Sacrifices of the Small Business Owner - Gratitude Series Part 1

When we talk about Front Line workers in the midst of this Crazy COVID-19 experience, we immediately think of healthcare workers and grocery clerks.

Today, I am beginning a series highlighting the unsung heroes who have kept our world in motion amidst the changes and uncertainties with the hope that we can all emerge from this event with a greater sense of compassion for one another and gratitude for what others do every day to make our lives as we know them possible.

First up: Small Business Owners

When the Quarantine went into effect and many owners were told to shutter their small businesses, it was more than an income stream that these people put on hold. For most small business owners, their company is a foundation to their identity. Their store or their restaurant is more than just a place to earn a paycheck, it is a part of who they are. Suddenly they are being told they are “non-essential”.

For these people, quarantine meant putting everything on the line for the greater good.

Doubling down on the shit sandwich they were dealt in this storm, many small business owners do not pay themselves an annual salary. They receive dividends based on company profits at year-end. Sure, you can argue that this is to avoid paying taxes, but from the owner’s perspective, not taking a salary means that the business stays lean and soluble when times are tough and business is slow. Not taking a salary often means that employees get paid first, while the business owner takes on the burden of figuring out how to put food on their own table. 

Now when the time came for distribution loans through the programs with the Small Business Association, these small business owners were caught in a tough spot. First, they have no revenue from which to pull dividends this year. Second, the SBA program stipulates that the loans can be forgiven if the funds are used to pay their employees, not for employers to pay themselves. Some do not even qualify for the loans because of their pay structure. And third, they will not receive stimulus money, because many of them did not claim income from their business.

You think your situation is rough? Imagine waking up to this degree of uncertainty. Yet these bold heroes have sacrificed their livelihood, their identity, and often a connection with the community at large that will not be restored, and  they made the sacrifice at the altar of the greater good.

Small businesses are what give a place character. When you think of charming little towns, they are full of cafes, kitschy shops, and bodegas; not big box stores and chains. These small businesses do more for us as human beings than merely providing a place to buy a light fixture or a scoop of ice cream. They are the color and quality that provide richness to our experience and our existence. 

Soon, when the quarantine is lifted, many of these small business will still be suffering financially. So remember the sacrifices these people made to respect your health. Honor that sacrifice. Support them. Shop local.