Integrity, Intention and growth

“Can I ask you a question?
Do you support small businesses locally before extending your support to outside communities?”
I’d be interested to know how you would feel if you were asked this question. A similar question to this when people are in store is “So, is every business here Local”?
I have a slight issue with these questions because I don’t believe we’ve ever advertised that we only support local businesses. I feel like these questions can sometimes have a double meaning. Well intended questions can be interpreted in many ways if you leave room for interpretation. I almost feel like our integrity or transparency is challenged in these moments because I have absolutely no problem being completely honest about my business and my feelings. I think I just find some of these inquiries to be baseless and not relevant.
Starting in this industry as a vendor myself, I started in Australia and did vendor events all over our region. Traveling as far as 3 hours to attend an event. I think about these inquiries now and have to wonder if I’d ever be able to attend other markets or events in other regions if those communities closed off to other communities.

Where is the line drawn for what people consider “Supporting Local”? I’ve been in this industry as an event organizer for 5 years, 2 of those as a shop owner and I don’t believe I’ve had many people reach out to support me. No one is DMing me to collaborate in Peterborough. Businesses that would do incredibly in our events and store aren’t sending in applications to me. So it leaves me to think that it’s a personal issue. I’m not for everyone, I’m never going to not be me. It is disheartening to know you are or have been talked about by people that don’t even know you. There are people in this community who I’ve never even had an interaction with but I’ve heard comments that were said about me and my business and I’m just like- Why?
The Seedy underlying cliques of Peterborough are Xennials sitting on the fence of Boomer Mentality and elder “mindful” millennials. This town is very much run by people whose positions collect dust. Most only ever wore one hat throughout their entire career. Most would never understand the 2022 entrepreneur who wears 10 hats in one role.
I’d love to know how I grow as a business and a woman in this community when I close myself off to other communities. I’d love to know how do I connect with other entrepreneurs in this town without buying into some club? Without paying a monthly fee or selling my soul to an organization that doesn’t do anything for me?
I’ve seen what I needed to see. It’s a no from me Dawg.

My role is to support small businesses at any level in any geographical area that shares the same mindset as us. Abundance mindset. The mindset that there really is enough room for everyone.
We want to support people that understand the value of their time, our time and people that understand  you get what you give in relationships or collaborations.
I want to be able to invest in small businesses and introduce our community to new people, businesses, artists and designers. We rely on tourism and other communities to boost our local economy. We could never sustain ourselves as a community if only local people shopped in our stores and establishments. At a certain point we max out our demographics.
So if we’re pandering to outside communities to shop in our stores, drink in our restaurants and the like - Why am I getting weird questions like “Why do you support businesses outside of Ptbo more than Ptbo ones” (A statement that is just not true) Do people forget that we are a small business? That we are a brand? When you shop with us you are supporting a local business. US! Me, my staff, my family etc.