This morning I’ve been reading a new local paper called the Whitstable Whistler. It’s a lovely take on local news with fresh branding and interesting stories. It’s supported by ads, but it’s kinda interesting to see all the ads for local companies.

The fancy new local paper

As ever when I find a new business or product I get to thinking how it came into existence. What motivated individual or collective decided they wanted this to exist in the world and set out to bring it to life? What were their circumstances to make it happen? Did they need funding? Was it it a skill set they had in a previous life, or something they’ve learnt through this venture? How sustainable is the business model?

I often get to use Indie Bites as an outlet for these questions when I discover a cool new project, but usually it’s about a software product in the tech space. I do love these stories, but more and more often I’m becoming curious about local businesses. The family business that has been open for 3 generations. The butcher and baker. The trendy new coffee shop started by a couple who loved coffee. The new local news publication.

I wonder if it’s worth making content around these stories, or if I should just keep the conversations I have offline?

I’m also sure it exists elsewhere. Some other motivated individual (or team) who are also constantly curious about businesses in the world. Do you know of one?

That being said, I’d love to find some of the local businesses that you frequent? Send me a message on Twitter and I’ll share some of my favourites.