What Makes a Business Authentic?
There are many factors that a business uses for their image. Promoting the products with amazing graphics grasps the customer’s attention. Additional marketing tactics like collaborating with celebrities and other brands brings a bigger audience to their products, Numerous companies depend on their brand to keep themselves afloat. Businesses value the effort needed to promote their products to make sure it succeeds in bringing in revenue and more customers. On the other hand, some entrepreneurs struggle to maintain a good image because their values do not align with their brand. Once you create a pattern within your business, it can affect the way you grow and get better as a business owner.
Standing Out as a Business
People may feel discouraged to start a business due to struggling with exposure and finding their niche. Although the internet is filled with opportunities to connect and grow as a person, it can get competitive just as quickly. While others establish their platform in just a few videos, you may be in the same boat as creators who are still posting and waiting for their time to shine.
Creators continue to inspire others with their platform. Content preference is at the hands of the viewer, while it’s the influencer who conveys a sense of community with their talent. Regardless of your following, there are small businesses who do their best to connect with their audience through charisma and integrity. Additionally, businesses offer ambassador and mentorship opportunities to encourage you to learn more about your niche and social media. These programs motivate people to learn new skills needed to refine their content for their audience. Organizations such as Opportunities for Youth, Femme it Forward and more community-based businesses make a difference for people who need resources to pursue social media and still be validated no matter where they start.
The Rise and Fall of Consumerism
Most people depend on online shopping for their needs. This is because of its convenience and how fast-paced it is to get what you need in a click of a button. We can imagine the influx of clothes, makeup and other products being sold per day because of quality marketing. We’ll take the bait if it means our products are advertised from well-known brands or gained traction from campaigns raised from our favorite influencers. Regardless, businesses can still take a hit if there are inconsistent signs of improvement that’s demanded from their consumers.
“According to an article by Bloomberg, fashion accounts for a fifth of the 300 million tons of plastic produced each year globally. And more clothing has been produced than ever since the year 2000.”
Businesses such as Shein or Amazon fail to adhere to the safety of their workers, and to protecting our environment. Shein continues to steal designs and falsely advertise their products and face no consequences because of how popular they are. Creators face backlash because of larger companies' mistakes. For example, Love, Kelly had their brand stolen from Converse after working with them on their project earlier in the year. They have not received compensation or credit for Converse’s “Love, Chuck” campaign. These industries continue to overlook their impact because they prioritize the revenue made from their products. Countless businesses thrive off the ideas from entrepreneurs and artists all over the world, yet a fraction of them are compensated for it.
Being the Bigger Business, and Better Person
Research proves that small businesses have increased in sales in the last 5 years. Partnerships, grants, and showing up for their consumers play a crucial role in maintaining their business. When entrepreneurs start small, it shows how appreciative they are of the purchases and exposure. Authenticity doesn’t stop when you’re big, and instead becomes a key component to providing secure relationships to your customers. Small businesses continue to maintain relevance with their audience by breaking the stigma that businesses only care about money and corrupt practices.
Our services come from a team of diverse and truthful creatives who are passionate on economic, political and social concerns worldwide. We offer a variety of programs, coaching and support for people in need. We strive to create a space for all artists to promote and grow their business. As you consider shopping or supporting other businesses, take a look at that involvement with their community and ensure that your money is going towards the right causes for yourself and other consumers.
Sources
Tanzil, Verena. “On Average, How Much Money Do We Spend on Apparel?” Information Visualization, 22 Oct. 2022, studentwork.prattsi.org/infovis/visualization/on-average-how-much-money-do-we-spend-on-apparel/ .
Solutions, Vena. “45 Small Business Revenue Statistics + Tips to Boost Yours.” Complete Planning Software, Vena Blog, 30 May 2025, www.venasolutions.com/blog/small-business-revenue-statistics?hs_amp=true .
Ritch, Elaine. “Fast Fashion: What Are the True Costs?” Economics Observatory, 31 Mar. 2025, www.economicsobservatory.com/fast-fashion-what-are-the-true-costs .
