Shopping Small: Why You Should Opt for a Mom and Pop

For many people, increased vaccination rates signaled the end of the pandemic. However, with the rise of the delta variant, more people are realizing that the pandemic is far from over. Regardless, many countries have reopened tourism to the vaccinated with negative COVID tests. With the FDA approving the Pfizer vaccine in August, many business owners hope that increased vaccination rates will quell fears of another lockdown and solidify their customer base. For small businesses, that means doubling down on both marketing, and safety protocols. 

This summer, I was lucky enough to travel to Greece with my family to celebrate my sister’s graduation and my mother’s retirement. At one stop on our trip, we visited the island of Santorini. An island with only 15,500 residents, the island’s economy is based on tourism and wine manufacturing. The Santorini Caldera is a volcano, so the minerals and nutrient-rich volcanic soil have enabled agricultural success. The population of the island is dwarfed by the number of incoming tourists — which CNN reports reaches up to 2 million visitors a year. 

What makes small businesses different?

During our time on the island, I was able to interview Marcos, owner of the scenic, cliffside Red Stone Villa in Oia, and Kookoo Bar and Lounge, a local cafe and bar. Throughout our stay, Marcos made it a point to highlight the restaurants near the hotel, telling us that he felt it was important to uplift the local businesses, as a small business owner himself. His personal advertising extended from these local restaurants all the way out to the businesses on the pier where ferries launched, where he often negotiated to get his customers the best deal. 

According to Marcos, many of the Grecian islands rely solely on tourism for their income. “When we don’t have tourists — like during COVID-19 — it’s a total disaster for us,” he said. 

When you think of a hotel, you may think of the impersonal facade of big business. On Santorini, however, the Red Stone Villa is synonymous with family values. Run by Marcos and his family, he goes out of his way to reach out to patrons to ensure their needs are met. While waiting at a bus stop, we witnessed him stopping while driving by to offer well wishes to a departing party, going so far as to tell them to say hello to their father for him — Marcos obviously held these as close personal relationships. 

Before he left, he touched base with us to ensure we were doing well and had no questions about the island — an effort that was much appreciated by us four Americans who knew next to no Greek. Though we weren’t locals, his hospitality and generosity solidified us as loyal customers who were ecstatic to recommend his services to our friends and family. 

“We try to make our guests feel at home; it’s very, very simple for me,” Marcos told me. “We don’t want to be a five-star hotel where they give you the key and are like robots where they just follow orders. I want to go further and I want [our guests] to feel like they have someone there for you when you’re far from your home. It’s very important for me.”

Lockdowns break businesses

As mentioned previously, the pandemic is far from over, especially in tourist hotspots like Santorini. On July 30th, the European Union issued a statement discouraging all unnecessary travel following a spike in cases in the Greek archipelago and surrounding areas, including Spain and France. By extension, the Bank of Greece reported that it could take up to 3 years for the economy to fully recover from the pandemic blow. 

Because so much of Greece’s economy relies on tourism, Marcos said that local businesses “couldn’t handle” another lockdown. In the United States, research from the Proceedings of the National Academy of the United States showed the huge toll that closures imposed on small businesses. 

According to LBMC’s Business Outlook Survey Report, three out of four businesses were negatively impacted by COVID-19. 

Advice for entrepreneurs starting a business

When frequenting small businesses, one thing is consistently obvious to me: the owners of these businesses go above and beyond to have an impact on their patrons. Despite their small size in comparison to larger companies, entrepreneurs and small business owners will put forth a massive effort to personalize and tailor their services to best fit the needs of customers.

“Work hard, be yourself — that’s it,” said Marcos when asked about what advice he would give people starting their own business. “Don’t change your personality, just be there for your customers and try to give them the best service. If you’re true to yourself, you’re going to do great things. But above all else: work hard!”

When it comes to branding and advertising, the stunning rooftop views of coastlines and sunsets of Santorini are hard to beat. For those who don’t have access to Mediterranean flora and fauna for business promotion, social media can be an important tool for promoting and building a recognizable brand. Customers who fall in love with your business do so because of you and your business’ personality and quirkiness – turn those customers into power users by getting them to share their experience of your business. 

Before you dive headfirst into building a business, it’s important to clarify your vision, and make sure you’re setting realistic goals. Especially as the world gets more turbulent, and as life becomes more uncertain, the importance of having a solid plan cannot be understated. Assess the market you’re establishing yourself in: have you considered product market fit? Have you considered where your client base is, and what services you can provide?

And when considering what to provide, do you have a solid plan for funding your idea? Especially with the uncertainty of the COVID-19 variants, it’s vital to have a solid foundation before taking any drastic steps to launch your passion. 

Visit us at idealab

At ideamix, we provide resources for professionals and business owners to build their networks and skills. Our idealab workshops offer programs for those who want to build on an idea or passion. Our team at ideamix will meet you wherever you are in your journey to workshop potential pathways in order to achieve your goals, in addition to generating a solid plan for the future!