When I started building ShopGiv, I had to answer a foundational question before writing a single line of code: what does this platform stand for?
The answer was simpler than I expected. Just be kind.
A requirement, not a suggestion
Every vendor and nonprofit that joins ShopGiv agrees to a straightforward commitment: welcome everyone. That means people of all races, religions, gender identities, sexual orientations, abilities, and economic backgrounds. No exceptions, no asterisks, no fine print.
This isn't a badge you earn by posting a rainbow flag in June and forgetting about it in July. It's a condition of participation. If a business on ShopGiv makes someone feel unwelcome because of who they are, that business doesn't belong on the platform. Full stop.
Why this matters in practice
Colorado Springs is a diverse community with a complicated history around inclusion. People here hold a wide range of beliefs, and that's fine — ShopGiv isn't asking anyone to change what they believe. We're asking businesses to do something much more straightforward: treat every customer who walks through your door with dignity and respect.
That means the single mom getting her car fixed doesn't get talked down to. The transgender teenager buying lunch doesn't get stared at. The family speaking Spanish at the counter gets the same service as everyone else. The veteran in a wheelchair doesn't have to fight for access.
This is basic stuff. But basic doesn't mean automatic. It takes intentionality, and it takes a community of businesses willing to say it out loud.
Why I started here
I've spent enough time in business to know that values statements are easy to write and hard to live. Most companies put "integrity" and "respect" on a wall plaque and never think about it again. I didn't want ShopGiv to be that.
The phrase started at Adam & Son Auto Repair, the shop where ShopGiv was born, and it became the foundation for everything we build. Starting with "Just Be Kind" meant that every other decision — which vendors to onboard, which nonprofits to support, how to handle conflicts — had a clear filter. Does this align with treating people well? If yes, move forward. If not, stop and rethink.
It also meant being honest about what we're building. ShopGiv is a community commerce platform, part of the AiN Collective ecosystem. The whole point is that local spending strengthens local communities. But a community isn't strong if parts of it are excluded. A donation to a nonprofit doesn't mean much if the business making it won't serve certain customers.
What this means for you
If you're a ShopGiv user, you can shop with confidence that the businesses on our platform have made a real commitment to inclusivity. Not a perfect one — everyone has room to grow — but a genuine one.
If you're a business owner considering ShopGiv, know that this is part of the deal. And in my experience, the businesses that embrace it don't see it as a burden. They see it as something they were already doing — we just gave it a name.
Just be kind. It's not complicated. It's just important.