The COVID-19 virus and the uncertainties that it has brought with it has caused a lot to fear, but what does fear get us?
Nothing but anxiety, stress, and irrational and potentially irreparable damage as a result of instant decisions made and not thought through.
Now is the time to take a deep breath and assess the situation.
What impact does COVID-19 have on me, my family, my company, and my community? Ask yourself How can I help solve this problem? How can I help others?
Although this crisis could not be anticipated or planned for, I see this as an opportunity for us to rise to the challenge and make a change. If we see this as an opportunity rather than a danger or crisis, wouldn’t we react to it differently?
As a small business owner who serves small business owners at the highest level, I choose to see this crisis before us as an opportunity. An opportunity to serve you, the small business owner. An opportunity to give back. An opportunity to be calm and have faith.
My advice to you is to:
Communicate.
Communicate with your customers, employees, risk holders and families. What are you doing to protect them? What additional steps are you taking to ensure that they are safe and that your company is operating at the highest level? How will you help?
Plan.
Educate yourself about the crisis and how others are dealing with it. Check out this article from OSHA. Sit back, breathe and calmly ask yourself,“What impact could this have on my business?” What is the best-case scenario and what is the worst?
Come up with a plan for paying employees and vendors. Monitor your cash flows very carefully. Explore all the resources available through your business banker and the SBA. You may be eligible for an SBA Disaster Assistance Loan that could help bridge the gap. And, don’t forget to communicate.
Be Flexible.
Keep an open mind and a non-judgmental attitude in dealing with employee and customer requests. Be mindful of the impact the decisions you make today that could have a long-term impact on your family, customer and employee relationships. Make necessary changes to your work environment, allow employees to work from home, consider expanding sick pay. What is important to your family, customers and employees? That is where you should focus your energies.
If you are a small business owner and you need help with your taxes or putting a financial plan together or you need a trusted advisor to talk to who will listen, we are here to help.
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