A few days ago, I started writing a post about the PPP program. In short, this program is intended to help small businesses keep their employees paid. It’s currently in the second round of funding and totals more than $650 billion dollars. The initial failures of the program are well documented – from difficulty in getting applications out to large public companies receiving millions of dollars in aid. I was one of the first to apply for it, having submitted my application early on the first day they were being accepted. But then came a period of a weeks with little to no information. There was an occasional email asking for follow-up documents or simply verifying that everything was in order, but otherwise – silence. Then first appropriation of money came and went. With the next infusion of cash, renewed hope. But still, no word. And so, I had started a post expressing my frustrations with the purgatory I was in and then, halfway through writing I was pulled away and did not have time to finish. Lo and behold Friday afternoon I received an email for Bank of America I have finally been assigned a loan number and that this was virtually the last step between me and the loan. We’ll see. Hopefully in a few days I’ll receive the money which I will be able to use primarily for payroll expenses with a small portion allotted for help with rent for other basic business expenses.
Assuming the money comes through – and I do believe it will come through – it certainly will be a big help. It’s not just about an infusion of cash, which would be welcome at any amount. It’s about the removal of stress and worry about keeping employees paid and rent up to date. This loan is not about bailouts or saving businesses entirely, it is a lifeline for a month or two. I for one am grateful for this. And truth be told I’m not even bothered by some larger companies receiving the funds as long as they’re using it for the right purposes. But I do think the program would have had better optics if they started with actual small businesses and not the big ones. Furthermore, I’m willing to cut the SBA some slack – there’s no way they could have been prepared to go from processing the number of loans that they normally process to making loans for basically every one of the 30 million small businesses in America. Where I still have questions is how the payment process will work. Much of my loan should be forgivable which means basically it was a grant from the government, which I’m also OK with. But since the program was announced the rules have been changed several times and I’m curious how they will be changed before the process is over.
But enough about money. If this was just about money it would be hard to go to work every morning. Small business is about people and relationships. The adjustment to this new work environment has certainly been interesting and there will be lots to talk about moving forward I’m sure. But now I want to talk about masks. We all have to wear them. It’s the law and also a smart practice. I’ve seen all kinds of masks in the store. Homemade masks like the one I wear with the Philadelphia Eagles logo on it, surgical masks like what I provided for my employees, N95 masks that people have, even though there is supposedly a shortage for medical workers. Fancy masks, bandanas, T-shirts, napkins fashioned in front of people’s faces the way that kids at summer camp make a yarmulke out of a napkin when they forgot theirs back at the bunk and don’t want to have to go all the way back before lunch. All the masks share one thing in common: they create a barrier between people. And while that is unfortunately what we need now, it makes it very hard to create and maintain relationships. It’s impossible to see the smile when you make a joke with a customer or the look of excitement when they see you have the flavor of bourekas they were craving. It’s also hard to recognize people – I wish the masks had your name on the outside. The masks may be saving our health, but they are sacrificing our ability to communicate. (Not to mention most people’s ability to use Apple Pay with facial recognition.) Of the many things I look forward to when the virus is behind us, not wearing masks is top of the list. Also, it’s really hot in a bakery when you’re wearing a mask!
So, there it is – something positive: hopefully we’ll get our loan funding and something less positive: the masks are creating a wall between people. (Hey look, the president finally got his wall!) Next time: what happens when you’re forced to be creative to survive.
