May 14, 2020//-Small businesses are in “fight-or-flight mode,” said Asahi Pompey, global head of Corporate Engagement and president of the Goldman Sachs Foundation, in the latest Exchanges at Goldman Sachs podcast.
Pompey interviewed three graduates of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program, who shared their experiences navigating short-term challenges, from qualifying for Paycheck Protection Program loans, to how they’re rethinking their business models—all while managing family responsibilities and the safety of their employees.
“Being on the front lines serving our customers, one thing that really keeps me up at night is the health and safety of myself and our team members,” said Khari Parker, co-founder of Connie’s Chicken and Waffles in Baltimore.
“Are they properly social distancing? Do they have a likelihood of getting COVID themselves?” Jennie Ripps, founder and CEO of Owl’s Brew, a New York-based beverage company that specializes in teas and botanical-based drinks, agreed that her priorities have shifted since the crisis.
“It’s been incredibly important for me to understand my role as a leader. Normally I’m kind of a jack-of-all-trades—I do a little bit of this, a little bit of that.
But right now what I need to be is a leader.” Giving voice to the way small business owners are hustling around the clock for survival, Dana White, founder and CEO of Paralee Boyd, a blow-dry salon in Detroit, added, “I’ve applied to over 14 grants and three loans and a partridge in a pear tree…As a leader of your team in crisis, you have work to do. You have to steady the ship.”
Goldman Sachs
