Like many of you, I’ve found the last several days to be confusing, shocking, and fascinating to watch.
As a small business owner, I’ve been watching to see how similar businesses are acting/reacting to the chaos around them. Being a part of several organizations who cater to gyms and gym owners like myself, protocols and methods for keeping business moving along have been all the buzz since the weekend began.
I’m watching the response to local businesses, domestic businesses and the way that other countries are treating this. I’m watching to check the pulse of my friends and clients to see what they feel, how they feel and to get a gauge on what the potential next steps are.
I’m fortunate that I know a lot of small business owners and I know that each industry is being affected in different ways. Some service providers may not feel as much of a pinch from this. I think of services offered by plumbers, handymen and electricians.
Then I think of businesses which thrive on that personal touch and relationships. I think of massage therapists, hair salons, personal trainers, etc.
I also consider businesses which thrive on weekend/weeknight traffic when they generate the most revenue: bars, restaurants, music venues, etc.
There are also the businesses who thrive on seasonal events and parties like florists and event centers. Think of all the weddings which are either being postponed or cancelled right now due to fear of too many people in too small of a place.
For us, at RevFit, due to the government intervention, our semi-private training is temporarily on hold. As a result, we are transitioning many of our clients to online coaching to make sure we are still taking care of their needs.
There has also been a glimmer of hope in that we may still be able to coach 1-on-1 and 1-on-2 sessions for those who simply have no better option to train and don’t have the equipment to get the job done at home.
Should the weather warm up sooner as opposed to later here in Ohio, we may opt for outdoor workouts so there is more chance for clients to spread out and still get in some training so they don’t feel they’re missing out on a typical training session.
The good news, for us, is that there are many options for continuing a relatively seamless flow of business. We’ll modify and adapt to the best of our ability because we know how much of a stress relief (no matter what is happening in life) exercise can be. At times like these, we need things we can count on to not only make us feel better but boost our immune systems too.
However, as a consumer, and someone who knows the value of small business, I would ask you to consider how the current events might affect businesses which operate on smaller profit margins and may not be able to weather the storm of potentially weeks of decreased revenue.
My mother owns a flower shop and many of her events have been cancelled. I made a post on Facebook this week reminding people who just need a pick-me-up to order some flowers to be delivered. It may not make up all of the difference from the downturn of events but it may reduce the financial impact this loss of events (postponed or cancelled) may cause.
I also asked friends to consider the impact of restaurants which already operate on small profit margins. Consider ordering take-out so they can keep kitchen staff on hand and not have to reduce as much staff or payroll hours.
For those who are trying to buy the groceries they need, consider shopping at smaller Mom & Pop stores who don’t have the deep(er) pockets of chain grocery stores. This could be an excellent time to learn how to make simple recipes at home that take care of the family’s needs for a handful of days.
I know there are things I’m missing. I know there are people and businesses I haven’t yet considered. Every one matters. Reach out to friends and family who may need to know they have another line of support. That could be something as simple as a phone call.
No matter what you do, stay close (not too close), show unity and show support. Some people need it now more than ever.
We’re in it together.
Below is our Saturday crew keeping relatively safe distance from each other (left to right) Bill K., Kelvin V., Shon C., Jean V., Anthony S., and Charlie H.
“We Make Great People Greater”
