ICYMI, Frosted Donuts (who you literally saved when we all shared about its struggle during the early months of COVID-19) moved to a better location (and closer to my home ?) and officially opened up last week. Some moms in our Tinley Park Moms Facebook group shared photos from the morning of. So happy the owner made the news again.

A Little About Frosted Donuts

Frosted Donuts is a donut shop owned and operated by a local Feda Ibrahim. I remember the day so well when word got out that Frosted Donuts was in jeopardy of closing. It was March 6—just a week before quarantine/Shelter-in-Place would be enforced.

The owner is literally a one-woman operation, with help from family and friends of course. I’ve seen her carrying a huge bag of flour ON HER OWN, total Rosie the Riveter. But don’t let that image make you feel sorry for; quite on the contrary. I have reached out to her to help her with her with her website and digital tech stuff, but she likes doing things herself, and for a novice she has a pretty website. Also, by being such a small shop, she is more in control of her brand and nimble. Just call her up, and she can create any kind of donut from your wildest dreams. And bonus—her donuts are halal approved!

2018, When It All Began

Frosted Donuts opened at the crack of dawn of the new year, January 2018. I made a big deal about my first visit because a) I like helping small businesses b) I like donuts c) it was Mardi Gras y’all! Oh, and d) I was pregnant and feeling really cool; our daughter was born just one month later.

How You Can Help Save Other Small Businesses

Thankfully the owner of Frosted Donuts can continue to create creative donuts and that’s because the Chicago Southland community of moms spread the word and engaged everybody—like a phone tree (remember those?). But here’s the thing…there are many businesses struggling right now during COVID-19 who haven’t been so fortunate. Here’s one way you can help:

#MarketingMonday

Frosted Donuts actually inspired me to create a weekly thread to help other Chicago Southland/Southwest Suburban Women-Owned and Mom-Owned businesses be found. And shout out to my fellow admin Kelly Oswald who helped me pick a day and name for what we call: #MarketingMonday. Every Monday I make a post with a cute animated video in our Tinley Park Moms Facebook group:

And then moms (and grandmas) post links to their businesses or businesses they want to help that are women and/or mom-owned businesses (I like using the acrobynm WOMO). Post threads have become commonplace on social media; it’s like a make-shift discussion board. And as my tagline says, it’s a “WEEKLY THREAD TO HELP YOU GET YOUR MESSAGE READ.”

#MarketingMonday was also created to appease moms who get annoyed by too many promotional posts. So there’s just one day each week where we let promotional/advertising type posts be shared. The post is pinned to the top of the group timeline so it doesn’t get buried aswell. This strategy also gives every business and person an equal opportunity for exposure. If you have any suggestions how we can do this better, don’t hesitate to reach out.

Remember that if you’re a women-owned business or mom-owned business like Frosted Donut’s owner, email me and I’ll add you to the Chicago Southwest Suburbs business directory list on my website. I list businesses there for free because I’m a business owner myself (Geoffresh Inc. – SEO Web Design), and I need that list so I can easily know where to go or who to call, so that I’m supporting other women like myself. In order for women to raise their businesses, we all need to remember to send the elevator down for each other.

It takes money to make money, but continued support from people goes a long way. Businesses are a reflection of their communities, and if I want to live in a Mayberry or someplace I love, I need to show love to the places that make it so.