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Complaining vs. Commending

Ashton Pruitt commend complainers encouragement growing pains opinions

I am just curious if there are people in this world that wake up an wonder, "What can I complain about today?"

Seriously.

As I scroll through my Facebook feed I am reminded that you simply can not make EVERYONE happy.

That comes with the territory of owning a small business and dealing with the public. I highly recommend not doing either if you are a "complainer."

That sounds harsh but it is the God's honest truth. What makes me literally laugh out loud is that whether it be someone complaining about political issues, the service they received at a restaurant, a business, the cost of an item of clothing. My newest favorite thing I'm seeing folks complain about..... WHAT NEW RESTAURANTS ARE COMING TO TOWN. 

With the power of a level head you can most certainly "just keep scrolling" and not look like a fool and post some long drawn out detailed opinion on why that person/business/object/whatever is irkkk'ing you deserves to be thrown into the 7th layer of hell. Sure, it is okay to have opinions about things... just like this whole blog IS MY OPINION and you can CLICK THE "X" to stop reading. DO IT. DO IT NOW. IF YOU WANT! But there is a fine line between having a professional or personal opinion about something and down right complaining about not getting your way or liking something. Exclude being done wrong in a horrible fashion.. that is not what I am talking about. But when you post these asinine rants you look like an idiot doing so. Again, MY OPINION. Your personal dramatic facebook rants, memes, and photos are a direct reflection of who you are as a person which is a direct reflection of (whether you like it or not) your employer, your church, your family, EVERYTHING that you are associated with. THINK ABOUT THAT. I have to be very careful on what I post on social media because I do not want it to reflect my business. My business is how we pay bills. Our bills are associated with how we get by in life.

My favorite among the obnoxious chatter online is this and it is a direct quote from someone I saw...

"EW. I DO NOT LIKE ______, ______, or ________. How disgusting. Why can't we get a Chick-Fil-A or Popeyes to come to town? They have great food and it is not like ANOTHER burger joint."

While yes, I might somewhat agree that I as well enjoy eating at Chick-Fil-A... and would wish to see someone wanting to invest and put in a healthy option... and I might or might not technically care personally for the other places that were mentioned. There are many GREAT reasons why I fully support whatever business is coming because it means GROWTH and MORE business for ME. MORE GROWTH for my fellow business owners. I can support MY FAMILY by people coming to EAT HERE. They will likely stop and shop WITH US instead of taking their tax dollars elsewhere... those TAX dollars are staying right here in the community. By people shopping HERE we are then able to donate to every Tom, Dick, and Harry that comes in EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. needing a donation for this and that. We are able to donate money or give discounts to sports teams needing help with jerseys. We are able to invest AGAIN in the community by people investing IN US. That is how shopping local works.

I say all of that to encourage to you support these new establishments, support the ones that have been here 20 years, support the COMMUNITY instead of throwing a fit about what a LOCAL person has decided to INVEST in our TOWN! While you are at it, I want you to research on what it takes for someone to take a risk and open their own business. You'll quickly find out that it takes GRIT to pull in your boot straps to start one. Many years of planning, praying, research on deciding whether or not this town of this size can support that idea. Owning your own business is one of the most rewarding things. It is very hard work, but at the end of the day you are proud of what you are doing and the impact you have made. THANK THEM and COMMEND them for choosing to invest in Greenbrier. While you're at it... if you want to see a Chick-Fil-A, Papa Johns, Chipotle, or McCalisters Deli stop being a keyboard warrior AND PUT ONE OF THESE BUSINESSES IN YOURSELF! YOU WANNA SEE IT? DO IT. Don't wait for it to happen and gripe about what others are trying to do. STOP READING THIS BLOG AND OPEN ONE OF THESE BUSINESSES YOURSELF! WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? That is how businesses come.... people get off their butt, open one and make it happen!

While you are researching on owning your own business you'll also dive deep into the cost of goods. Owning your own business is not for the faint of heart it takes a LOT of patience, hard work, and yes... Money! This is another hot topic I see randomly in my feed. I have to deal with "cost of goods" on a daily basis. Every small business owner does whether it is with clothing, services, or a hamburger. So this is just a friendly reminder. Ha! Always remember the businesses you are griping about has to first purchase the item to resell. Then, cover the shipping cost, pay employees, pay the 1300 rent, the 15K or more invested into equipment,  maintenance, supplies, credit card transaction fees, additional bills... down to the bag you place your items in when you leave the store. Ever think about the paper towels you are wiping your mouth with at the restaurant? The clothes racks? The hangers? The service? It all goes into the cost of goods! You'll quickly realize owning your own business isn't all that it is cracked up to be.

When you order something custom, or made just for you; the business has to cover their actual time doing something by hand too. If you order a cake, or personalized tee shirt, or photography... It covers the three hours designing or shooting it might take for your ONE shirt, photograph, or personalized cake. Then the actual time weeding out the vinyl or after the event editing your video or photo. It covers the cost of the paint or materials and the blood sweat and tears it took to make your item come to life. If you like to own higher quality items, you have to pay more for them. If you want something cheaply made by all means get it girl! Go drive down to your big box store... but when you need a donation or support for something PLEASE go see them first. I'm sure they will bend over backwards, give discounts, and stay after hours to make your items perfect. I'm sure they will donate to every single fundraiser that needs a door prize. Surly right? I'm sure you can text them after hours to order a shirt or schedule an appointment. Right?

What it boils down to is if you do not like a particular business, don't shop there. Plain and simple. Don't bash them, just move along. Don't dine there. Don't hire them. Don't wake up every morning and think, "How can I be a troll and a turd in the punch bowl." This simple mentality of just "moving along" makes the world such a brighter place. If you do have a concern or major issue, go to them directly. Have them explain why things are a certain way, or why they decided to open another Mexican joint when you wanted another pizza place. I'm sure you'll understand their reasoning.

Support your local businesses so they can support their families. They will in turn, support you. Don't be a complainer... be a "commend'er"...  and for crying out loud be excited about wonderful change that is upon us. Be excited that you woke up today and you live in this amazing country and you are able to see, hear, touch, and smell the salt of the earth. Be thankful the Lord blessed your family with a house that didn't burn down last night. Be thankful for your heath. Be thankful you still have members of your family that are here with you. Of course trials and tribulations will come down the road that will be disappointments and disheartening. But we have just a split second when you compare our lives here on Earth to eternity and I ain't got NO TIME for complaining.. and for the things I do want to complain about; I just remind myself "This too shall pass." Again, if you are complaining about something... BE THE CHANGE. Open your own Starbucks, gift shop, or gas station. Then again, this is just my opinion about "complaining" and some "food" for thought.



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Ashton Pruitt

Ashton Snowden Pruitt, native of Greenbrier graduated from Arkansas State University in 2009, with her Radio Television Broadcast Journalism degree. She is the former host of "The Mouth of the South Morning Show" on 101.7 KVOM in Morrilton. She is married to auctioneer Lane Pruitt, and also owns Pruitt's Mid State Stockyards in Damascus. Ashton owns Southern Savvy, a women and children's boutique in Greenbrier and Southern Belle Media specializing in wedding and commercial videography, and voice overs. On top of all of these duties, her favorite job is being a mommy to her one and only sweet girl Myleigh-Pearl! In her spare time she loves traveling, blogging, watching Hoda and Kathie Lee, eating "Joes Pizza," driving with the top down in the Jeep, going to the lake, pageants, karaoke, and drinking lots of coffee. Ashton is currently the Miss Greenbrier Pageant Director, Brierfest Youth Talent Show Director and volunteer for the Faulkner County Youth Talent Show and Pageants. She is a big supporter of folks shopping local (wherever you shop) and empowering women!


  • Patsy Dobbs on

    Hey, tell em to move to Memphis, where they can have alllllll the fast food a big city can offer…along with drive by shootings, hooks on street in some parts of town, a plether of robberies and various other crimes. ( probably should have put a period or two in there but was on a roll). OR stay home, shop small and be happy with your beautiful quiet lifestyle.


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