In March of 2020 there was a moment of widespread panic – it wasn’t just about public health, it was also economic. Would our economy survive a prolonged pandemic? A few years in the answer is clear – it did survive and it was able to because of the spirit and the resolve of our people. Hard working mom and pops working overtime to implement new revenue streams for the businesses, artists and creators finding new ways to collaborate and share their art with their fans and folks from every neighborhood in the country finding ways to adapt and carry on. We wanted to honor those stories by creating a space to share those stories and you’ll find some of the below.

Lena May

During COVID, tourism in Guatemala came to a complete standstill. Many of our artisan entrepreneur partners were impacted greatly and turned to social media to find new ways of selling their products. Inspire Me Latin America continued to connect with and acquire new artists under the brand and successfully ship products to the United States for a series of pop up’s across Texas. Read more>>

Jenna Steckler

Prior to the pandemic, I was already using Zoom, but not as much as I use it now. When the pandemic hit, I had a few new projects I had already recently begun. Prior to the pandemic, I had every client meeting in person. When the pandemic hit, I had to find a way to keep projects moving so I turned to Zoom, like everyone else. For sharing floorplans, 3D renderings, and anything else that is on my computer, I actually prefer using Zoom vs meeting in person. Read more>>

Jill Pratzon

FROM LOSS TO RESTORATION TO CREATION Pivot, pivot… That word may be overused, but we continue to pivot, nonetheless. New York City became a ghost town in 2020, and every entrepreneur I know wondered, “What’s next?” My painting restoration business, Pratzon Art Restoration, always has a backlog of dirty and damaged paintings waiting to be rescued, Read more>>