27 Nov, 2023
As a brand and website designer, I have the pleasure of meeting a lot of new people online, thanks to our friend Instagram and other social platforms. I find that to be super normal for a lot of online business owners and service providers because the concept of working with ANYONE across the world is pretty amazing. As I’m riding bikes with my kids in our neighborhood in Ames, Iowa, a client of mine could be waking up to their ocean view in California or heading into their office in New York City. It’s so cool to me that we can so easily be connected to people who live such different lives from us. With that, however, I knew that when I started my business I didn't want to lose the local aspect. I love where I live and there are people right down the road who own amazing businesses that I also want to support and be a part of. So even with the boom of online business and the ability to work with literally anyone in the world, my heart is in Iowa, specifically our small town of Ames, and I strive to give back to my community year round through my design work. If you’re an online business owner or service provider and you have gotten swooped up in the online or digital aspect without paying much attention to your local community, I encourage you to consider how you can get involved and support those businesses, too. Because while some of my most favorite clients (and even some of my best relationships) have been cultivated online, there’s just something about being involved with your local community that the online world can never replace. Many local businesses are the ones I’ve been going to for the last decade. They’re the places filled with people who know my name and face and go out of their way to serve me specifically. They’re the places that make our town what it is and I know that my life in Ames wouldn’t be the same without them. I’d be willing to bet that a lot of the same is true for your local community too, so if you’re looking to get involved locally, but aren’t exactly sure how, there’s a few things I encourage you to seek out.