A Pitch To Shop Small

The season for family and friends, for gratitude, delicious food, reflection, and a healthy dose of eggnog. 

But it?s also the season for excess and consumption of all kinds. And I?m here for it! There?s nothing wrong with shopping for great holiday deals, treating yourself, or buying presents for loved ones. But if I may, I?d like to make a strong and plainly worded plea: SHOP SMALL. 

Today is Small Business Saturday and as the founder of a small business, I want to remind everybody out there with a wallet burning a hole in their pocket that plugging your money into small businesses is critical for the health of our communities near and far. 

The thing is, sometimes health hurts.

Consider your workouts ? the ones that leave you sore, dripping with sweat and light headed; it?s through the discomfort of effort that we yield physical growth. 

Consider your relationships ? the ones that are sometimes challenging or frustrating; it?s through the courage to have honest conversations that they are strengthened. 

Consider shopping small ? the kind of shopping that forces you into a cold car, across town in traffic, and face to face with a cashier who?s credit card reader just stopped working; it?s through this decision that your neighbors find employment, and your cities remain interesting. 

There are a hundred different gyms out there to choose from. We?re all fighting for your attention and? frankly, your money. I hope you?ll choose us at Alchemy, but more than that, I hope you?ll choose local over global, personal over digital, boutique over big box. You may not realize it but the impact is real. 

And that?s where I?ll leave it ? no membership pitches, no deal banners streaming across the top of the post ? just a humble suggestion to consider the small business in your neighborhood and to remind you that the colder the car, the worse the traffic, the longer the wait in line, the better it?ll feel to get home. 

 

Happy Holidays, Athletes. We love you, we?re grateful for you, and we can?t wait to see you in class soon. 

 

Tyler is CEO and Co-Founder of Alchemy 365. In his spare time he enjoys gardening, being outside with his golden retriever Fletcher, and  jiu-jitsu.