Where’s the “unsubscribe” button for Black Friday?

Let’s get real for a second: Black Friday gives me the serious "ick." ???

You know the kind that makes me want to move to a new planet and start farming because that might cleanse the consumerist tar from my soul (shout-out to Stardew Valley for being my escape).

I must be the worst marketer in the world because I’ve never participated in Black Friday —and probably never will.

Why? Because it just doesn’t sit right. It feels manipulative, overwhelming, and a little gross, to be honest. You know that Netflix documentary about big brands and manipulative marketing? Yeah, watch “Buy Now! The Shopping Conspiracy” to see what I’m talking about.

As a consumer, I can’t help feeling like I’ve been overpaying for everything else just to get a "deal" now. I’ve felt the false urgency, the pressure to grab something "special" before it’s too late, the endless carousel of "consume, consume, CONSUME!" And as someone who’s happily neurodivergent, it’s just too much.

And as a business owner? Oof, it’s complicated. ??

I want to market ethically, charge what I’m worth, and not give in to the pressure to slash my prices just to compete with massive corporations.

Honestly, I already set my rates to be fair and accessible—cutting them further would make it hard to keep the lights on. Plus, there’s a part of me that wonders what my responsibility is to you, my clients and community.

Shouldn’t I be driving more mindful consumption, instead of getting caught up in the noise?

So, here’s my stand: No Black Friday deals from me. The "ick" is just too real. But instead, I'm doubling down on a few things I can actually get behind:

• No specials, no slashed prices. My prices are already as fair as I can make them, and anything lower just wouldn’t be sustainable.
• Sharing anti-consumerist content from other businesses that also get the "ick."
• Promoting small businesses I support and love within my network. They’re doing amazing work that’s worth full price—no discounts needed.

If you’re reading this and you’d like me to share the news about your small business, drop me a reply with what you’re promoting at the moment and I’ll share it as part of my “Support Small Business” promotion efforts on Friday. Let's support each other without the FOMO or scaly marketing tactics. ??

And hey—if you’re feeling Black-ed Out like me, let’s hear it! Share your thoughts or suggestions for ethical ways to navigate this season.

You can read the full Candid newsletter here.

If you like my rants about ethical marketing or even just my efforts to question "why" we do things this way, then subscribe to my newsletter to get this straight to your inbox 2x per month. ??

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