HELPING OUT, MAKING CHANGES, PREPARING FOR WHAT’S NEXT
Resetting business and new plans are part of a work-from-home agenda
The local advisories and daily changes in work, school and other activities have all disrupted our usual routine during the coronavirus outbreak. Several Conscious Capitalism/Boston events went “virtual” and local members have found ways to maintain their focus, service, mission and even try new ideas out (let’s call it “innovation” to impress the neighbors, since we’re working from home.)
At Boloco, the burrito and bowl restaurants quickly shifted to serving frontline hospital workers and first responders. Sales weren’t enough to keep the doors open and, eventually, stores were closed with the hope of reopening in May. CEO John Pepper reported that the company was selected for the federal Paycheck Protection Program, using the proceeds to add $2-per-hour in “hazard pay” for every worker who stayed on after March 16th.
Budget questions and stock market strategies led to a new discussion group for Newton-based investment advisor Financial Planning Solutions. CCB Board member Lyman Jackson has been working from his dining table but his four-person company calls the open conversation “Water Cooler” and everyone is invited. The Wednesday gathering is open to clients and the public, to talk about stock market or some other concern, such as whether to refinance a mortgage.
“For example, clients with kids in high school, getting ready for college, typically invest conservatively, because you don’t want to lose 30 percent right before having to write tuition checks,” Jackson said. “We spread the word via LinkedIN and put it together in about a week. We send out an email invitation on Mondays, then share the questions and advice from the Water Cooler. There was a great conversation in April about applying to the Paycheck Protection Program because people wanted to talk about it.”
In late April, Teak Media helped client Project Bread to get the word out about food insecurity. This year’s 52ndannual Walk for Hunger was remade as a virtual fundraiser when local food pantry donations and volunteer resources were stretched thin.
Erin McAleer, president of Project Bread, explained the issue. “We are also acutely aware that the 1 in 11 households and 1 in 9 children experiencing food insecurity in Massachusetts right now, are disproportionately impacted by the negative consequences of quarantines, unpaid sick leave, lost wages and school closings.”
She encouraged people in need to seek SNAP benefits, which provides meals on a scale suited to the crisis. Also, we at CCB support donating money – not groceries -- to your town’s food pantry or the Greater Boston Food Bank.
Even co-working spaces such as Workbar and ImpactHub have been building community from a distance, hosting webinars or offering support. Calls and online events to match local people with needed services and supplies are among the ways that office culture is changing. Workbar CEO Sarah Travers wrote to network members saying desks may be farther apart and with partitions, or limited hours, when facilities reopen.
RESOURCES FROM CONSCIOUS CAPITALISM INTERNATIONAL
Thanks to all of you who participated in the online virtual conference events. If you joined the Zoom discussions, webinars or the Slack channel, please note these important updates.
Conscious Capitalism International messages on Slack that were part of the open, free annual conference were discontinued as of May 15th. If you are missing contacts or information from that software, please let us know via email. You can also ask info@consciouscapitalism.org about contacts, or other details, once the Slack channel goes dark.
The national organization also created an opt-in community for anyone looking to learn about Conscious Capitalism or engage with other individuals. That link is: https://www.consciouscapitalism.org/online-community-platform
Please also keep in mind that local New England members can message each other directly from our local site by clicking Members tab and scrolling/clicking any name. We encourage people to suggest event topics, new member introductions and other ways to spread the word about Conscious Capitalism throughout New England.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Stakeholder Management During the Pandemic on May 28 at 2:00 EST
