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.

Stephen Mullins

Covid drastically changed our business. It was change that was inevitable I think, but the pandemic made change a necessity. Red Bison Studio relied heavily upon classes prior to Covid. That was not a scaleable practice though, and the idea of switching to a more production mindset had began to be considered. Not that everything has to be able to scale, but if you want to grow and create more opportunities, jobs, and excitement in your business that has to be a priority. Read more>>

Libby Lefanowicz

I started the company right before the first Covid shutdown in March 2020. We got our food permits one day before the entire city of San Diego shut down. My initial idea was to jump into farmers markets and do customer testing. However, during this time all of the farmer’s markets in San Diego were shut down. I decided to sell ice cream online and start a delivery service! It was really an experimental time for me: I was trying out new recipes, and figuring out how to run successful Facebook and Instagram ads! Right away, it was very successful. Read more>>

Glorianna Chan

I wouldn’t say it changed much, but rather, covid convinced me even more to do a value-based business instead of volume-based. Volume-based business rely on many many bookings, in my line of work, it means more portrait sessions & more weddings. While this sounds great, it could be not so great for the client experience. When you have more clients, that means you have to spread yourself thin to pay attention to one client. Read more>>

Beverley Wolter

Before Covid, my focus was more on my self image as an artist. During 202o, I was lonely and isolated and packed on some pounds. I feel like it was a blessing in a way, when everything slowed down and magnified what mattered. I also found an outlet for my isolation, after releasing 34lbs on a health program, I could teach others. It gave me a new found purpose and a wonderful social outlet allowing me to connect with and help others embrace the tools to shift their mindset and wellness I could teach. I think I found a beautiful balance between 2 businesses. Read more>>