This holiday season, the Salt Lake Chamber will showcase local small businesses weekly. These businesses are integral to our community, and we encourage you to join us in celebrating and shopping small this season! Discover this week’s featured business below:
Why should people support small businesses?
The pandemic has significantly impacted small businesses, while the rise of fast, mass-produced options has made convenience a priority for many. Supporting small businesses is essential because they are deeply rooted in the community — they employ local residents, contribute to the local economy and reinvest through volunteering, donations and sourcing products locally. By choosing small businesses, we help maintain the community’s unique character and ensure its vitality, fostering a sense of connection and sustainability that large
corporations often cannot replicate.
What’s the biggest challenge that comes with being a small business?
The biggest challenge we face is staying afloat amid rising costs of shipping and products. At the same time, profit isn’t our primary motivation; our passion for what we do and our commitment to helping the community keep us going. Communicating the purpose behind our business can be challenging in a competitive market, but the impact we make — improving our customers’ lives and strengthening the community — makes it all worthwhile, enriching not only others’ lives but our own as well.
What’s the best opportunity that comes with being a small business?
The greatest opportunity this business has given me is the freedom to truly live my life. After years in corporate America, where long hours made it hard to maintain a healthy work-life balance, I now have the ability to prioritize my family and focus on what truly matters. Running my own business allows me to channel my passion, embrace creativity and experiment with new ideas. Beyond that, sharing what I’ve learned with the community is incredibly rewarding, empowering others through my experiences.
What’s one thing you wish customers knew more about when it comes to running a small
business?
I wish customers understood that running a small business is far from easy. Many assume it’s highly profitable, but in reality, small business owners are often the last to get paid. I prioritize paying my employees before myself, which can be a challenge. It’s incredibly hard work, requiring long hours and dedication. But despite the difficulties, I do it because I genuinely love what I do. I wouldn’t commit to 60-hour weeks if I weren’t passionate about the work and the impact we make.
About Pantry Products
What started in a small kitchen ten years ago in Reno has blossomed into a thriving business dedicated to natural wellness. Pantry Products crafts each item in-house, with locations in both Salt Lake City and Reno. Their handmade, small-batch essentials are designed to replace chemical-filled alternatives with wholesome, effective solutions. Focused on sustainability, 80% of their products can be refilled at a discount, reducing single-use containers while offering high-quality, non-toxic alternatives for daily life.
