This past week, I spent quite a bit of time in different businesses around Butte. I spoke to many different people, and made a disturbing discovery. It seems like many citizens of Butte have given up on our community. Everywhere I went, I found a Chicken Little!
There were many predictions that businesses were going to keep closing; that the Butte economy will never recover; and that we will never see a good cleanup. There was even one person who claimed Butte was dying, and we were going down with it. Where did all this negativity come from?? Is it because everyone is sick, tired, and crabby? Do we really believe that there is nothing left for us in Butte, America?
Maybe we have had a few rough years, but it’s nothing we haven’t been through before. I refuse to believe that there is nothing left for us in this beautiful town. Maybe this past year has been a bit rough, but there are new businesses making their way into our community. There are still plenty of opportunities coming our way. Unless we continue to act like there is no future here.
Our outlook can directly influence whether or not we bring new businesses to town. How? Well, let’s think that through. What if the next person looking to open a business overhears a conversation between two citizens that believe our town is dying? Do you really think they are going to be willing to bring that business here? What happens when you put those comments out there on social media? Someone reads it and files it away under “reasons to not be in Butte!” What happens when someone announces they are bringing a new business to town, and you walk up to them and tell them it’s not a type of business we need?
Butte is already fighting an uphill battle against our reputation. If we are going to succeed in spite of it, we need to stop! Stop the negative comments, stop giving ourselves a black eye on social media, and STOP giving new businesses reasons to find a more welcoming community. Continue to hope for better, and continue to work for better, and maybe, Chicken Little, we will find it.
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