We believe a strong local economy is the key to a vibrant community.
So we founded Backyard in service of small business owners — the heroes of our neighborhoods.
We all know local businesses make up the character of a community…
…and neighborhoods thrive when the locals invest their hard-earned money back into boutiques, restaurants, coffee shops, salons, and all the original storefronts in between.
But often, there can be growing pains when charming neighborhoods bloom.
Business owners face difficult choices, particularly if demand has outpaced the ability to staff and grow, or if developers have moved in and rents have skyrocketed.
Our mission is to keep more money circulating in the local economy.
Currently, Backyard reduces transaction costs for small businesses and incentivizes shoppers to buy local, which shifts consumer spending in favor of the neighborhood.
Next, we’ll create access to the affordable capital small business owners desperately need by opening up opportunities for neighbors to directly invest in their communities — and benefit from their growth.
A note from our founder
I think we all want to live in neighborhoods that feel like home and at the same time demand to be continuously explored thanks to lots of great local shops.
We can all point to a time when we uncovered a hidden gem in our own “backyard,” then celebrated (okay, bragged maybe) by sharing our new discovery with friends and family.
The desire to find something new and local is pretty normal, but venturing off the beaten path of big brands doesn’t always come naturally, or worse, it doesn’t make financial sense.
At Backyard, we want to keep more money circulating in the local economy, so everything we do is motivated by one question: How do we make local discovery, commerce, and investing more rewarding for everyone?
Right now, we’re laser focused on reversing the trend of shrinking local business margins. Payment apps and delivery aggregators always take their cut, which makes the cost of a sale harder and harder for mom and pop to afford.
Next up, we’re working on better access to affordable capital. Bank loans take too much time, and online loans come with huge interest rates, because those lenders don’t really get to know the small businesses they’re lending to.
If things don’t change, we risk losing the charm and character of our communities.
Fortunately, we believe finance and technology can be forces for good, not factors that put merchants out of business. That’s why we’re working to connect merchants and neighbors in new and fiscally sustainable ways.
Our team would like to thank you for supporting your neighborhood and for being a vital part of the communities where we all live, work, and play.
David Songer
Backyard Founder & CEO
Let’s build better neighborhoods, together.
Merchants
Locals