tip money toward ballet lessons for her elementary school daughter (at a local studio) and guitar lessons at Black Cat Music for her son. That money supports two studios and two more business owners, two more families.

It all started with you – and it all supported the people who live right next door.

Support your neighbors. Support your friends. Support your community. You’re supporting your family and yourself.

Let’s break it down even more…

Small businesses generate $68 of local economic return for every $100 spent with them.

Over $9.3 BILLION would be directly returned to our economy if every US family spent $10 per month at a local business.

Local business generates 70% more local economic activity per square foot than big box retail.

Small businesses donate 250% more than large businesses to community causes.

Every single small purchase makes a HUGE lasting difference.

Support your neighbors. Support your friends. Support your community. You’re supporting your family and yourself.

I can’t fully express my gratitude enough for all of you who shop with us at Inspired Chaos. Because of your generosity, by the end of 2021 we will have been able to donate over $10,000 back to our community. We will have been able to spend between 60-80% of our family budget regionally or with other small businesses.

Supporting our neighbors, supporting our friends, supporting our community – therefore, supporting our family and ourselves.

Inspired Chaos is… the crazy circle/web of economics…

Inspired Chaos is… shopping small.

FYI: Small Business Saturday is Saturday, November 27, 2021.

We invite you to grab a cup of coffee and explore your favorite small businesses on that Saturday and whenever possible leading up to the holidays. Not purchasing gifts this year?

You can still support small businesses!

- Share their pages on social media or through an email blast to your close friends.

- Boost their engagement on social media by commenting/liking things!

- Stop by or send a message to say “Hi! You’re doing a great job.”