In reality, every issue of Bozeman magazine is a Made in Bozeman issue. This month we just decided to put a name to it. In this issue you’ll see some new advertising “faces” that have joined us this month proclaiming that they are indeed Made in Bozeman. They would like you to check them out, shop with them, give them a call, like them on Facebook, and spread the word.

This leads to the next invitation: keep local businesses in business. All this really takes is to support them. Yes, with money. And tell your friends that you enjoyed your experience and that they also might like to experience what these local businesses have to offer.

I talk to a lot of local small business owners every month. Bozeman has some incredible local businesses run by creative, talented, and really great local people. Some are doing great. Their business is booming, they love what they do, and they are happy. Others, not so much. Some business owners are struggling just to keep the doors open and they need more awesome local people to find them and purchase their goods and services. Guess what? That’s you!

Of course not everything can be found locally. I was recently asked by a friend if I knew of any funky retailers that had a particular type of vintage-styled dress. I named a handful of spots to check. She proceeded to try every retailer in town, large and small. Much to her dismay, many of them actually told her that what she was looking for was too specific and she should shop online.

Now, that doesn’t do much for the Shop Local message does it? She ended up finding just what she needed at a local thrift-type shop. Problem solved, and she can feel good about both reusing and shopping local.

If you have ever disparaged corporate America, yet gone out and bought a Coke the next minute, please consider supporting the little guy on your next time out. And no, I don’t mean buying homemade soda. You can’t talk Coca-Cola, or the local grocer, into giving you a deal on the bottle of pop, but you likely think it’s okay to negotiate with a farmers market vendor. [You Tube video reference - google it] Let’s bring the small business owner up by supporting their efforts in our community. If they have a quality, unique, local product, there is likely a lot of thought, time, effort and money invested. They should not be asked to give it away.

I sell advertising because that is what keeps Bozeman Magazine sustainable and allows you to pick it up at the courthouse when you are getting your license plates renewed (and about 200 other locations). It makes your wait more pleasant as you read it, and may carry over into your experience as you find the bands playing tonight. Heck, you might even learn something. Advertising is tough. It costs money with no guarantee of return. But without taking that risk, attracting business is even more difficult. And if you do it right it can be really fun, both to create and deliver your message, and to see it work. We like to think we are fun, we always keep things interesting. And we are here to help you spread your message.

We offer a lot of cool free resources to our readers and internet users at bozemanmagazine.com, like our restaurant listings, and Bozeman Food Finder. The thing is, it isn’t actually free. We pay for it and pass it along to you! Kind of like your favorite coffee shop has free wi-fi. Except it isn’t actually free. They are paying for it. And because you buy a cup of coffee or tall skinny mocha, they can afford to keep the wi-fi on.

We hope you find the Made in Bozeman theme in every issue of Bozeman magazine. It’s in every article and sewn together in every local advertisement. Connecting people to the places and things they love about Bozeman is what we do, what we believe in, and what we want you to discover. If you have chosen to walk the plank of entrepreneurship as we have, more power to ya. And how can we help?