Social distancing, yes.
Sister distancing, never.
As the nation prepares for a pandemic that seems to have no end in the near future, many people are becoming familiar with phrases like social distancing and community spread. And while there are certainly many rules that apply when you are out in public, there are many parents who are not necessarily enforcing these rules when it comes to their own children. Certainly ready to isolate if someone exhibits symptoms, many parents are doing what they can to keep actions within a family as normal as possible.
As the nation continues to deal with the challenges caused by the Coronavirus, the citizens of the U.S. are waiting on the government to answer questions that are some of the biggest challenges this nation has ever seen. And while it may look like the politicians are offering few solutions, many hope that both small businesses and large corporations will come to the rescue. From entrepreneurs who are willing to create ventilators using their 3D printers to those medical research scientists who are working around the clock on developing faster tests and on creating faster tests and new immunizations, this nation will need not just the help of a government that some are saying is acting to slowly, but also the entrepreneurs of the world.
Is Your Small Business going to Survive This Latest Crisis?
If you are not operating on the lines of the most successful entrepreneur of the year you may fear for the future of your small business. In a time when more and more cities are requiring citizens to shelter in place, there are many businesses that will fail. From restaurants that can only serve curbside, takeout, or delivery meals to the lawn services that would normally be called into action this time of the year, it is important to know that there are people who are looking for ways to help. Just as Mr. Rogers say famously recommended that children look for the helpers in our community, there are many people who are hoping that the most successful CEOS will use their entrepreneurial spirit to rework their manufacturing plants to meet the needs of the nation.
In the best of times only 50% of small businesses survive five years or more, so it should come as no surprise that there are more at risk in these days of many unknowns. Fortunately, there are many ways to work through this emergency medical problem. People can follow the best personal hygiene habits, entire communities can shelter in place, and the entrepreneurs of this world can find ways to mass produce masks, gloves, gowns, ventilators, and testing kits. The CEOs who can organize their work forces to create these products that are in the highest demand. From the inspirational efforts of tech companies that are offering to immediately start working on the production of the less expensive needed materials to the more expensive lab research that is being funded by large pharmaceutical companies, it is important that everyone do their own part in this unique situation.
Being able to problem solve and look at a situation from various kinds of views, it is important to know that there are many individuals and large companies that are working to solve problems. Just as the inspiring examples of educators who have in a week transformed their learning environments from classroom to digital, there are other fields that can do the same. The best ideas are sometimes crowd sourced, and a combination of getting the right supplies and the top research will help America and all nations solve this epidemic.
Knowing that your small actions of staying at home is but one indication of the kind of impact one person can have. And if boredom and curiosity are the mothers of invention then we can hope that during these days becoming weeks becoming months of down time will lead to solutions from everything from food production and delivery to the development of new treatment protocols, the entrepreneurial spirit will need to guide the solutions we need. Currently, there are 30.2 million small businesses in the U.S., will your company be the one to not only survive, but also produce the success we all need?
