Holiday shopping with purpose | Business

Delilah Snell attributes the success of her neighborhood shop in Santa Ana, California to its values: Its commitment to celebrating, recognizing, and supporting Black, Indigenous, women, people of color and the LGBTQ+ producers and artisans.

“It’s difficult to be a small business owner and even more difficult to be a female business owner,” said Snell, “That’s why I’m a really big supporter and it’s the ethos of the store to represent businesses that don’t have the exposure that I think they deserve, and a lot of those are minority groups.”

Consumers increasingly share the same sentiment by being more intentional about where their money goes. The past couple of years have introduced a new emphasis on shopping small during the holidays. A 2022 McKinsey survey found that 2 in 3 Americans report shopping based on their values, and nearly half believe retailers should actively support Black-owned businesses and brands.

Despite the shift, there remains a serious gap between Black business ownership in comparison to white business ownership: In 2020, only 3% of all U.S. businesses were Black-owned, while 86% were white-owned. LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs also continue to strive for equity in their companies.

While there is still much progress to be made in expanding inclusion at all levels of business ownership, shopping with and sourcing services from these diverse businesses is one way for consumers to support those entrepreneurs directly.

Flowcode compiled a list of five resources to help shoppers discover small, minority-owned businesses, find heartfelt and one-of-a-kind gifts, and connect with others this holiday season.

Start Small Think Big

Start Small Think Big is a nonprofit dedicated to advancing equity and inclusion in entrepreneurship. It partners with people of color, women, LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs, immigrants, veterans, formerly incarcerated and low-income business owners, and entrepreneurs with disabilities by assisting with financial, legal, and marketing services.

To help circumvent some of the unique challenges that limit the growth and sustainability of small businesses, the organization created a directory for shopping online. There, people can find a state-by-state roundup of goods and services from businesses run by underrepresented groups throughout the United States.

startsmallthinkbig.org

Black-owned small business directories

A number of Black-owned business directories and marketplaces make it easy to connect with small Black-owned businesses, which face significant barriers to accessing capital. Some platforms allow you to buy from Black-owned brands nationally and locally. Some cities, like New York, have city-specific Black-owned business directories.

Black Woman Owned, for instance, makes it their mission to amplify Black women entrepreneurs and serve as a resource to find Black woman-owned businesses. Many of these marketplace networks also offer curated mailing lists that help you discover products and services from hundreds of entrepreneurs.

blackwomanowned.co

Chez Nous Guide

Chez Nous Guide is a Black- and woman-owned site that helps people find and support businesses owned by women, LGBTQ+ merchants, and BIPOC entrepreneurs in major cities globally. The directory is also an excellent resource for consumers looking to shop for ethically sourced products.

The website allows for sorting by city or category, making it less complicated to find small businesses and listings in a wide variety of areas.

cheznousguide.com

Markets and craft fairs

Shop for handcrafted goods and support women, people of color and LGBTQ+-led creative communities by checking out local markets and craft fairs. Some of these markets are curated to showcase the work of minority-owned creators in particular.

Here in South Florida, such outdoor events are plentiful in winter but more likely to be found in affluent neighborhoods and towns. However, unique products by Black creatives can also be found at fairs and church events within Black community, especially at this time of year.