Discover how SNHLocal defines and vets truly local businesses in Southern New Hampshire.
Overview
"Are you going to list Dunkin' Donuts? They have local franchises."
"What about that HVAC company that's technically based in Massachusetts but serves Southern NH?"
"Is a regional chain with three locations considered local?"
These are real questions we get asked. And they matter, because "local" has become a marketing term that everyone claims but not everyone earns.
National chains open "locally owned franchises." Regional companies claim to be "local" because they have an office in your state. Online retailers promise "local delivery." Even Amazon uses "local" in their marketing now.
At SNHLocal, we believe words matter. If we're going to be a platform that celebrates local businesses, we need to be crystal clear about what "local" actually means.
Let me walk you through our thinking.
The Core Definition
For SNHLocal, a business is considered truly local if:
- Locally owned - The owner lives in Southern New Hampshire and makes business decisions locally
- Locally operated - Day-to-day operations happen here, not from some distant corporate office
- Locally invested - Profits stay in the community, owner participates in local civic life
- Locally accountable - Owner has a reputation on the line and stands behind their work
All four factors must be present. Miss one, and you're not truly local in our book.
Let's dig into what this means in practice.
The Clear Cases
Some businesses are obviously local:
The independent restaurant owned by someone who lives three towns over, sources ingredients from regional farms when possible, sponsors the high school basketball team, and responds personally when there's a problem.
The solo contractor who's been serving the area for 15 years, lives in the community, sends kids to local schools, and has built their business entirely on referrals from satisfied customers.
The family retail shop that's been on Main Street for three generations knows customers by name, adjusts inventory based on what the community needs, and closes for an hour to attend a neighbor's funeral.
These are easy. They're local. Period.
The Gray Areas
But what about:
National Franchise, Local Owner?
Here's our stance: Being a franchise owner doesn't make you local, even if you live locally.
Why? Because critical decisions aren't yours:
- You can't change your menu based on local preferences (franchising rules)
- You can't source from local suppliers (corporate contracts)
- Your profits are split with corporate (franchise fees, royalties)
- Your marketing follows corporate playbooks (not community-specific)
You're operating a local location of a national brand. That's different from being a local business.
Exception: Some franchise systems give substantial autonomy. Suppose you can make most decisions independently, source locally, and truly operate as a local business that happens to use a national brand. In that case, we'll consider it on a case-by-case basis.
But generic fast-food franchises? Not local by our definition, regardless of who owns them.
Regional Chain (Multiple Locations)?
This depends on scale and operation:
3-5 locations in Southern NH, independently owned, locally operated? Probably local. You've grown, but you're still community-based.
15+ locations across New England with a corporate structure? You're a regional company, not a local one. Your scale has fundamentally changed what you are.
100+ locations across multiple states? You're a national chain, even if you started as a local business.
The line is fuzzy, but here's our rule of thumb: If you need HR departments, regional managers, and corporate policies, you've outgrown "local."
Based Nearby, Serves Southern NH?
A Massachusetts-based contractor who serves Southern NH isn't local to us—even if they do great work. A Vermont manufacturer selling through NH retailers isn't local.
But here's where it gets interesting: What if they open a genuine Southern NH location with local employees and local operations?
That's local to us. The business itself might be regional, but that specific location operating in and serving our community counts.
Online Business, Local Owner?
Interesting question. If you're a Southern NH resident running an e-commerce business serving customers nationally, are you local?
Our answer: Sort of. You're a local resident running a business, but you're not a local business serving the local community.
However, if you also serve local customers (local pickup, local workshops, local events), then yes—you're local. You happen to have national reach, too.
What We Actually Vet
When a business applies to be listed on SNHLocal, we look at:
1. Ownership Structure
- Who owns this business?
- Where do they live?
- Is this independently owned or part of a larger corporate structure?
- Are profits staying local or being sent to distant shareholders?
2. Who Makes Day-To-Day Decisions?
- Who makes day-to-day decisions?
- Are choices made locally or dictated by the corporate office?
- Can the business adapt to serve local community needs?
- Is there genuine autonomy in how business is run?
3. Communiy Connection
- Does the owner participate in local civic life?
- Does the business support local causes, events, and organizations?
- Do they hire locally?
- Do they source from local suppliers when possible?
- Is there evidence of genuine community investment beyond marketing?
4. Quality and Reputation
- What do past customers say about this business?
- Is the owner personally accountable for work quality?
- Do they stand behind what they do?
- Would we recommend them to our own family?
We don't feature businesses that fail on any of these points,
no matter how much they want to be listed.
Why This Matters
You might be thinking: "This seems unnecessarily strict. What's the harm in featuring a well-run franchise?"
Here's why standards matter:
1. Trust Is Our Currency
If SNHLocal features anyone who claims to be local, we become just another Guide—no better than Yelp or Google. Our value is curation. That requires standards.
The independent restaurant owner competing with national chains deserves a platform that actually distinguishes them. Lumping them together with franchises isn't fair.
What If You Don't Qualify?
If your business doesn't meet our local standards, it doesn't mean you're bad at what you do. You might be excellent. You're just not what SNHLocal is about.
There are plenty of other directories and platforms where you can list. SNHLocal is specifically for genuinely local businesses serving Southern New Hampshire.
However, if you're a local business that needs help with your digital presence, local SEO, or online marketing, Mark B Marquis & Co. works with businesses of all sizes.
Borderline Cases We Handle Individually
Some situations require judgment calls:
- Long-time resident who just moved to Massachusetts, but still operates primarily in NH - We'd probably include them while they maintain a significant NH presence
- Regional business that's been in Southern NH for 50+ years and is deeply embedded in the community - Case-by-case; historical community connection matters
- Cooperative or worker-owned business with complex structure - We look at practical autonomy and community ties.
- National brand that gives extreme autonomy - Possible, but we verify this is real, not just marketing.
We handle these thoughtfully, always asking: "Does including this business serve our mission of celebrating and supporting genuinely local businesses?"
For Consumers: What This Means for You
When you find a business on SNHLocal, you can trust that:
- Ownership is local - Your money supports someone in your community
- Decisions are local - The business can adapt to serve local needs
- Accountability is local - Owner has a reputation on the line
- Investment is local - Profits stay in Southern New Hampshire
You're not guessing whether a business is "really" local. We've done the vetting. If they're on SNHLocal, they meet our standards.
For Business Owners: How to Apply
If you're a genuinely local business serving Southern New Hampshire:
- Submit your business information
- We'll review based on our local business standards
- If approved, we'll reach out to gather information for your profile
- We'll write and publish your profile (no cost to you)
- You'll be discovered by customers who value authentic local businesses
Requirements:
- Meet our four-factor local business definition
- Demonstrate quality and a positive reputation
- Show a genuine community connection
- Commit to standing behind your work
If you meet these standards, we'd love to feature you.
The Bottom Line
"Local" isn't just geography. It's not just having a physical location in town.
Local is about ownership, autonomy, accountability, and community investment.
It's about businesses run by people who live here, serve here, hire here, and have genuine stakes in Southern New Hampshire's success.
At SNHLocal, we're not interested in "technically local" or "locally branded." We're interested in genuinely local businesses that strengthen our communities.
That's our standard. We're sticking to it.
Join the Movement
Consumers: Use SNHLocal to find businesses you can trust that are truly local.
Business Owners: If you meet our standards, apply to be featured.
Community Members: Share SNHLocal with neighbors who care about supporting authentic local businesses.
Together, we can build a stronger Southern New Hampshire—one genuinely local business at a time.
