Quint Studer, Author at The Archive Site for The Baltimore Times

Show Your Community Some Love This Valentine’s Day

Most of us love our community and want the best for it. It’s our home. It’s where we live, work, learn, play and raise our families. And yet, it’s easy to go about our daily lives without ever stopping to think, what can I do to make my community better?

I get it. We are all busy. And it’s easy to assume that someone else will do what needs doing. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned from my work with communities across the U.S., it’s this: We are all owners. We don’t need an official title. We don’t have to be assigned a task. We don’t have to be wealthy. We all have gifts to share and the ability to make a difference in the lives of others.

My dream is that in honor of Valentine’s Day, every citizen would do just one small thing to make their community better. We all know that random acts of kindness have positive ripple effects that reach far and wide, often unexpectedly so. Could you imagine the amazing results if everyone took part in a mass outpouring of love and positivity?

I’m not talking about big, complicated improvements. If you’re a homeowner, you know something as simple as a fresh coat of paint can be a “quick fix” that makes a huge difference in how a room looks (and how you feel living in it). The same is true of a community.

You might start by taking a slow drive around your city. What do you see that needs to be repaired or replaced? Is there a field that needs to be mowed? Does a city park need some shade trees? Do flowers need to be planted? Is there an empty lot that needs trash hauled away, or a dangerous road in need of a crosswalk?

Next, consider what resources you have at your disposal. Maybe you, personally, have the skills or the funding to fix something that’s broken. If not, you may know someone who does. If you need proper permission, try to get it. There are always potential reasons, why something “can’t” be done, but it’s often amazing what can happen when we just ask.

Maybe your way of showing your community some love is to serve on the school board, to head up a “housing for the homeless” committee, or to spend a day at your local food pantry or animal shelter. Not only will this single action serve a great practical need (everyone is desperate for volunteers!), it may inspire you to get involved on a deeper level.

This is a great opportunity for a group to work together on a project, but you don’t have to join an organized effort.

Individual acts of love and kindness are meaningful, too. You can offer to clean up a cluttered yard or place a bench under a tree at the park. Once you start looking, you’ll find lots of simple things you can do to make things better.

Also, think about how you might use your time and skill set to bring opportunity to others. Could you train entrepreneurs to better manage their finances or market themselves? Mentor someone

inside your company? Tutor students who are struggling? Think broad and then narrow your scope: It’s usually more impactful to pick one or two big things and go deep rather than try to tackle five big things.

Finally, we can all express our gratitude for what’s right in our community. We can write a letter to the editor that celebrates the bright spots in our community. (Every community has them!) We can send a heartfelt thank-you note to the hospital that took care of our loved one. We can thank a maintenance worker for keeping the streets clean. Positivity and gratitude are contagious. They make a difference. And it feels good to practice them.

Making the decision to love our community is a powerful first step. It’s a mind shift that truly changes the conversation around what’s possible. I’ve seen it over and over: When a community

decides “we are worth it” and takes control of their future, huge transformations can follow.

Happy Valentine’s Day.

Quint Studer is author of “Building a Vibrant Community: How Citizen-Powered Change Is Reshaping America” and Wall Street Journal bestseller “The Busy Leader’s Handbook: How to Lead People and Places That Thrive.” He is founder of Pensacola’s Studer Community Institute, a nonprofit organization focused on improving the community’s quality of life, and Vibrant Community Partners, which coaches communities in building out a blueprint for achieving growth and excellence. For more information, visit www.thebusyleadershandbook.com, www.studeri.org and www.vibrantcommunityblueprint.com.

Celebrate Your Community On Independence Day!

As I go about my work of helping communities revitalize and reinvent themselves, I often get to see the best of America and I’m reminded that the foundations that built this country are still just as important today.

It’s long been said that America is all about rugged individualism, and that is true to some extent. Yes, being as self-sufficient as you can be is an admirable trait, but it only takes one so far. People need people in order to really live, and nowhere is that more true than in communities.

Back when our ancestors landed on our shores, they didn’t head off into the woods to build a log cabin singlehandedly. No, they banded together in small communities. They worked together, struggled together, cried together, and celebrated together. They shared what they had when they could—and expected others to do the same for them when they needed help.

Early Americans had to live this way. Otherwise, they would never have survived in this unfamiliar, unforgiving land.

Today, something very similar is happening. We’re in the middle of a massive community revitalization movement. Across America, cities and towns of all sizes are looking to reinvent themselves after a long, hard recession and several chaotic decades that turned their world upside town.

For many communities, globalization and technology reshuffled the deck. Much like our forefathers and foremothers, people found themselves lost in uncharted territory. Jobs disappeared. Unemployment skyrocketed. Infrastructure crumbled. Once-bustling downtowns deteriorated. Young people moved away in search of better lives— and who can blame them.

Now, we’ve collectively decided to look homeward. We’ve decided to bring our communities back from the brink. And we’re not doing it as a nation of rugged individuals. We’re doing it in small, tight-knit groups as we embrace the spirit of cooperation, collaboration, and partnership.

Community leaders, business owners and citizens are deeply engaged and working together, to breathe new life into our downtowns. We’re encouraging entrepreneurs to start new ventures. We’re choosing to eat, drink, play, and shop locally. We’re showing up at street festivals, volunteering, and supporting the institutions that feed, educate, and heal our community.

As I look to communities that are thriving, one thing is for certain— we are still the land of opportunity. People are finding they can still start a business, make a living, and provide jobs to others. While a strong local government is part of every vibrant community, in most cases private industry is the backbone. Thriving local business communities lead to long-term prosperity.

So here is what I believe: Real independence is about working hard, playing hard, building strong relationships with family and friends, and being happy in the place we’ve put down our roots. It’s about choosing the kind of life we want to live. For the most part, this can exist only in the context of community.

This Independence Day, I hope you’ll take a moment to be grateful for your community and reflect on what you might do to make it better. Get involved. Find a cause that speaks to you. Share your ideas. Join together with like-minded neighbors and work to make something happen.

The spirit of community is the spirit that built America. And it’s what will rebuild us as we work together to create our future.

Quint Studer is author of “Building a Vibrant Community: How Citizen-Powered Change Is Reshaping America,” and founder of Pensacola’s Studer Community Institute, a nonprofit organization focused on improving the community’s quality of life and moving Escambia and Santa Rosa counties forward. For more information, visit: www.vibrantcommunityblueprint.com and www.studeri.org.

Celebrate Your Community On Independence Day!

It’s long been said that America is all about rugged individualism, and that is true to some extent. Yes, being as self-sufficient as you can be is an admirable trait but it only takes one so far. People need people in order to really live and nowhere is that more true than in communities.

Back when our ancestors landed on our shores, they didn’t head off into the woods to build a log cabin singlehandedly. No, they banded together in small communities. They worked together, struggled together, cried together, and celebrated together. They shared what they had when they could— and expected others to do the same for them when they needed help.

Early Americans had to live this way. Otherwise, they would never have survived in this unfamiliar, unforgiving land.

Community leaders, business owners, and citizens are deeply engaged and working together to breathe new life into our downtowns. We’re encouraging entrepreneurs to start new ventures. We’re choosing to eat, drink, play, and shop locally. We’re showing up at street festivals, volunteering, and supporting the institutions that feed, educate, and heal our community.

As I look to communities that are thriving, one thing is for certain. We are still the land of opportunity. People are finding they can still start a business, make a living, and provide jobs to others. While a strong local government is part of every vibrant community, in most cases private industry is the backbone. Thriving local business communities lead to long-term prosperity.

So here’s what I believe: Real independence is about working hard, playing hard, building strong relationships with family and friends, and being happy in the place we’ve put down our roots. It’s about choosing the kind of life we want to live. For the most part, this can exist only in the context of community.

The spirit of community is the spirit that built America. And it’s what will rebuild us as we work together to create our future.

Quint Studer is the author of “Building a Vibrant Community: How Citizen-Powered Change Is Reshaping America” and the founder of Pensacola’s Studer Community Institute, a nonprofit organization focused on improving the community’s quality of life and moving Escambia and Santa Rosa counties forward. He is a businessman, a visionary, an entrepreneur, and a mentor to many. He currently serves as the Entrepreneur-in-Residence at the University of West Florida. For more information, visit: www.vibrantcommunityblueprint.com and www.studeri.org.

The Best Way to Celebrate National Small Business Week? Shop Local

Supporting small businesses is more than a purchase. It’s an investment in your community.

April 29 to May 5, 2018, is National Small Business Week. Since 1963 this week has been designated to recognize the impact of America’s entrepreneurs and small businesses. The best way to celebrate and honor small businesses and local entrepreneurs this week—and all year long—is to do business with them.

Shopping locally gives small businesses a chance to showcase how good they are. They get face time with customers who might not regularly be in their stores and shops. And it shows consumers what they might be missing—the personal connections and experiences they crave but most likely won’t get from online or big box retailers.

Ideally, this is more than making a few purchases one week, but instead, turns into a long-term relationship, whereby consumers begin to “shop local” on a regular basis.

Supporting the small businesses in your community has never been more important. Communities need to invest in their small businesses in a meaningful way as they are the key to economic revitalization.

According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, small businesses create two out of every three net new jobs in the private sector. What’s more, over half of all Americans own or work for a small business.

There is a symbiotic relationship between residents and small business owners. They really need each other. Small businesses provide jobs and keep the dollars circulating locally. Their owners have an active and personal interest in the well being of the community. They live there. Their kids go to school there. They care about what happens.

When wealth is created, business owners are more likely to turn around and reinvest in the community.

In many cases, small businesses have taken on an even bigger role to play. Small businesses across America are being called to step in and fill the void created by the loss of their community’s “pillar” institutions. By this I mean the banks, hospitals, media outlets, etc. that used to be locally owned but that now—thanks to the changes brought about by globalization—exist as part of larger conglomerates.

A few decades ago the owners of these “pillar” businesses were committed to keeping their communities vibrant. They knew their economic health depended on it. But now that the owners of these former “pillars” live elsewhere, they just don’t have the same intimate connection to the community.

It makes sense for small businesses to take the lead in pulling communities out of the economic slump many have been in for years. When communities are vibrant, there are more high-paying jobs and people can afford to shop. Quality of life improves. There’s more money for schools and programs that lift people out of poverty. Everyone wins.

That’s what happened in Pensacola, which in recent years has seen a surge in new businesses and explosive growth in property values. Small businesses have galvanized into a solid group, and they take an active role in the leadership of the community.

The city’s business leaders mentor new entrepreneurs. They’ve put systems in place to ensure that all small business owners are well-trained in the leadership skills they need to thrive long-term. And successful small businesses give back. I hope other communities will use Pensacola’s journey as a blueprint.

Many small businesses have made their commitment to their local community part of their brand. This is what customers want. The more chaotic and

uncertain the world becomes, the more people crave a safe and stable home base. This is a huge trend, and it’s taking place all over America.

This is how you, the small business owner, can compete with the mega-retailers. Create an experience for your community. Citizens will know they’re being looked after, and they will want to do business locally. This can become your competitive advantage. Take care of the community, and it will take care of you.

The bottom line? Don’t shop locally only during Small Business Week. Do it every chance you get, all year long.

A purchase from a small business owner is an investment in your community. Who better to support than those who are working so hard to create a better future for everyone?

Quint Studer is author of “Building a Vibrant Community: How Citizen-Powered Change Is Reshaping America” and he is the founder of Pensacola’s Studer Community Institute, a nonprofit organization focused on improving the community’s quality of life and moving Escambia and Santa Rosa counties forward. For more information, visit: www.vibrantcommunityblueprint.com and www.studeri.org.