I come from a family of entrepreneurs. My Dad and his four siblings grew up on the Southside of Chicago. (Tinley Park, IL for those you who know the area.) They were Irish, poor, and sometimes hungry. This arduous childhood manifested as ambition because all five went on to be become entrepreneurs. My Dad runs a staffing company while his siblings own an ambulance company, a medical supply company, a construction/fireproofing company, and my Uncle Jim founded Shultz's Guest House in Boston among other things. Today three of these five businesses are being run by the 2nd generation - aka my cousins, and in my Dad's case, my brother.
All this to say that I fully understand the difficulties of running a small business. I know that it's not glamourous. I know that Mo Money Mo Problems is true. I know that "entrepreneur" and "rich" are not synonymous which a lot of people assume. Above all, I know that my uncles hate Obama. Kidding! (Not really though.)
My point is that Small Business Saturday means something to me. I'm proud of my family and proud to be a "Halpin" (my maiden name). Similarly I'm proud of my friends who, like me, are running their own small businesses via the world wide web. Do yourself a favor and buy something from them today. Okay? Thanks.
My Small Business Bitches
The Bueno Bueno Shop - Surfergirl sisters, Kelly and Brandi, run the blog Mucho Mucho Bueno Bueno. They make and sell jewelry that is very much in line with their Free People aesthetic and style. Brandi, who also happens to cut my hair, is my hair icon. And my style icon for that matter.
West & Lou - Does Kendi Everyday need an introduction? Basically she's one of the top bloggers in North America. She and her hubby run West & Lou Boutique in McKinney, Texas. (Suburb of Dallas.) I especially liked Kendi's super candid story here on Jess Lively's podcast.
Moulton Jewelry- Jen makes cool ass jewelry. I own & recommend the horseshoe hook earrings but feel free to purchase what you wish. It's a free country after all.
Jessica Murnane - Jessica's e-cookbook, A Year of Cookies, consists of 12 plant-based cookie recipes (gluten-free too!) for each month of the year. If you're like me, and trying to go plant-based (Forks over Knives documentary is scary as shit) this cookbook is going to be essential to you because if I learned anything in my 33 years of life it's that cookies are fucking good.*Jessica Murnane related plug - Have you listened to me on Jessica's podcast yet? You should. Here's the link.
Becky Murphy - Not only would her book make a perfect stocking stuffer for your shorty friends but her prints are hilarious and affordable. Here is the link to her Etsy shop and here is a video where you can learn more about Becky and me. (Becky and I?) (Me and Becky?) You get the idea. There's a video. Becky is in it. So am I.
WhimseyBox - It's like Birchbox but instead of cosmetics, you get a monthly DIY project. If that means nothing to you, Whimseybox is a subscription service - for $15 a month, a cute kit will arrive at your door with everything you need to do a non cheesy DIY project. (This explains it better.) My friend Alicia owns this company and she's smart, hilarious, and makes an amazing Alt Summit roommate.
99 Problems but A Baby Ain't One - A Memoir about Cancer, Adoption, and My Love for Jay Z - I wrote this book. You can buy it here on Amazon. (Kindle or Paperback.) Alternatively - if you want to earn brownie points with your gift recipient, or perhaps you're angling to sleep with them, you can email me and I'll inscribe a personal message to this person - based on what background info you give me.
Good talk guys! Happy Saturday!
FOLLOW ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA! IT'LL BE FUN! PROMISE!
-SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESSES-
You might want to talk to your friend Alicia, as her company hasn't been sending out boxes or returning customers attempts to contact for months. In my opinion, she is nothing more than a scam artist, and everyone should avoid her shop, since it is still taking orders and subscriptions but not replying to customers or shipping products. I've been waiting for 2 orders since August.
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