The product on the shelf is only half of the story.

The mantra to purchase with a purpose is incredibly powerful. Recognizing the value in creating purpose around the purchase of any single commodity—whether it’s coffee, purses or jewelry—is exponential.

Why exponential? Because everyone needs these commodities at some point.

Coffee—yes please, on the daily.
Purses—of course, maybe not every size and color but certainly I need a few.
Jewelry—maybe I don’t need a new pair of earrings or a bracelet, but I always need small gifts.

And that’s why this book and these stories are so special. If each one of us realized the impact that our purchases have, I truly believe we would conduct business in a different way. I think we would choose different businesses to purchase from, and I believe that we would pursue different endeavors with the realization that we could have an influence in such a positive way.

Because truly it’s the easiest thing to do.

Maybe a single purchase of an item is slightly more expensive because it’s handcrafted or sourced in another country.
Maybe the item isn’t quite your style or interest.
Maybe you’ve never been affected by a particular obstacle like homelessness, mental illness, or earning a real living wage that so many others face today.

In the end, none of those things matter as we recognize not only the value of doing good with a singular purchase but in the broader sense of uniting people behind a cause or brand and inviting change together. To me, that would be the greatest good that could occur from the effort to tell these stories well. Yes, please, make a purchase and support these businesses. Indeed, even further become passionate about these causes that are affecting so many people today and need all of us to care.

And beyond all this, care enough about people—near and far—to do good to someone in your life even today.