Today I put another slash on the dry erase board on my refrigerator, as I do every Monday. This tally represents how many weeks we’ve been in quarantine / affected by COVID-19. (That number is 19 incase you were wondering.) The past 4 months have been challenging for any business owner and it’s easy to feel defeated by what we can’t control. On the contrary, I knew there was something I could do to make a small difference. I could give back.
As an entrepreneur, I felt it was important to join forces to support fellow small, local and female founded businesses. Similarly, I wanted to spread a little cheer to the loyal customers and followers who have stuck with me through this pandemic. Therefore, I organized a multi-brand giveaway in honor of #GiveSomethingAwayDay on July 15. I brought together 7 female founded brands (because if we don’t support each other, who will?) to offer $1,000 worth of prizes on Instagram.
Here’s what was up for grabs:
All in all, it was an incredible assortment of prizes from brands I love and was honored to work with. The giveaway ran for 5 days. In the end, we announced three winners. I remember the feeling after I won my first giveaway (as I thought to myself, “I never win these things!”). It was so exciting and felt great to be able to deliver that news to three lucky people.
Above all, my hope is that those who entered got the chance to learn about new brands and products they hadn’t known about prior. In addition, I hope that they recognized how much these businesses care about their customers. In a world of COVID, it would be very easy for business owners to say, “Sorry, business is slow (or non-existent!) right now. I can’t offer anything for a giveaway.” Instead, they were eager to give back and generous with their contributions.
A big thank you to the above 7 brands for joining forces with Shop With Val for this awesome giveaway. Thank you to everyone who entered, and congratulations to our three lucky winners! I hope you enjoy your prizes!
