The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about significant challenges for entrepreneurs and small businesses. Recent data from Yelp indicates that 60 percent of all business closures related to the pandemic are going to be permanent, with restaurants, retail and beauty being among the hardest-hit sectors.
While the headlines can certainly be quite discouraging at times, there are also plenty of examples that show how many entrepreneurs are taking these challenges in stride.
There are perhaps few people who better illustrate this than Clairissa Cruz, founder of Bare at Home. Here is a look at how this entrepreneur has managed to turn what could have been a catastrophic turn of events into a new business opportunity.
Building a Pre-COVID Entrepreneurial Foundation
Cruz’s entrepreneurial journey began long before COVID-19 hit. And, like many other entrepreneurs before her, her business started in humble circumstances. “I had a dream of opening my own sugaring shop, but I didn’t have much money,” Cruz recalls.
“This was in 2008, right in the middle of the Great Recession. But, I wasn’t going to let a lack of finances keep me down. I decided I would start small and sugar clients out of my basement. It wasn’t ideal, but it helped me get started during a time when finances were tight.”
Cruz was successful, and over the next 10 years, her brand Bare Body Sugaring expanded out of her basement and successfully opened three locations in her hometown of Winnipeg, Canada.
“During this time, I realized my brand could be so much more than just a body sugaring business. I wanted to break through social standards and help my clients realize that beauty comes from who they are already — not from what we see in the media. I think this messaging helped us gain an audience with like-minded clients who wanted to look their best, without having to conform with what society says they should be.”
With three successful locations, Cruz had plans to expand across the country …
Then, COVID-19 hit.
The Impact of COVID-19
“COVID-19 represented a total disruption to our business,” Cruz says.
“The province shut down non-essential services on April 1, and just like that, our entire revenue stream vanished. We didn’t know how long these restrictions were going to be in place. There were also plenty of questions about how our day to day operations would have to change once we were allowed to reopen.”
While the province of Manitoba ultimately began loosening some business restrictions in May, several challenges remained in place for Cruz and other business owners. For starters, health care businesses weren’t able to reopen until June 1.
Even with businesses allowed to reopen, occupancy limits and consumer reluctance to go out in the midst of a pandemic made it clear that revenue challenges would be ongoing. As the recent disappointing return of movie theaters illustrates, many customers simply aren’t ready for a return to normal life.
Launching an Online Brand
Rather than passively wait for the green light to reopen, Cruz decided to make a major pivot.
“I knew that if I didn’t make changes, the pandemic would completely derail my business. So, I started to think of how I could share this business I’d poured my heart and soul into with women who were now spending all their time at home. That’s how I came upon the idea for an at-home sugaring kit. It could be the solution that everyone needed — a way for my clients to take care of themselves, while keeping my entrepreneurial dreams alive.”
With the survival of her business at stake, Cruz put together at-home sugar kits under the new brand Bare at Home. To spread the word, she started with the built-in following that she had amassed over 12 years of experience in the beauty industry.
The product turned out to be just what was needed in the midst of business closures and stay at home orders. Thousands of kits were mailed and delivered within the first month of the brand’s launch. To Cruz’s surprise, it wasn’t just people in Winnipeg who were ordering the kits. The sugaring kits were sent across North America.
The willingness to quickly pivot her business model ultimately ensured that Cruz still had a source of meaningful revenue while her physical stores were closed. Perhaps even more importantly, it has resulted in the creation of an online product line that will continue to generate income in the months and years to come.
Planning for the Future
Cruz readily admits that there is still plenty of uncertainty in her industry surrounding COVID-19 and its long-term impacts. “I do think this has been an important wakeup call for myself and other entrepreneurs,” she says.
“We’ve learned that you need to be agile and willing to adapt at a moment’s notice. Your willingness and ability to pivot to address changing circumstances could mean the difference between whether your business lives or dies.”
It is this mindset that Cruz plans to take into the future — and that she hopes other entrepreneurs will adopt, as well. In a time when the business world is anything but predictable, a flexible, agile approach is vital.
(Syndicated press content)
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