If you follow along on our instagram account, you may have noticed a particular hashtag we share on some of our images: #communityovercompetition. It’s been one of the most fun discoveries of our little shop so far, to know there is a whole hashtag of like minded people out there with the same values and ideas. It was like a warm instagram hug saying, hey friend!!!!
Community over competition is the idea that as small business owners, we value people over profits. Relationships will always be the most important part of what we do. Our business plan was developed with the core operating belief that people matter, and we want to serve them well. Customer service and community service are hand in hand priorities for us. One of the reasons we wanted to start the Indigo Mill was to pool our efforts to support local organizations that are making a difference. It’s important to us to build ties to others and walk in relationship.
As creatives, we are motivated by a desire to make, not to win. Competition has a place, and can be a healthy motivator to push yourself to your fullest potential. But for us, the best practice isn’t focusing on how much our “competitors” have of our pie, it’s focusing on how we can do our thing the best we know how and in doing so, serve our clients the best way we are able. By focusing on our own contributions to the greater good, and not what others are up to, we aren’t distracted by someone else’s story. We want to cheer our fellow creatives on. Their success doesn’t mean anything but a win for the rest of us. There’s room for everyone at the table.
Think of a really important, pinnacle type moment in your life. It probably wouldn’t take long to start the list in your mind of the people behind that moment: the people that support, inspired, encouraged and loved you on your way there. So many people are turning their focus away from the big bad competition and instead to how they can dream bigger and love harder. If you need to look for us, you can find us jumping feet first into any situation we can be part of that conversation.
As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another. – Proverbs 27:17