PEOPLE OVER PRODUCT
Like you, I feel fear, anxiety, anger, worry and profound sadness. I made the decision to cease business operations for a variety of reasons. But as I said in my stories last evening, a big reason is to support the unseen people in delivery, stockrooms, warehouses and beyond that are also part of my supply chain and I cannot bear the thought of them being faced with UNNECESSARY risk.
I encourage you to look at your ENTIRE supply chain. Many of the hands that move our goods from one place to another are often unseen by us, they too have families to go home to, mouths to feed and healthcare worries. They likely ARE NOT working from home, but we can lessen the burden of their work to delivering ESSENTIALS.
I, like many of you, have built this business with everything I had. I have debts to pay and I worry that I might not be able to create with my artisans after this. I have sacrificed so much for it and to LET IT BE to the UNKNOWN is very painful. I share your pain, ALL of us do. BUT the survival of our businesses is NOT worth the unnecessary risk of peoples LIVES, whether they are directly connected to us or not. It will hurt if we have to close, if we have to go into debt, if we have to let go of staff that love and support us. BUT one thing that we have all built with our businesses, are micro communities large and small. This is the support that we must reach to now. It might be support in a different form than we initially thought, but it is still there to offer a potential safety net. My own community has encouraged me to speak to these truths. Many of them are not in the position to SHOP right now.
I have started to collect some additional resources at this time…
KIVA is offering small business loans at this time
KERBY JEAN-RAYMOND OF PYER MOSS has made the generous offer of assisting women and minority owned creative businesses, email wanttohelp@yourfriendsin.nyc
There has been much talk about small business support from the government, can you call and write to your representatives?
If you had to make the incredibly painful decision to let go of staff, can your community help? Take a nod from CAP BEAUTY and TEN OVER TEN and set up a donation fund
Can we call on our business sisters, I look to MOON JUICE as a leader, does anyone have funds from a marketing budget that can be allocated to soften the blow to departed staff of other smaller businesses? I know these businesses have their own problems and staffs, but small amounts could add up.
Can we call on the powers that be in American fashion? Anna Wintour, The CFDA, Conde Nast and Diane Von Furstenberg. They celebrate our ingenuity, creativity and drive, where are they now?
Can we ask influencers that have helped us spread the word about our products to come together and support the PEOPLE of the small brands they love? They, collectively, could speak truth to the powers that be to garner support to those struggling the most.
Can you quickly convert to a business that creates what is desperately needed at this time? I look to Persephenie and Sigil Scents and others making hand sanitizer. Designers like Christian Sirano that switched to mask making.
HOW CAN WE BE OF SERVICE?
I watch the swift union of the restaurant industries, we must follow their lead and reach out to our MOST VULNERABLE. If we must all go down together, I DEEPLY KNOW we can rise up together again.
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ALL THOUGHTS ARE WELCOME
THIS EXPRESSES MY OWN OPINION
IT MIGHT NOT BE THE ANSWER OR THE RIGHT THING TO SAY BUT I FEEL STRONGLY IT MUST BE SAID