I am old enough to remember when small businesses were…well…just businesses. Before big box stores popped up in every shopping center. Before Amazon. Before there was a Starbucks at every corner. We used to shop at family-owned stores. We knew the owners, and we felt cared for on a personal level. They provided a great service, and we rewarded them with our loyal patronage.

Over the last couple of decades, countless small businesses have been pushed out of business. When You’ve Got Mail came out in 1998, I felt the helplessness of Meg Ryan’s character as her small bookshop failed when the big bad mega-chain went up across the street. In hindsight, that was just the beginning. It has been painful for me to see so many small stores, once filled with passion, fall victim to the corporate big guys.

Fortunately, there has been a resurgence of support in recent years for America’s small business community. Americans have begun to appreciate the value that small businesses bring to the local community.

Small businesses generally provide better customer service because they are more passionate about their offerings. Small businesses provide a unique flavor and vibe to their communities (nobody really wants their neighborhood to look exactly like every other neighborhood).

And the support of the community works both ways when it comes to buying from, and owning, a small business. Every sale generated by these companies helps the owner provide wages for their workers, keep the lights on, and put food on the table for their families.

One organization that is doing its part to support small businesses in the healthcare field is the 10X HEALTH Marketplace. They have created a platform to empower entrepreneurs who bring health and wellness into their local communities. They provide all the training, materials, and programming to support their 10X Health Affiliates.

Interested in learning more about how you could go into business for yourself in the healthcare field? Check them out at the link below.