I was talking to a good friend of mine the other day. She mentioned how soulless, dreary and unsatisfying the shopping centre experience is, with these centres dominated by large corporate chains and franchises. She commented on how difficult it was to find interesting Christmas gifts when there aren’t small businesses around at shopping centres.
I could relate to her experience because I actually love the opportunity to give something to others at the end of each year as part of the Christmas tradition, and I love buying from small and medium Australian businesses at any time of the year.
However, I wasn’t always like this.
I’m ashamed to admit it, but I used to simply look for cheap when buying absolutely everything. I would wander aimlessly around large corporate stores, buying shoddy quality goods and receiving consistently awful service the whole time.
I constantly gave money to large multi-nationals that only paid a minimum wage to a cashier and otherwise promptly sent all my money back into the pockets of an overseas corporate billionaire.
I never thought about the impact of my spending habits on my community, my nation or my world.
I didn’t recognise the fact that my money was powerful.
So yes, I am partly responsible for the Australia we see today. The Australia that is dominated by massive soulless corporates that provide crappy poorly paid jobs to Australians, that provide crappy quality goods and equally crappy quality service to Australian consumers.
Thankfully however, I reached a turning point and drastically changed my choices and my life.
Over Covid, I learnt that massive corporations and massive governments (that had been given too much power by people like me) would not create the kind of world I wanted to live in.
I became a new business myself and I realised that if I spent money with other small and medium Australian businesses I would be putting food on the table of other Australians, and creating a stronger economy and a stronger community.
The fact that I lost my right to a job at the time meant that I saw the whole world with fresh eyes, and I well and truly learnt from the mistakes I’d made.
Awake from my stupor, I also noticed that the people in my network who consciously spent money with Australian small and medium businesses on a regular and consistent basis had the biggest hearts, the greatest understanding of their own personal power and individual responsibility, and quite frankly, the best personal vibe.
And I witnessed the fact that their choice to spend their money with small and medium Australian businesses had a significant effect on the world around them.
I’m now passionate about using every dollar of my money in the very best way possible.
This includes consciously using cash as much as I possibly can and buying as much as I can from local small and medium Australian businesses. I love going to markets when I need to buy a present and chatting to small businesses who make unique and interesting gifts. I love the fact that I can drive two minutes down the street and buy what I need from someone who is actually interested in serving me.
I’ve been doing this for a number of years now, and the cumulative impact of each year of spending on the world around me is massive. Even if you’re on a modest or small income, when you multiply your weekly spend over a whole year, you’ve got yourself a powerful way to influence your world.
Importantly, I want to make it clear that like most people, I live on a budget and I work for the money I have. Nevertheless, I’ve easily supported Australian small and medium businesses and kept my budget happy at the same time.
Obviously, I still expect good service, and if I don’t get good service or if I’m dished out an unpleasant high pressure sales approach, I don’t support a business, no matter what. Interestingly though, I hardly ever experience poor service or high pressure sales tactics from Australian small and medium businesses, however it’s not such a rare experience with corporates.
And do you know what the most beautiful thing is? Since I’ve recognised the power of my money, I’ve also received far better value from what I’ve purchased and I’ve actually spent no more than I used to. In some areas, I’ve actually less than I used to (more on this in my blog article 4 Massive Advantages of Buying from Small Business). This is despite the fact that I now look for quality when I shop and I don’t actually worry about price when shopping locally. This is because I know that even if I spend a bit more on something, that money will come back to me. It comes back to me through a thriving local economy that can provide the goods and services I want and that supports my business. I’m also happier because I’m getting good service, I know local people, and my purchasing habits are in alignment with my values.
I also love the fact that when I spend money at any Australian small or medium business I am casting a vote in support of enterprise. I am voting for the right of all of us to earn our own income through a business of our own. This not only creates an Australia that offers diverse products and services and that has a growing and hopeful economy, it ensures all Australians can pursue their dreams.
Overall though, I just love using my own personal power and leveraging everything I have to help make the kind of world I want to live in. In my opinion, all of the choices I make in life every day are powerful, and the choices I make in relation to where I spend my money are a good example of the power of such choices.
If you need a copywriter who understands the value of small and medium business, check out my Copywriting Services or give me a call on 0439 923 976.
© Annemaree Jensen