How Small Businesses Offer Big Health and Wellness Gains to Communities

Frankly, small businesses are often the lifeblood of many communities. By providing jobs, access to health services, physical activity, diversity, economic stimulation, and social ties, small businesses bring a variety of benefits that strengthen our neighborhoods and promote healthy living. Let's explore further the ways in which small businesses can make big gains in community health and wellness.

Provide Jobs

Small businesses contribute to their communities in more ways than one, and employment opportunities are high on the list. Small business owners often provide jobs for their own towns and cities, giving locals access to employment that may not be available from larger corporations. From entry-level positions to highly-specialized roles, small businesses stand at the forefront of providing the labor force with opportunity. Beyond its monetary value, a job brings a sense of belonging to an organization and a connection to the community in which it resides, something that local populations now more than ever appreciate and support.

Obtain Health Services Access

Small businesses often provide access to health services that might otherwise be unavailable or too expensive for their local communities. This can range from basic medical care such as check-ups and vaccinations to specialized care such as mental health counseling or addiction treatment services. Often these services are provided free of charge or at discounted rates for lower-income individuals in the area.

Physical Exercise Promotion

Many small business owners will organize activities for their employees or their customers that emphasize physical activity. These activities often include running clubs, yoga classes, sporting events, or any number of other activities that get people out of their houses and engage with each other in an active way. This helps promote healthy living while also encouraging people to get out and experience their local communities more frequently.

Stabilize Housing Prices                            

Small businesses play an essential role in stabilizing housing costs. As local business owners and entrepreneurs purchase and renovate properties, they help create access to more affordable and stable housing opportunities. Contextually-appropriate zoning laws can further level out housing costs by enabling more businesses to operate and investing in programs that promote small business ownership. The presence of a diverse array of small businesses and entrepreneurs creates economic stability by increasing the demand for housing units. This creates local jobs, increases economic mobility, and helps keep communities dynamic.

Encourage Diversity

Small businesses are an essential part of any strong, vibrant community. They bring in new perspectives and skills that can help drive economic growth and social progress. For example, small businesses are often owned by multicultural or minority populations who bring the unique cultures and values of their backgrounds to the local area, creating a diverse range of products and services while also promoting positive cultural integration. Furthermore, they provide local employment opportunities that help people from all walks of life get involved in and benefit from their local economy. 

Bolster the Economy

Small businesses can be a powerful driver of economic growth at the local level. Not only do they bring jobs and generate wealth, they also create vibrant communities with their unique character and atmosphere. When supported by locals, these small businesses create new opportunities, spur innovation, and enrich the quality of life in an area. They can also be a huge help to local charities and nonprofits. Perhaps most importantly, small businesses reinvest their profits into the local economy through hiring locally and buying supplies, creating a positive cycle for everyone involved. 

Tips to Get Your Business Started

Among two of the most important tips to offer when it comes to starting a business include staying organized and structuring your business appropriately. There are countless documents associated with starting a new business, including your business banking information, investor proposals, and business plan. Keep digital copies of these and other important documents as PDFs, which you can send securely to business partners via password protection and encryption. Use this to convert to a PDF file if you need to update important Microsoft files to the correct format.

Further, designating your small business as an LLC is a smart move. LLCs protect business owners from liability associated with their companies. In other words, you’re better protected personally if your business is ever sued or runs into financial trouble, so you won’t need to worry about losing the shirt off your back — or your home, vehicle, and other assets — during business hardships.

The presence of small businesses brings tangible gains to communities far beyond just job creation. They bring healthier lifestyles, greater access to healthcare services, more diverse populations, economic stimulation, and stability in housing costs all at once! Whether you’re looking to start a new business yourself or want to support existing ones in your neighborhood, there’s no denying the positive impact they have on your community’s overall health and wellness.