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How Working Together Makes the Season More Meaningful

Published: November 25, 2025

Suppose a customer asks to pay for a $200 order with cryptocurrency. Can you accept it? How would you know you’ve been paid? And would $200 still be $200 by the time the money reaches your business account?

You don’t need to know how to buy Bitcoin to ask those questions.

They’re the same questions you probably asked when you first signed on with Stripe or any of those new payment methods: What does it cost, when do I get paid, and what happens if something goes wrong?

But if you’re scratching your head wondering who’s paying in crypto and how, it’s not as far away as you think.

What in the World Is Cryptocurrency?

Crypto is a broad term for digital assets that can be transferred through a computer network called a blockchain. Think of a blockchain as a shared record of transactions. Instead of a bank maintaining the only record of a payment, the network records it according to its own rules.

A business can use a payment service to handle much of the technical work, just as it uses a processor to accept credit cards.

There’s a distinction worth knowing: Bitcoin and stablecoins serve different purposes. Bitcoin’s price can change substantially. A stablecoin, like the name suggests, is designed to maintain a steadier value, commonly by tracking the U.S. dollar. “Designed to” is the kicker. A stablecoin still depends on the company issuing it and the arrangements behind it. It isn’t the same as having dollars in your bank account. 

That difference helps explain why digital payments have entered the small business and government conversation. At a September 2026 House Small Business subcommittee hearing, lawmakers examined whether these tools could lower payment costs, help businesses get paid sooner, and make transactions with customers or suppliers in other countries easier. The hearing also raised the questions owners need answered about conversion, taxes, and fraud. 

Where Could Crypto Payments Help?

Before you start writing this off as science fiction, there might be some real advantages to at least entertaining the possibilities of alternative payment methods. These include:

Payment costs. If you make hundreds of small sales, processing fees add up. A digital payment option might cost less for certain transactions. Compare the full cost, though, including the provider’s fees, conversion rate, and any charge to move money into your bank account. The lowest advertised fee may not be the lowest final cost.

Payment timing. Some digital asset networks operate around the clock. That could be useful if your business routinely waits for funds, particularly from international buyers. But the network’s speed is only part of the story. A payment provider may have its own processing or withdrawal schedule. Ask when the dollars will be available for payroll, inventory, or bills.

Customer choice. If customers have asked to pay this way, offering the option might remove a barrier to a sale. If no one has asked and your current methods work well, the added setup may bring little benefit.

Cash flow makes the timing question an important one. In the Federal Reserve Banks’ 2025 report on employer firms, 51% of respondents identified uneven cash flow as a financial challenge. Faster access to a particular payment could help some businesses, though it won’t solve the larger causes of uneven revenue or late invoices. 

Just like other payment methods, the decision of whether to accept crypto as payment is up to you. If you’re considering it, you should understand next steps.

What Happens After a Customer Pays?

What happens depends on the service you choose. One provider may convert the digital asset to dollars and send a deposit to your bank account. Another arrangement may leave your business holding the asset until you decide to convert it. Those are different decisions with different risks and recordkeeping needs.

Before signing up, walk through one ordinary sale and one refund.

Ask the provider:

  • What will the customer send and what will my business receive?
  • What’s the total cost on a sale at my typical price?
  • When will funds reach my bank account?
  • How are refunds handled if the asset’s price changes?
  • What records will I receive for bookkeeping and taxes?

Tax implication note: The IRS says businesses must account for the U.S. dollar value of digital assets received as payment. Selling or exchanging assets later can bring further tax reporting requirements, so review the proposed setup with your accountant before using it for regular sales. 

Take security seriously, too. Crypto payments generally don’t offer the familiar reversal process of a credit card payment. The FTC also warns that scammers may impersonate a supplier or other trusted contact and demand payment in cryptocurrency. Verify any unexpected request to send funds using a phone number or contact method you already know. 

Your Experience Belongs in the Policy Conversation

This is an ongoing conversation. Federal rules for digital assets continue to develop, including rules related to payment stablecoins. Small business owners should have a say in whether those rules are understandable and workable for a company without a compliance department.

That’s where your chamber can help. Tell your chamber what you’d need before considering a digital payment option. Is your concern the cost of accepting payments, the time it takes to receive them, fraud protection, or the work of keeping tax records? If you’ve tried one of these services, share what happened in practice.

Your chamber can bring those examples to lawmakers and help members get straightforward answers as the rules take shape. You don’t have to be ready to accept crypto to have a useful voice in the conversation. You already know what a payment system needs to do for your business.

 

Christina Metcalf is a writer and women’s speaker who believes in the power of story. She works with small businesses, chambers of commerce, and business professionals who want to make an impression and grow a loyal customer/member base. She is the author of The Glinda Principle, rediscovering the magic within.

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Medium: @christinametcalf

Facebook: @tellyourstorygetemtalking

Instagram: @christinametcalfauthor

LinkedIn: @christinagsmith

The holiday season is a make-or-break time for many small businesses. Shoppers are ready to spend, but they’re also pulled in countless directions—online sales, big-box discounts, and time constraints that make convenience one of the biggest factors in their spending.

The best way to rise above the noise isn’t to shout louder, it’s to link arms with your neighbors; maybe even your competitors (hear us out). Collaboration is one of the most powerful tools a small business can use this time of year, and it often leads to results that no single business could achieve alone.

When local businesses team up, customers notice. They see a community that’s connected, welcoming, and invested in making their holiday shopping meaningful. It’s the difference between a single store saying, “We’re open,” and a whole town saying, “Come celebrate with us.”

The Power of Partnership

Partnerships can take many shapes, and they don’t have to be complicated. A café might partner with a nearby boutique for a “Shop & Sip” event, offering a free latte when someone shows a same-day shopping receipt. A florist could collaborate with a gift shop to create festive bundle deals—flowers and candles wrapped up as a one-stop hostess gift. Even service-based businesses can benefit: a fitness studio might swap social media shoutouts with a local juice bar, or a salon could share a giveaway with a neighboring spa.

Each collaboration introduces you to new customers and strengthens relationships within the business community. And that sense of togetherness is magnetic. Shoppers want to feel that their dollars are doing more than buying gifts. They want to invest in their community, and they want their purchases to have purpose.

Real-World Inspiration

Across the country, businesses are finding creative ways to make collaboration part of their holiday magic. In downtown McKinney, Texas, the local wineries recently hosted a fall wine walk (with another one coming up for the holidays). They sold passports with maps that they would get stamped as they enjoyed their tastings (the number of tastings depended on the ticket tier). Instead of hosting the tastings at the wineries themselves, the wineries positioned staff at other businesses throughout the town. This event brough in 800 people to enjoy the downtown area on a beautiful fall day. The layout of the event encouraged strolling so all businesses benefitted. Many participants remarked how they were able to explore businesses they weren’t even aware of. The result? Every participating business (not just the wineries) enjoyed greater foot traffic and exposure, while guests discover new favorites along the way, which will (hopefully) bring them back later in the holiday season.

Similarly, other communities organize “Holiday Shopping Passports” that encourage residents to visit a list of participating businesses. Each purchase earns a stamp, and full passports are entered into a prize drawing. It’s simple, fun, and incredibly effective at keeping shoppers local throughout the season. You could do the same thing with a Dining Passport.

Pop-up markets with a mix of artisans, retailers, food vendors, and performers all in one festive location are another crowd favorite. Picture lights twinkling, music playing, and the smell of cocoa in the air. A pop-up gives customers a memorable experience while helping smaller businesses share overhead costs and gain new audiences.

Collaboration Beyond Retail

Even if your business doesn’t fit the traditional holiday shopping mold, you can still take part in the spirit of cooperation. Professional service providers, realtors, insurance agents, and accountants can cross-promote by sharing each other’s seasonal tips, highlighting community causes, or co-hosting an appreciation event for clients.

For example, one real estate agent partnered with a local bakery and ordered 100 pumpkin pies for clients. They gave her a discount, and she talked them up on social media saying she was sharing part of her family’s tradition (ordering from the bakery) with her clients. It benefits everyone.

Another collaboration idea is a law firm and financial planner sponsoring a “New Year, New Goals” workshop together, positioning themselves as trusted local experts. Or a real estate agent could team up with a home décor boutique for a “Holiday Home” open house featuring local gifts and refreshments. These partnerships add value for customers while creating genuine connections among businesses.

Make It Easy for Customers to Choose Local

The more businesses join forces, the easier it becomes for shoppers to stay in town. Bundled promotions, shared marketing materials, and coordinated events simplify the decision to buy local. Instead of asking residents to visit each store individually, you’re inviting them into a full experience—one that’s joyful, convenient, and full of community spirit.

And when shoppers have a good time, they talk about it. Word-of-mouth spreads faster than any paid ad. That sense of shared excitement builds momentum that benefits everyone, especially those who took the time to collaborate.

We Can Help

If you’re not sure where to start, our chamber is the perfect place. We know who’s doing what in the community and can help connect you with other businesses that complement yours. We can also promote your partnerships through our newsletter, social media, and event listings, giving your efforts the visibility they deserve.

Before the season slips by, reach out. Ask how you can get involved or suggest an idea for a joint promotion. Whether it’s a shared giveaway, a neighborhood shopping night, or a creative collaboration, we’re here to help you make it happen.

Because when local businesses work together, the entire community wins. You don’t just increase sales—you strengthen the local economy, deepen relationships, and create the kind of holiday spirit that keeps customers coming back long after the decorations are packed away.

This season, don’t go it alone. Team up, spread the cheer, and watch how working together truly wins the season.

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