The challenge of doing business during the Coronavirus epidemic

This coronavirus epidemic is affecting so many people in different ways, including how we run our businesses and show up authentically in a time of global crisis. 

I've spoken to several small business owners that are hesitant about their business offering, their pricing and the promotion or marketing of those offerings. 

They are right to be. There are lots of companies jumping on to the Covid-19 bandwagon with their marketing. Understandably, for so many individuals and businesses, their work has just been wiped out and they are desperate. 

The people I'm speaking to are genuine experts in their field, with knowledge and experience to share in topics and work practices that we need now more than ever. But these are the people questioning themselves. 

Me too! The last thing I wanted to do when all this started was look like I was taking advantage of people at their lowest. We were super careful to be respectful that this situation is, at it's worst, killing people. And there's no way on earth anyone with a heart wants to profit from that.

But there's a whole grey area with Coronavirus and the ways that the world, countries, organisations and individuals are dealing with it. You can't move on social media for images of Zoom meetings or see on the news how people are coming together in creative ways live online. And I'm enjoying a lot of the funny memes as much as the next person.

There is a challenging side to this as a business owner or someone self-employed or freelance. I still need to pay my rent and employees. I still need all the basic things to live my life. Therefore I have to run my business during these challenging times, as does everyone else.

The problem I'm seeing is people I'm speaking to don't want to be seen to be taking advantage or profiteering from the situation. This is a message I sent to one such friend:

You aren't exactly buying up loo roll and reselling it at 100 times the price. What you are doing is looking at the people who have had their working world turned upside down and don't have a f****** clue what to do.

You are adapting your amazing services, talent and knowledge into something accessible, affordable and achievable to help them do their job, so that they can help other people do theirs.

This is how the economy is going to survive.

It's a really small sample, but I've had this conversation three times now - all with women running their own business. Is this a female issue? We don't have the confidence? Is it a small business issue?

My work has gone crazy. There are so many people who now need the skills to design and deliver live online. I'm responding to that need - not be selling the courses I've always sold, but by adjusting to what the market needs now. My approach has needed to be agile and rapid, just like the situation is. Yes, I'm charging for my services, but I haven't suddenly doubled my fees - that really would be profiteering from the misfortune of others. Quite the opposite, I'm trying to make things affordable to the organisations that desperately need it.

So if you are unsure, consider the amazing skill set you have that people need. Adjust what you offer, and get out there and help people in the authentic way that only you can.