It Takes a Community.

Today I attended my first community meeting as a business owner.

(first I want to say take advantage of every invitation that can benefit your business, I go more into detail in a different post)

This experience was awesome. Other attendees were other business owners, residence, and investors. I loved hearing what people had to say. Their thoughts, plans, ideas, issues were all brought up. I was able to introduce my self and invite everyone to the grand opening!

I took a lot from the meeting.

First was different ideas of thinking. My favorite examples were:

- Disconnection vs. Interconnection; It display a couple dots as disconnected and all those dots connected as interconnections. With those dots connected you see a structure, connection of course, and no reason to be alone. I took from that, yes I can sew alone but why not teach someone to sew so they will have that economic advantage as well and will connect with me if needed for advice/ questions, Why now connect with someone else who already knows how to sew to send business his or her way during busy times and vice versus. Why not connect to business/residence in the community that's can utilize my services (elderly, churchs, high school/ prom) Why not just make my self aware so that when someone in my community needs something that I provide, I am the first person they think of? Or the first person they will refer someone too.

-Circular vs. Linear; Routine produces results (Circle) as Line just keep doing/ going with no destination. I am hoping everyone at the meeting understood this because we will not achieve anything unless we make it a routine address our issues, and goals.

-Parts vs. Wholes. This was represented as puzzle pieces. I looked at it as a picture. Alone you are just a selfie. With all the pieces together/ people in the photo, there is a bigger picture. You may not know me but you know him in the front, who knows me and if you need a seamstress, he will tell you about me. We all have our own corner.

Next we went over two approaches to economic development and the drivers of Community Wealth Building. My goals to the community are:

Hiring within the community. Full time, decent paying job, where a person is able to pay their bill and enjoy their work.

Hiring local vendor to sell small gifts out the shop for a percentage of sale.

Connecting with non-profit, philanthropy within the community for capital

Providing classes, seminars, events, and resources to the community featuring other business owners and residence.

And for the most part Teamwork. Working with community to help others reach their goal. After all my goals could have been reached with out the help of the community.

Basia Rose Designs is one of many business ventures, I am hope to bring some of my ideas to the table to lower the 60% vacant commercial space and generate bring some good exposure to the community. Lindsay Heights can be a place tourist come to see, outside of 3rd ward, MLK Drive, or Mayfair. With the new Bucks Arena there is tons of opportunity and attractions to make this happen. Of course it takes a community.

I am hoping that each week we can have more voices! Please leave soem feedback and/ or contact me basiarosedesigns@gmail.com for questions or to be apart of our next meeting.

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