• Shop, bank, and hire locally when you reasonably can; community banks and credit unions lend in their own areas.
  • Support new businesses through your local Small Business Development Center (SBDC) or SCORE chapter, which offer free advising.
  • Back succession planning so local businesses don’t close or sell to distant buyers when owners retire; employee ownership is one option.
  • Speak up on local rules (permitting, zoning) that make it hard for small businesses to open.