6 FT APART OR 6 FT UNDER? | HOW INTERMITTENT DISTANCING WILL AFFECT SMALL BUSINESSES

Let’s work together to make this better.

It’s the only way we can save the economy from sinking.

STAY SAFE. STAY HOME. ISOLATE. QUARANTINE. SOCIAL DISTANCING. PLEASE.
If you still can’t see where ‘the ship is sailing,’ imagine trying to navigate it  blindfolded.
6 ft apart or 6 ft under?

Bird Box, baby.

A PERSONAL NOTE FROM A LOCAL SMALL BUSINESS OWNER IN CHARLOTTE

Sarah Chambers, Color Correction & Hair Extensions Specialist @Modern Style Studio

 

THANK YOU

WE ARE IN THIS TOGETHER WHILE STAYING APART 

 

On March 25th, 2020,  a Stay-at-Home order was served. On April 7th, 2020, more than 4000 Charlotteans admit to breaking the Stay-at-Home order, according to recent survey results collected from Charlotte Agenda.

Seriously guys?!!

 Prior to the mandated closure of nonessential businesses, our family has taken measures in preventing the ongoing spread of coronavirus.

We self-quarantined soon after we found out about it. Sadly, 4 people we know have already been infected, exposed, or have been hospitalized, and 4 unfortunately didn’t make it:(

Scary, isn’t it? Especially when it hits close to home.

Although the breakout is unpredictable, what we can do is apply the “Stay-at-Home” order to slow it down.

Quarantine Family

Did you know –  although you may look and feel fine, you are not immune to being a carrier of Coronavirus? 

Similar to walking pneumonia, you may experience mild flu-like symptoms or show no symptoms at all.

This DOES NOT mean you are safe.

This DOES NOT MEAN your family is safe.

This means there’s a high chance that  you could be a silent killer.

This is NOT A JOKE.

Don’t be ‘one of those’ guys who people despise.

Stay home to stay safe. Cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze. Wash your hands often. Practice good hygiene. Take care of yourself.

And remember, be considerate and kind to everyone else.

For current status of coronavirus in Charlotte, here’s everything you need to know about coronavirus.

 

 

Jeremy Chambers, CFP®️

According to researchers from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, who published their findings in the journal Science on Tuesday, 

“Intermittent distancing may be required into 2022 unless critical care capacity is increased substantially or a treatment or vaccine becomes available,” they wrote in their report.

“If intermittent distancing is the approach that’s chosen, it may be necessary to do it for several years, which is obviously a very long time,” Dr. Marc Lipsitch, an author on the study and an epidemiology professor at the Harvard School of Public Health, told reporters.

How will this affect small businesses?

Businesses, big or small will be facing an extreme amount of negative economic consequences.

That’s like the economy being crashed by a nightmare in overdrive!

Look on the bright side, we see the caution lights flashing ahead of us. There’s still time to slow down before we have to ‘slam on brakes.’

“If we can just maximize that social distancing, we can limit this virus’s ability,” said Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, who also says, Social distancing is “one of the most powerful weapons” against COVID-19.

BIG BUSINESSES WERE ONCE SMALL BUSINESSES

As a business owner of 20 years; I have witnessed firsthand, the fluctuation in the economy.

I never envisioned some day I’d have to close down my business – under Governmental command. This is surreal.

I am really unemployed now.

And the choice wasn’t mine to negotiate.

Some say we make it ‘look easy.’
And to be honest, most business owners do ‘make it look easy.’ No one sees all the blood, sweat, and tears that goes into a successful operation.

No one cares that you’ve spent half of your life, building a future to support your family.

How would you feel if 20 years of your life, gets knocked down by a remote-controlled bulldozer?

Just think about how unfortunate it is for some families to try and survive – with no income.

It is very disheartening.

“You always think you’re untouchable until it happens to you.”

When COVID-19 happened, life changed unexpectedly for small business owners.

I’ll admit, it’s not an easy pill to swallow.

As for me, a mother and wife, who has worked since the age of 15, has been choking on the reality of not being able to bring confidence to ‘the table.’
The table that – I bought.

 We are a team here, we are a family of 5.

I went from being self-employed to being unemployed – ‘just like that.’

I am not okay with putting my husband under stress.

I am not okay with people taking  unnecessary trips to Target, Walmart, or Home Depot to ‘walk their pets.’ I am not okay with people inviting us to their children’s birthday parties at their house.

What in the world?!

You are not only hurting small businesses; you are hurting big corporations. You are hurting your children’s education, your social security, your family, other families, and you are hurting your future.

You are hurting OUR future.

 

THE ECONOMY WILL NEVER BE THE SAME POST-PANDEMIC

If people are panicking because they have to ‘temporarily’ stay-at-home, what’s going to happen when this  ‘new norm’  becomes a permanent lifestyle?

Society has conditioned us to get out, get dressed, go to work, and spend money. 

We’re not used to ‘just staying at home’. But the truth is, we can find ways to do what we love at home; for free, or without spending much money.

If we use this time to reset, learn new projects, and perfect our crafts. Then once things return back to normal, we will all be okay!

Look, if you only knew – how bad my shopping addiction used to be… you’d be amazed at how quickly you can change a bad habit.

Around 2017,  Jeremy ‘ enrolled ‘ me into what you’d call a ‘shopaholic rehab center,’ after he diagnosed me with an ‘unreasonable shopping addiction.’

It was so bad – I’d place duplicate orders – like multiple times, as if  I had shopper’s amnesia or something.

Well, I took his advice after seeing how miserable he was – as he recycles all my shopping bags and Amazon boxes.

I stayed in the house and stopped shopping for a few months. A few months turned into years.

Then I realized … “oh, hey – I’m still alive!”

 Thanks to him, I now know – “happiness is an investment that no money or no one can ever buy.”

I also know that, if  I can do it, anyone can! Now is a good time to find joy at home:)

 Let’s face it, the economy will never be the same post-pandemic.

With over 10 million unemployment cases in the U.S.,

“People aren’t going to just venture outside. They’re not going to go to large gatherings. They’re not going to feel confident right off the bat. There’s going to be a lot of trepidation. And that concern is going to lead to people holding back on spending money,” says Billionaire Mark Cuban, in an interview with Chris Wallace of Fox News.

 Maybe what we’re experiencing now is just a ‘test.’ A test that will help us realize what’s more important. No matter what, we will be okay.
We will be okay sooner, the sooner we take action in following the stay-at-home order.

Over the past decade,  Charlotte has become one of the fastest growing metro areas.

The bulk of its growth comes from the result of new residents, cost of living, opportunities for employment, and abundant housing. By having an effective local government leadership, Charlotte expanded exponentially, with a diverse economy after the “Great Recession.”

The city most people desire to move to – for its reputation of having an exceptional quality of life …

is slowly on its way to R.I.P.

… because we,  Charlotteans  

refuse to follow the  “Stay At Home” order.