YouTube Helped Start My Small Business, So Why Are Minnesota Legislators Attacking Big Tech?

When I was pregnant with my third child, I knew I wanted to spend more time at home and have more flexibility than I could with a full-time job in healthcare. I’ve always been artistically crafty and thought maybe I could turn my passion into a cool little business, so I took the leap, hoped for the best – and it worked! But now I’m concerned because our Minnesota legislature is considering new laws that could destroy the digital small business economy that helped me succeed.

I started selling personalized home decor on Etsy. Working from our home in Chicago was great, but all my clients seemed to be local or friends of friends, even though I could theoretically reach millions of people through Etsy.

Then, unbeknownst to me, a YouTube influencer in Oklahoma purchased one of my creations and featured it in an online video. Suddenly all orders skyrocketed. I promised myself this would be a part-time, family-friendly gig, but I’ve been busier than ever. I don’t know why all of a sudden my orders jumped 10x a few weeks after someone sent me the youtube video. It was my first lesson about the amazing small business power of social media and what it means to “go viral.”

Today, 85% of my clients live outside of Minnesota. But don’t worry, I still love making Minnesota fridge magnets and other homewares, and I still create each item myself and do my own marketing.

My success is a great example of how small businesses can take advantage of online platforms like Etsy, Facebook and Google (if you own YouTube). It was great when an online video supercharged my small business, but it’s the customers who have posted favorable product reviews over the years that have built the extraordinary trust that has kept the business going. I’m no digital marketing expert, but I’ve noticed a jump in sales every time a customer posts another positive review, and I have over 1,000 five-star reviews.

I’m proud of my success, but it would never have happened without the extraordinary (and often free!) marketing services from online platforms. I use free services on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest, and I run Google Ads through the Etsy platform to make sure my store and products are seen by more people when they’re looking for the kind of gift I do. It’s amazing how these giant companies subsidize millions of small businesses like mine – so I don’t understand why so many lawmakers think big digital companies are bad for America and Minnesota.

Instead of thanking Congress and St. Paul lawmakers and Attorney General Keith Ellison for making my business successful and helping me spend more time at home with my kids, they’re thinking of punishing the digital giants like ogres. I understand that Facebook and YouTube are really big and hard to compete with, but these giants deliver my promotions, products, and positive reviews to millions of customers nationwide.

Supporting and serving America’s small businesses has proven to be a huge undertaking for digital platforms. Google and Facebook are forces for good when it comes to algorithms helping small businesses, and YouTube are my business heroes.

I’m a mom with a very small business, but I know firsthand that to compete in Minnesota and nationally, small businesses need to reach customers and that means they need powerful and affordable digital tools. Legislators in St. Paul and Washington need to promote, rather than attack, digital platforms and fully ensure that digital tools and technology are accessible and affordable for small businesses in our state. This is how lawmakers can help our economy and our families.

Nicole Pinsky of Chicago, Minnesota, owner of Nike Designco, online at etsy.com/shop/NicKnackDesignsCo.