Written by Andrea Bruneau
The Maximize Positive Impact Conference brought together a diverse group of small business owners, cultural change leaders, and non-profit visionaries to share their stories. The discussion centered on how these leaders strengthen relationships with customers and employees, foster inclusivity, and overcome challenges to maximize their positive impact on the communities they serve. Our small business panel included participants from a $3 million support program launched in partnership with the City of Manchester: Jenn Share of To Share Brewing Company, George Jumpp of Jumpp Chiropractic, and Jose Lopez of Liberty Taxes (Franchisee).
Small businesses are more than just storefronts—they’re the heart of our communities. At the Maximize Positive Impact Conference, business owners and leaders shared powerful lessons on resilience, adaptability, and the critical role of community support, especially during challenging times like the COVID-19 pandemic. From building loyal relationships to advocating for inclusivity and awareness, these stories highlight the mutual benefits of rallying behind local businesses.
Here’s a snapshot of the insights shared, highlighting resilience, purpose, and the profound impact of community support. Discover how these small businesses continue to thrive, and what we can do to support small businesses in our communities.
Identifying Your Impacted Community
One of the central questions panelists explored was: How do you deepen your perspective on who your impacted community is?
Understand the Real Roadblocks: Begin by identifying the barriers your audience faces. Pay close attention to who is not included and examine why they may be excluded. By addressing these gaps, businesses can create more equitable and meaningful connections.
Broaden Inclusivity: Creating opportunities for representation ensures that all voices within a community are heard and valued.
Lessons in Perseverance
The COVID-19 pandemic presented extraordinary challenges, particularly for small businesses. Panelists shared the strategies that kept them afloat during such turbulent times:
Build Neighborly Relationships: As one panelist, Jenn, put it, "Our customers are our literal neighbors." Many businesses survived because loyal locals intentionally supported them during tough times, even buying more products than they needed to help them stay afloat.
Operate with Purpose: Recognizing the bigger picture is key. George, one panelist, explained that knowing failure would impact their ability to help the community kept them motivated to persevere.
Embrace Agility: Businesses like Jose’s pivoted to online options during the pandemic, enabling them to continue serving their customers when face-to-face interaction wasn’t possible.
The Drive Behind Small Businesses
What motivates small business owners to keep going in the face of adversity? For many, it’s the desire to relieve stress for their customers and the joy of helping others. Jose shared, "Helping people is at the core of what we do. It’s our driving force."
The Importance of Community Education
A consistent theme across all panels was the need for greater education within communities:
Customer Awareness: Many small businesses struggle with visibility. Customers need to know they exist and how to access their services.
Engaging Decision-Makers: It’s equally important for business leaders and local decision-makers to understand the vital role small businesses play in the community. Advocacy and collaboration can help bridge this gap.
How You Can Support Small Businesses
Small businesses are the backbone of local communities, but they need more than good intentions to thrive. Here are tangible ways our panelists suggested you can make a difference:
Shop Local: Spending money at local businesses directly supports your community, as those dollars go right back into the local economy.
Leave Positive Reviews: Online reviews can significantly impact a business’s reputation and success. A kind word goes a long way.
Be Thoughtful About Criticism: Negative reviews can be devastating for small operations. If you have an issue, consider addressing it directly with the business before posting online.
Resilience and Community at the Core
The discussions at the Maximize Positive Impact Conference underscored a critical truth: small businesses thrive when their communities rally behind them. They offer more than products and services—they bring neighbors together, create opportunities, and fuel local economies.
By supporting small businesses, we ensure that our communities continue to flourish, reinforcing the mutual benefits of shopping local and fostering connections that uplift everyone involved.
The DMC Workforce Success Team has more than 20 years combined experience and provides sustainable solutions to the complex social issues that affect large, medium or small businesses. Building authentic relationships is at the heart of DMC’s work, developing trust and honesty with employees to get to the root of issues and include them in the design of solutions.