Re-building a business after the pandemic

[Ellener]

( well technically the pandemic isn't near over, but got to start somewhere! )

I'm finding and so are many of the people I usually collaborate with who give me work that there's a whole transition...there's not the money to pay anyone but people can't sign off benefits until they can be paid, yet are supposed to declare any hours they work that week even if they can't get paid for a few weeks ( common in self-employment and gig situations) which cuts their benefits. Classic Catch 22. We are all starting to lurch from month to month, filling in the gaps from savings funds. 

The one thing I am finding is I've had to take a step back from anything sad or negative, to preserve my own energy. Every week I am getting a call from an old friend or colleague now who is going under or running out of money or facing eviction. All I can offer is sympathy, and a couple of people I've been able to put them in touch with someone who might be able to help. 

There are $10 to $15/hour jobs available but I have a foot disability ( Charcot ) which precludes standing for hours, sometimes means staying off my feet for days ( 'offloading' to let the inflammation cool down ) which Is one reason why I work self-employed and set my own conditions.

Working conditions can be unnecessarily punitive I think, if someone can sit and do some of their job why make them stand? And how is 'must be available any required hours' reasonable or practical if people have to work two and three jobs? 

Still writing but haven't worked out how to make it pay yet 🖊️

I wonder if ultimately this will force me onto disability benefits, which I have always resisted...but it's a whole other world trying to survive versus having choices. I'd write about that but I think there's more than enough negative and sad stuff going on right now for everyone to get their heads around. Unfortunately my bleak writing is always way better than when I try to write fluffy happy fiction 🙂

Saw this lovely little cartoon about Alzheimer's 'Negative Space' ( Max Porter and Ru Kuwahata ) and that's the tone I'm going to go for. 

Hopefully things with the other income streams will resolve themselves soon, but putting back together what evolved naturally over twenty years is not as easy as I thought, scheduling conflicts, Covid restrictions and waiting to be paid being the main issues.

 

 

 

 

 

[d0nnivain]

I gather you were self employed working as an independent contractor.  You are right some referral opportunities have dried up but not all.  

Can you tweak what you you do serve a greater need?  

Reach out to the local SBDC in your area.  You can probably work virtually with them to rebrand yourself and change your marketing strategy to reach a greater audience who needs your skills.  

If you need to sit but could otherwise do some job (like cashier) say these magic words:  "I need a reasonable accommodation" of a stool Any sane employer will work with you.  What about something part time like a receptionist at a doctor's office where you can sit behind plexiglass ? That would give you time to work your independent contractor stuff.      

[Ellener]

1 hour ago, d0nnivain said:

What about something part time like a receptionist at a doctor's office where you can sit behind plexiglass ?

Thanks @d0nnivain

Yes, I wondered about that, I just re-certified my First Aid/HIPAA and I've been working on several versions of my resume targeted to different angles.

NOTE on resumes, registering with the Workforce Commission and job companies like Indeed unleashed a lot of SPAM from other companies I did not recognise or register with, also some of the Indeed job links took me to stuff like Linked-In, and I get a lot of SPAM from them too. I'm being extra careful where I put personal info...checking the email addresses etc

In England people who wanted to work but were disabled could register as having mobility issues without claiming benefits, it seems to work differently here, help from charities for the people already on disability benefits...still working on it. Maybe I should just start a disability application anyway since approval for that takes a year or two, it involves a long process and hiring a lawyer. 

SBDC doesn't work with gig workers/one person contractors ( yet ) like me I don't think but what I understand is money keeps getting released for grants/loans then they immediately run out of money. People just have to leave their applications on file and hope more will come.

I have a large network here, and a good reputation, but we're all scrabbling a bit right now.

The biggest thing has been making peace with it all and staying positive, it's taken me a few weeks to get there with that. My good energy is what gets me work 🌞

[d0nnivain]

Just now, Ellener said:

SBDC doesn't work with gig workers/one person contractors ( yet ) like me I don't think but what I understand is money keeps getting released for grants/loans then they immediately run out of money. People just have to leave their applications on file and hope more will come.

They sorta do.  Just call yourself a consultant.  

You can check our SCORE.org too.  Again call yourself a consultant. 

[Ellener]

I was just reading Score website, it's about mentoring and provides free mentors. I do believe in the mentor concept, and the way I have learned and moved around career was to seek out people who seem passionate and effective at what they do and watch and listen, volunteer or work alongside.

The universe seems to send me people, I think it's something to do with passion and good energy, I can't really explain it; it's part of my spiritual practice. One local charity leader who called me recently said 'you're in a dark place' and my friend who taught me to sell said 'you need to be positive'. There is a fine line between 'honesty' and activism and negativity! And I had lost the self-care aspect of life I believe is important, not just for work but for personal relationships and to avoid/deal with stuff like addiction. Alcohol and refined sugar have never been my friends...

I'm spending a couple of days with my friend, at 96 she has dementia now and her family desperately need a break. That will give me a feel for whether to advertise as a companion care-giver.