I have the pleasure of reposting “My 2020 Inspiration” by Jennifer Croft, business coach and Founder of 5-Minute Classes, a regular newsletter providing astute tips and advice for the small business person. Her insight into the entrepreneurial spirit as the soul of our nation comes at just the right time. Thank you Jennifer for permitting me to run such a heartfelt piece.
My 2020 Inspiration
This year hasn’t been particularly easy for anyone, but I’ve found inspiration from small business owners who are “clocking in” and doing their best every day…
…the hairdressers and chiropractors who are spending as much time cleaning and sterilizing as they are styling hair and treating patients
…the business coach who is seeing her business reappear ever so slightly this fall, after watching it all but vanish in the spring and summer
…the home appraiser who is donning layers of protective gear to go into homes
…the yoga instructors who are practicing in their studios, outdoors, and online
…the retail store owners who are constantly adapting to meet shifting state regulations and shifting customer needs
…the tourism operator who lost the best part of one ski season, and maybe another, yet still maintains a positive attitude
…the occupational therapist who went from seeing 35 patients per week to 10 patients per week, and just took her 16th COVID test (via nasal swab)
…the general contractor who is accepting jobs 100 miles from his home to keep his crews working
…the college student who is creating a toolkit for “organizational resiliency” in small businesses and non-profits
…the restaurant owners who are revamping menus, pivoting to take-out, masking up, and putting tables on the sidewalks and streets, parking lots and parkways
…the inventors who aren’t giving up, despite supply chain disruptions, canceled trade shows, and diminishing interest from retailers
…the seamstress in New Guinea who e-mailed me from 7,647 miles away to thank me for my 5-minute videos
…and the students in the entrepreneurial class at Red Rocks Community College, (ranging in age from 18 to 50), who are still daring to dream that being self-employed could be the life for them
After COVID turned down the lights (or extinguished them completely), I’m continually impressed with the way small business owners are finding their way through the darkness.
Take care,
Jennifer Croft, Founder of 5-Minute Classes
2021 IS THE TIME TO START YOUR SIDE BUSINESS
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