Australian Made Week - our fave small businesses are here.
Here are just a few of our faves...check them out on insta!
-Cocoa and Thread - gorgeous made to order clothes for ladies in bright prints-Peppa Penny - a little boutique near us that stocks every cute baby thing under the sun.
-Kim Wallace Ceramics - Kim is kind, hilarious and oh so clever. I'll have one of everything, please.
-Hansel and Gretel Cakes - we always have one for important birthdays but she makes beautiful wedding cakes, too!
-Kate Pittas art - an amazing Brisbane artist who is both incredibly kind and incredibly talented. She is just a good person and her art is on my wishlist for every birthday.
-Cheeky Poke Bar - these are all over Brisbane now and my mother and I go on mother-daughter dates whenever we can for exceptional food - fresh and generous!
-Told You So Coffee - our local. This is a daily must for me. Two half strength lattes. Thanks.
-Auburn Designs Earrings - when I'm not wearing my trusty pearls, it is always these. Always.
I’m not sure how often you think about the economy. I spent very little time thinking about the economy before I ran my own business (much to my Dad’s dismay.) Now we’re the number enthusiasts pouring over the Financial Review together over breakfast on Tuesday mornings and it is Mum and my husband, Seamus’s turn to despair of our inability to talk about anything other than...'the numbers!’
...but here is (briefly) what the numbers are telling us (and why it matters.)
The numbers tell us that whenever you buy from a small Aussie business, you are really multiplying your investment in the Australian economy many times over as small Australian businesses often support other small businesses (for example, The New Devine has 7 immediate suppliers - all of them other small Australian family businesses.)
The numbers tell us that most small businesses fail in the first 5 years (many in the first 2.)
The numbers tell us that more people than ever are enthusiastic about supporting small Aussie businesses and are informed enough and motivated enough to seek them out. (That’s you! Hooray!)
...but the numbers also tell us that last year financial support (ie buying from small businesses) was super high and now this year it...isn’t.
That’s a problem for a lot of reasons but for two main ones that I can see.
- Buoyed by new national enthusiasm for supporting small and working from home, lots of people started new small businesses last year resulting in a massive increase in business registrations year on year (so now there are heaps of new businesses needing support)
- Existing small businesses wrongly used last year’s extraordinary numbers and increased sales to plan for this year. (But this year the government is no longer handing out money like it was last year AND most people are back at work and their usual social life so no longer spending all day scrolling and online shopping so spending is down.)
This is Australian Made’s ‘Buy Australian’ campaign week. If you’re reading this email, I know it is because you love supporting small and don’t need encouragement from me to do so...but I thought it was a timely reminder all the same to keep planning to support small when selecting birthday, Christmas and Father’s Day gifts for this year or when selecting new clothes and homewares. Attend concerts and big luxury markets like Etsy Made Local and The Finders Keepers when they reopen in your state. Grab a coffee or a lunch from a little local shop. Encourage your friends and family to do the same. I also wanted to say thank you for all the support and cheerleading continually give our small business and so, so many others.
You’re already an Australian Made supporter and we are so grateful for you every day...and I hope you’ll join me in continuing to be a small business advocate and evangelist - telling all your friends about your fave small businesses for years to come.