Why Small Businesses Matter
Shop small, do big things for your community
Why Small Businesses Matter puts a spotlight on the local merchants who donate their time, talent, goods, and services for the betterment of our community. The shop local movement spreads virally as local businesses who are “tagged” have the opportunity to share their story!
You're IT SDSS Martial Arts of Wilton!
Four questions with Christine Swiatek and Mike Meyer from SDSS Martial Arts of Wilton.
Why did you start your business?
We started our Wilton location 15 years ago. In addition to loving the community, there was a need for Martial Arts training for kids that revolved around character development and parents' desire for their children to learn about Respect, Self Discipline, and Self Control. Our goal was and is to be inclusive to everyone of any age and ability and help as many people as possible to have confidence in the world we live in.
What is your best-selling product/service?
Our Self Defense and Lifeskills program ages 4-16, is one of our most popular and has given confidence to so many students. Birthday Parties and camps are also a big hit!
How many local businesses do you use to support your business (products and services) and can you name them?
We make it a point to do our business at as many local businesses as possible, whether it be for day-to-day supplies, meals, or bringing in local services to enhance an event or camp. We share many of the same clientele as other businesses in the area, and we appreciate the support and ability to network with one another. We feel strongly that synergy amongst us is a part of what makes doing business in Wilton great.
When businesses were shut down in March of 2020, we were extremely fortunate to have the ability to get up and running digitally within one day to make sure our students' training went uninterrupted. While the pandemic has imposed many hardships, there have been so many learning experiences throughout this process that have opened up new doors and possibilities that we would not have imagined otherwise. We have restructured entire lesson plans to keep students engaged from a distance, secured outdoor training areas, and have even been able to train people all over the country (and some even on the other side of the world) because of digital learning.
SDSS Martial Arts, among many locations across Connecticut, is located at 5 River Road in Wilton. Visit SDSS Martial Arts of Wilton online here, and make sure to check out their Facebook and Instagram pages as well!
HamletHub thanks Fairfield County Bank for making our Why Small Businesses Matter series possible!