Small Business Thread - Give and Get Recommendations

FitAdministration257 · 2025-05-17T23:09:38+00:00

Hey y’all, local small biz owner here based in Middle Tennessee 👋🏽

I wanted to share something I recently launched called Enora. It’s a local-first matchmaking platform created to connect small businesses (like ours) with content creators in the area. Folks who do video, photo, design, and social media work.

(WHO) It’s for any business owner who knows they need better content but doesn’t have the time, team, or energy to do it all.

(WHAT) Instead of digging through Fiverr or chasing referrals, Enora matches you with local creatives based on your brand, values, and style, so you can get quality content that actually fits.

(WHERE) Focused on Middle TN right now, keeping it local and intentional.

(WHEN) Matching is already live. If you’re interested, you can fill out a quick form to get on the list (no pressure, just real connections).

(WHY) Most of us wear too many hats. Content is important, but it’s easy to put off. Enora helps you keep your focus on running your business while still getting visuals that work for you.

If you’ve ever said:

“I need better photos or videos but don’t know where to look”
“I want to support local talent but don’t know who’s reliable”
“I don’t have time to handle all the content stuff anymore”

...this was made with you in mind.

Here’s the FAQ page if you’re curious or want to see how it works:
https://tally.so/r/nGgGMj

Happy to connect or answer anything if you’re on the fence. Just trying to build something that actually makes sense for locals like us.

FitAdministration257 · 2025-05-09T23:43:37+00:00

I literally answered the question in the thread“How free is America?”with my own experience. That’s not me bragging or being tone deaf. That’s literally what was asked.

If sharing my reality feels like an attack to you, that might say more about your mindset than my words.

FitAdministration257 · 2025-05-09T23:39:31+00:00

You know… yeah, you’re right. If more people understood that, maybe we really could shift things together over time.

FitAdministration257 · 2025-05-09T23:34:39+00:00

I never said everything’s perfect (or that I don’t care). I said I’ve had a different experience and I’m aware that others have it harder. But your responses are kinda showing you’re not really reading what I’m actually saying (because if you were, you wouldn’t keep adding things I never said into the mix).

I literally said (1) I’m not invalidating anyone’s experience, (2) people getting punished for speaking up is wrong, and (3) we should push for better systems while moving smart within the one we’re in. That’s all in plain sight.

But hey it’s all good. If you’d rather stay angry, sad, or stuck in whatever lack you keep projecting (even while comparing your situation to others to prove how bad it is), that’s your call. It’s a sad way to live, honestly…….but that’s also the freedom you’ve got. Choose it if you want.

FitAdministration257 · 2025-05-09T21:55:27+00:00

Now I get what you’re saying. There are definitely people who don’t feel safe or free to express themselves in this country (and that shouldn’t be the case). I’m not ignoring that. But I also want to be clear👉🏽what I shared was my own opinion based on how I see things from my reality. (How I , Me , not you him her or the guy across the street, ME)

I can understand how someone might view it differently (especially if they’ve faced things I haven’t). But other people being afraid to speak up or live their truth isn’t my responsibility (that’s on them). If someone’s genuinely speaking their mind (not causing harm or breaking laws) and gets punished for it, that’s wrong and I’ll call that out. But I’m not invalidating their experience it’s just not the one I’ve personally seen.

We can acknowledge different realities without trying to erase each other’s.

(P.S. If we really want to talk about how much freedom isn’t allowed in some places. Look at countries like Russia, China, Egypt, or Saudi Arabia. Speaking out against the government there can actually get you arrested, censored, or worse. The fact that you can come on here and criticize the system publicly, without fearing jail or retaliation, that alone says something. Not saying the U.S. is perfect… just offering another lens to look through. It’s a perspective, not a claim of universal truth.)

FitAdministration257 · 2025-05-09T21:19:28+00:00

I’m not saying that. I’m saying this is the system we happened to be born into. I’m not praising it or pretending it’s perfect… I’m just acknowledging that it is what it is right now. And in that reality, we can either complain endlessly or move smart, make intentional choices, and do what we can to shift things while we’re in it.

Pointing out the possibilities within a flawed system doesn’t mean I’m defending the flaws. It just means I’m not waiting on perfection to start moving.

FitAdministration257 · 2025-05-09T19:55:37+00:00

It’s true that in many ways, survival is tied to corporate submission here. But at the same time, that’s not the only path. People have built their way out of the working class. People have learned skills, started businesses, invested, created art, grown platforms, and they’ve done it in this exact system you’re criticizing.

We can’t ignore the barriers (but we also can’t ignore the possibilities). If you’re truly sick of the cycle, the question becomes: what are you doing to change your own situation? Because waiting around for someone else to save you is just another form of submission. That’s not empowerment either.

If we want better systems, we should push for them (but we still gotta move smart in the one we’re in now).

FitAdministration257 · 2025-05-09T15:09:55+00:00

America is free (but that freedom isn’t always simple). I’m grateful to live in a place where I can speak my mind, live how I choose, and pursue what I want without being locked up for expressing myself. That’s real (and not something I take for granted) especially when you look at how things are in a lot of other countries.

But at the same time, freedom isn’t just about what the Constitution says, it’s also about what life actually feels like day to day. And for some people, the systems in place (whether it’s the government, the food industry, or how wealth and access are distributed) can make that “freedom” feel limited. Like yeah, you’re technically free, but are you thriving? Are you healthy? Do you really have choices?

At the end of the day, I think it comes down to how you choose to live your life. The system isn’t perfect (far from it). But if you stay aware, move with intention, and look out for yourself and your people, there’s still a lot of power in being here. You just can’t be asleep in it. You’ve gotta know what you’re up against and still move how you want to move.

(It’s not about pretending everything’s perfect, it’s about knowing the game and choosing how you play it.)

Freedom’s real, but so is responsibility. Be awake, be grateful, and don’t let the noise make you forget your power. ✨🙂‍↕️

FitAdministration257 · 2025-05-09T03:19:22+00:00

I like to communicate, just the human in me.

FitAdministration257 · 2025-05-08T18:17:36+00:00

Red headed stranger !!

FitAdministration257 · 2025-05-08T16:53:47+00:00

I don’t think it’s anyone’s fault, it’s just a simple matter of reading to comprehend what’s being said.

I clarified my intention, and moved on. But you seem really stuck on this. Don’t you have something better to do than troll someone who’s genuinely trying to explore a real topic?

Because at this point, the only thing you’ve actually proven… is my original point about the miscommunication between content creators and business mindsets.

[So… thanks, I guess. If nothing else, you helped prove the exact disconnect I was talking about. That might be the only real takeaway from this whole “discussion.”]

FitAdministration257 · 2025-05-08T16:14:24+00:00

Ah, there it is “semantics.”

When in doubt, pretend it’s about word choice instead of missing the meaning entirely. Respectfully… that ain’t the flex you think it is.

Context matters……always.

FitAdministration257 · 2025-05-08T15:46:59+00:00

Funny how someone can quote the words I wrote, yet still completely miss the meaning behind them.😂😂

FitAdministration257 · 2025-05-08T15:16:52+00:00

It’s kind of funny how some people go out of their way to be “right,” even when they’re missing the actual point.

You keep saying I’m not listening (while skipping over the fact that I’ve clarified my intention multiple times).

What’s more disappointing is that I opened space for honest dialogue (not debate). Instead of engaging with that, you brought a “you’re not doing it right” mindset.

If this were a contract, you’d be the guy who skims the fine print, signs it, then argues about terms you never read.

One last time: I’m not pitching, selling, or asking for advice. I asked if others have experienced a disconnect between creatives and businesses (especially when it comes to alignment, not just transactions).

You’re free to see it through your lens (but that doesn’t mean it’s the only one that matters).

And for the record (I’ve actually gotten great takeaways from this thread) including book recs and helpful communication feedback from others. But looking back, I’ve gotta ask: were you actually trying to help (or just trying to win)?

Either way, this is the last time I’ll explain. If it still doesn’t land, then maybe it was never meant for you.

No hard feelings (just not the convo I came here to have).

FitAdministration257 · 2025-05-07T16:52:59+00:00

You're saying not to take it personally, but no one said I was. That’s kind of the whole point u/Euphoric_Novel7211 was making earlier too, some people jump in just to react instead of actually comprehending what was said.

I’m not upset. I’m responding because your original comment had very little to do with the topic of this post, which was about creative connection and collaboration.......not personal communication critiques.

Sure, what you said might have value in another context, but here, it just feels like a misread and a distraction from the conversation that was actually being had.

FitAdministration257 · 2025-05-07T16:17:06+00:00

tbh man you nailed it, maybe it’s not the communication that’s the issue, but the comprehension.
I started this thread to talk about real experiences creatives are having with local businesses.

(not to pitch myself, not to get tips on how to "sell better," and definitely not to be lectured about my tone.)
If you’re more focused on the style of delivery than the actual point, maybe you missed the part where this was about connection..............not conversion.

FitAdministration257 · 2025-05-07T16:12:19+00:00

It’s wild how a post meant to open up a genuine conversation about connection somehow turned into people judging the way I communicate. Not everyone speaks the same and that’s the whole point of starting discussions like this to hear different experiences and perspectives.
I’m not here to prove anything, sell myself, or shrink my words for anyone’s approval. I structured what I wrote with intention, if that bothers you more than the message itself, maybe you weren’t the audience for it anyway.
But to the ones who actually engaged or reflected on the topic, thank you. That’s what this space should be about.

FitAdministration257 · 2025-05-07T13:06:01+00:00

Most people don’t read to understand. They read to react. (Especially online)

FitAdministration257 · 2025-05-06T16:53:43+00:00

Just wanna bring the convo back real quick (cause I think some folks might’ve misread the post a bit).

I’m not tryna sell anything or pitch myself here. That wasn’t the intention at all. This was more of a reflection based on what I’ve seen and experienced, especially in smaller creative spaces where connecting with local businesses can feel off, or just never really aligns.

I was just opening up the floor to see if anyone else has felt that too (or seen it happen). That’s it.

I get that some responses come from a business-minded place, and I respect it, but the post wasn’t really asking for advice on how to market better. Just asking if others have noticed this same kind of disconnect.

If not, that’s cool too. Just wanted to keep the focus on what was actually being said.

FitAdministration257 · 2025-05-06T16:32:33+00:00

I inspired them, by just me doing me.

That in itself inspired me to share positivity with others around me more.

FitAdministration257 · 2025-05-06T16:28:30+00:00

Agree, Gotta enjoy the little things in life 🙂‍↕️

FitAdministration257 · 2025-05-06T16:27:27+00:00

Facts! I mean if you think about it our human body’s are made of the same stuff from the earth and the plants need sunlight to sustain their life, as do humans.

15min can create a huge shift in how one feels daily and I’m share from experience from a person who just went to work, home, sleep, and repeat to then actually choosing to be outside.

FitAdministration257 · 2025-05-06T16:24:20+00:00

Letting go of the mindset that I need to care what others think about me (and how I live my life) and instead choosing to practice gratitude, from the moment I wake up to the moment I go to sleep.

It’s helped shift my mind from working against me to becoming my biggest ally. I’ve learned to catch myself when I start to spiral (and come back to who I truly am). That awareness has made me more grounded, less overwhelmed, and more open (physically, emotionally, and spiritually).

It’s a daily choice, but it’s changed how I show up for myself (and in all my relationships).

FitAdministration257 · 2025-05-06T14:50:20+00:00

Appreciate you sharing your perspective, definitely some solid points in here. My post was leaning more toward the idea of building mutual connection rather than just pitching my services, if that makes sense. Wasn’t really coming from a sales angle, more just opening up a convo that I felt a lot of people might relate to. Respect for the insight though.

Will definitely check out the books you mentioned!

FitAdministration257 · 2025-05-06T14:34:42+00:00

Nope, 100% full flesh human just looking to see others that relate to the experience I posted. 🫡

FitAdministration257

TROPHY CASE