THINK

GLOBALLY, ACT LOCALLY, AND PUSH FOR TINY BUSINESS!

Darryl Wellington, Writer

The expression “Think locally, Act globally” pairs naturally with “Support local businesses” or the
moral truism “Less is more.” The expressions all became popular in the 1980’s and 90’s. All three reject the idea
that bigger necessarily means be?er. And they entered popular discourse at a @me when crass materialism,
and the thirst for “big things” was ruining the American way. “Big” can also mean crass, commercial,
hierarchical, and impersonal.

(Note: Donald Trump’s favorite adjec@ve to describe his projects and inten@ons is “bigly.”)
Big companies swallow up less gigan5c businesses un5l they become monopolies. They bulge so large they’re purportedly “too big to fail” meaning that
billions in tax dollars will have to subsidize their largesse—power players propped up by humble American wages. Big and expensive homes raise real estate values,
and gentrify neighborhoods and ci5es.
Big firms hire expensive lawyers that boss, bully, and distort the law. Big can be very, very bad. Big companies with huge subsidies, huge tax breaks, and
vast bulk-rate buying powers suffocate the life out of locally owned businesses.

Fortunately, there are small business associa5ons across America that recognize the dire plight of small businesses. They
help support them (at the very least) by encouraging public awareness of the facts:
1. Small businesses s5ll comprise over 90 percent of all firms with paid employees in America.
2. The majority of businesses that export are small businesses, responsible for $440 billion in exports annually. They contribute
significantly to the US and the global economy.
3. Small businesses employ almost as many people as their larger counterparts. They generate three-fiWhs of net new jobs, driving a
big share of the U.S. economy by hiring 47.8 percent of all private-sector employees.

But mostly there should be apprecia5on for greatest assets of small business! They’re overwhelming
locally and family owned or owned by new immigrants. They have close 5es to the needs of their customers, a
service ethic enhanced by neighborhood proximity. That’s the good news. There is a catch, however. While there
are special loans, and other assistance available specifically for small businesses, the assistance oWen defines a “small
business” as having start-up assets of a million dollars, or more. This restric5on eliminates support for establishments
“smaller than small” or call them TINY businesses. They include the barbershops, beauty parlors, florist shops, small
diners, restaurants, and various work-at home enterprises.

TINY businesses have the ethical advantages of small businesses, indeed, TINY
enterprises truly depend on ongoing personal interac5on between clients, and employees. It’s
TINY neighborhood businesses that typically become significant community hubs or gathering
places where informa5on and lore is passed on. It’s the TINY business that will stand out in
mind and memories as the place that was or remains ”special” – u^erly unique and
irreplaceable.

The threat to small and TINY businesses is real. They’re being squeezed
by big businesses, forced to cut employees, or even shu^er their windows,
sacrificing community memories of something that was u^erly special and
unique, to chain store enterprises, or corporately-owned prop-ups – like
McDonald’s where “everyone is the same” or Walmart who earn massive
profits thanks to placing their employees in a situa5on where they need Food
Stamps.
But we say that the TINY is special.
TINY is irreplaceable. TINY is powerful!!!