Small Businesses I Love!

If you're anything like me, you've seen a thousand posts floating around Facebook asking for recommendations for your favorite small/local businesses which is really what inspired me here. I recently wrote this on my own personal Facebook in an effort to garner suggestions for great gift options:

"I've definitely had a big shift in the way I see things this year and have grown and expanded into lots of new avenues myself. This year has really been a year of expansion and trying new things for so many. I'm excited to shop from my friends who are building businesses right now.
I know from personal experience that small business owners are over here fighting for EVERY sale. I know this from my consulting work. My gift shop I attempted to launch 5 years ago. ​And my 2 newest additions - baking and wine.
EVERY sale is appreciated.
EVERY sale makes me want to cry (I'm not exaggerating).
EVERY sale gives me LIFE and allows me to provide for my family.
We struggle on the daily because the entrepreneurial pull is so strong that I can't imagine life any other way. So I push hard every day to make this work for me and my family."

ANYWAY! I truly wanted to seek out these businesses to shop from this holiday season and so I thought I would share some of my favorite businesses/finds here in one spot. Some of the below are people I've bought from, some are ones I haven't yet but I plan to and love them nonetheless! I will continue to update this page as I make more purchases or find other cool businesses providing cool stuff and great services. Additionally, the vast majority of these are women or family owned!

U.S. Businesses:

• Allison Kathleen Designs ~ Just check her out. You won't be sorry. Calligraphy + Photography and flowers. All the good stuff and lots of color.
• ​AquaNotes ~ Never lose another great idea down the drain again with a notepad for your shower​
• Auntie Dalie's Pasta ~ Handmade pasta out of Hopedale, MA (& the nicest people ever)
• Beverage Bonnet ~ Bonnets for your beverages to prevent condensation!
• Camp Craft Cocktails ~ Delicious, easy-to-make craft cocktail (mix) - can be made non-alcoholic too!
• Clay in Common ~ Clay artist out of Blackstone, MA
• Collagen/Clean Living ~ My friend Maggie is amazing and so are these products!
• Color Me Happy by Melissa ~ Happy, Colorful Artwork by Melissa Partridge out of Boston!
• Estelle Colored Glass ~ Gorgeous colored glasses & cake plates etc.
• iebis (IG) ~ Handmade polymer clay earrings (she's in Latvia!).
• Jill Kane Designs (IG) ~ I may have snagged an ornament! Beautiful hand lettered goodies.
• Kaylee Spinhirn ~ Money Mantra Card Deck + Amazing money/accounting coach. Pop around her site and subscribe to her super helpful newsletter!
• Laurel's (ColorStreet) Nail Lounge ~ My Medway, MA-based ColorStreet girl!
• LT Created ~ I follow her on IG. Handmade polymer clay earrings
• Melinda Kunst's Shop on Amazon ~ Just check out her page. Beautiful books/notebooks!
• MiaRose Designs (IG) ~ Beautifully painted + resin art (in my kitchen!)
• Molly's Apothecary ~ Small batch hand crafted soaps & skincare in Medway, MA
• Picked Herbals ~ Cara hand makes tea blends in Vermont! 
• Soy Much Brighter ~ Yummy soy candles hand poured in Boston
• Sparkle and Shine (ColorStreet) with Melissa ~ My Plymouth, MA-based ColorStreet girl!
• The High Fiber ~ Hand printed flour sack tea towels and home goods
• Vermont Brownie Co. ~ ​Brownies for all occasions made with love in Vermont

Canadian Businesses:

• Jillian Harris ~ Ok, I'm slightly obsessed with Jillian. She's an incredible human and is truly dedicated to learning and giving back. Check out her cookbook (I own it haha) and the MANY other businesses/ideas she has on her site!
• Shop The Skinny ~ Boutique shop in Canada carrying my FAVORITE cardigan ever (the Erinn Cardigan) - also follow on Insta!
• Smash & Tess ~ Grown Up rompers and adorable comfy clothes (we all need more of this!)

Businesses That Give Back & I Enjoy Shopping From:
I get that these aren't really "small businesses" but they're still businesses with big heart and I feel good about my purchases!

• Bombas ~ Get socks & they donate socks to homeless! I love their mission
• Life is Good ~ A GOOD company with good morals and give back!
• Toms​ ~ This is a shared link for $20 off your first purchase!​

My Businesses...

And, of course, I gotta share what's going on with my own small businesses!

ONEHOPE ~ Wine that gives back out of Napa Valley!
​10% of purchases through the end of the year will be donated to New Hope, Inc., local central Mass organization dedicated to ending domestic & sexual violence.

Leanne Bakes Cakes ~ Follow me on Instagram or Facebook and reach out if you're in any town surrounding Hopedale, MA and need a cake!

Cvent/Registration Consulting

COMING SOON!! The revival of Make Her Day Project! Stay tuned for the relaunch featuring items from some of the businesses above!!!

And, finally, I'm a PROUD PARTNER of my beautiful friend, Hayley Hunter Hines who is launching a wonderfully supportive community for experienced CEOs called the Soul Centered CEO Collective ~ a year-long group of dedicated business owners/builders excited to build BIG businesses so we can give back BIG to the world (think a $1million donation!). It's not a program, it's a Collective and we're SO excited! If you could use a group of soulful, encouraging, big hearted entrepreneurs to push you toward your dreams, please consider joining us! Click the link to learn more.

Finally, I'll leave you with this food for thought:

- xoxo -
Leanne