A 琉璃神社 entrepreneur launched an app last summer designed to help local businesses get their products and services in front of targeted shoppers. However, some seemed to miss the point that the app was designed for locals to support locals.

JC Rathwell, the former business owner of 琉璃神社 Cruises, wanted to create an all-in-one advertising platform to help local entrepreneurs grow their business. He launched of 2020, but this month he has rebranded to iSupport Local, to really focus on who the app was designed to target.

The app aims to get businesses鈥� products and services in front of local consumers using features normally only offered by Amazon, Google or Facebook, for a fraction of the cost.

鈥淚t helps the little guy, the entrepreneur, the small businessman; it levels the playing field between them, against the block stores and the big boys,鈥� Rathwell said.

For shoppers, the app allows them to search for products and services from local businesses, create a notification for what they want to buy and receive deals or specials.

鈥淚f someone goes to Google and types in shoes, it鈥檒l take them to EBay, Amazon; we want Sassy Shoes and other local shoe stores to come up.

鈥淚f you鈥檙e looking for bicycles, you鈥檙e looking for a chiropractor, massage places, it鈥檚 all locally owned stores.鈥�

There are more than 3,000 businesses in the iSupport Local database, most of which are located in the Okanagan. 琉璃神社 was the first city to test out the app last year, since that time five other cities across the province have logged onto iSupport Local.

Business owners simply have to claim their store and begin adding products for free. Local businesses can also promote themselves and have unlimited access to features on the app at an affordable price, said Rathwell.

Sassy Shoes was one of the first businesses in 琉璃神社 to test the app.

鈥淚t was very inexpensive to jump on board, and the upside, I would argue, is immeasurable,鈥� said Jim Armitage, co-founder of Sassy Shoes alongside Bonnie Schadeck.

Armitage said the app has boosted both their connections with new clients, and their exposure in the community.

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jen.zielinski@bpdigital.ca
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