Despite losing thousands of dollars in revenue each week since the government mandated the closure of all non-essential businesses last month, owner of Amani Hair and Beauty Cara Rolle said she refuses to apply for the government assistance initiatives for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) like her own.
The government has allocated $25 million for its Business Continuity Program, which provides low interest, short-term loans to MSMEs.
Asked if she took advantage of the initiative, Rolle said, “No, I don’t have any loans and I don’t intend to get any loans. That’s not how I want to do business, I don’t want to be in debt to anyone.”
But she, like countless Bahamian business owners, does not know how long her business can survive being shuttered.
Rolle said she thought her business was prepared for a major event like the COVID-19 pandemic, given that her entire product line is available for purchase on the company’s website.
“It has severely impacted my business, because we’re not even allowed to have a curbside pick-up service. I have a full online store available to customers to purchase, so that they don’t have to physically come in the store, but even that, it seems, I’m not allowed to do because I’m not authorized to deliver the goods and the customers can’t come to my store to pick them up. It’s almost like it’s a no-win situation for me,” she said.
“Oh, yes I have business demand. Sometimes if I have to come in to the store to get something, I would meet people outside of my store begging me to get one item or two items, saying could I please just get this or could I please just get that. The demand hasn’t decreased, it’s just the logistics of it is affecting me and how I can do business.”
Because of the lockdown measures, Rolle said, she had to let go of two of her three employees.
The remaining employee works part-time, managing the company’s digital presence on social media.
In the event the lockdown continues beyond the April 30 end date for the public state of emergency, Rolle said she hopes the government has a better plan to assist businesses other than a loan.
“Well I hope that the government can loosen the restrictions that have closed down a lot of the small businesses, because it’s hard in general doing business in The Bahamas. Now to have a pandemic on top of the hard measures, it can be very discouraging,” she said.
“I’m just hoping that the government gives a little more incentives to the small business owners. When I say incentives I don’t mean a loan, nobody wants to get a loan to operate. I don’t know what they can do, but I don’t want a loan.”
And if all else fails, Rolle said she’s determined to bounce back.
“I’m a woman of faith and honestly, I believe God will take care of me no matter what. If it’s not this business, he will provide something else to take care of me and my family. So I’m not afraid at all, I’m just trying to adjust with the time,” she said.
The post COVID-19 small business profile: Amani Hair and Beauty appeared first on The Nassau Guardian.
source https://thenassauguardian.com/2020/04/24/covid-19-small-business-profile-amani-hair-and-beauty/
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