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notes from the guest speaker ( 1/28/2020

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notes from the guest speaker ( 1/28/2020

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she started with table tennis , and her friend gave hr the idea of staring a business .
question?: if you were to start your bussiness during this

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WELCOME TO GRACE AND MERCY GEAR

Faith and fashion don't have to be separate. Many of us have received an abundance of what this brand was founded on.

- Grace + Mercy
#fashionyourfaith

Browse Grace + Mercy Gear

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Faith and fashion don't have to be separate. Many of us have received an abundance of what this brand was founded on. - Grace + Mercy #fashionyourfaith Browse Grace + Mercy Gear

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delostherapy.com

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My mom is someone that is coming into speak to our class about her clothing business, https://dressmefemme.com/. My moms name is Rebecca Velasquez-Garcia and is 32 years old. She started her company over quarantine and made her own website and also has a few social medias based on the business. She does local delivery and only ships in the country.

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thereś a lot of info about small business here.

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thereś a lot of info about small business here.

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what info did u find on this website ?

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We support America's small businesses. The SBA connects entrepreneurs with lenders and funding to help them plan, start and grow their business.

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Two Charlotte business owners who work with dozens of other small business owners say a combination of grants are helping keep them all afloat

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Toni South and Christy Pope started CLT find four years ago at the 7th street market. It's a fun shop selling all locally made goods from 90 different vendors, everything from jewelry to books, beauty products, and even honey. Business was great until the pandemic hit.

"We closed in the middle of march and for a couple of weeks we literally sat at home thinking our business was done," South remembers.

Then the women had an idea.

"We just started posting on Instagram. If you need a gift. We were shipping a ton of stuff leading up to Mothers Day basically through Facebook and it just took off," said South.

It's a good thing because the usual crowds and customers still haven't come back to uptown.

"Uptown has just changed and so we're just trying to pivot and continue to pivot to focus on online sales and building that piece of our business," South said.

They've won two grants that have helped one from the city of Charlotte to help pay rent and operating expenses and a second, a privately funded innovation grant.

"You have to use it to pivot your business to creatively find a way to function with the covid restrictions," Pope explains.

The women have put the money towards marketing and creating videos to help tell the story of their business and the 90 or so local vendors they work with.

Pope adds, "We feel very fortunate and very grateful and we are just very vested in the uptown Charlotte community and the greater community in general."

The women said they've also noticed an exciting shift in new customers, big locally based corporations, and realtors who want to support local businesses. You can check out their wares, CLICK HERE.

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Small business in uptown get creative to keep cash flowing during pandemic

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Two Charlotte business owners who work with dozens of other small business owners say a combination of grants are helping keep them all afloat CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Toni South and Christy Pope started CLT find four years ago at the 7th street market.

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From bookstore shopkeepers to cafe owners to disc jockeys, entrepreneurs across America have been among the hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic.

Small businesses in the U.S. employ nearly 60 million people, and 57 million are self-employed independent contractors, gig workers, temporary and part-time workers. Benefits like health care coverage or sick paid leave are not guaranteed for all of these workers and many rely on their income to handle these expenses.

With the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines to limit the social gatherings and local governments mandating the closure of nonessential businesses to help curb the spread of COVID-19, these business owners have a major challenge: Find creative ways to adjust in a time of crisis.

Here are seven entrepreneurs who are innovating and reinventing their businesses during the coronavirus pandemic.

A bookstore all to yourself

Even before Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser ordered all restaurants, bars and gathering places in the District of Columbia to be shut down, the owners of Capitol Hill Books had been preparing for a new chapter in its business.

Foot traffic had slowed during the March 14 weekend. Usually on weekends, the cozy, three-floor used book store gets quite packed.

"Things were slowing down, and we also anticipated there would be some orders coming down from local government to close," said Kyle Burk, one of several co-owners who purchased the store in July 2018.

That led the store's operators to consider how to keep the business open while keeping "social distancing practices and reduce contact with our employees and the public," he said.

The book store closed Monday, March 16, but they began taking appointments for groups of customers of four or less. "When they come to the store, they knock on the door. We unlock it and we immediately have hand sanitizer and gloves for them to put on," Burk said. "Once they have sanitized and put on the gloves, we ask just that they keep 6 feet apart. They have the store to themselves for an hour, and after the hour we charge them for whatever books they buy."

The book store, which is just about six blocks east of the U.S. Capitol, also began another service for customers: custom book selections.

Book lovers can call or email them a book genre, topic or author they are interested in, how much they would like to spend and the store's employees will select a collection of books for them. Capitol Hill Books will ship or, if the customer is local, curbside pickup can be arranged.

So far, the store hasn't had to lay off any of its five employees, Burk says. While these new strategies do not replace the traditional walk-in customers, they may "allow us to remain viable as a business," he said. "That is our main goal right now."

Curling up with a good book can be a way to cope. "It sounds like it is going to be a long hard slog to get through this and people are going to need books to get through it," Burk said.

- Mike Snider

Social media brings the money

He has done hair for Ashley Graham, Hailey Bieber and Chrissy Teigen. But with no events to attend, his celebrity clientele has no need for his at-home services right now.

David Lopez is a hair and makeup professional whose main source of income is in an industry that requires physical proximity to his clients. During the coronavirus pandemic and directives from the government to close all nonessential businesses, the beauty industry finds itself in a predicament.

Lopez, 35, is also an Instagram influencer with more than 48,000 followers. That has been his saving grace.

"I have had more requests for sponsored content (product reviews or features on Instagram) in the last two weeks than I've ever gotten," said Lopez, who focuses on self-care advice that works for all genders. He says he took "a week of planning to be sensitive to the times (and figure out) content that makes you feel good." But he added that in order to do those things, he really had to "hone in on what my message is on social media."

From his residence in Brooklyn, New York, Lopez can shoot his own videos and photos, thanks to an in-home studio he built. Whether he's doing a video shoot or an Instagram takeover, in which brands give him control of their social media accounts, "from home, I can just put on a wig and do a tutorial on hair care."

As an ambassador, or sponsor, for brands like Ulta Beauty, Kenra Professional, Byrdie Beauty and IGK Hair, Lopez is able to maintain a steady stream of income through those contracts. But Lopez has also experienced a change in commitments from some clients such as home-shopping network QVC.

"I host classes and present at hair shows, which have been canceled. I (also) do work for QVC and had to dial-in for my last airing," said Lopez. "The rate was different because I wasn't there, but it was great that they were able to accommodate."

- Josh Rivera

At School of Rock, the show goes on

School of Rock, a multilocation music school, has inspired would-be young rock stars with its "performance-based" music education program. The closure of its schools because of the coronavirus pandemic forced a school focused on group-based learning to rethink its approach.

"Like most people, we had a seizure of terror," said School of Rock CEO Rob Price on closing its schools.

Instead of fully shutting down, School of Rock launched a virtual, one-on-one remote program, where students use video conferencing tools to continue music lessons with teachers. The school teaches more than 40,000 students around the world.

School of Rock will accept new students during this time, offering singing lessons and instruction on instruments including guitar, bass, drums or keyboard.

"You have tens of millions of people dislocated, with time on their hands feeling anxiety, grief, fear and dislocation," said Price. "We know from 21 years of experience that music is one of the best natural antidotes to those conditions."

- Brett Molina

Facebook Live party sustains DJ

What started out as an act to distract Puerto Ricans stuck in their homes quickly became disc jockey Yamil Torres' new business model.

A curfew issued on March 15 urged millions in Puerto Rico to stay at home to help curb the spread of the coronavirus. Puerto Rico Gov. Wanda Vázquez imposed a 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew that will run through March 30, fining violators up to $5,000.

With the island under lockdown, Torres, known as "DJ Yamil," thought a Facebook Live party would lift the island's morale after a day of working or studying from home. From his home in Aguadilla, located in western Puerto Rico, the 32-year-old recreated a busy club environment.

The first of several virtual parties, on March 19, garnered over 21 million views and hundreds of thousands of comments, with some of them asking how they could contribute monetarily.

"Many people were thanking me for helping them alleviate stress from their lives," Torres told USA TODAY.

Torres attached his phone number in the description of his second Facebook live so his audience could make donations through the money transferring app ATH Móvil, as well as PayPal.

The governor even congratulated Torres via social media.

"What an excellent initiative by DJ Yamil for everyone's entertainment!," read Vázquez's temporary Instagram post in Spanish. "During these times of social distancing, social media can turn into an extraordinary alternative for everyone's virtual enjoyment."

Torres said he hopes to continue his parties on a weekly basis.

- Coral Murphy-Marcos

Social clubhouse goes digital

Social clubs and coworking spaces have long been a place where entrepreneurs, freelancers and gig-economy workers can connect with like-minded people. However, that has abruptly changed as many of these gathering places have been forced to shut their doors amid the worsening coronavirus pandemic.

Ethel's Club, a social and wellness clubhouse located in Williamsburg, Brooklyn is no different. But creativity in a time of crisis has allowed it to thrive in a different form.

The coworking space - which provides members development programming and a space to network for a monthly fee - opened in November and shut its doors on March 13.

"When the coronavirus started to hit its peak, we felt that it was best for our community to shut doors. It was important to think about our members first," said Naj Austin, founder of Ethel's Club.

In a week's time, Austin and her team had fully conceptualized a way to convert their brick-and-mortar space into a virtual model. "We always wanted to include digital memberships. We replicated everything that we do here and put it online," she said.

On March 20, Ethel's Club launched its digital-only membership, which includes daily streamed content through Zoom and Vimeo three times a day.

The programming, which mirrors that of the physical location, spans from meditation and breathwork sessions for members to cope with anxiety and stress, to other interactive offerings, such as live DJ sets and skill-building workshops around photography and content creation. Other membership perks include exclusive discounts and a remote job list.

"It has always been about giving access and people of color the ability to feel uplifted, empowered and supported," Austin said.

While the physical space is home to more than 200 members and includes a waiting list for others to join, Ethel's Club's digital community has unlocked access for an unlimited number of virtual members to join nationwide.

"The pivot to virtual has allowed everyone to be a part of what we've been doing here," Austin said. "We can't predict the future, but we want people to know we're building a place that people can depend on."

- Jazmin Goodwin

Bookstore moves club to Zoom

When local officials mandated that all nonessential businesses were to be closed, Linda McLoughlin Figel and her partner Patty Gibson went into action, sending out an email newsletter to customers of their Los Angeles area book store.

They let them know that books, puzzles and gift cards could still be ordered from the {pages: a bookstore} website, that they would be offering curbside pickups for books every day from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and that the popular book clubs would still be meeting - except that they would be online.

With the "tech assist" of her 28-year-old daughter Sarah, Figel put the "Coffee Time" book club on the Zoom video conference service, where it plans to remain for as long as the store has to be physically closed.

"It's a great way to connect," she says. "People are isolated."

The group usually has 20 people who meet weekly at the store, which is in the Manhattan Beach suburb of Los Angeles. For the Zoom conference, she had 12 people join in to discuss "Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead" by Olga Tokarczuk, which she considered a major success.

Zoom is free, but only for video calls up to 40 minutes. So Figel paid the $14.99 fee for longer calls, and the club met for an hour, as they usually do at the store.

The benefit of video conferencing? "We were a little more efficient. There were fewer sidebars."

The downside? Some people choose not to have their face on the screen., "There's something you gain when you can see everyone's facial reactions," Figel says.

The traditional in-store book club meetings usually end with participants going to the cash register to buy the next book. That happened for the virtual book club, as well - except they bought it online.

The {pages} website has experienced a dramatic increase since the COVID-19 crisis, with customers buying more books and puzzles, mostly for pickup, "which is great," Figel added.

- Jefferson Graham

Cafe chai at your doorstep

After businesses in New York were forced to move to takeout and delivery amid the coronavirus pandemic, the highs of opening a new food and beverage spot quickly dwindled for brothers, Ani and Ayal Sanyal.

"Life as we know it had been completely turned upside down; we knew our lives would be changed forever," said Ani Sanyal.

Just six months before, the two were celebrating the grand opening of their masala chai cafe, Kolkata Chai, with a line wrapped around the building. The shop, located in the heart of the city's East Village neighborhood, is the brothers' nod to the South Asian drink they enjoyed during summers spent in Kolkata.

"Coming to the store was the entire experience," said Ani.

In a pinch, they were forced to figure out how to survive without a shop as an option. They found delivery services, at the time, weren't accepting new vendors.

"When you're forced into improbable situations, it forces you to innovate, whether you have that in mind or are a little bit behind," said Ani. "These set of circumstances forced us to innovate on the food and beverage side at a level that I don't think we knew we had the capabilities to do."

Within 48 hours, the two had created their own delivery infrastructure and converted their entire business model to stay afloat. By using Squarespace to integrate their payment system and bringing on full-time help to coordinate deliveries and a real-time map for orders, Kolkata now makes deliveries of chai and other store delicacies, samosas and Indian biscuits Parle-G's right to customers' doorsteps.

Weekly revenue rose due to new online orders, gift card purchases and generous tipping from customers, according to Ani.

In the coming weeks, Ani and Ayan plan to offer a DIY chai kit to give customers the opportunity to make their authentic chai from home.

"Amidst all the chaos, we have built two new verticals of our business, e-commerce and delivery. We rapidly pivoted to make sure that the legacy of this business and what it means for our family as first-gen immigrants don't die," Ani added.

- Jazmin Goodwin

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Necessity and inventions: How these entrepreneurs are adapting to a pandemic

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From bookstore shopkeepers to cafe owners to disc jockeys, entrepreneurs across America have been among the hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic. Small businesses in the U.S. employ nearly 60 million people, and 57 million are self-employed independent contractors, gig workers, temporary and part-time workers.

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Companies that have been giving back? Ideas for incorporating canned drive?

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Companies that have been giving back? Ideas for incorporating canned drive?

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Fifty-six percent of consumers report being happy to learn about how brands are helping in response to the coronavirus pandemic, according to a recent survey from the American Association of Advertising Agencies (4A's). And helping they are!

EDUCATION

Educationhas been turned upside down and companies have rushed to support parents, teachers and schools during the shift to digital learning. For example,

Internet providers like Comcast are boosting speeds on their basic packages and offering free internet to low-income customers. and are also providing limited-time internet to families with K-12 students.

HOSPITALS

Another big recipient of monetary and other relevant in-kind donations are hospitals, which are in desperate need for a wide range of supplies.

Ford Motor Company is shifting gears to lend manufacturing and engineering expertise to help build respirators and ventilators. The car company will also assemble face shields and use its 3D printing capacity to produce parts used in other personal protective equipment.

Similarly, GM and Fiat Chrysler are also pitching in to support production of respiratory care products and face masks.

Dyson has partnered with The Technology Partnership to produce a ventilator called CoVent, a bed-mounted, portable ventilator that can run from battery power. With a grant from the government of U.K., Dyson will produce 10,000 ventilators for the country and another 5,000 for donation.

HEALTH CARE WORKERS

Speaking of health care, front-line health care workers are rightly being celebrated as national heroes and companies are working to support them with offers of food, transportation, shelter and self-care.

The American Hotel and Lodging Association is creating a national database connecting hotel properties with the health community struggling to find housing and support as the COVID-19 public health crisis grows. Just a few of the hotel brands that have publicly committed to providing housing: OYO Hotels and Homes , Oxford Hotels & Resorts and the Four Seasons Manhattan .

SMALL BUSINESS SUPPORT

Many banks such as Umpqua Bank, Wells Fargo and Bank of America are showing up to support their communities and, in particular, small businesses with offers ranging from deferred credit card payments to specific grant programs.

RETHINKING BUSINESS AS USUAL

Some small businesses are rethinking their entire business model as their normal operations are forced to shutter.

ALCOHOL ISN'T JUST FOR DRINKING ANYMORE

Distilleries such as Pernod-Ricard, Bacardi, Tito's and others have converted their operations to produce large quantities of hand sanitizer. Even a large-scale cannabis operation - CannaCraft - will designate a part of their manufacturing to produce and distribute hand sanitizer.

WORK FROM HOME RESOURCES

Work from Home (WFH) resources are abundant as well since everyone who can work remotely now is.

In partnership with Zoom, is hosting virtual lunchtime hangouts for 3,000 fans featuring celebrity appearances, Q&As and exclusive content.

TOILET PAPER GOES MAINSTREAM

And never has a typically-boring household product like toilet paper been in the spotlight like it has been in the past several weeks. Toilet paper manufacturer Cottonelle is taking full advantage of the attention with a donation of $1 million and one million rolls of TP to the United Way Worldwide COVID-19 Community Response and Recovery Fund. Cottonelle also launched a #ShareASquare encouraging consumers to tag instances of toilet paper sharing to unlock an additional $1 donation, up to $100,000, through June 1.

SOCIAL DISTANCING CAMPAIGNS REIGN SUPREME

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, brands large and small are coming up with creative ways to encourage social distancing with brands like Coca-Cola, McDonald's, Audi and temporarily changing their logos to share the message.

Although the COVID-19 crisis continues to increase in severity and seriousness, it's inspiring to see the many ways companies are giving what they can to those in need, leveraging their existing resources to make a difference, uniting together whenever possible to bring levity, relief and resources where they're needed most.

... Read More

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Creative Ways Companies Are Giving Back During The COVID-19 Crisis

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Fifty-six percent of consumers report being happy to learn about how brands are helping in response to the coronavirus pandemic, according to a recent survey from the American Association of Advertising Agencies (4A's). And helping they are! Educationhas been turned upside down and companies have rushed to support parents, teachers and schools during the shift to digital learning.

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Not a video- short article on how businesses got creative

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Not a video- short article on how businesses got creative

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When coronavirus hit, these small businesses got creative, but they still need help

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Here's how these businesses adapted when they were affected by coronavirus shutdowns and social distancing, and they need support.

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My small business survived the Great Recession and it will survive coronavirus, too | GMA Digital

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Hawaii- supporting locals- WATCH BOTH VIDEOS on this page

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Hawaii- supporting locals- WATCH BOTH VIDEOS on this page

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HONOLULU, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) - A Yelp survey in September found that 9 in every 1,000 businesses in Hawaii have permanently closed - one of the highest rates in the country - as lockdowns imposed earlier this year shattered the local economy.

Months later, many of those that have survived aren't sure how long they'll remain afloat.

But amid all the economic pain, experts predict a silver lining. The twists and turns of the pandemic - from shutdowns to strict capacity limits - have forced many small businesses to rethink their strategies, dramatically dial up their online presence and woo customers anew with creative products.

The crucial question, of course: Will that moment last? Here's the story of why many think it will.

'Companies have to evolve'

Lyle Fujikawa is one of the creators behind the state's Buy Hawaii, Give Aloha, a website launched to help local businesses connect with shoppers during the pandemic.

Buy Hawaii, Give Aloha was the result: A one-stop online shop for Hawaii products.

It wasn't perfect, but Fujikawa said it was an example of what's possible - and how businesses have adapted in difficult times. The pandemic, he said, has "given some companies an opportunity to leapfrog and realize that they have this tremendous whole world to sell to and they have a pathway to that."

He added, "Companies have to evolve and continue to innovate."

A central focus of the program was helping business bolster their e-commerce capabilities.

"I think if businesses hadn't thought about getting online before ... that was the first thing that came to their mind when again people couldn't show up there," said Clark, whose center provides technical support to businesses. "They realized they have to go online otherwise they're just sitting there."

Clark and Fujikawa said businesses had to quickly learn how to market their products online.

Pushed to be 'more creative than normal'

At the corner of 11th Avenue in the heart of Kaimuki, Ten Tomorrow is a women's clothier housed in an office space resembling a cozy home. Summer Shiigi, owner and designer, said prior to the pandemic, she had a website, but only about 2% of sales came from e-commerce. Over the next few months, that surged to about 50% - a clear indication of a shift in her customers' shopping habits during the pandemic.

"We're definitely putting our effort into constantly doing photoshoots, getting our product quickly and up on the website, scheduling and timing launches, so that people can know what's upcoming," Shiigi said.

The initiative was so successful she launched a similar one for the holidays.

"It's just a 100% safe way to stay in touch and still shop, so it's nice," Shiigi said. "It feels like I'm with you shopping and offering customer service in that way, and that's what I love about it."

"I think the pandemic has pushed all business owners to kind of go out of their comfort zone and get more creative than normal, so I definitely want to take lessons that we've learned and the tools that we've implemented and see ... what we can keep, how we can continue to evolve," she said.

Lyle Fujikawa, of DBEDT, agreed that the physical storefront can't be replaced. But he adds that there can be a healthy balance between having an online presence and some kind of brick-and-mortar store.

"It's not gonna be fighting against each other, you're not going to cannibalize sales, you're going to supplement or support the branding and experience and sales," Fujikawa said. "Brick-and-mortar and then the online can work more efficiently and they're different kinds of things."

"We give them a tour, we grab the clothes, the newest collection that we have, we'll show them the different styles. We'll have one of our girls try on the outfit to give them an idea of what it looks like," Bayot said.

Bayot added that the store relied on its biggest purchases during large events like the Merrie Monarch Festival, May Day celebrations, graduations and baby luau, so it was difficult when the pandemic canceled everything. Being creative and reaching customers through social media has been a huge help.

"I think our Hawaiian small business, we're remarkable. Not only Manuhealii, but all the Hawaiian small businesses out there. We have shined. You know, these big retailers are shutting down. We're able to be resilient and get through it while still grounding us as a family-owned business," Bayot said.

About 25 years ago, the non-profit Waianae Economic Development Council developed Made on the Waianae Coast, a marketplace where vendors - from artisans to food to entertainers - could sell their work. One of the primary ways of promoting their products was through festivals.

But when COVID-19 hit, Made on the Waianae Coast had to solve the very complex problem of how to bring an event of such a large scale to people's homes. A team of volunteers got started on the problem.

The creators of the Made on the Waianae Coast said they don't anticipate returning to in-person events until at least the second half of 2021, but there are unforeseen benefits to doing them online anyway, including being able to use resources and money in different ways.

Additionally, businesses are able to promote products all around the world.

"You're not in the situation where you're renting tents or worrying about sound systems or security or parking, some of the other costs that are associated with in-person types of events," said Joseph Lapilio, president of the Waianae Economic Development Council.

"I think the biggest thing that's probably happening and might be more immediate is people are a little aware of the fragility of business and how, on a dime, events can turn on you and the need for you to be entrepreneurial," he said. "The need for you to be creative and adapt. I think that's probably one of the bigger changes that are happening for a lot of business people."

When malls shut down and their tenants took business online following stay-at-home orders, that also meant dressing rooms were off limits.

"Clothing is just a hard thing to sell online just because if you're new to our brand, you don't know anything about it," Song said. "You don't know what a size small looks like, or fits like, so that definitely is the hardest part."

To fix that issue, Song came up with "Izu/Tri Before You Buy," an option that allows customers to try on up to six items (at a value of up to $649) that are shipped to their home for a deposit of $50.

That deposit will be applied to the items the customer decides to keep. And if the customer decides to return anything, Allison Izu will send a free return shipping label.

On a recent December day, Ala Moana Center is quieter than usual during what would typically be a busy holiday shopping season.

The thin crowds are a reminder of just how hard hit retail has been amid the pandemic. Closed storefronts are another one.

Allison Song knows the stakes and is doing everything she can do to keep customers coming back, in person or online.

She's even been hopping onto the store's Instagram account with daily Stories, posting style tutorial videos that show viewers how to wear different outfits.

She admits that for herself and other entrepreneurs, it took a pandemic to step outside her comfort zone and try something completely out of her element, but embracing change is essential to growth.

"We're kind of pushed to the end point or like put under pressure, that's kind of when the ideas and the creativity come up," Song said.

"It really gave us an opportunity to reassess what's working, what's not working, where can we focus more, and where can we innovate? And that's always something that excites me as an entrepreneur."

Wilson, of Ala Moana Center, said that he's noticed that businesses in the mall are focusing on what they can control - by figuring out new and innovative ways to manage through this.

"All businesses, all industries are adapting and I believe in the entrepreneurial spirit, I believe collectively what we can all achieve together, so I just think it's going to be an evolution and excited to see and be a part of the future," he said.

"We're so lucky to be in Hawaii because our community really supports us, and being a small business, I feel like that's why we've been able to survive," Song said. "They've really made an effort to support local and small business, that's a really amazing thing that is attributed to the Hawaii community."

Others in the industry agree that, in many ways, the pandemic has helped shine a spotlight on local businesses because Hawaii is such an inclusive place, where people come together to lift each other up.

Fujikawa said that in many ways, the pandemic has also reshaped and given new meaning to buying local.

"It's been a tremendous crisis, and we've had tragedy, and we've had a lot of difficulties and challenges, but out of that, some companies are really succeeding, some are thriving, and hopefully we can create new ones that will make more success for everyone," he said.

Copyright 2020 Hawaii News Now. All rights reserved.

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In a year of economic pain, Hawaii retailers turn to creativity to redefine 'buy local'

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HONOLULU, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) - A Yelp survey in September found that 9 in every 1,000 businesses in Hawaii have permanently closed - one of the highest rates in the country - as lockdowns imposed earlier this year shattered the local economy. Months later, many of those that have survived aren't sure how long they'll remain afloat.

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What is he promising?

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President-elect Joe Biden on small business relief, direct stimulus payments

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The latest relief package (there are 6 differences)

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ppp loans: small businesses can start applying for new loans today - cnn

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Small businesses can start applying for new PPP loans on Monday

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For millions of small businesses still struggling to make ends meet, today's the first day to apply for a new, potentially forgivable federal loan.

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The financial picture for small business is challenging, but the misery is not shared equally.

According to the Small Business Association, job creation tanked in the spring, rebounded slightly over the summer, and has been essentially flat this fall for small businesses of all sizes.

On the other hand, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that November employment increased in some industries, including professional and business services, confirming that the pandemic is affecting different industries in wildly different manners.

Our survey of 321 employers - all of whom have under 250 employees - was not large enough to report statistically significant differences among industries, but those such as hospitality and others dependent on serving customers in person have clearly been hit hardest by the pandemic.

This dichotomy was apparent in answers about hiring plans for 2021, with a fairly equal split among those who are planning to expand their workforce and those who are planning to make cuts.

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Report: Unum Small Business Benefits Trends 2021

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The financial picture for small business is challenging, but the misery is not shared equally. According to the Small Business Association, job creation tanked in the spring, rebounded slightly over the summer, and has been essentially flat this fall for small businesses of all sizes.

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daphne

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How the stimulus check help small businesses and some are not getting help.

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https://www2.illinois.gov/dceo/SmallBizAssistance/BeginHere/Pages/default.aspx

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Many people are claiming unemployment damaging
the business and the small businesses aren't getting the amount of support they deserve
-Brianna G

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Over 25,000 small businesses got a emergency grant and llinois officials gave small business $275 million dollars because of covid

Francesca

http://www.annanews.com/news/big-program-helps-small-businesseshttp://www.annanews.com/news/big-program-helps-small-businesses

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The fund for small buisness relief ran out of money to help out.

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The fund for small buisness relief ran out of money to help out.

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Maggie J

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Small businesses got a small bail  and funds to keep their business 

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Small businesses got a small bail  and funds to keep their business 

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Ilaan, Alex C, Lucy

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Small Businesses: Brianna,Makayla K. , and Sanaa

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Small Businesses: Brianna,Makayla K. , and Sanaa

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The stimulus are being sent to citizens of Illinois. Unemployment people will receive $300 dollars.And small businesses will be receiving help from Paycheck Protection Programs.  The Cook County COVID-19 Recovery Small Business Assistance Program provides support for small businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Small businesses mean a lot the businesses.

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J.B Pritzker wants to raise taxes from small business because they lost tax money due to the “CARES”
Ellie A, Daphne, Peyton

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There has been a lot of unemployment due to the small businesses shutting down

Jade

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Small businesses are not getting enough funds

Jade