Why Shopping Small is Always in Style
(BPT) - By Sarah Acton, Chief Customer Officer at BILL
Imagine your neighborhood without any small coffee shops, restaurants, gift shops or craft stores. Would it even have the same feel and personality? Small businesses are what make towns and cities have a truly unique character and sense of community.
Small and midsize businesses (SMBs) make up99.9% of American businesses and they are engines of the U.S. economy, employing more than 62 million Americans. More importantly, they can help build and strengthen a community. I've seen this firsthand, growing up watching my dad own and run a small professional services business.
Years later, I was inspired to start my own small business selling children's clothing. I worked hard to build connections with local businesses - finding suppliers, vendors and service providers that I trusted and enjoyed working with. This network was essential to my ability to serve my customers, build a community, and drive the success of my business.
My lifelong passion for SMBs led me to join BILL because I truly believe in its mission to be a champion of SMBs. Through our financial operations platform, BILL is dedicated to helping SMBs grow and scale their businesses.
During the holiday season, BILL celebrates our customers by recognizing them as the true pillars of their communities. To that end, we are encouraging people like you to #shopsmall this holiday season with this curated selection of gift ideas from a variety of businesses. Each of these businesses has a unique dream they are passionately pursuing. Take advantage of our special offer codes so you can save big, feel good and uplift these communities.
Food and beverage
BLK & Bold aims to unite coffee and tea lovers worldwide through a common interest in investing in the community, specifically for the youth. The brand pledges 5% of its revenue to nonprofit organizations across America that invest in children's confidence, exposure, and guidance for them to be the best version of themselves. Choose from a variety of whole bean, ground, cold brew and K-Cup pod coffee. Get 20% off with code BILL20.
Bobelo is the first and only bubbly drink mix that carbonates itself and contributes to a healthier planet one drink at a time. With each purchase, a portion of the price is donated to the Bobelo One Foundation, which advocates for a better brain, body and biome. The B-Corp Certified Brand has gone through a rigorous process to become carbon neutral so it can continue its mission to provide healthy sodas while contributing to a healthier, cleaner earth. Get 20% off with code BILLHOLIDAY.
Packed with Purpose offers curated gift boxes that delight recipients and strengthen relationships between employees, clients, prospects, families and friends. The brand sources thoughtful and sustainable gifts from over 140 purpose-driven organizations that have positively impacted nearly 1.5 million lives since the company's start. The woman-owned B-Corp certified company's gifts support women's empowerment, sustainability, youth advancement, workforce development, health and well-being and amplify diverse, minority-owned businesses. Get 10% off with code BILL10.
Beehive Meals is an award-winning meal delivery service with one goal: to simplify family dinner time by offering a convenient meal prep and delivery service for busy parents and families. Each month, the company prepares and delivers 10 freezer meals sealed for freshness. Menus rotate every month, offering a variety of new meal experiences for families across Utah, Idaho and Arizona. Get 10% off with code BILL2024.
Clothing and accessories
Marine Layer was founded in 2009 by Michael Natenshon who set out to create a T-shirt that feels like an old favorite from day one. In addition to T-shirts made from ultra-soft, low-impact custom fabrics, the brand's casual apparel for men, women and kids includes knits, outerwear and more. As part of its sustainable mission, the B-Corp company established the Re-Spun program to recycle T-shirts and use that recycled material across its entire line of products. Get 10% off with code BILL10.
Blissy is the best-kept secret of supermodels, hair stylists, beauty experts and dermatologists around the world. Its 100% pure mulberry silk pillowcases, sleep masks, hair accessories, clothing, face masks and other products are designed to improve skin, hair and sleep quality. Get 20% off with code BILL20.
Dagne Dover, established in 2013 by three women, crafts problem-solving bags to help users keep up, stay organized and look good doing it. Rooted in empathy and excellent design, the brand strives to make users' lives easier while maintaining eco-conscious practices. The eco-friendly brand uses non-toxic materials, has implemented waste reduction strategies and encourages consumer sustainability through resale, reuse and recycling initiatives. Most bags are now 100% vegan. Get 20% off with code BILLHoliday20.
Enso Rings designs stylish and durable silicone bands that offer a comfortable alternative to traditional rings and wedding bands for active individuals. With a variety of styles from the brand's Elements collection infused with precious metals, exclusive collaborations and custom rings, there's a ring for many occasions and lifestyles. Get 20% off with code BILL20.
Home and lifestyle
Brooklyn Candle Studio has a simple mission to create home fragrance products with captivating scents, beautiful minimalist designs and the best ingredients at an accessible price. Candles are made of 100% soy wax derived from American-grown soy beans for eco-friendly, clean burn and lead-free cotton wicks. All products are petroleum-free, cruelty-free, phthalate-free, and 100% vegan. Get 15% off with code BILL15.
BrüMate offers innovative insulated tumblers, drinkware, coolers and more made to empower, inspire and enhance the daily routine. Balancing functionality and beauty, customers can enjoy their drinks, hot or cold, in stylish, leak-free designs to elevate their drinking experience. Most of the brand's drinkware is made from highly durable, recycled plastic, packaged in 100% compostable/recyclable materials and built for long-term use. Get 10% off with code BILL10.
Chatbooks is on a mission to strengthen families and save the moments that matter most. The affordable photo book platform allows users to customize their very own photobooks online or on the brand's phone app. In just a few taps, users can add, upload, edit and print their every day magical moments in a custom photo book. Get 20% off with code BILL20.
Good Sport seeks to drive equitable access to youth sports and physical activity to support children in high-need communities. Over the past 10 years, the brand has worked around the clock to invent, design and create dozens of new and exciting games that can be played anywhere. Its bestselling backyard games include SmashNet - a cross between ping pong and volleyball. Get 30% off with code BILL30.
KiwiCo was created to celebrate kids' natural creativity and curiosity while helping parents who want to bring enriching experiences to their children. Each subscription toy crate includes a creative, hands-on project to inspire the next generation of innovators and problem-solvers. Crates are designed for different age groups, from 0-3 to 12-16+. Get 50% off the Clubs crate or 20% Panda crate with code BUILDFUN.
Beauty and wellness
Tower 28 is a cosmetics brand that offers high-performance beauty products made with non-irritating ingredients designed for sensitive skin so users can feel as good as they look. All of the company's plastic product packaging is made from at least 50% recycled plastic to help divert waste from landfills and reduce the end-user responsibility associated with recyclable or compostable materials. Get 15% off with code T28XBill15.
Operation Good Boy focuses on providing better-than-military-grade gear, treats, and tons of experiences for military working dogs. The purpose-driven brand is committed to serving this community of military-friendly dog owners and their packmates. That's why Operation Good Boy provides unrestricted funds to these Military Working Dog Charities. Get 10% off with code BILL10.
Kreyòl Essence brings natural hair, skin and body products from Haiti to the world. Its eco-friendly formulations are made from pure and natural ingredients from Caribbean Farms that focus on combating dry hair and skin. The social brand is dedicated to creating sustainable jobs, protecting and conserving the island's environment and empowering women. Get 15% off with code BILL15.
MIKUNA's goal is to provide consumers with the world's purest, nutrient-dense, plant-based foods while maintaining the highest consumer transparency, environmental protection and community stewardship. The brand's name comes from the ancient Kichwa concept of nourishing the body through food. The single-source chocho plant protein is cultivated between 11,000 and 14,000 feet in the Andes Mountains by a network of Indigenous farmers and finely ground in small batches. Get 10% off with code BILL10.
Community matters
When you buy gifts by shopping small, you're not just supporting a business. You're also supporting the passion, grit, and creativity of these independent business owners and giving back to their communities. At BILL we are dedicated to serving the needs of SMBs and accountants so they can focus more on running their businesses and serving customers. When SMBs thrive, so do their communities. To learn more, visit Bill.com. Happy holidays from BILL!
©2024 BILL Operations, LLC. BILL, the BILL logo, and the "b" logo are trademarks of BILL Operations, LLC. All other company names and brands are the property of their respective owners.
Source: BrandPoint
