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Small Business

Microbusinesses and the pandemic

Why this small business said goodbye to the office for good

by Kai Ryssdal and Maria Hollenhorst
Mar 31, 2021
“We’re gonna save about $60,000 a year,” said Carolyn Walker, CEO and managing partner of Response Marketing in Connecticut.
The pandemic shrunk Response Marketing's revenue and forced the firm to go virtual. “I feel like if I made it through this, we can make it through anything,” says CEO Carolyn Walker.
Courtesy of Response
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My Economy

For this stationery retailer, it's been a sympathy card kind of year

by Sean McHenry
Mar 23, 2021
A Michigan stationery retailer saw a big sales trend last year: sympathy cards with a "We're in this together" message.
"Our 'Thinking of you' or sympathy cards just took off," Annie Lang Hartman said. "Ours are kind of more cheeky and funny, kind of like 'We're in this together.'"
Courtesy of Annie Lang Hartman
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United States of Work

For small-business owners, “it’s just never-ending”

by Kai Ryssdal and Maria Hollenhorst
Mar 17, 2021
An independent hairstylist reflects on her newfound respect for small-business ownership after a year on her own.
Hairstylist Ashley Nelson’s private suite in downtown Boise, Idaho. She's looking to grow and bring people with her.
Courtesy of Ashley Nelson
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COVID-19

Home repair demand helps grow this microbusiness during the pandemic

by Kai Ryssdal and Daisy Palacios
Mar 15, 2021
The owner of a handyman business in Las Vegas must decide whether or not to hire more employees to keep up with repair jobs.
Brad Hess is owner of Ace Handyman Services Summerlin, an individually owned and operated franchise of Ace Hardware in Las Vegas.
Courtesy of Brad Hess
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COVID-19

Craft store, rooted in hands-on learning, pivots online to survive

by Kai Ryssdal , Daisy Palacios and Minju Park
Mar 11, 2021
Amelia Freeman-Lynde wanted to show people the joys of handcraft in person. The pandemic forced her to transition to e-commerce.
Amelia Freeman-Lynde owns Freeman's Creative in Durham, North Carolina. "So much of running a small business is trying to anticipate what's coming next," she says. "And we can't do that right now."
Chika Gujarathi / Courtesy of Amelia Freeman-Lynde
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A second location? During a pandemic? It’s within reach for some businesses

by Samantha Fields
Mar 10, 2021
A business owner in Brooklyn who almost went under last year is now looking to expand in a way she hadn't expected.
Pooja Bavishi at her Brooklyn ice cream shop, Malai. When she had to close for several months, her online sales surged.
Samantha Fields/Marketplace
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My Economy

Seattle retailer reflects on a year without in-person shopping

by Andie Corban
Mar 9, 2021
Things still feel strange for Cat Wilcox, co-owner of women's boutique Velouria. She misses day-to-day interactions with customers.
A store owner opens her clothing shop in Germany on March 9 as lockdown measures ease.
Maja Hitij/Getty Images
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COVID-19

Seattle co-working business lost half of its revenue almost overnight

by Kai Ryssdal , Daisy Palacios and Minju Park
Mar 8, 2021
“Almost overnight, we essentially almost had to shut our business down,” said Audrey Hoyt, owner of The Pioneer Collective.
Audrey and Chris Hoyt, the husband and wife team behind The Pioneer Collective.
Courtesy of Audrey Hoyt
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Microbusinesses and the pandemic

Helping students of color thrive via entrepreneurship and self-care

by Kai Ryssdal and Daisy Palacios
Mar 4, 2021
Monika Mathews started QueenCare to provide mentorship and economic opportunity to young people in her Seattle community.
Monika Mathews owns QueenCare in Seattle and founded the Life Enrichment Group. "This is not about me, this is about we," she says.
Courtesy of Monika Mathews
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COVID-19

Texas is reopening. Are business owners ready?

by Kristin Schwab
Mar 3, 2021
Some Texans are ready for business as usual. Others will enforce their own mandates.
Following Gov. Abbott's termination of restrictions, factors like safety and money will influence whether businesses drop them too.
Sergio Flores/AFP via Getty Images
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