"Our choices, as they accumulate over time, strengthen our personal narrative."
- Bernadette Jiwa (Story Driven)
As customers, we have the great power to vote with our money. When we fork over our hard-earned cash to any other business, we help them survive / succeed / stay around for the long-term.
In the B2C spheres, our spending choices is often influenced by what is easiest, most convenient or the cheapest. And when we're a business buyer, we spend money on things that helps us grow our businesses, which often means the most mature technology or the most feature-rich solution.
I don't fault that logic. It seems rational, sound and like it would serve most of our needs and/or wants.
But what I think it neglects is an alternative consideration about which business receives the money we spend: How can my money provide sustenance and fuel for a business to grow?
Through that lens, we could prioritise some of our spending decisions to go to business with whom we relate, share values or align in mission or purpose. Our purchase could be the seed capital for a mom-and-pop shop that is pursuing financial independence and sustainability (while creating employment and being a positive, economic force in the world). With every product or service we purchase, we could be a tiny investor in tomorrow's change.
Doing this would require compromise. You may not get the most convenient option as consumer or the most technologically advanced solution as a business. So you probably won't want or be able to do this for every dollar you spend.
Every now and again though, choose the startup that still needs to survive. Choose the artisan even when it is not a convenient choice. Support the small retailer with fewer options. Empower the team that shares your values and beliefs.