Businesses from The Collective Beat in Kiama and Gerringong are being supported by a new Instagram page after the indoor marketplace was forced to make a collective change by COVID-19.
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The Collective Beat is home to more than 60 small businesses such as Hot Mess Body run by Sarah-Jane Strutz who sells products such as bath bombs, skin care products and body washes.
Ms Strutz is also assistant manager at The Collective Beat which closed its doors in late March to help prevent the spread of Covid19. Since then everyone has been working diligently to support each other as they try to stay in business and adapt to the dramatic change brought about by social distancing.
Ms Strutz decided to create an @illawarrabusinesses Instagram page to help connect small businesses to the community. They can promote and give shout-outs to each other and encourage people to still do business with them online.
Recycled fashion retail store Hustle & The Vixen owner Rebecca Sunshine said Ms Strutz was doing a great job helping everyone get their message out and keep generating sales. Ms Sunshine is using the new page to promote the vintage and retro clothing and accessories she sources from vendors and people she finds inspiring.
Ms Strutz said the collective was a great place to nurture new businesses who do everything from fashion, to homewares, childrens ware, food hampers, tea and art. When she started she had just one shelf. "But in the last two years I have expanded into two stores and have two big displays now".
"It has been such an amazing platform to grow my own business".
Ms Strutz said when you are starting out you can't afford much but the collective gets right behind you and lets you take one small step at a time until you are ready to open your own shopfront.
The indoor marketplace is a network of like-minded people all supporting, encouraging and motivating each other.
Being forced apart all of a sudden has been a big change but they are all doing that now on social media and inviting the community to log onto the Instagram page and have a look.
The new Instagram page is also helping them to continue to feel close together.
"We have this amazing culture where we all interact with each other, support each other and bounce ideas off each other," Ms Strutz said.
"Which is great because sometimes operating a small business you can feel quite isolated, especially as a sole trader. Working alongside all these other businesses has been an amazing confidence booster".
Ms Strutz said The Collective Beat had its own Instagram page called @thecollectivegrapevine that was still operating to promote all businesses.
The Collected Beat director Sheree Harris is managing that page shares information about products and special offers from independent brands, artists and creatives.
Ms Harris agreed it would would be a good idea for Ms Strutz to also launch the @Illawarrabusinesses page.
"I literally started it a few days ago," she said.
"If anyone tags me in anything I am automatically sharing it.
"They can also direct message me with information and I will create a post for them.
"I feel now more than ever that small businesses need to support each other and can help market each other.
"And I would love to see people in the community following it so they can keep updated on things like which businesses are offering free postage on their orders.
"There are others offering virtual meditation and virtual bootcamps.
"There are so many businesses going above and beyond right now and I just want to support that".
The Illawarra Mercury has launched a Taking Care of Business campaign.
Each day we will highlight a local business who is adapting or evolving to be able to keep operating under these trying times.
If you know of a business adapting, please send us an email titled Taking Care of Business to cos@illawarramercury.com.au.
We have also put a call out and will run a list of cafes, restaurants and clubs who are offering takeaway or delivery on our Facebook page. If you know of an outlet now offering home delivery or takeaway, please let us know and add it to the list.
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