Note from the Senior Editor
Vegan Small Business
My life has been defined by small business. I grew up with parents who own a small business; I co-owned one myself for 20 years. Almost all of the employers I worked for were small or micro businesses. The people behind them offer their creativity, passion, and courage for sale, and when you operate or work for an indie company, you learn the meaning of hustle.
The Small Business Administration (SBA) defines a small business as a firm that has fewer than 500 employees. SBA stats show that businesses with fewer than 100 employees account for 98.2 percent of American businesses, and those with fewer than 20 employees, micro businesses, account for 89 percent. That's millions of jobs.
Layer veganism into the dynamic and you're truly putting your ethics out front. Your purchase supports someone's dream, hard work, and vegan values. These vegentrepreneurs care about providing a truly special service or product. It's a reflection of themselves and their morals. Though I appreciate how large companies are embracing veganism and pushing it into the mainstream, it's critical to remember the independent vegan business people who have been with us all along. They are the innovators and originators of plant-based food, services, and goods. In a world that's becoming more homogenized, this choice and variety are a critical piece of normalizing veganism in the marketplace.
There's huge risk to starting any business, but each cent you spend to support a small, vegan company makes a vegan future more possible for the owners, their employees, and the community in general. And it reflects back into towns, both large and small. Indie businesses make neighborhoods thrive.
I'm pleased to showcase five all-vegan B&Bs on pages 16-22 in this issue. They each offer recipes that have thrilled guests for years. Try Lemon Pepper Tofu for dinner tonight or snack on Coconut Mango Muffins. On pages 6-11, another vegan business owner, Jason Yowell, presents fancy takes on toast. His open-faced BLT on ciabatta (featured on the cover) can win over everyone at the table. Finish your next meal with his Sweet Cream and Fruit Tartine for a delight. Oh — and all the Veggie Bits reviews in this issue feature products created by small businesses.
All dreams start small and grow when nourished. I hope you will enjoy cooking with the vegan small business owners in this issue, and that each time you open your wallet, especially in the current economic climate, you consider shopping small, local, and vegan.
Rissa Miller
Senior Editor of the Vegetarian Journal
