10 minute read

STRONGER TOGETHER

Competition is alive and well in Happy Valley, but so is cooperation amongst local business owners. In fact, there is an alliance of nearly 150 Happy Valley businesses in close association with the City of Happy Valley that have banded together to provide mutual support and to even encourage their own clientele to shop at other local merchants. It’s all about making life joyful and prosperous for all in the community we call home.

To illustrate this, we sat down with several members of the Happy Valley Business Alliance to hear more about how they are partnering with other local businesses:

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Q. Give us some examples of how you network and cross-sell with other local businesses.

• Jen Anderson-Vue: My Gym Children’s Fitness Center:

A. “We look for creative ways to partner with other businesses who share the same clientele. One of our partners is We Are Cake. Both businesses engage in a lot of personal conversation with our customers, so we both have the opportunity to mention each other in conversations.”

• Darrin Hamblin: Snap Fitness:

A. “Brute Fit and Lean Fit [are] two locally owned businesses that we promote in our gym with advertising, selling of product, and allowing demos.”

• Kristeen Kalantari: Restore Hyper Wellness

A. “We love to help cross-promote other local businesses in the area! Whether it be a gym, health clinic, PT clinic, sugaring/waxing company, meal prep company, juicing company, you name it… we love to help speed up recovery, help with sleep, energy, whatever it may be!

I will give you one example. We partnered up with Nourished NW, a local juice cart. She will come to our monthly beauty events and bring juices with her for our clients to try. She sends clients to us and we send clients to her. We are always in touch every month spitting ideas back and forth on how we can help one another out.”

• Dany Calcagno: Nourished NW

A. “I have heard that when building a business it is necessary to build a tribe. I have been blessed to meet four women entrepreneurs that have become “family.” I am building a “Wellness & Healing Brand” that encompasses that ideology and I would not be able to do so without the motivation, support and encouragement of these four women.”

WHY BUY LOCAL?

Locally owned businesses support our community. They employ local workers at decent wages and contribute to the support of local public infrastructure.

Locally spent dollars also have a very high return on investment. One study found that for every $100 spent at a locally-owned business, $73 stays in the community, but only $43 spent at non-locally owned businesses stays in the community (Civic Economics, 2008).

Locally spent dollars recirculate back to the community in four primary ways:

• Wages and benefits for local workers;

• More contributions to local nonprofits;

• More support for the local tax base; and

• Build each other up by purchasing goods and services from other local businesses and farms.

Let’s explore the final point listed above about building each other up:

Q. What are some examples of how you and other Happy Valley businesses have worked cooperatively to build each other up?

• Genelle Holub: Face It Skin

A. “I ALWAYS first use our local businesses… I check to see who is reciprocating the support and make them a priority to do business with.”

• Dany Calcagno: Nourished NW

A. “I have made it a point to network with other Happy Valley Businesses of that partake in the wellness field. I have done cross promotion via social media platforms and done what is called “tabling” at several events at which I offer refreshments.”

• Janice Kiser: Venvino Art Studios

A. “We have been hanging our students’ artwork up in Inspire Life Chiropractic for a few years now, and returned to classes at the park every spring and summer since.”

• Darrin Hamblin: Snap Fitness:

A. “We contribute to the Clackamas High School dance team and cheerleading squad, football fundraisers, and the Happy Valley Library.”

• Janice Kiser: Venvino Art Studios:

A. “We do fundraising for the local school’s PTO’s, donate to organizations such as our local Relay for Life group, and work with the City to provide art programs for Parks and Recreation and for all the events the City hosts. If you put the effort into your local community, they will support you when things get hard.”

• Kim Henderson: Northwest Love in a Box

A. “When it comes to swag, we will do it at 10% over cost for nonprofits. They are the ones that catch us when we fall and we are all about supporting them as they support our communities.

NW Love will give a box to most fund raisers in the area when asked :)

A funny story is ‘During the great toilet paper shortage’ we started including a lavender wrapped roll of TP with every box order!”

• Dany Calcagno: Nourished NW

A. “As a survivor of many different obstacles, I am focused on using my past pain for purpose. I am an advocate that believes that strength is achieved in numbers. Most recently, I donated all gratuity for the month of October (Domestic Violence Awareness Month) to the Clackamas Women’s Services organization. I have also participated in a clothing and coat drive for the Clackamas Service Center. I offer 50% menu items to the Happy Valley Elementary School students. I have a vested interest in the importance of health and wellness and offer a discount for all members who belong to OrangeTheory Fitness, Star Cycle, Restore Hyper Wellness and Barre3 Fitness.”

• Genelle Holub: Face It Skin

A. “We believe in STRONGER TOGETHER, not divided. So, Face It is a money donor to Clackamas Youth Football, as well as the American Cancer Society Gala that is put on by local businesspeople – hence my clients.”

“If I know a person in the community going through a life-altering event, I offer services or goods for them to have some self-care. I do not advertise this as it’s usually too personal for what the person is going through and not everything needs to be commercialized.’”

Making Happy Valley Unique

It’s not just about economics. The one-of-a-kind businesses in Happy Valley contribute to its distinct character and give the people who live here a sense of pride. National chains have their place and offer a familiar and reliable experience. But for those who seek to adventure out and find fresh and creative alternatives, local business owners have put their stamp on our community’s distinctive character and self-image.

And with a tailored and personalized offering often comes a personal connection. It is not uncommon for local merchants to be on a first-name basis with their clientele.

Q. Do you have any exciting/inspirational stories about the connection you or your staff have with a customer/ client that evokes feelings of community spirit?

• Jen Anderson-Vue: My Gym Children’s Fitness Center:

A. “We experience this at My Gym every day! We are often considered a home away from home for our families. We are a place where families come to watch their children grow and thrive. We have seen children take their first steps at the gym, learn how to jump, make new friends – both children and parents. It is an honor to be a part of helping to create this community.”

• Kristeen Kalantari: Restore Hyper Wellness

A. “This happens all the time! We grow a strong connection with almost all our members, and they become like family to us. We do more than just provide services. We get to know people’s goals, health history, family, mental and physical struggles. You name it we are here to get you to where you need to be!”

• Kim Henderson: Northwest Love in a Box

A. “I had gotten a really large order for 500 boxes. I got a phone call from my candle maker shortly after I ordered the candles for my boxes. She said, ‘I was in the middle of one of the hardest days of my life. We had put in an offer on our dream home, my husband came home and announced that he had been laid off from his job and because of that we lost our dream home. I got your email with that big order and I had so much peace. I knew that somehow we would get through this and perhaps find a new dream home.’

Honestly, this is why I support local. Oftentimes the profit margins are smaller but I believe that we all will rise together – and that lights me up!”

[Editor’s Note: Sometimes it is not the business owner that serves the customer. Sometimes, it is the customer who shows the business owner some love, as Dany explains below.]

• Dany Calcagno: Nourished NW

A. “I experienced a major brain injury in August last year. As a result, my memory and cognition has been adversely affected. BUT... I have a clientele of people that understand and don’t take it personally. I have a high number of repeat customers, and I am fully supported. I am blessed to be encompassed and supported each step of the way by means of my amazing Happy Valley Community.”

A Smaller Carbon Footprint

Locally-owned businesses make more local purchases. That means less transportation, less congestion, less packaging and pressure on landfills, and better air quality.

Q. Give us some examples of how you network and cross-sell with other local businesses.

• Janice Kiser: Venvino Art Studios:

A. “When we source products, we do our best to source them locally first… teas from Cup of Tea, jewelry from local artists. We also partner with businesses by hanging our art students’ art in their space, and their customers get to see what our program is all about.”

• Kim Henderson: Northwest Love in a Box:

A. “We do lots of collaborations for our gift boxes: Vernon/ReWood makes all of our wood boxes for NW Love out of scrap wood, jams and sauces from Eggimann Farms, and Soaps, lotions etc. from Stumptown Soaps.”

Getting To Know You

Small business owners and staff strive to know their customers as their neighbors and friends. They tailor their sales strategies to the needs of the local customer rather than the dictates of a nationwide marketing plan.

In turn, customers and clients get to know their local shopkeepers and staff as individuals who are personally invested in our community.

Q. What would you like HV residents to know about how local businesses give back to the community?

• Jen Anderson-Vue: My Gym Children’s Fitness Center:

A. “Our local businesses are here to not only make a living, but to also help foster the true sense of community that is unique to Happy Valley. We really get to know our local families. We want to see our families, businesses and city thrive together because we are stronger together.

• Janice Kiser: Venvino Art Studios:

A. “The thing I love most about Happy Valley is the sense of community it has. I believe that a big part of why it feels like this is because of the community that comes together and gives back. We don’t want to be just a business in Happy Valley; we want to be a part of the community.”

Support The Entrepreneurs Of Happy Valley

Entrepreneurs and skilled workers offer more choices that contribute to a vibrant, competitive marketplace that promotes innovation and low prices. They invest and settle in communities that support their one-of-akind businesses and distinctive character.

A community that supports the good ideas offered by local entrepreneurs encourages more ideas and more choices for the whole community. It attracts new talent and future entrepreneurs as well as retain young professionals living in the area.

Let’s keep them here! Buying local helps create jobs for our friends and neighbors and contributes to our social, economic, and public infrastructure.

in return we host a gallery event where we invite all 100-150 students and families to come to their office and view all the artwork together. It has helped them spread the word about what they do.”

• Kim Henderson: Northwest Love in a Box

A: “We use Cup of Tea for our gift boxes and we do all of their swag-branded tumblers, and tote bags along with other things. GI Junk does all of our junk removal and we do all of their uniforms. Two Chicks & a Rooster Catering does all our catering and we do all of their uniforms and gifts. Metro Drywall has done all our home/office improvements, and we also do all of their uniforms and gifts.

During the pandemic, we even went so far as to share employees. A favorite was with Cup of Tea. We kept great employees when it was slow.”

Reinvesting Profits Back Into Our Community

Local business owners also contribute more to local charities and fundraisers than national corporations. Studies have found that locally owned retailers donated four times as much to their community compared to some larger chains. Why? Because local businesses have a vested interest in the future of our community.

Q. What would you like HV residents to know about how local businesses give back to the community?

• Kaitlin Bliss: Bliss Roofing, Inc.

A. “We have donated roofing labor and materials for the Home Builders Foundation (HBF); Clackamas Veterans Village; Good Neighbor Center; and HomePlate Youth Services. We also sponsor Nelson & Clackamas High School sports, the HV Fun Run, and donate school items for a local kindergarten classroom at Mill Park Elementary School where students are considered low income.

In 2020 we contributed a roof for A Village for One to provide a safe home for young girls and women who have been sexually exploited. They are building a second home we will roof in 2023.”

• Jen Anderson-Vue: My Gym Children’s Fitness Center:

A. “Once a year, we will do a fundraiser with Venvino Art Studios for our nonprofit arm, My Gym Foundation, which benefits children who are challenged physically and cognitively and cannot attend classes. We raise money to donate specialized equipment so they can be healthy and active at home.

That first year during COVID was really hard on us as a children’s fitness center. We had to close for a bit. Many people were also nervous about attending programs indoors and wanted outside activities. Through Happy Valley Parks & Recreation, we were able to offer classes at the park during that first fall of COVID. The classes were a smash hit and we have

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