Kelly Ramirez | CEO, Social Enterprise Greenhouse
What have been the challenges faced by your industry during the pandemic and how have they affected your organization? Small businesses are facing significant challenges. Many people have experienced job cutbacks and/or losses. Historically excluded businesses and communities have been even more negatively impacted. These challenges have made SEG’s mission to help people launch and grow businesses more urgent and needed.
What has been your response to those challenges? We have taken all our programs virtual and made our services pay-what-you-can to eliminate barriers. We have partnered with R.I. Commerce Corp. to ensure that more businesses and organizations, particularly those that are less connected to business supports and services, have access to CARES [Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security] Act resources such as free technology, free website development and intense expert coaching. We even held a COVID-19 incubator to help people start organizations that respond to social challenges emerging as a result of the pandemic.
This is admittedly a hard climate to start or scale a business. Has that affected participation or demand for SEG’s business programs and services? Demand for our programs and services has actually increased during this time. Last year we served 300-plus businesses and entrepreneurs and this year that number increased to almost 900. Some people have more time to pursue an idea, some find virtual programming more accessible, and others are trying to supplement income through self-employment.
What’s your plan for recovery once the coronavirus crisis has passed? It will be more important than ever for people to be able to create their own opportunities and for businesses to get the support that they most need. We will continue to listen to the needs of the business community and offer services and support in both English and Spanish to best respond to these needs. We will continue to prioritize reaching and serving historically excluded businesses. The role business can play in creating positive social impact in our communities is more important than ever.
What long-term impacts do you think the pandemic will have on how groups like SEG support the small-business community? The work of business-support organizations will be more important than ever. There are many unknowns. We all need to continue to be adaptive and partner to help address the long-term economic challenges. But one of Rhode Island’s strengths is our connected and collaborative ecosystem.