With 47% of Australian small businesses failing within 4 years, we need to..........

Now, I will address the obvious here, that talking about supporting small businesses is of course self serving to me as I am an owner of one 😁

But I really do practise what I preach, I promise!

Only last week, I purchased these beautiful Christmas and birthday tags from a seller on Etsy. I always look on Etsy first for what I'm wanting to buy and then go further afield if I'm unsuccessful. The gift tags were very affordable and gorgeous, all in one tiny package 🥰 Some shops even have matching wrapping paper too 🧡

I have even gone a step further several times. Many small businesses sell through larger avenues (Etsy, Amazon, Woolworths), as well as having their own website.

On Etsy, you are able to see if the seller has a website. I was purchasing some soaps from Moonlight Soaps on Etsy, when I decided to see if she had a website. She did, I purchased from there, she saved some of the Etsy fees and the process helped her website's algorithm with Google ever so slightly. I now buy her goat milk soaps for everyday use- they are amazing! The Frankincense and Myrrh goat milk soap is my current favourite- it sounds and smells so exotic 🐪 

Here's some interesting facts about Australian small businesses

According to several sources, including mccrindle-

• 49% of Australian small businesses fail within the first 4 years ☹️That is a whole lot of heartache, stress and lost money, for the people/families involved. Now, having started my business as a manufacturing company for fashion designers, I'm the first to admit that there are plenty of people who have no business ever starting one 😉but this is still a very sad number.
• 67% of all Australian businesses are family owned. This 67% then employs 50% of our population's workforce. (Australian Manufacturing)
• 88% of Australian businesses employ 4 people or less.
• And a surprisingly good statistic - 72% of Australians are likely to purchase goods or services from small businesses, rather than large corporations.

Now, of course, my thoughts here are exactly the same as buying Australian made. There are times when you are not able or want to buy from a small business (or Australian made). But I think it's worth the first look and then venture further out to the large businesses, if you can't find what you are needing. After all, according to the stats, most of us are working for/in small businesses anyway! 

Jocelyn