Who made the clothes that you’re wearing right now? Does that job empower that person and pay their bills or trap them in a cycle of poverty and endangerment?

I recently had the opportunity to speak at my local TEDx about the impact of shopping small. It was an honor to share my experiences as a small business owner and talk about the benefits of shopping small.

In a global economy, we are directly connected to people we have never even met, and can impact their lives for the better or worse. When we make conscious purchasing decisions and choose to buy from trusted sources, small businesses, and ethically traded goods, we positively impact individual people, as well as build up communities and transform the trajectory of the next generation.

With everyday choices as simple as choosing which coffee brand to buy at the grocery store or which necklace to give a friend for their birthday, you connect with someone that you will probably never meet, the person who made your goods, and impact their life.

While we can often feel alone and powerless in such a large and complicated world, we are all connected to each other through supply chains: the products we buy were prepared or made by another human being. Every purchase connects us to another person.

I hope you take a listen and think about how your purchases can help make the world a better place.

-Stephanie