Small Business Support Group: 2024 Season

My name is Ben, and I'm the owner and co-founder of the Botany Shop, a destination retail experience for plant lovers of all backgrounds. In July of 2023, myself and a few of our fellow local, independent businesses owners came together to host what has become the Small Business Support Group.

This gathering is by and for local, independent business owners in our area and we've been meeting monthly since July, with a different business hosting each gathering. We’re committed to creating and holding a safe, inviting, and authentic space to just be ourselves. Building and owning a business is hard, and we know it’s just a little easier when you’re part of a community of like-minded people who are going through the same thing you are. This is a space to listen, support, and share solutions and resources. It’s a space for joy, struggle, honesty, creativity, and collaboration.

After these first few months of successful meetings, we want to continue and gradually expand offerings in 2024. Funds raised will support this group in the following ways:

We can always do more with more, and if we exceed our goal of $3,500, we'll put those funds back into our community of local businesses in a co-creative fashion as we continue to listen to what our peers need to be successful within our local business ecosystem.

We're committed to continue this work because since we opened our doors in early 2021, we've seen time and again how our fellow local, independent business owners are working to cultivate the community we want to live in, together. Botany will continue to love on our fellow local businesses to the best of our ability, because we know how difficult and uncertain this journey can be, and sometimes simply knowing you’re not alone can make all the difference.