MANHATTAN KIDS GUIDE
Sadly, it Was Lost…
Back in the day my wife was the editor of this publication. And in fact, much of what she created was sadly lost during the transition from straight HTML to its current incarnation. If you have following this blog, with its every few months check-ins then you know we have never quite gotten over the loss of the missing sections of this site.
Making a Neighborhood
Those early years we had so much fun as a family. Our daughter was just a toddler and our motivation for creating experiences for others, came out of our own sense if being a part of building the community here in Northern Manhattan. There were lots of parents like us who also wanted to make the patch of land we were all on, a neighborhood. l
The October Costume Parade with Parents and Kids Launched It
Yes, the now infamous parade and live in-person events filled our days as projects we put together. A big part of the fun for the kids was getting treats from the various businesses, many of the establishments put together by impressive entrepreneurs.
More Loss
That was a ways back in time. And now post COVID (well it is not over yet, nor will it ever be fully) we look forward and see how much our neighborhood has changed due to the pandemic with some small business owners losing their retail locations due to a lack of being able to help in-person customers.
Doing with Caution
Back in the old days, we would create events that actually involved many businesses in our neighborhood. Everyone enjoying events that simultaneously built visibility and awareness of their unique small businesses. That would be very difficult to do today. Things have change quite a lot. Now entrepreneurs are very cautious about what they do and how they promote themselves and their businesses.
Digital Transformation Changed Our In-Person Community
In reaction to these sad stories, we realized there was a need for educational resources on how to maintain a business, even in the face of despair. Much of the strategy we began to develop has to do with leveraging the digital world. For some who have physical products, this of course might mean putting together an eCommerce arm to your business.
Online Learning?
But a less thought of approach has to do with creating online digital products that contain education for your customers, with you having an opportunity to show your expertise in your business industry and category. This is partly where the idea of digital community comes in. First it is Inwood Manhattan parades, and it is, online?
Blogs are Community
As mentioned we are not sure we will make this information online and could keep it offline for shops in our neighborhood. Keep watching for the next post in which we will get more in depth. That could happen on this site or possibly one of the 59 or so others of the Blog Coalition. See you soon!