“Get Out of My Way! – I have a business to run!!”

Read to the end for a list of resources for small businesses as they strategize and plan their emergence strategy from COVID-19.

The year 2020 started out stellar for so many people. I know it because I have seen the results. Then suddenly, without warning, our world is turned upside down. I remember going to Panama City Beach with my high school band. My friends and I were in the ocean and we would wait for the waves to hit and then swim and let the wave push us in. On one occasion, a huge wave cut us off guard. My feet were thrown out from under me and I was just spinning and spinning under the water. As I twirled and grasped with my hands for the air, I kept spinning and didn’t know which way was up. It was scary.

Speaking to my coach today, she used an analogy from a scene in the movie Apollo 13. The astronauts are stranded in space and an engineer throws a bunch of stuff on the table and says “We gotta find a way to make this fit into the hole for this using nothing but that.” Well guess what people. We gotta a bunch of this and that and we have to make something happen.

Fear is paralyzing. I can definitely attest to that. In fact, I am an expert at that. But guess what? Not this time. Take a good look at that fear and tell it to get the hell out of your way because you got work to do.

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We have compiled a list of resources all in one place so that you don’t have to go digging for information. We have chose sites that are being updated regularly. Please click on the links below for valuable information.

SBA.gov – EIDL Loan Application – Emergency EIDL Grant Pursuant to Sec 1110 of the CARES Act

White House – The President’s Coronavirus Guidelines for America

Internal Revenue Service – Coronavirus Tax Relief – Includes links to News Releases and Statements from the IRS regarding tax filing and payment extensions, paid leave act, health insurance, etc.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) – Joint site with valuable information from The White House, Department of Health and Human Services and the CDC

U.S. Department of Labor – Families First Coronavirus Act: Employee Paid Leave Rights

U.S. Department of Labor – COVID-19 and the Workplace – Links to Q&A and explanations of the FFCRA

Georgia Department of Labor – NEW Information for filing for unemployment, mandatory filing by employers for partial claims, and reemployment services – March 22, 2020

Georgia Department of Labor – Information for filing unemployment claims

Centers for Disease Control – Interim Guidance for Businesses and Employers to Plan and Respond to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)

World Health Organization – Coronovirus disease (COVID-19) Pandemic

U.S. Small Business Administration – Coronavirus (COVID-19): Small Business Guidance & Loan Resources

U.S. Small Business Administration – Disaster Loan Relief – Link to apply

U.S. Chamber of Commerce – https://www.uschamber.com/

USA.gov – Government Response to Coronavirus, COVID-19

Gusto Payroll – COVID-19 Small Business Resource Hub – updated regularly