As I take my stand at the pink podium, I'd like to have a real moment with you.
Right now, every small business out there is facing a widespread problem regarding support - and yours truly can sympathize with this ongoing issue. From one pink store to another, we're all navigating a huge crisis: the government shutdown is making it nearly impossible for people to survive financially.
But here's the thing - it's not because people are ignoring what your shop offers, We're all playing catch-up right now. Jobs aren't paying consistently, bills are piling up, and many of us are turning to our own businesses just to stay afloat.
So to my fellow business owners: try to understand that your audience or community might be facing challenges far worse than what we see on the surface. They're not being unsupportive - they're surviving.
IT GIRL DISPLAYS isn't immune to this either. I see the visits, the story views, the passive scrolling - and I get it now. It's not apathy. It's survival mode. And I'd rather have a community that's honest about their limits than one that feels guilty for not spending.
But here's what I know: this isn't forever. The shutdown will end, paychecks will stabilize, and when they do - we'll all still be here. Small businesses are resilient, and so are the communities that support them. Until then, we extend grace to each other.