MHBA Featured in Twist & Shout Newsletter

Twist & Shout, one of Denver's best independent record stores and a founding member of the MHBA, publishes a seasonal printed newsletter with local news and music info. This winter's newsletter also features an article about the Mile High Business Alliance and Colorado Local First.

We strongly recommend you stop by Twist & Shout on E. Colfax in the Lowenstein Culture Plex for some holiday shopping and to pick up the newsletter. It's such a great store, and you're sure to find new & used CD's, DVD's and vinyl for yourself and your loved ones.

However, since they asked us such great questions about local business and the economy, we decided to publish the text of the interview here. Hopefully this will give you more background on MHBA and why we do what we do.


1.  How did the Mile High Business Alliance come to be?  What is it's purpose?  
 
The Mile High Business Alliance's mission is to build better community through better business. Believing that locally owned businesses are better for our community, we provide tools and resources to help people buy from local companies first. We formed in 2007 when community leaders and local businesses came together to form a network of local companies working together to be more successful and have a positive impact on our communities.
 
2.  Who's involved in the organization?  Can the effects of it's efforts be felt yet?
 
The Founding Members of MHBA include great Denver businesses such as The Tattered Cover, Mike's Camera, Meininger's Art Supply and Twist & Shout. We're a membership-based organization, and currently over 100 Colorado-based businesses have gotten involved. This includes restaurants, business professionals, food growers and retailers. Our leadership body includes a five-member Board of Directors, and two full time staff.
 
At this point, I think our greatest impact can be seen in the level of participation from local businesses and other groups. As a grassroots organization, we've had to build our programs from the ground up, pulling together resources and leveraging them effectively. The engagement of our members and partners is really exciting, and shows that businesses are ready to work together.
 
3.  In times like these, it seems that people have to shop at the big national stores to save money.  How can we motivate people to change their shopping habits especially when they're trying to keep themselves above water?
 
While it isn't an absolute truth that local products are more expensive, the lure of big-box discounts can be appealing, especially as our budgets shrink. Consumer spending is currently down, which means people are buying less, and, hopefully, examining what they buy and where more closely.
 
We have to remember that where we spend our money has a greater impact than in the initial transaction. It's the flow of money that helps create healthy economic activity, and allows businesses to provide the goods and services we want. When we spend money at a locally owned business, more of that money is then spent at other local businesses, and on and on. Contrast this with spending our money at national stores, where more of the same money leaves our community right away.
 
And, having a diversity of providers actually helps keep costs down, as businesses compete to sell their goods more efficiently and at a greater profit.
 
There's something else that happens when we intentionally seek out local businesses first. Doing business with our neighbors creates stronger relationships and connections. We better learn who we can trust and what contribution other people have. Local businesses can often provide better customer service than non-local companies, and are more involved in community projects and initiatives. Since the business owners live here, too, they are more likely to conduct their business in a responsible way. A stronger sense of community contributes to our health and well-being as individuals, and as a group of citizens.
 
The point is - spending our hard-earned dollars at a local business keeps more money in our local economy, keeps costs lower by encouraging competition and innovation, and is an investment in the *kind* of community we want to live in. As we consider where we're shopping, let's keep in mind the other impacts of our money on our community.
 
4.  Is it possible to have a healthy balance of national and local retail businesses in any one community?
 
That's a good question. The short answer is: Yes, with certain considerations. We're seeing that, if local and non-local companies were playing on an even field, local companies will out perform most of the time. Right now, national companies are able to negotiate huge tax and land incentives from local and state governments, who wish to entice big retail revenues into their region. If those same incentives were given to locally owned companies, they would create more jobs and stay in business longer.
 
There are a few models that seem to provide some of the benefits of national companies while not simply eroding our tax base and local flavor. Ace Hardware stores are actually independently owned and operated, but participate in buying cooperatives that lower the cost of goods for each store. This allows them to sell products at a lower price to consumers, while still being able to make independent decisions about how they conduct their business.
 
5.  After the recent political drama and economic scare, are you hopeful that citizens will become more involved in what happens to our state/nation?
 
If our current political activity demonstrates anything, it's that more people are taking action based on what they think is best for our communities. I hope people can see that, although the office of the President is an important one, there is so much we can do on a local level to create the kind of prosperous, healthy, free communities we want to live in.
 
A recession will have serious consequences on businesses, and therefore, the rest of us.  As we continue to feel the effects of our recent economic turmoil, I think we'll be forced to examine our economic practices and, hopefully, learn how to build a healthy economy that nurtures good businesses, provides stable employment, and produces the goods and services we need.
 
6.  How can the average consumer make a difference?
 
In a market-based economy, businesses respond to the behavior of consumers. We can see this in the organic food movement and in the "green" ideal. As the demand for "green" products increases, the creation and distribution of those products increase, as well. Every time we spend money, we're casting a vote, demonstrating to business what we value. If we value having cities and towns with one of a kind restaurants and shops, then our patronage of those places not only keeps them in business, but provides the market incentive for new local businesses who provide that unique experience.
 
7.  Tell us about the Local Business Directory. (www.ColoradoLocalFirst.com)  
 
The Colorado Local First directory is an online resource for discovering the truly local businesses in Colorado. This is more than just an online phone book, however. People can find out more about the impact local business have on our communities through a set of ratings and badges. For example, the 5 Mountain "Localness" Rating shows how much money spent at each business stays in the community. Additional badges show which companies are employee owned or using renewable energy. This helps us find businesses that are contributing to our community in ways that matter to us.
 
Another great feature of the directory is our ability to leave ratings and reviews for businesses we know. This helps spread the word about that great cup of coffee or unique boutique, and helps keep those amazing places we love in business.
 
8.  What gives you hope?
 
What gives me hope is seeing people willing to take risks to create something new or better. I see this in entrepreneurs - people who put themselves on the line to offer something of value to others. Who are willing to risk failure to pursue their own vision or dream. I don't think we've figured out how to have the prosperous lives we seek while taking good care of the planet and life on it. But there are so many passionate people who are willing to roll up their sleeves and do the work of discovering new solutions, that I'm hopeful we will.