Valentine's Day is the day of love, not only to our friends and family but also towards local businesses! What better way to show the love than to support a local businesswoman who opened her business Princess Anna Bowtique on social networks in 2018. Owner Maricela offers hair bows, 100% handmade knit headbands, velvet knot headbands, and scrunchies.

February is Black History Month; it’s a time to educate ourselves about the deep-rooted racism in our country’s history, and more importantly, commit ourselves to build a more just and equal world for all. This year’s BHM comes after a year of protest and a public health crisis that disproportionately affected businesses and people of color. So we’ve put together a guide to help you honor black history, build awareness, and find your role in the local movement.

Devour at Home is fast approaching! An intimate food festival in your own home and with your own rules, Devour at Home is an event you do not want to miss! When you purchase your pre-order meal you can look forward to over 20 of the valley's best chefs creating a three-course meal for four, Devour keepsakes, contests with grand prizes and virtual experiences with the chefs. We want to make sure you’re totally prepared for this exciting food event; check out the rest of this guide for what to expect.

Native Women Entrepreneurs of Arizona is a supportive social network for native women business owners. NWEAZ Indigenous women business owners acknowledge their accomplishments and with their collective voices bring to attention the concerns of their business communities. LFA is proud to be a sponsor of this new organization and work together to serve our diverse business community. Every day is a great day to learn about and celebrate Native American and Indigenous heritage! There are 22 sovereign Native nations that call Arizona home, and NWEAZ is a great resource to discover native business owners across the state and learn more about their heritage.

In August of 1963, Martin Luther King, Jr., before a crowd of more than 250,000 people, gave his famous “I Have A Dream” speech and called for an end to racism. On MLK Day today, we are proud to announce the inaugural cohort of the We Rise Business Accelerator program. These 12 Black business owners are part of the dream that Martin Luther King spoke of. And we are so excited to help them grow and see them become part of the fabric that builds a stronger, more diverse Arizona.

If 2020 taught us anything, it’s that supporting local is one of the most important things we can do to help keep dollars in our home and build a stronger Arizona economy. And guess what? Shopping local doesn’t have to totally change your routine. There are plenty of local products that are sold at the sometimes more accessible chain grocery stores and supermarkets. Check out this guide to some of our favorite foods and goodies that you can find in the store you visit every week.

The New Year is always used as a time to resolve ourselves to do something different; whether that be to start a new hobby, pick up a new habit, or change something in our lives. As January first comes and goes, we hope that you make supporting local a part of your new year's resolutions and keep up with it all year long! With the ramifications of COVID-19, it’s more important than ever to support Arizona small business owners. Check out this easy, 6-step guide to help you live like a ”Localist”. You can do one or all of them; even the smallest changes make a huge difference.

Are you looking for a company to design an app for your business? Then you’ll want to meet Arturo Barron and Perla Johanna Razcon, founders of Kubik Technologies LLC.

COVID-19 has led to some spectacular creativity as businesses have found ways to survive. Whether it be moving online, offering delivery and pickup, or utilizing social media more, Arizona businesses have needed to adapt. Some businesses have even needed to completely change what they do. Meet Rebel Lounge, the Orpheum Theater and Club Congress; these businesses are usually venues for concerts. Venues have been one of the hardest hit during the pandemic, they were the first to close and will likely be the last to open. Due to this, the Rebel Lounge and Orpheum theater needed to find new ways to bring in revenue and stay afloat.

When you go local, your present for a loved one isn’t only raising that person up, it’s raising up your whole community. We know that some folks are a little nervous to get out for a shopping trip so we wanted to make it a little easier for you to find those local gems online, now and in the future. Below are some great items from our recently debuted Shop Arizona Marketplace! With 100 businesses and 500 products and much more coming in, we are sure you can find that special something that makes a perfect gift!

Whether you're a company with five employees or 1,000, payroll is one of the most important tasks that you need to accomplish as a business owner. It can also be one of the more tedious and time-consuming. When you have a question or need help, the last thing you want is an answering machine on the other line or an answer of “visit this link to find your answer” Local businesses Cactus Corn, Duck and Decanter, and others have had this problem and found a solution with Journey Payroll. 

The Clarendon Hotel and Spa in the Encanto area of Phoenix is getting a local makeover and revamp. Known for its boutique feel and central location, the Clarendon has been a favorite of not only visiting vacationers but of our own Phoenicians looking for a local escape. Not only are they adding a rooftop bar but they have also added the Lazy Bee Spa and Fuego Bistro, both locally owned businesses. Their glow up is focused on celebrating what makes Phoenix unique and sharing the rich history Arizona has to offer.

Not only have businesses needed to adapt and pivot during COVID-19 but so has the way we interact and take care of each other. This is especially true at Hospice of the Valley, an end of life care facility located in Maricopa County. COVID has changed the way that the volunteers at the Hospice of the Valley help the residents. While they cannot be there in person, many volunteers have found other ways to take care of their fellow man. Thank you to Lin Sue Cooney, director of community engagement at Hospice of the Valley, for sharing these stories of community and care.

This year, LISC Phoenix is honoring one of our most unique events with a notable award. For the last 20 years, LISC Phoenix has focused on building community among neglected neighborhoods. Their goal has been to create a place of pride within neighborhoods and make people proud of calling that place home. On October 30, 2018 they’ll be announcing their 2018 Community Award Honorees and our event known as The World Bazaar and Community Market will be receiving the Exemplary Collaborative Award.