They say big things come in small packages, and business is no different! If you are preparing to do some holiday shopping in the coming weeks, don’t forget about Small Business Saturday. If you are just learning about Small Business Saturday — coming to a community near you on November 24 — look at it as the Black Friday of startups, local shops and other small businesses. Although major retailers will be competing for your business during the weekend after Thanksgiving, there are dozens of reasons to shop small instead — keep reading for four of them!

1. Show appreciation for makers, creators and entrepreneurs.

When most people think of entrepreneurs, they think of Tyler Perry, Oprah Winfrey or J.K. Rowling. While these media moguls are certainly noteworthy, they are also much more well-known than the average entrepreneur. Many small business owners around the nation spend more, earn less and have fewer resources than these big names. Small Business Saturday is a time to celebrate the business-savvy leaders who provide quality products and services in our communities.

2. Practice what you preach.

2018 brought all the controversy when it came to culturally incompetent advertising. When H&M got slammed for featuring a young brown boy in a "Coolest Monkey in the Jungle" t-shirt, social justice warriors across the internet (which remains undefeated) denounced the clothing brand along with other companies that missed the target on diversity and inclusion. So, for all of you who vowed to support more minority-owned businesses, this is the time. Small Business Saturday not only offers an opportunity to support brown business owners, freelancers, and solopreneurs, but a chance to practice what you’ve been preaching all year long.

3. Keep it in the community.

Although Small Business Saturday is a time to celebrate small business owners across the country, it is also a time to support those in your community. Provided that your local small business owners are demonstrating fair business practices and providing a quality product or service, you can feel good about keeping your hard-earned dollar in your community.

4. Deals!

The weekend after Thanksgiving is bound to bring all kinds of deals and steals. However, on Small Business Saturday, you can expect huge savings from unique brands in apparel and accessories, natural hair care, professional services and more.

Now that you have at least four good reasons to shop small this coming weekend, don’t be shy about sharing this article with your circle on social media — after all, we can all gain something and give something by shopping Small Business Saturday!