Can you believe that January is somehow already half over? The daze of the holidays seems to have lasted a little bit longer … especially as the temperatures have chilled. In the mix of that are those New Year’s resolutions. How are your New Year’s resolutions going? Personally, the struggle to commit to the resolutions and goals I seem to make year after year is always present. But what I have been focusing on for this year is setting realistic targets and, just as importantly, laying a good groundwork to give a better chance of success. I’m also increasingly aware of the fact that January 1st is an arbitrary date; perhaps more so than any other. So, keeping all of that in mind, I want to share with you Main Street Monroe’s resolutions for this year new year and how you can get involved.
Number 1. Amazon Smile. We know that money does not grow on trees. But it does grow on Amazon. Make us your Amazon Smile nonprofit. You shop. They donate to us. It’s a win-win! All you have to do is go to smile.amazon.com, search for Main Street Monroe, and then select us. Amazon donates 0.5% of eligible purchases to your favorite charitable organization. There are no hidden fees, no extra cost. And while we always encourage you to shop and support local, we also get there are things you just can’t find anywhere else. So, by selecting us on Amazon Smile, you are still helping support local. Or you can always make a tax-deductible donation directly to us, even from our website:
mainstreetmonroe.org/donations. Any amount is very much appreciated.
Number 2. Reach 10,000 likes on Facebook. Thank you for being a friend! Now tell all your friends. We’re almost to 10,000 likes. Help us get there this year. The larger our audience, the better we can promote our efforts and share the stories that make downtown what it is. We’re also on Instagram if you want more of a day to day, behind the scenes look of all things downtown. You also have the option on Facebook of leaving us a review! We’re collecting stars (hint, hint). ***** But in all seriousness, we would love to hear from you and have you share your experiences, whether it’s about discovering a new store while you attended the Lighted Christmas Parade or when you found the perfect gift for the hard to please family member during one of our LIVE! shopping nights. Or anything that most comes to mind.
Number 3. Open New Businesses. Are you ready to start your dream business? Or know someone who is? Give us a call. Our Project Pop-Up Program will be back this year! We pay the first 3 months’ rent and help with anything and everything, from marketing and social media plans to window displays, staffing, and merchandising. You make your dream come true. Since we unveiled the program, we have had four businesses participate in three years. All signed long term leases. And what they have brought to our community cannot be understated.
There are more goals of course. And, as I have previously written, a big part of our success comes from the fact that we are small enough to be adaptable to whatever may unfold in a particular season, month, or even week. And that will be true again this year. Goals may be added. But like success for any personal resolution, these are built on a solid foundation. For Main Street, it’s a strong foundation. A foundation that is comprised of support from many fronts, including volunteers. And these three resolutions are something everyone can help make happen.
— Jordan Nordby is the executive director for Main Street Monroe. He can be reached at MonroeMainStreet@tds.net. complete details on Main Street Monroe and its efforts can be found at mainstreetmonroe.org.
