We didn't forget!

Did you think we forgot about you?! NEVER! We've been working hard brainstorming and getting feedback to make sure that we offer exactly what you would expect! Well, the good news is ...we're so close! 

Let me tell you what we've been doing. We've been planning and networking to try to find as many connections as we can to offer to our preferred members to help them stay at the top of their games, working in coordination with printers, marketers, event planners, videographers, photographers and more to get our members quality, discounted services. 

We've also been crunching the numbers to find out how we can offer all of the events and marketing we can while making it affordable for the small locally owned businesses in the Tri-State. Local businesses will be able to sign their membership agreements as early as next week!

We have also planned a series of events including a Wellness Expo and a Summer Bash that will bring business and community together! Other events in the works are of course our 2nd annual Shopapalooza and other holiday events as well as networking events and social mixers!! 

That's right ladies and gents, we are on a roll!!! 

We're still accepting referrals for our preferred member's listing as well as parties interested in advertising or sponsorship. Get more information by e-mailing us at contactcincylocal@gmail.com

We can't wait to start unveiling all of the great stuff we have planned and we truly hope you'll stick with us while we do :)

Bella Vi

If you haven't noticed before but we are very open about our partnerships and the relationships that we develop. I know I've plugged them before and I'll do it again  because when I develop a quality relationship I am appreciative and I will share with the world.

One of those relationships came with a company known as Bella Vi, Marketing, Events and Promotions.

http://www.bellavimep.com/

This team of girls, better known as, "The Bellas," works one on one with each of their clients to listen and understand your dreams and all that you want to achieve. Whether it be starting a business or planning an event they should be your first call. They're energy and passion will be close enough to your own you'll forget you hired them and begin to think of them as a truly valuable partnership the same way that we have. 

Seriously, they've built our entire website on such short notice and have been amazing, although, I'm not sure they sleep. They're dedicated to each client and their visions and work to make them real. We'll also be using them to plan our future events, so watch out because you'll be seeing those pop up soon. Bella Vi has a variety of connections around the area as well so we've met a lot of great contacts and a few valuable partnerships.

Please check out Bella Vi and give their FACEBOOK PAGE a "LIKE"make sure you tell them that Cincy Local sent ya!!! We love the Bella's!

https://www.facebook.com/BellaVimep

Opportunity is knocking

I love being able to give opportunity to those that truly deserve it. Those that work a little bit harder every day to put food on the table and pursue their passion. 

We recently offered the opportunity to local business owners and vendors to participate in our First Annual Black Friday Weekend Shopapalooza Online Event! 

This is an online event to shop with only local businesses. Sure, it may not seem like much to some but we've got big plans. I can't wait to continue to reward them throughout 2014 simply for having faith in our vision. Check out some of the great vendors that signed up during our 2 week promotion.  Please stop by and support our neighbors! 

• 30 Something Design
• All'asta
• Bella Vi: Marketing. Events. Promotions
• Buttercup's Sweet Shoppe
• Cincinnati Bounce House Rentals, LLC
• Clever Container
• Cutco
• Fenno Fashion
• Heather J. Photography
• Herbalife
• Jamberry
• Jeremy Knights Unique Perspectives Photography
• Just Ask
• Krista Silz Photography
• Lilla Rose
• Mary Kay
• Nelly Packs with Liz
• Nerium
• Options Utility Consulting
• Origami Owl
• Pink Zebra
• Pretty Penguin Studios
• Pure Romance
• Scentsy
• Sebastian Rey Awareness
• Shrink Wrap Me Skinny (ItWorks)
• Stella & Dot
• Swiss Just Essential Oil Spa
• Tastefully Simple
• Thirty-One Gifts
• Tint Guy
• Tip Toe Thirty
• Tupperware
• Velata

Love from Fenno!

So I'm going to brag for just a minute... has anyone met Megan Fenno? Well, she's the owner of Fenno Fashion!!

Not only is she a designer but she also does a lot of TV and radio work along with her blogging. Plus, she's a huge Cincinnati fan!

(Get to the point right?) Okay! I'm getting there! I just have to take a moment to tell you all about this amazing, talented and inspiring woman. 

As if that's not enough, on top of all those wonderful qualities, she's also very supportive and interested in the success of Cincy Local! How great is that?! Pretty great! 

Stop by her blog and check it out! We just started November 11,2013, so here we are, 11 days old and she blogged about us! (Made me blush)

We loved Fenno before and then she went and did this! 

Can't wait to get together and do big things together in the future! 

http://www.meganfenno.com/2013/11/shop-local-with-cincy-local.html

Thanks again Megan!!!

A little greenery...

What is a Farmer's Market? It's great! Local farmers set up shop and sell you all of their FRESH fruit, vegetables, baked goods, and sometimes meat and cheeses! You can get all of these things fresh from others in your community. Farming IS their job. Everybody has to pay their electric bills right? They also have to pay hospital bills, I bet you'd find less of those in your life if you went a less 'drive-thru meals' and sat down for a dinner that's a little more "real".

Ignoring the health bill factor for a moment check this out!

Did you know? Most produce in the US is picked 4 to 7 days before being placed on supermarket shelves, and is shipped for an average of 1500 miles before being sold. And this is when taking into account only US grown products! Those distances are substantially longer when we take into consideration produce imported from Mexico, Asia, Canada, South America, and other places. (Read More at http://www.localharvest.org/buylocal.jsp)

Don't even get me started on the Genetically Engineered foods and GMO debates! If that's still not enough reason, read this, according to a research study at the University of Vermont,  "Local food keeps taxes down. According to several studies by the American Farmland Trust, farms contribute more in taxes than they require in services, whereas most development contributes less in taxes than the cost of required services. Cows don’t go to school, tomatoes don’t dial 911." (Read more at http://www.uvm.edu/vtvegandberry/factsheets/buylocal.html)

If you haven't heard yet, there's a lot of great ways to get fresh, organic foods right here in the Tri-State. Check out Cincinnati's own Findlay market and other farmers markets throughout the season. Green Bean delivery brings fresh right to your front door and they buy the produce, LOCALLY! You can also find a lot of great tips on Pinterest for DIY gardens. Go ahead look into a little backyard garden to grow a few of your own favorite veggies. Who knows? You might save a little green ;)

Shop Small. Support Local.

It's kind of what we're about after all :) Shop Local is a huge campaign that is focused on keeping jobs and money in our own communities. Why are we sending jobs overseas when we have so many unemployed neighbors? Why are we giving so much space to Wal-mart? This is an article from www.staylocal.org (granted it's about New Orleans) that pretty well sums up exactly why we should keep it local. Just say "Cincinnati" in place of New Orleans to get the full effect.
Check it out and tell me what you think! I'll be finding more "Keep it Local" stuff to share this week, let me know if you find anything!

WHY SHOP LOCAL

Eat Here or We Both Go Hungry

Top Ten Reasons to Shop Local

1. PROTECT LOCAL CHARACTER AND PROSPERITY

New Orleans is unlike any other city in the world.  By choosing to  support locally  owned businesses, you help maintain New Orleans'  diversity and distinctive flavor.

2. COMMUNITY WELL-BEING

Locally owned businesses build strong neighborhoods by sustaining communities, linking neighbors, and by contributing more to local causes.

3. LOCAL DECISION MAKING

Local ownership means that important decisions are made locally by people who live in the community and who will feel the impacts of those decisions.

4. KEEPING DOLLARS IN THE LOCAL ECONOMY

Your dollars spent in locally-owned businesses have three times the impact on your community as dollars spent at national chains. When shopping locally, you simultaneously create jobs, fund more city services through sales tax, invest in neighborhood improvement and promote community development.

5. JOB AND WAGES

Locally owned businesses create more jobs locally and, in some sectors, provide better wages and benefits than chains do.

6. ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Entrepreneurship fuels America's economic innovation and prosperity, and serves as a key means for families to move out of low-wage jobs and into the middle class.

7. PUBLIC BENEFITS AND COSTS

Local stores in town centers require comparatively little infrastructure and make more efficient use of public services relative to big box stores and strip shopping malls.

8. ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY

Local stores help to sustain vibrant, compact, walkable town centers-which in turn are essential to reducing sprawl, automobile use, habitat loss, and air and water pollution.

9. COMPETITION

A marketplace of tens of thousands of small businesses is the best way to ensure innovation and low prices over the long-term.

10. PRODUCT DIVERSITY

A multitude of small businesses, each selecting products based, not on a national sales plan, but on their own interests and the needs of their local customers, guarantees a much broader range of product choices.

3...2...1.. Launch

Okay, so apparently I'm not as good at surprises as I was hoping so instead of "building suspense" until the Big Black Friday Reveal- we went ahead and launched the site...today :)  No, you can't see the sales yet (I guess I can keep some secrets) but you can visit the site and save it to your bookmarks! I'm so excited!!! EEEK!!! Thanks is in order for Bella Vi who made this happen so quickly! You're only as good as your support and the Bella's got my back! Go visit!!!    www.cincylocal.com