Thank you for visiting our website. I can thank you because you are here. Whether you’ve checked our directory, calendar of events, or visited this blog, we appreciate your interest and hope you’ve continued to discover plenty of useful content in every visit. But within the wide-ranging reach “Buy,” “Act,” and “Think” are a number of ideas and suggestions to better drive your individual actions, improve your choices, and bring our statewide independent business community ever closer together. We strive to do our very best.

If you were able to attend any of our events this year, you could see first-hand the efforts of our tiny staff supported by an army of local-minded volunteers. The enthusiasm surrounding our mission definitely propels our efforts and inspires hope for more events with greater geographical diversity in the future.

Despite tough economic times, Utah remains a top-tier state in which to do business and our universities continue to rank the highest for the creation of startup companies. Entrepreneurship thrives. But our locally owned businesses continue to feel the pressure of competition from big boxes. Whether or not we are emerging from recession, consumers are constantly faced with some important decisions when it comes to spending their hard-earned money. Granted, The U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Economic Analysis said that “In October 2011, real disposable personal income increased 0.3 percent.” So that’s cool.

But the choice remains as to where to spend that disposable income. 

Through these winter months, let’s remember to check with our friends, to check the Local First partner directory, and to look for options that support our community and strengthen our local economy first. That can mean dispatching with the “convenience” of “one-stop shopping” (that studies have shown lure consumers into purchasing more than what they intended to begin with) and planning a shopping list and efficient route that supports local businesses. For holiday shopping, a good plan can not only limit total gas consumption, it can save the hapless wandering around department store in search of some random present.

Dozens of our partners stepped forward during Local First week to offer discount coupons for our friends and followers of Local First. There was great media coverage of the event and some solid exposure for independent businesses throughout the state. In fact, notes Local First’s Marketing Assistant Kristen Lavelett, “We achieved hefty statewide reach from our little South Salt Lake Office by employing the power of the internet.” The Gift Shift Coupon was a great opportunity to patronize an independent business and receive the benefit of some exclusive discounts. Just for thinking locally.

Moving forward, we encourage you keep those enthusiastic business owners in mind for all your needs, whether making purchases for yourself or as gifts. They love talking about their businesses which are their passions, and they love sharing ideas about other ways to make local choices.

Stay tuned for some more locally tuned dialogue and, I hope, some fantastic gift ideas.

--Andrew Dash Gillman