How Can Small Businesses Bring More Creativity To Your Life?
Updated: Apr 20
It might feel less than inspiring to follow a trolley around the supermarket on a Saturday afternoon, what if there were a more colourful option available.
As small businesses are generally more creative and quicker to respond to their audience and situations, they are also able to offer more value to their customers too.
Amongst the obvious advice of 'visit them' to get your dose of creativity, why not see what else they are offering:
Newsletters & mailing lists
Small businesses tend to pack their newsletters with information tailored specifically to their customers and can include local news and events too. Two of my Stockport favourites are The Good Life and Rare Mags.
Courses
Independent shops have much more control over their space, many host courses that give you a chance to learn and give you more insight into their industry and can help you to understand their products in a new way too. Pasta making workshop and the local Italian, photography course at a local studio, knitting lessons at the wool shop...
Events
Feeling like a special guest when the shop you love close the doors to an intimate event that you have a ticket for, book signings / 'conversations with...', live music or podcasts, community groups... the possibilities! Or like SK1 Records in Stockport, they throw the doors open and have a big ol' street party! Stockport also has a Foodie Friday event on the last Friday of the month where independent food traders, live music and people gather together.
Podcasts
Your favourite small business might have their own podcast where they chat about topics you love and want to learn more about - worth having a look.
Other things to get involved with
Things like Facebook groups or volunteering groups, exercise and wellness clubs where people like you are hiding out.
Investing a little bit of time into small businesses can pay off massively in terms of value. You could take any little thread of inspiration from them and follow it down a rabbit hole of culture and creativity. It's a great way to enjoy inspiration slowly and add to your own cabinet of curiosities.
Feel free to share any experiences (or links) that you have about small businesses in the comments.
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