When Covid hit I brainstormed ( teacher-speak) on how I could help support my neighbors. I pondered about what I could do to show my support of small businesses and their surrounding communities in some tangible way. I was living in NH at the time, commuting back and forth to “Do” real estate in RI while residing in NH so that my son could play prep school hockey, and each day I awoke fixated on how I could help. I had heard about Parkbench for a few years and was drawn to their mission at my first introduction on LinkedIn. A group whose mission is to support communities, by highlighting small businesses and providing value via “local leaders” who lived to unite, strengthen and help others was completely right up my proverbial ally. It was expensive to do however and I simply couldn’t “afford” to do it…Or so I thought..
That notion quickly turned into how I couldn’t afford NOT to do it as I watched local businesses spin in place as our world tilted more and unraveled more and more each day. One month before my 50th birthday I called Parkbench and said ” I want to do it.” The cost became a minor detail and as the CAUSE became my purpose.
25 businesses supported later, I have never looked back.
Meeting with small business owners in my home state of RI in communities I have grown up populating and creating memories in is truly the answer to my “Why I’m here” part….. A “part” that has been called into question a bit the last few months and by golly, I swear it’s my need to help others that fuels me to emerge triumphant over seemingly insurmountable odds.
Helping others IS my why and Parkbench Barrington & Beyond and my role as a RI Realtor are the Ultimate conduit cocktail for it!!!
So please continue to support local. Shop local. Gift local. Eat local. Unite local. We all need each other more than we realize. Small businesses constitute the unique heartbeats of each and every little Rhody town. Let’s continue to fuel their fires via our support, shall we?
Check out my latest video highlighting a new addition to Bristol that is as Off the Charts high as its beautiful smoke stack….Pivotal Brewing !
https://parkbench.com/blog/pivotal-brewing-company-bars-pubs-bristol-todd-ernst