How much should you mix your politics and your home business? One of the great things about having your OWN business, is that you can do things your way and be as transparent and personal about things as you want to be (or as you feel comfortable with). Since this is an election year and it seems to be all about politics, I thought we might chat a bit here about combining our businesses and our politics (or not).
Large corporations and all size businesses wrestle with whether to be political or not. If you look at donations to candidates and causes, you might be surprised to see how involved the business sector really is. I know that in my mid-size town, the chamber of commerce always comes out with their list of who the “business sector” endorses, as does our local, family-owned newspaper. As a small business owner, you might be wondering what is appropriate for you? Can you e-mail your customers political e-mails? Can you include flyers for your favorite candidate in your packaging or direct mail? Well, it all depends.
There is always the chance that you might offend someone who is voting differently, so you will have to decide how politically involved you want to be. Some people choose to do their politicking as a private citizen and keep the business out of it for the most part, while others want to use the business as additional clout in supporting candidates and causes. It is your business and you will have to decide what is right for you—keeping in mind what is best for business and balancing that with your personal political passions.
If you do make donations to candidates or causes, make sure that you talk with your tax or financial advisor to ensure that you are doing so legally and keeping your bases covered for the business. Your advisor will be able to tell you the best way to contribute and how to keep accurate and legal records for your accounting.
Also: Knowing How Politics Affect Your Business
Kinky Friedman–a Different Voice for Texas