Being A She-E-O During The Pandemic

The Coronavirus has affected almost every industry you can think of in a positive or negative way. But how has it affected small businesses?

I interviewed two She-E-O’s about their experiences with their fabulous businesses during this pandemic. 

Keyana Durant, owner of Amour Lavish Boutique, specializes in customizing items such as shirts, masks, etc. Durant started her business during the virus and it has been thriving. She says “Covid has actually helped business because I actually started over the quarantine so it was something for me to do…I got a lot of orders because a lot of people were becoming aware with my business via social media”

Obiny Drayton, owner of Lashin Out By Obs, specializes in eyelash extensions and says “I did have a situation where someone in my household actually caught covid-19. I had to shut down my business for about a week until I found out my results and during that time I feel like there was a couple people who are on edge about coming at all because they had kids. So I feel like it did negatively affect my business there and I did stop for a week until I find out my results, which were negative” 

In order to serve their customers better, these She-E-O’s made some changes to their businesses due to concerns about the virus.

Durant says: “I am afraid of being around other people and catching the virus but I had to make a sacrifice for my customers so if they were to meet me or anything, they would have to wear a mask to pick up their items or I also shipped them out.” 

While at Drayton’s lash extensions business, she sanitizes before and after each customer, checks temperatures at the door before each client’s appointment, and requires all guests to wear masks. 

As for any changes in their revenue and business, Drayton says: “I would say sales are steady instead of that time we had a possible Covid exposure. I think I refunded about two-hundred plus dollars to all those people until all my results came back. So, I would say Covid affected my business momentarily but everything picked up once my test came back negative.” 

Durant adds “The sales are really good right now being that school is starting back. I’ve been making a lot of masks for children in schools like teachers to go back to school with.”

As we see with these two ladies, being the boss in the middle of a pandemic can be challenging, but using their talents and smarts they have created a safe way to share their gifts with others.

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• small business