Member-only story
The Slow Fade — A Cautionary Tale
There’s a price to running a community-centric business.
The hidden problem with any “community” centric small business is that ultimately, you’re still viewed as a business despite your effort to build the intangibles. No matter how much you think you’re more than that to the public, you’re really just another business selling a product or service to 95% of people that walk through your door.
That can be a hard pill to swallow.
The shop I used to partner at down in south Florida was an amazing success story. It was a vibrant space filled with people of all backgrounds, races and creeds. We had a full calendar of community engagement, music and activities happening at the shop. I had an open-door policy of sorts: come to me with an idea, know how to execute, and my space was yours. I loved being able to facilitate people’s visions or help fundraise for impactful local charities. That side of the business is what fulfilled me. It was my ‘why.’
Year after year our sales grew. Our product was great, but I thought the care I put into cultivating deep roots of community was the secret sauce to our success. But then year five hit, and something tangibly shifted. I remember it clearly — Many of the regulars stopped coming in as frequently. Events weren’t attended nearly as well…
