1. Feel It Out
Get informed and decide whether shifting your spending is in line with your values.
Why It Works
Buying from billionaires is convenient. There are also costs with billionaires, where small businesses offer real advantages.
For example, small businesses don't generally lobby against your rights. Small businesses are less likely to hoard wealth and more likely to pay their fair share of taxes. Small businesses are more likely to spend their earnings within the community.
Support
Be aware of this movement and consider if it aligns with your values.
Join
Research how billionaires are affecting the world around us.
Organize
Start conversations with action-minded people you trust.
2. Make A Change
Choose one daily essential to buy local and stick to it.
Why It Works
Changing one habit at a time makes local buying manageable. You can add more to build momentum over time.
Support
Visit small businesses and see what options they have.
Join
Switch one product (coffee, soap, bread) to a local source this month.
Organize
Start a #OneItemSwitch challenge in your community.
3. Make A Public Statement
Make a public commitment to shop with small businesses and inspire others to follow your lead.
Why It Works
Public pledges create accountability, normalize the behavior, and encourage others to join. Movements grow when people see visible commitments from peers.
Support
Search and like content on people's commitments.
Join
Share a pledge on social media using a branded hashtag
Organize
Host a pledge drive in your community or start a hashtag.
5. Tell an Owner’s Story
People don’t fall in love with brands; they connect with stories.
Why It Works
Humanizing small business owners creates emotional loyalty and trust. Shoppers are more likely to support people they feel they know.
Support
Interview or share interest in hearing about a local entrepreneur.
Join
Share business owner stories with friends and family.
Organize
Create a "Meet the Makers" video series or blog for your town.
6. Promote Local Spending
Show your community how local dollars multiply in value.
Why It Works
People support what they understand. When they see that local spending recirculates 2–3x more than national chain spending, they’re more likely to shift habits.
Support
Post infographics or videos explaining the multiplier effect.
Join
Share a stat about how local spending impacts your city or neighborhood.
Organize
Host a workshop or teach-in at a local small business, library, or school.
7. Amplify Local Business Directories
Make local shopping as easy to search as Amazon.
Why It Works
People default to what they can find. A digital directory levels the playing field and boosts visibility for under-the-radar businesses.
Support
Request a shop-local business directory with your town hall or local representative.
Join
Submit new listings and share the site with your friends and neighbors.
Organize
Create a crowd-sourced directory for your neighborhood if one doesn’t exist.
8. Create Thematic Shopping Guides
Make it easy for people to buy local for any season or reason.
Why It Works
People default to billionaire businesses out of convenience. Curated guides reduce friction and make local purchases more accessible.
Support
Design or distribute a digital "Holiday Local Gift Guide."
Join
Send the guide to 5 people or post it on your socials.
Organize
Create a quarterly or themed local guide with featured shops.
9. Promote Small Business Saturday (Every Saturday)
Make supporting small shops a weekly habit.
Why It Works
Not everyone is going to jump at shopping exclusively with small businesses right away. Even making the shift consistently every saturday builds awareness, habits, and makes a huge impact.
Support
Create a calendar and highlight different shops each week.
Join
Commit to buying exclusively from small businesses on Saturdays.
Organize
Work with local small businesses to promote small business Saturdays in your area.
10. Partner with Local Influencers
Let your city’s storytellers amplify the movement.
Why It Works
Micro-influencers drive local action far better than big celebrities. Their word is trusted, and their audiences are engaged.
Support
Sponsor a local creator to highlight local shops in reels or stories.
Join
Follow and engage with influencers promoting localism.
Organize
Host a creator crawl: get 3+ influencers to visit local businesses in one day.
11. Mobilize Your Workplace
Turn your office into a force for local impact.
Why It Works
When companies incorporate local spending into their operations, they redirect substantial funds and convey a message to both employees and clients.
Support
Encourage your employer to use local vendors, caterers, or swag providers.
Join
Bring in a local lunch once a month or propose "Local First Fridays."
Organize
Create a workplace campaign to track and celebrate local spending.
12. Coordinate a "Local Week"
Focus your entire town’s attention on small businesses all at once.
Why It Works
City-wide action creates buzz and encourages people to explore businesses they’ve never visited before. It’s a culture shift in a flash.
Support
Donate print materials, social ads, or volunteer time to support events.
Join
Shop exclusively local for 7 days and share your receipts and finds.
Organize
Work with local officials and businesses to launch a recurring Local Week in your community.
13. Start a Local Loyalty Card
Reward people for consistently choosing small businesses.
Why It Works
Loyalty programs increase customer retention and build routine habits. When shopping small pays off, more people join in.
Support
Help design or fund printing for punch cards.
Join
Use a loyalty card at participating businesses and collect rewards.
Organize
Start a shared loyalty program among 5+ small businesses in your neighborhood.
14. Launch a Buycott
Support a business that does good, not just makes money.
Why It Works
Buycotts reward ethical practices with revenue. Unlike boycotts, they create a positive feedback loop that helps good businesses grow.
Support
Promote a business you love and explain why they deserve attention.
Join
Pledge to spend with a featured local business this week.
Organize
Run a Buycott event and track how many people participated.
15. Launch a Community Currency
Create a local "money loop" that keeps value circulating nearby.
Why It Works
Local currencies encourage people to spend within a closed-loop economy, boosting local business resilience and independence.
Support
Donate to help fund printing or tech development for a local currency app.
Join
Use community dollars at participating locations.
Organize
Partner with local businesses and municipal leaders to issue a neighborhood currency.
16. Host a Maker’s Market
Give local artists and vendors a space to shine together.
Why It Works
Markets attract shoppers who might not visit standalone shops. They also foster cross-promotion among small businesses.
Support
Sponsor booth fees or donate a venue to host local vendors.
Join
Shop at local markets and invite your community to join you.
Organize
Set up a pop-up market in a park, parking lot, or community hall.
17. Organize a Cash Mob
Bring a flash crowd to a local store and leave them sold out.
Why It Works
Cash mobs create sudden spikes in foot traffic and revenue for local shops, often generating more business in an hour than they usually see in a week.
Support
Donate gift cards to surprise shoppers or fund signage to promote the mob.
Join
Show up with $20 and a few friends at the designated shop.
Organize
Pick a small business, choose a date, and promote it across your local network.
18. Crowd-Fund a Small Business Expansion
Put your money behind growth stories you believe in.
Why It Works
Micro-investments in community-based businesses help them scale without giving up control to big investors or chains.
Support
Back a campaign or sponsor a match grant for a local entrepreneur.
Join
Share a crowdfunding campaign across your network.
Organize
Choose a business with strong community roots and help them raise startup or expansion capital.
19. Teach Local Spending in Schools
Plant the seeds of local pride and economic literacy early.
Why It Works
Younger generations form habits early. Teaching kids the impact of local dollars prepares future adults to be mindful consumers.
Support
Provide your school or local teacher with access to community economy materials or lesson plans.
Join
Volunteer to give a local economy presentation in a classroom.
Organize
Launch a youth entrepreneurship or "shop local math" program in your district.
