I’ve been struggling to write this for almost a week now.
In fact, I wrote it once, sat on it, wrote it again, reviewed it with friends and now…here is attempt number three.
I guess it’s because, maybe like you, I’m not sure what to make of the times we live in. Uncertainty is a crazy thing. It messes with your mind (no matter how positive you try to be) and literally messes with your physiology.
I’m sleeping less and losing weight in the past few weeks. Stress is real.
It makes no sense because I’ve been personally affected by this situation FAR less than many.
That’s why I say we’re NOT all in this together. (Side note – I really hate those commercials and emails from big brands claiming to be “in this” with me.)
I’m NOT going without food.
I’m NOT working at a hospital with infected patients.
I’m NOT losing my entire brick and mortar business income.
I’m NOT working long hours at an essential business keeping my community running.
The levels of disparity in this crisis are alarming to me.
I’m so grateful that I decided to start a virtual business 7 years ago.
As I’ve said before, small business will lead the way out of this economic crisis (and probably the health crisis as well).
Big brands and government are too constrained. They can’t pivot and create like you and I can. For instance, this note would need to go through five layers of management and two law firms before I could hit post. Yet, here it is. Straight from my mind to you in a matter of minutes.
I know as a small business owner, sometimes it doesn’t feel like we have enough muscle to flex. But if we all row in the same direction, we can make a significant change.
While there are many things I’m not doing (and can’t do), the number one thing I can do is continue to market my business, sell my services and spend money.
I’m an entrepreneur. An entrepreneur’s job is to create something from nothing. Right now my community needs me to do that more than ever.
EMAIL SPLAT had a good April. Jennine and I are fortunate and grateful for all the opportunities that came our way this month. But if that’s all we did with it, it would be opportunity wasted. So here’s our plan to support our community…
I’ve been particularly shocked to see thousands of people waiting in line for a box of food. Local food pantries are attempting to fill the need but they need help. Jennine and I are donating 5% of our gross April sales to the Northern Illinois Food Bank.
We’re also finding other ways to spend money in our community right now — take out food with LARGE tips, prepaying for services, buying from local stores and not online, etc.
I’m sharing my thoughts to ask you, as a leader in your own community, to join us and row in the same direction.
Keep marketing, keep making sales, keep spending money and maybe in some small way we WILL be in this together.
My efforts might seem laughable or too little. I don’t know. I’d love to hear your thoughts or what you’re doing to help your community.
Neil
