Mission statement: Our mission is to create an environment conducive to the growth and development of MWBE’s while strenghtening the inter-community bonds in which these businesses are located.
supshops is an e-commerce platform with one goal in mind: increasing the visibility of Minority/Women-Owned Business Enterprises (MWBE’s) and businesses owned by other disenfranchised groups. To make this happen, the platform consists of two parts:
A directory where consumers and allies are able to discover and learn more about MWBE’s in their communities.
A marketplace of MWBE products, empowering consumers to support MWBE’s on a global scale
In combination with our browser extension, these components operate to make it so incredibly easy for members of these minority groups and their allies to locate and support MWBE’s, that there’s no reason not to.
We recognize that MWBE’s are root structures that bind communities together. But visibility is the key to their growth and success. By increasing the visibility of MWBE’s, we can open people’s eyes to the alternative shopping options that exist around them and enable consumers to make more informed purchasing decisions. In doing so, we can foster the recognition of multiformity and the embrace of diversity in communities worldwide.
With the increasing dominance of larger corporations and the disproportionately negative impacts of the global health crisis, times have been tough for MWBE’s and their owners. Thankfully, as a result, there has been a resounding call from the public to “shop small,” “shop Black,” or “shop Asian,” yet finding these businesses to support them is often an insurmountable task. A quick internet search only leads to top 10 lists from various websites or another search altogether because the answers just aren’t there. Until now.
Why are you doing this?
Who are you?
supshops is the first of multiple solutions geared toward increasing the upward mobility of disenfranchised groups and their allies. To learn more about us and our other initiatives, visit us on our parent company’s site:
Who are you?
What if I'm not a minority?
Not a problem! supshops is a safe space not just for minorities and minority business owners, but for anyone that considers themselves an ally, anyone looking to make more informed shopping choices, or anyone just looking to get more involved in their community.
The above also applies to non-minority business owners. supshops aim to empower all small business owners that align with our vision. Non-minority business owners are listed as "Ally" in the directory, granting participation while keeping the primary focus on MWBE's.
What if I'm not a minority?
Our Goals
Among our many goals here are a few items high on our agenda.
Open the eyes of consumers to alternative shopping options that exist around them.In order to adhere to shipping promises while remaining profitable, many large retailers employ numerous cost saving measures . While convenient, these practices are, more often than not, harmful to the environment. Further reliance on these large retailers only intensifies their damaging effects. An easy way to not only help the environment but help your local economy as well is to shop locally/shop small. By making it easier for consumers to conduct their shopping in more health and socially conscious ways, we aim to improve the overall wellbeing of communities, especially those of color.
Empower MWBE’s, their owners, and all small businesses that are being disproportionately impacted by the current world state.It is no secret that even prior to the current global health crisis, many MWBE’s were in distressed situations. The rise and expansion of large retail chains often steals away revenue from local businesses that could help their neighborhoods cohere. Tacking on the COVID-19 pandemic we find that these issues have been exacerbated ten-fold. By increasing the visibility of these businesses that are in dire straits, we can also increase the possibility that these businesses are able to recover and blossom. Through visibility we hope to bring greater attention to the issues that these groups face on a regular basis as well.
Grant communities the opportunity to invest in themselves.Local businesses create jobs, provide greater product diversity, and have the ability to make your community a destination, which spurs economic growth. By enabling local business owners to thrive and be successful, we hope that they are able to reinvest their good fortunes back into their communities, while also setting themselves up for generational wealth. We hope that these efforts encourage communities of all shapes and sizes to be more self-sufficient overall. At the same time, we aim to draw attention to current MWBE owners and inspire a new generation of MWBE entrepreneurs to join us as we foster the unity in community.
Looking for more?
How It Works
A guide on what to expect as a consumer on supshops.
