Beyond Six Feet Apart Cohort , June & July 2020 - Materials and Resources
The first Beyond Six-Feet-Apart Accelerator participated in Wednesday Webinars with subject matter experts to help them with reopening in June and July. These 90-minute sessions were free and open to the public.
Program Insights
Hear from small business participants and the Beyond Six-Feet-Apart team.
Closing Ceremony & Presentation of Small Business Plans
Monday, June 29, 2020 | We celebrated the completion of the program with a ceremony to showcase the participants businesses and their plans for the future. We shared insights and highlights of what we have learned and showcased the progress that participants have made throughout the Beyond Six Feet Apart program.
Wednesday Webinar Series
Check out this cohort's Wednesday Webinars with subject matter experts. These 90-minute sessions were free and open to the public.
Webinar 1: Making Sense of Reopening Guidelines
Wednesday, June 3, 2020
Navigating state, local and sector-specific guidance is challenging, all the more so because the guidance continues to evolve with the phased reopening process and local governments and industries adapting new guidance in response to changing conditions and new learning.
In this webinar, Housing and Economic Development Secretary Mike Kennealy, who also serves as Co-Chair of the Reopening Advisory Board, described the state’s phased reopening guidance and related tools for businesses, and Natalia Urtubey, Director of Small Business for the City of Boston, described one municipality’s approach and resources to support small business. Glynn Lloyd of the Foundation for Business Equity shared insights from his work with dozens of minority owned businesses and Marty Jones of MLJ Insights shared the MA Small Biz Reopening Guide, a comprehensive website she’s been developing with a broad coalition of business support organization, to capture reopening guidance and other tools for businesses.
Related Resources:
- Reopening Massachusetts Plan - Source: mass.gov
- MA Small Biz Reopening Guide - Source: Massachusetts Small Business Covid Response Coalition
- Small Business Strong Source: A coalition offering resources and free consultations to small businesses navigating COVID-19
- Reopening Beauty Salons and Barber Shops Template - Source: JPNDC Small Business Services
Webinar 2: Purchasing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Wednesday, June 10, 2020
Reopening strategically and safely means purchasing PPE, which may be in high demand and short supply. In this Webinar we cover how the City of Lawrence procured PPE for its small businesses, how ProtectMA is connecting buyers to minority-owned PPE producers, how one business owner pivoted her business to become a PPE supplier, and we discuss purchasing solutions for small businesses.
View the Webinar:
Related Resources:
- ProtectMA: An online marketplace that connects Massachusetts-based Black and Latinx designers, makers, and manufacturers of non-medical masks, cloth face covers, and other personal protective equipment (PPE) with potential buyers
- Mass.gov PPE database: A list of vendors offering relevant hygienic and protective supplies for the workplace
Presenters:
- Shamika Rucker, Founder & CEO, The Wellness Co.
- Instagram: @TheWellnessCo1
Facebook: @The WellnessCo
Twitter: @TheWellnessCom5
Phone: 617-970-3352
- Instagram: @TheWellnessCo1
- Pedro Soto, Planning Director, City of Lawrence: psoto@cityoflawrence.com
Webinar 3: Digital Communications Strategies and Tools
Wednesday, June 17, 2020
Panelists Colette Phillips, CEO of Colette Phillips Communications and Get Konnected, Brandon Ranson, CEO of IncluDe, and Rosario Ubiera-Minaya, Executive Director of Amplify LatinX led us in a discussion of the digital tools available to you as you reopen your business. We covered topics including web presence, social media and content creation, and touchless equipment. Watch a recording of the discussion and explore further resources below.
View the Webinar:
Related Resources:
- Coursera - world class learning for anyone, anywhere
- EdX - access 2500+ online courses from 140 Institutions
- Khan Academy - free online courses
- Canva - create beautiful designs with your team
- HubSpot - inbound marketing, sales, and service software
Presenters:
- Colette Phillips, CEO, Collette Phillips Commmunications and Get Konnected
- Rosario Ubiera-Minaya, Executive Director, Amplify Latinx
- Brandon Ransom, Chief Executive Officer, IncluDe
Webinar 4: Legal Issues Related to Reopening
Wednesday, June 24, 2020
Small businesses implementing new, safe ways of doing business are facing a wide range of legal issues, from leasing and contract issues, to insurance and liability protections, employment issues and more. In this Wednesday Webinar on reopening topics, we heard from Priya Lane who provides counsel to hundreds of small businesses through her role as BizGrow Director at Lawyers for Civil Rights. BizGrow seeks to contribute to the economic growth of communities of color by providing free legal support to entrepreneurs with big dreams and limited resources.
View the Webinar:
Related Resources:
The Biz Grow Conference 2020 - Free legal consultations and workshops
Thursday, July 16th 1:00 - 5:00 PM EST
Presenter:
This cohort was possible thanks to support from Massachusetts Growth Capital Corporation (MGCC).
Learn more about our Rapid Relief and Resiliency Fund for Massachusetts initiatives and how you can help.
Visit our LISC Rapid Relief and Resiliency Fund for Massachusetts' Resources page to learn more about about our programs for small businesses and entrepreneurs.