The Side of Small Business Nobody Talks About
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Behind every photo, every video, every carefully curated “peek behind the curtain” on social media, there’s a real human being. A small business owner. A family. A life.
When we share our behind-the-scenes moments—whether it’s bottling product at midnight, kids helping with labeling, or the chaos of prepping for a market—it’s meant to build connection. To show you that this isn’t some faceless brand, but a living, breathing dream built on sweat, tears, and a whole lot of resilience.
But here’s what doesn’t always get talked about: social media comes with shadows.
For every supportive message, there’s the person who throws in their opinion where it wasn’t asked for. For every client who shares a kind word, there’s the stranger who asks the same question week after week, never intending to book, or buy but always ready with the most ridiculous repetitive questions that have nothing to do with business.
And then there’s the energy we pour into people who have never—and will never—support us. That’s the hardest one to swallow. Because here’s the truth: when you criticize or dismiss a small business, you’re not just poking at a storefront. You’re touching someone’s morals. Their values. Their livelihood. You might think it’s harmless, but for us, it’s deeply personal.
We don’t talk about it while we’re smiling for the camera, but the reality is this: putting yourself and your business out into the world opens you up to trolls, to negativity, to the cruelty of strangers who forget there’s a human being on the other side of the screen.
And yet, we keep showing up. Because for every troll, there are ten kind souls cheering us on. For every repeated question, there’s someone genuinely curious and ready to learn. And for every ounce of energy wasted, there’s a client whose support fills us back up.
The next time you scroll past a small business sharing a glimpse into their story, remember—what looks like “content” is actually courage.