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<p>An attitude of gratitude. It is not just fun to say, it is a great way to live. Studies show that daily practice of gratitude can enhance our moods, improve our health, lower our stress, and deepen connections with ourselves and the world around us.</p><p>November is gratitude month and a great time to remember to give thanks to our family, friends, and neighbors. One way we can show appreciation and invest in our community is to participate in the 10th annual Small Business Saturday over Thanksgiving weekend.</p><p>Small and family-owned businesses are the backbone of our economy and community. As a region, we are fortunate to have a thriving network of small business owners who are not only providing employment opportunities but are also giving back to the community.</p><p>Their businesses are responsibly for job creation and growth and are a huge part of our economic engine. They are also important to the identity of a community &#8211; giving it unique character and charm.</p><p>When we &#8220;Shop Small,&#8221; the majority of the dollars remain in the region which has a ripple effect locally. For every dollar spent at a small business in the U.S., approximately 67 cents stays in the local community. So supporting small businesses throughout the year, can have a big impact on our economy over time.</p><p>Many small business owners, such as Bob Borwick, are not only creating local jobs, they are also actively giving back to the community. After years of a career in sales that took him on the road, Bob decided he needed a change and opened Summit Audio in downtown Wilkes-Barre in 1983. Business thrived and after several years he sold it to start a custom audio/visual business. With entrepreneurship in the family genes, his son followed in his footsteps and owns and operates two busy restaurants in Kingston.</p><p>&#8220;I am fortunate to be doing what I love and have had incredible support from the community,&#8221; Bob said. &#8220;We don&#8217;t have a marketing staff &#8211; our customers are our salespeople. It is about developing trust and providing excellent customer service. We care about our customers and our community &#8211; which is why we try and give back as much as we can.&#8221;</p><p>Bob is the CEO, of the local non-profit Dinner for Kids.</p><p>&#8220;We are continuing what the original owner started &#8211; to make sure as many children as possible in the region can enjoy at least one hot meal a day,&#8221; he said. The meals are prepared at Ollies restaurant, owned by his son, Matt.</p><p>&#8220;We are lucky to have several successful business. It feels great to give back to the community that helped make us successful. We wouldn&#8217;t have it any other way.&#8221;</p><p>It is small businesses and start-ups that keep our economy moving. Small businesses create job opportunities and help drive economic growth in communities. Because they operate locally, they hire local people.</p><p>As the holidays approach, there is little doubt that you&#8217;ll be spending money. Where and how you spend it has more of an impact than you know. Whether your budget is large, small or somewhere in between, Small Business Saturday provides you with an opportunity to support your local merchants. These are the folks who hire people in your community, providing them with the wages that keep families and neighborhoods healthy.</p><p>The momentum behind Small Business Saturday has provided a lifeline not only to the businesses you shop at but also to the businesses behind them. These include printers, painters, cabinet installers, roofers, marketing firms, advertising agencies and more.</p><p>You might not realize it, but every time you take a yoga class at your neighborhood spot or buy a gift from the local artist down the street, you&#8217;re shopping small and making a difference. In fact, for every dollar spent at a small business in the U.S., approximately 67 cents stays in the local community. (Estimate from data on businesses with under 100 employees.)</p><p>So when you Shop Small on Small Business Saturday &#8212; and all year long &#8212; it can help add up to a big impact.</p><p>In our fast paced world, taking time to slow down and practice being grateful can be a challenge. And often, when we do take time to give thanks it is when things have gone our way. Which is good, but when things don&#8217;t seem to be working in our favor and we aren&#8217;t in the best frame of mind, it&#8217;s important to be thankful too.</p><style>
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<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>Susan Magnotta</p><p>Institute Insights</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Susan Magnotta is Director of Community Outreach at The Institute. Her column appears every other Monday.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Institute Insights: The importance of being thankful and supporting small businesses