LOCONOMY

Our Dollar, Our Community

Yeowza! This journey, which at times mocks me like a taunting child, is
a doozie but I love what I do! My dream of Classic Country Life in some ways has
been the ultimate experiment to see if the American Dream is still possible
in today’s brutal economy dominated by Fortune 500s and the savvy bizillionaires
who have a stronghold monopoly in so many of the markets today. For a sole proprietor, owning
a business and bringing a product to market is riddled with challenges–from
legal to administrative, staffi ng to consumables, space to equipment,
pressure, stress and expenses beyond imagination, not to mention

Alana Harold

the multiple
insurance policies–who knew! After
reading the E-Myth Revisited, a must
read for anyone who is crazy enough to
go out on the limb of industry, I can
confi rm that I am, what author Michael
E. Gerber describes as, an authentic
“Entrepreneur.”
Having the privilege to help small
to mid-size businesses for the last 17
years with branding and positioning
their products and services, I have an
understanding and great appreciation
for what it takes to bring dreams to life. I have come to think of
this process as voluntarily hanging by our fi ngernails off the cliff of
commerce. Tenacious and driven, nothing will make us fall.
“Why would I want to do that? That’s insane,” most people will
say, and they are right to say so. Being an Entrepreneur is not
for the light-hearted or the nine-to-fi ver. As mind-boggling as it
is, someone has to do it, and that someone needs the patrons to
support their “crazy” endeavors. New England’s primary charm,
next in line to its beauty, is created by the people who dedicate
their lives and resources to bring us the wonderful businesses
that make New England unique and desirable. Can you imagine
what would happen to our quintessential New England towns if
everyone only shopped at chain stores? The mom and pop shops
and independents we love would die off one by one. Many do
every year.
This is why I personally have pledged to shop locally whenever
possible. I have spent the last 5 years weaning myself off the big
box stores and I actually save money. It is true, less is more. When
out and about visiting independent shops in small towns and cities,
I look for items on sale and buy only what I need, thus avoiding

Experiencecoming home with $500 worth of poor quality junk that will end
up in the dump in two years. Have you ever questioned why items
are less expensive in a chain store than in an independent shop?
Often what appears to be the same product is actually produced
with lower quality parts to beat the bottom dollar. Saving money?
Not really. A product is the sum of its parts, and if made poorly,
will not last as long as its “made with pride” counterpart. I fi nd, in
those weakened moments when I just want an inexpensive toaster,
I ask myself, “Do I really want to buy a new one in a couple of years
when this one breaks, or do I want to buy it only once, and have it
last for at least 10?”
I buy all of my books at independent book stores, my shoes
from the local shoe shop, my food from the local supermarkets,
farmers’ markets and local farms, my DIY supplies from the local
hardware store, coffee from the local independently owned cafe
and so on.
Did you know that statistics show that out of every dollar spent
at locally owned stores, 70% goes back into the community? Big
chain stores yield only 30%. For those few cents you may pay more
on the dollar at your local store, you will get back through the
insurance of maintaining a thriving town = maintaining the charm
of New England.
Classic Country Life is taking the philosophy of “shop locally”
a step further. In this issue we are introducing a new section to
honor and applaud our very own New England Innovators P8 who
are busting through the ceiling of commerce to bring a product to
market. These cliffhangers not only have taken the leap of faith in
their own creations, but have also taken what started as a big idea
and turned it into an outstanding product. Well done!
We also introduce New England Ingenuity P11, a sister section
to highlight those who make a creative “go” at doing business in
rural New England, such as a mobile recording studio or a personal
organization service.
In our Arts & Culture section we bring you Tales of a Working
Artist P104 and Art Biz 101, a column that addresses the hurdles
of balancing the creative and business sides of art P105. We also
introduce you to successful artists working in different media,
including furniture makers, and discuss the revival of hand
craftsmanship in Bridging Time P101.
Got chickens? I do! I love living the country life. Join John
Harrigan and his pack of clucks in Gardening on the Verge of
Insanity P68 along with stories on fl y-fi shing, ponding and birding
in our Outdoors section. Also in this issue, special Home & Garden
features, Weathering the Storm P16, Meet the Chefs P84 and up
close and personal with award winning actress Estelle Parsons P89.
Cover-to-cover we pledge to bring you nothing less then
excellence. Write to me about what is excellent in your town.
Join us for our party weekend of fun at the Balsams Grand Resort,
September 7th and 8th where you can meet the chefs, authors, artists
and innovators whom make up the Classic Country Life community.
–Alana Harold, Editor-in-Chief / Founder
editor@ classiccountrylife.com

If you know any innovative
cliffhangers you would like to
recommend please e-mail me at
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All products featured are carefully
tasted, tested or observed by
CCLM staff to ensure we can
provide a recommendation backed
by integrity in keeping with the
philosophy of the magazine.