Access Point Radio: Recent Episodes
Access Point
Welcome to Access Point Radio - your destination for the news, strategies, and practices needed to grow your business. Host Kyle Todd visits with leaders in the small business community of Washington, DC, and beyond.
Reset Your Marketing Strategy to be ready for COVID-19 recovery. Every business has had to adapt their business models to respond to pandemic. Do your marketing efforts match the new model? We’ll walk through examples of how small businesses are adjusting their marketing (for free or cheap!) to ensure customers can still find them. Then, you’ll have the opportunity to figure out how those approaches apply to your business and the top three strategic questions you should be asking yourself in order to set your revised marketing effort.
DC Bar Pro Bono Center - Commercial Leasing During a Pandemic, Strategies for Small Businesses
D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center - Employment Law Issues for Small Businesses & Non-Profits During the Pandemic
Wide World of Wines has long been one of the best-kept secrets in Glover Park neighborhood of northwest DC. When the COVID-19 shutdown hit, Wide World of Wines saw their business drop significantly, even though liquor stores are considered "essential" and can remain open within established safety guidelines. Enter a grant from the Glover Park Main Street to help with getting their online presence up to date, and to help underwrite the cost of delivery, and throw in plenty of creativity from owner Hugo Linares and manager Chris Conroy, and you've got a winning combination to keep this beloved neighborhood business doing what it does best. Kate Dean of Glover Park Main Street, joins us to talk with Hugo and Chris about what makes Wide World of Wines so special in the community. BONUS: Listen for a special order code for a discount on your next wine order from Wide World of Wines! https://www.wideworldofwines.com/
As the COVID-19 shutdown impacts businesses throughout the world, small businesses must be creative and innovative to survive. In the first of a multi-part series focused on the small business community of Washington, DC, we visit with Kristi Whitfield, the director of DC's Department of Small & Local Business Development. Director Whitfield talks about the challenges and relief programs available to small businesses in the area
In our continuing coverage of businesses adapting to the COVID-19 shutdown, we visit with Christian Irabien, owner of Muchas Gracias DC. Like many restaurants during these challenging times, Muchas Gracias is finding new ways to operate. The shutdown hit just as they were preparing to open their restaurant, but Chef Christian would not be daunted! Through a combination of carryout, market items, and delicious food in general, they have been able to hire most of their staff back to work. On top of that, they are giving back to the community of immigrant workers who are often the hard working yet unseen in the restaurant industry. https://www.muchasgraciasdc.com/
Deborah Jones and Bill McLeod are two long-time Main Street directors here in Washington DC, and they've both seen some significant ups and downs in the DC small business economy. They join us on this episode to continue the discussion around the impacts of the COVID-19 shutdown, and how small businesses in their Main Street communities are coping with the impacts. https://www.dupontcirclemainstreets.org/. https://www.wardseven.com/
When Renata Phillipe, owner and creative genius behind Black Squirrel Company, heard from friends and family in need of PPE for their jobs, she immediately expanded from designing and creating beautiful handmade accessories and fashion to equally beautiful face masks. Not only is Renata using her business to fill an important new market, but she's giving any front-line worker a free mask upon request. https://www.blacksquirrel.company/
Many businesses are being forced to work in creative ways to keep the doors open and the staff paid. Few are doing it as well as DC's I'm Eddie Cano (say it fast a few times - you'll get it!) and their Italian-American comfort food spot. In addtion to continuing to offer delicious food for takeout and delivery, owners Carolyn and Massimo Papetti are making "market" items like cleaners, sanitizers, paper products, and more available for sale. Even better - they are observing a concept known as "La Spesa Sospesa," the Neopolitan tradition of "Paying it Forward." In short, they are matching all contributions through their store to provide goods to families in need. https://imeddiecano.com/
As part of a series of episodes examining the evolution of business practices during the COVID shut-down, Van Ness Main Street director Gloria Garcia share some of the challenges - and successes - that small businesses in her community are experiencing. http://vannessmainstreet.org/
On March 27, 2020, The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act was signed into law to provide more than $2 trillion to battle COVID-19 and its economic effects.
The Small Business Administration (SBA) received funding and authority through the act to modify section 7(a) of the Small Business Act to include a new loan to small businesses. This is referred to as the Paycheck Protection Program, aka PPP. Originally the PPP was allocated $349 billion of the $2 trillion stimulus budget, but as of April 24, 2020, legislation known as phase 3.5 of the stimulus was passed that will be funding an additional $310 billion to the program.
Through this webinar we’ll be summarizing the key provisions of this legislation so you can understand how to fully navigate the PPP from beginning to end… this includes the application phase all the way through applying for forgiveness.
Now, we understand that every business has its unique situation, so if you have specific questions we’ll provide our contact information in the last module so you can send your questions to us directly. We have a dedicated team for addressing PPP concerns for small businesses so we should be able to provide some guidance in a pretty quick manner.