by Tom Thomson
It’s not easy being a business owner these days.
As we welcome another year, we want to sincerely thank you for being resilient in one of the toughest years we have endured together. The Nelson and District Chamber of Commerce board of directors and staff salute local businesses for all you do in the community as a business owner.
The reasons that we decide to venture down the path of business ownership vary.
But let’s face it, owning and running a small business is anything but easy.
It’s worth it most times, but not easy.
Having your own business has many upsides. Being able to work for yourself, building an asset, calling the shots – those are all powerful motivators.
But the reality is a little less glamorous. Small business owner’s work hard, everybody knows that. But how hard they work might scare some people off.
Talk to the average business owner and they’ll tell you they often work more than 50 hours per week, and that the stress of ownership is worse than what they imagined. But despite it all, most small business owners say owning a business puts them in charge of their destiny, gives them freedom, and is more rewarding than they imagined. That is in the best of times, of course.
The past three and half years has been a nightmare for many local businesses, artists, musicians and the public. Pandemics, extreme weather and global labour shortages to name a few challenges.
Small businesses are the fabric of our communities; in fact, many of us got our first jobs at a family business down the street, played on a team sponsored by one, have relied on expert advice from a small business owner and regularly visit small businesses for various goods and services.
Supporting our local small businesses not only helps these businesses, but also keeps dollars in the community. This Christmas, while discretionary spending was down, many locals did their best to support local or regional business first.
It can be a real grind some days! This past year, businesses faced crippling rising costs, bank loans and lines of credit due to huge interest rate increase, taxes from all levels, unprecedented increases in wages and payroll expenses, supply chain issues for goods and services, it is a wonder more haven’t said enough is enough.
But what makes it easier is being connected to a business organization that understands those concerns and works daily on your behalf.
Let’s take a moment to introduce you to the Nelson and District Chamber of Commerce and invite you to become a member or renew a membership that may have lapsed over the years. The Chamber is a volunteer, not-for-profit organization that is a strong credible voice for close to 550 small- and medium-sized businesses, representing thousands of employees. Our goal is to foster growth, and healthy economic development, and to work as our members’ No. 1 business booster through our advocacy efforts and economic development initiatives.
Membership makes good business sense! As a member of the Chamber, you are joining hundreds of area businesses enjoying access to our advocacy with all levels of government, access to benefits that go straight to your bottom line, and contacts and connections that can result in new opportunities.
Small businesses make up most of Nelson’s business community and they all play a critical role in driving our local economy and creating jobs.
We hope you will join. Call the Chamber at 250-352-3433 for details or check discovernelson.com.
We are your business buddies with benefits! For more, visit https://www.discovernelson.com/chamber/membership/benefits/.
Without members, a Chamber of Commerce simply would not exist. Working together, we can help build a stronger Chamber, and in turn a stronger economic region. We look forward to our continuing partnership in the coming year to strengthen our regional and provincial economy.
Tom Thomson is executive director for the Nelson and District Chamber of Commerce.