Coronavirus: Resources for Small Businesses in Asheville (and Beyond)

In an effort to help you navigate the effects of COVID-19, we put together a list of resources for small businesses in Asheville (and beyond!).

Have an idea that you don’t see here? Let us know hello@makingitinasheville.com We’ll be adding to this list as time goes on.

Financial Resources

• NC COVID-19 Rapid Recovery Loan: Mountain BizWorks is providing NC COVID-19 Rapid Recovery Loans as a vital resource to help Western North Carolina small businesses be resilient and adaptive in the face of the coronavirus crisis. These are primarily designed to be a timely source of bridge loan financing until businesses can access SBA Disaster or other federal disaster funding.
• The U.S. Small Business Administration is offering low-interest federal disaster loans to North Carolina’s small businesses. If your business has been financially affected by COVID, you can apply for a loan here.
• The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina has announced 38 grants totaling $286,800 from its Emergency and Disaster Response Fund to help nonprofits addressing COVID-19 response and relief across WNC.

Business Resources

• What Now, Asheville? is a one-week series of Facebook Lives where we share actionable insights for responding to COVID-19 from and for local businesses in our community. Each day of the week, we’ll cover a different topic or theme and invite guests to speak about that specific topic.
• Kickback AVL If you’re a restaurant or food service provider, consider partnering up with Kickback AVL to offer delivery.
• As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to unfold, keep your business up and running with these six tips from our friends at Mountain Biz Works.
• Now’s a great time to reflect on your business and see where you might have room to grow. A while back, we put together a list of 21 Ideas to Grow Our BUsiness in Asheville. If you have spare time, give a read. Then pick one or two to focus on over the next few weeks while at home. Download the free PDF list here.
• Explore Asheville has an in-depth list of resources for Asheville businesses, including information about SBA Disaster Relief Funds, instructions for updating your listing on the Explore Asheville website, and tourism industry insights and news.
• Stay up to date with advice from the CDC for businesses and employers.
• Additionally, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce put together this handy toolkit, including social media graphics you can use to educate your employees and customers.

Podcasts

• We released a special episode with digital business expert Tyler J. McCall discussing business strategies to deal with COVID-19 / Coronavirus.
• Feeling all doom and gloom? Stay positive with these three (strange) philosophies that we discuss in Episode 48 of the Making It in Asheville podcast.

Video Meeting & Recording Tools

If you haven’t already, now’s the time to sign up for some kind of video conferencing tool so you can continue to communicate with your employees, colleagues, and customers. Here are a few of our favorites:

• Zoom: They offer a free plan that allows you to host a digital meeting with up to 100 participants that is 40 minutes or less.
• Google Hangouts & Google Classroom: Through July 1st, 2020 Google has expanded the free features of its video meeting tools. They now include up to 250 participants, live streaming, and the ability to record and save meetings.
• Loom: This software allows you to record and share videos in a simple and effective way. Loom has temporarily released more features to its free version and has reduced its pricing for paid plans.
• Facebook Live: Free and easy to use, Facebook Live videos allow you to essentially create your own live TV show and share it with an audience.

Give Back

• #AshevilleStrong: If you’re a restaurant or retail shop, this non-profit initiative led by a group of WNC volunteers allows you to list your gift card on their website. All you have to do is fill out a form on their website with your business info.

Facebook Groups

• Prepared: Your Online Business and Coronavirus Facebook Group: Join the on-going dialogue about the impact of the coronavirus on online businesses with Tyler J. McCall and other experts in the industry. They’re hosting Facebook Lives daily between Monday, March 16th through Friday, March 20th covering a wide range of topics from mental health to what to do with the kids while trying to work. Learn more and join the Prepared: Your Online Business & Coronavirus group
• Asheville Quarantine 2020: If you need some positivity in your life or are just looking to connect with locals during this period of social distancing, check out the Facebook group Asheville Quarantine 2020.

Ideas for Staying Busy

• Buncombe County Library + Digital Books: You’re probably going to have a lot of time on your hands to catch up on your business reading soon! If you have a Buncombe County Library card, you can access their Virtual Library. Another great app is Libby, which is easy to connect to your local library and download e-books and audio-books to your preferred reading device.
• Meditation & Yoga: Miranda from Namaste in Nature has put together a list of Free Ways to Stay Calm and Healthy and Boost Your Immune System During Coronavirus (Covid-19), including some fantastic meditation and yoga videos.