The New York Stock Exchange rings in each day literally with the opening bell, celebrating the power of big business. Meanwhile, small businesses like Gregory’s Coffee, just a few blocks away on Wall Street, receives no such fan fare—until this morning. The coffee shop’s founder, Gregory Zamfotis, in partnership with Chase for Business, rang the iconic Stock Exchange Bell with a message: “Small business also has a voice on Wall Street.”
“The Morning Bell for Small Businesses” is a new campaign that celebrates those hard-working individuals who dare to build their own companies from the ground up. Chase is asking business owners to submit videos of them ringing their own bells to start the day, some of which will be featured on the Chase billboard in Times Square, Chase’s website and shared on social media. Highlighted bell-ringers on Chase’s website include Moomers Ice Cream in Traverse City, Michigan and Seaside Deli & Convenience in Boynton Beach, Florida.
Chase for Business offers credit to start-up and small business owners like Zamfotis, who gave up practicing law to open his first Gregory’s Coffee in 2006. He now has 17 locations in New York City. “Telling stories like his helps bring Chase’s initiatives to life,” said Allison Bennett, the chief marketing officer for Chase for Business. “It’s such a pleasure to talk to Gregory, and it’s so much fun to talk about how, in 10 years, he’s gone from zero to 17 stores. It’s more about him than it is about us, but his vision and our sponsorship helped get him there.”
The ringing of bells has been associated with celebrations since ancient times, from weddings to new calendar years and even death. In this way, Chase is using the same storytelling method that our ancestors used to find explanation, meaning and ritual, a simple, yet powerful way to engage their target demographic.
While The New York Stock Exchange bell rings at 9:30 a.m. ET, many small business owners have been up before dawn. “Some of them start at four or five in the morning,” Bennett said. “So these stories are inspirational, and they make the small-business community unique.”
