Atlanta small businesses have faced more than enough challenges over the last several years. The services we provide are what make Georgia’s economy strong and our communities flourish. It is imperative that we protect free and easy access to digital tools on social media platforms that help businesses stay afloat.
Getting the word out about my company, Thrive International Academy, would not be possible without access to free digital tools on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. I specifically use personalized advertising to market my services to moms of teenage students, and this tool allows me to focus my resources on finding my target audiences.
At Thrive International Academy, our mission is to provide K-12 students around the world with personalized learning plans outside of the traditional classroom setting. We provide this service to make sure that all students get the individual attention and tailored education they need and deserve. Some of the business leads I get come from organic marketing, or word-of-mouth referrals about what I do. But social media allows me to reach audiences I can’t reach on my own and scale my growth. In business, being able to get in front of your target customer is a game changer.
Digital resources give my business a way to compete on an even playing field. I can use affordable targeted advertising tools, boost my social media posts and learn more about targeted audiences that may want and need my services. I don’t have a big marketing budget or operate on a scale that allows me to hire marketing support, but that doesn’t mean my business is any less significant than that of larger companies. In fact, most small businesses like mine are the very companies that provide the niche services communities need and are often the innovators and changemakers of our economy.
Any legislation that impacts small businesses has sweeping implications not just for those businesses, but for consumers, too. Lawmakers need to be careful when they are considering policy changes, especially those that could have such a deep impact on our small business economy.
Recently I had the opportunity to meet with Sen. Jon Ossoff’s office to discuss the importance of ensuring small businesses like mine have easy access to the online digital tools and platforms they need to run their companies. Current legislation, such as the American Privacy Rights Act, could limit access to vital digital resources that help small businesses like mine.
If my access to digital tools becomes limited, my business would be dramatically impacted. I need digital tools to continue to be easily accessible so that my business can thrive. I urge lawmakers to take business owners’ perspectives into account when considering this legislation. I may not have the biggest voice and I may not be the most important company, but I belong to a significant group of small business owners that shapes our economy and I hope our lawmakers are listening.
Evelyn Shaw Corley is founder and CEO of Thrive International Academy, which seeks to connect students with personalized tutoring and teacher mentors
