{"id":117660,"date":"2020-11-22T18:27:02","date_gmt":"2020-11-22T15:27:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/these-local-small-businesses-flourished-thanks-to-their-generosity\/"},"modified":"2020-11-22T18:27:02","modified_gmt":"2020-11-22T15:27:02","slug":"these-local-small-businesses-flourished-thanks-to-their-generosity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/these-local-small-businesses-flourished-thanks-to-their-generosity\/","title":{"rendered":"#These local small businesses flourished thanks to their generosity"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_85 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a4143e523e8b\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a4143e523e8b\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/these-local-small-businesses-flourished-thanks-to-their-generosity\/#Mariko_Ichikawa\" >Mariko Ichikawa<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/these-local-small-businesses-flourished-thanks-to-their-generosity\/#Mikes_Organic\" >Mike\u2019s Organic<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/these-local-small-businesses-flourished-thanks-to-their-generosity\/#Museum_Hack\" >Museum Hack<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/these-local-small-businesses-flourished-thanks-to-their-generosity\/#Workforce_Opportunity_Services\" >Workforce Opportunity Services<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<p>&#8220;<strong>#These local small businesses flourished thanks to their generosity<\/strong>&#8221;<br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/11\/at-work-local-businesses.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all\" \/><\/p>\n<div>\n                        When COVID-19 reared its head in the tri-state area in March, countless small businesses quickly pivoted. There\u2019s no denying the sad fact that many have since gone under, but others found their groove by supporting the needs of their local communities.<\/p>\n<p>Their triumphs offer a few insights we all can learn from. If nothing else, maybe you\u2019ll find a new small biz or two to put on your radar and support this holiday season.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Mariko_Ichikawa\"><\/span><strong>Mariko Ichikawa<\/strong><a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/MarikoIchikawa.com\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>This NYC fashion label takes traditional Japanese kimonos and upcycles them into custom embroidered coats and jackets.<\/p>\n<p>How they helped: Ichikawa felt helpless as she watched the city shut down from COVID-19. \u201cI knew many designers who were making masks, but as a small business with limited resources, I wanted to make a meaningful impact for our front-line workers in their time of need,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p>She learned of ShoppingGives, which enables e-commerce sites to donate a percentage of profits to any 501(c)(3) charity.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIn no time I was supporting Fashion Girls for Humanity, a nonprofit helping to fund garment center factories that switched their manufacturing to making hospital-grade PPE for front-line workers nationwide,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p>Soon after, similarly minded, socially conscious retailers picked up Ichikawa\u2019s bespoke kimono line \u2014 stores like Matriark in Sag Harbor, which donates a portion of sales to charities that support women\u2019s equality, and Elizabeth Anthony in Houston, which supports No Kid Hungry. Compared to this time last year, Ichikawa is thrilled to report double-digit sales growth.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhenever anyone is faced with uncertainty and unpredictability, especially as a small business owner, it\u2019s only natural to feel a bit helpless and frustrated,\u201d she said. \u201cHowever, if the pandemic has taught me anything, it\u2019s that the only control you have in this life is over your own actions, so take it as an opportunity to do better in this world, and it will most definitely make you feel better.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Mikes_Organic\"><\/span><strong>Mike\u2019s Organic<\/strong><a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/MikesOrganicDelivery.com\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>A farm-to-home delivery service for homes across Fairfield County, Conn., and Westchester County, Mike\u2019s Organic partners with small farms to deliver fresh local produce, dairy, meat and more to your door.<\/p>\n<p>How they helped: During lockdown, owner Mike Geller and his team heard that health-care workers were surviving on packaged and processed grub, with no fresh food to eat during their long, grueling days.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe began donating organic, fresh fruit to local hospitals in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut,\u201d said Geller. \u201cThis developed into a broader initiative we launched to combat food insecurity in the area, given it is at an all-time high.<\/p>\n<p>Every week, we donate fruit and vegetables to those in need and help coordinate pop-up farmers markets with local charities to provide access to fresh produce.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>This benefits family farms, too, since many risked losing their businesses when they lost their restaurant and catering clientele.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe realized if we expanded our offerings to operate more like a one-stop grocery delivery service, we would be able to better meet the needs of customers,\u201d Geller said. \u201cWe continued sourcing from small, local farms, but especially during stay-at-home orders, people wanted to be able to shop with one provider for their grocery needs, so we knew we had to figure out a way to expand.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In a very brief period, they were able to add more than 300 products to their Web site to meet consumer demand.<\/p>\n<p>Geller stresses the importance of staying true to your company\u2019s mission. \u201cFind ways to build on your core principles that complement who you are as a business,\u201d he said. \u201cFor example, we increased our product offerings significantly, but also stayed true to our organic roots and philosophy to connect consumers to healthy food.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Museum_Hack\"><\/span><strong>Museum Hack<\/strong><a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/MuseumHack.com\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Best known for their \u201crenegade tours\u201d of museums in NYC and beyond, Museum Hack now runs a host of virtual programming, mostly through sister company TeamBuilding.com.<\/p>\n<p>How they helped: When the pandemic broke out, Museum Hack created a grant program for free or discounted programs to nonprofits and schools. \u201cSince our tours business was crushed by COVID-19, we moved to offering virtual events. We provide services to corporate groups, and the grants allow us to serve nonprofits, educational institutions and small businesses, too,\u201d said co-owner Michael Alexis.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019ve put 10 years of work into the past six months,\u201d said Alexis. \u201cIf your business has fallen apart, you need to put the same effort in that you did when you first got started.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>For Alexis, that meant turning to the data. First, he checked trends on Google for words related to the touring industry. \u201cVirtual museum tours had quickly peaked and then plummeted,\u201d he said. \u201cBut, virtual team-building seemed to have staying power, so we put our full operational capacity toward that. Trends and data will always be relevant in business, so start with that, build out a thesis, and then act on it quickly.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Now, they\u2019ve got a full itinerary of virtual bonding activities, scavenger hunts, storytelling workshops and more.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOne of the first testimonials we got for a virtual event was, \u2018For 90 minutes, I forgot everything that was going on in the world,\u2019\u200a\u201d said Alexis. In a time where we crave normalcy, is there any higher praise?<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Workforce_Opportunity_Services\"><\/span><strong>Workforce Opportunity Services<\/strong><a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/WForce.org\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>WOS finds talent in underserved communities, trains them, and places them at employers like Mount Sinai, Prudential, PSEG and more.<\/p>\n<p>How they helped: As a nonprofit, helping the community is ingrained into their fiber. Aside from standard recruitment and training services, they\u2019ve made their Workforce Essentials Certificate free for anyone who has been disproportionately affected by COVID-19.<\/p>\n<p>The program teaches soft skills such as literacy in business culture and self-esteem to help consultants prepare for job placement. Backed by Columbia University, WOS now offers this certification to \u201cindividuals who are underemployed or unemployed and looking to make a positive impact on both their professional success and personal life,\u201d said founder Art Langer, Ph.D.<\/p>\n<p>In addition to moving all of their training and operations online, WOS used the crisis as an opportunity to expand their reach. \u201cThis pandemic is accelerating the ongoing digital transformation we\u2019re seeing in businesses,\u201d said Langer.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAnything a small business can do to utilize technology like Zoom and connect with customers online is going to go a long way.\u201d\n            <\/p><\/div>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. 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There\u2019s no denying the sad fact that many have since gone under, but others found their groove by supporting the needs of their local communities. Their triumphs offer a few&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":117661,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/11\/at-work-local-businesses.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=1200","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[70897],"tags":[81008,71736,75674,71083],"class_list":["post-117660","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-11-22-20","tag-at-work","tag-philanthropy","tag-small-business"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/117660","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=117660"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/117660\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/117661"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=117660"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=117660"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=117660"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}