Why? I Started It
My name is Wadh, The Local Kid. I worked in my family’s business Grocery store and Deli while I was going to college. The family business meant the bread on the table for my family, and I’m sure it means the same thing for other families of local businesses. My father has started a family business for us, so his kids have a part-time job while they go to college. He wanted to create this flexibility for us. However, our family business didn’t do well as a lot of the local businesses. I had to go work as a ride-share (Uber/Lyft) driver. I finished college and it only gets worst for my family economy. All my parents’ dreams, Sacrifice, and hopes were on me and my siblings.
How it all began
I graduated with a bachelor degree in Computer Science Jun, 2019. I saw how hard it is for a local business to survive economically, and technological shifts. local businesses were suffering the most, while giant companies benefitting from governmental incentives, and the cash flow of big Venture Capital. At the same time, The Globe economy was thriving, the local economy was declining.
Inspiring Community
When COVID-19 hit a lot of the local businesses took an unrecoverable hit. However, I was inspired by the Support local Businesses movement. I thought to myself. People still have empathy for those local businesses. They haven’t been fully swayed by the convenience, and what financially makes sense to them. I learned from ride-share clients that they’d try to order food from restaurants just because they want to support them.
Mission
I started Whollies in order to help my family business and other similar local businesses that suffer from a similar side effect of this new era. I hope with Whollies that we will give the local community a chance to help their local businesses before they go on to those global companies. I have great hope and belief in local communities. Because Local community business is the family, is the neighborhood, and is where our kids find work in the summertime and during college.
