This is part of a year-long ‘Love for Local’ series called NB365: portraits of New Brunswick entrepreneurs, businesses and organizations. Huddle is a media partner with Love for Local. Today, we hear from Ingrid Munroe The NB Box in Saint John.

THIS BUSINESS STARTED AFTER I WANTED TO GIVE MY SISTER A BABY SHOWER GIFT MADE UP OF VARIED LOCALLY MADE PRODUCTS AND FOUND IT DIFFICULT.

I was meeting women at their homes and in McDonald’s parking lots in order to buy their handmade goods and I just thought it was so crazy that there wasn’t really a convenient way to go about sourcing and buying products made in our community.

The gift I gave her ended up being so beautiful and high quality, and I really thought that if this was something I needed and wanted to use, then surely others would as well. I told my husband I was just going to buy enough things to do 100 gift boxes, and it took off from there. I think the most important lesson we have learned about supporting local is that business is personal. And that business should be personal.

The connections we have made with our community and our network of suppliers are so valuable to us. It’s why we continue to do what we do. I think there is this outdated idea that success in business means always looking out for yourself, but that’s just not how the buy local movement operates.

Inherently, supporting the businesses in your local community means collaboration, and when one business is achieving success it has a ripple effect on others. A rising tide lifts all boats, as they say. The last year was a great learning experience for us, as we grew quickly and we weren’t totally prepared.

As a result, this year we are focusing on adapting processes and systems so we have a good foundation on which to grow the business further. We are investing a lot of time in updating our website, developing a marketing strategy and of course growing our product line with a particular focus on ensuring diversity and representation.

We want to make sure we are supporting and representing communities and groups from all over the province, and of course, we hope to continue to discover many more hidden gems. Supporting local businesses has a real impact because it affects every aspect of life in your community!

Strong local communities are not only great places to live and visit but also hubs for innovation. A thriving community has better public services for local people, job opportunities, great restaurants, a vibrant arts community and attracts tourists. When you invest in the local businesses in your area, you are investing in your whole community!