When I moved back to Phoenix some years ago, I missed the unique character and culture of small towns where I’d resided in the past. I had no idea that this big city also had its own unique character and culture, hidden away in side streets and obscured by the giant corporate chains that line the major thoroughfares and dominate the advertising venues in the area. That makes sense, considering that local culture is driven and maintained by local families and small-time entrepreneurs who don’t have the millions of dollars in their operating budgets giant corporate conglomerates have. I am a small business owner, and I know from experience that having a business has always been an ongoing struggle between “Us” and “Them.” Becoming a Local Guide has given me a platform and an opportunity to tell the world about the fun, secret cultural spots and hangouts that are concealed behind the large corporations in my city.
When I travel outside my city, I always look for the same hidden gems in the places I travel through because the economy and culture of America and the broader world beyond is really driven by “The Rest of Us.”
Families and partners and solo businesspeople own and operate the majority of businesses. We own the restaurants and coffeehouses and entertainment venues and plumbing supply stores that are the backbone of the economy, wherever we are. We are the musicians and magicians and buskers that entertain the majority of people passing by on the streets. The billion-dollar corporations just get most of the press. Nothing against them, they’re not necessarily the enemy. But for me and many other people in the world, the local coffee shop with live entertainment beats the stuffing out of the giant coffee chain. Most people just don’t know where to find that local coffee shop, and many people are apprehensive about trying something new and different when they are familiar and satisfied with something national or international that they know. Local Guides have an invaluable opportunity to share our experiences with those curious people who take the time to read our reviews and look at our photos. If I really love (or don’t love) a unique experience, I really enjoy sharing that with others.
If nothing else, I’ll come away from this with a somewhat more complete Local Guide experience.