Almost six months ago, I found myself fretting over the number of industries that were quickly becoming threatened by the need to “stay home to slow the spread,” due to the mandatory quarantines imposed in many US states. As I followed the negotiations taking place in Congress, and the decisions that were made as to which industries would receive the proposed billions in an effort to keep the economy afloat, I grew concerned about the fate of some of my friends, owners of micro businesses, those very small, home-based, sole proprietorships that are the only means of support for many entrepreneurs I knew. I began to wonder, as was the case the last time Congress passed a bail-out package during a time of national hardship, if people with disabilities were going to be left out.
Further, upon learning of the regulations passed as to which small businesses would be eligible for the Payroll Protection Plan, I realized that many of the entrepreneurs I knew personally would not qualify, as they either ran a one person operation, or had few employees who worked part-time, or as independent contractors. Would micro businesses be passed over? What about business owners with disabilities? Would they be eligible to receive the stimulus checks that were dispersed to families? It occurred to me that a segment of the population about which I care deeply might be in trouble if the so-called “Cares Act” didn’t much care for them. I decided to do something about it.
The best way I could think of to give entrepreneurs with disabilities a fighting chance was to find a way to help them increase sales. Without knowing for sure whether or not everyone was going to receive a stimulus check, I wanted to create a program that might be somewhat more sustainable that a $1200 gone-in-a-flash payment, even if a check were distributed to everyone.
The result was an experiment I called Let’s Go Shopping. The idea was to assist small businesses to gain exposure to new customers, while exposing customers to a fun and unique way to shop a variety of businesses, all in one place, all without leaving their home. Creating a virtual shopping mall seemed infinitely less cumbersome for a small business owner than flying to a distant city to exhibit at a conference, with the requisite hotel stay and associated expenses, or applying for a business loan, or spending grueling hours working a trade show floor, which wasn’t possible during the Corona virus pandemic, anyway.
And what of the shoppers who could no longer go out? The ones who lacked a solid Internet connection, or who did not have a multiplicity of online access, due to children and/or spouse working from home? What about people who still wanted to send gifts, but who felt overwhelmed by the cognitive burden of online shopping, and who were frustrated about not being able to be part of upcoming graduation ceremonies, Easter gatherings, or Mother’s Day? Lockdown affected everyone differently, and as usual, I saw no one addressing the needs of the most vulnerable among us, people with disabilities, not-so-tech-savvy seniors, people with underlying health conditions, people stuck at home, with limited options. How could I connect small businesses with the customers who needed them?
The Let’s Go Shopping model is an online, accessible, virtual mall where anyone with a PC, laptop, smartphone, or even an old-school landline telephone can connect, via Zoom, to a variety of small businesses, just like in any real-world shopping mall. The first event was multiple hours, the second was multiple days, and the third will be the best yet.
Join us Friday, September 4th and Saturday, September 5th from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM Pacific, 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM Eastern Time for Let’s Go Shopping 3 – Back to School and Holiday Gift Preview.
Want to start your holiday shopping early? Looking for unique fall decor
for your home? Want to get ready for the new school year in
style? We’ll have tech gadgets and guide dog gear, apparel and accessories, food, art, jewelry, and personalized gifts. We’ll even have help for remote workers setting up home offices, or for parents who need to set up home-schooling or distance learning stations. Expect a
fantastic mix of small businesses to explore, whether shopping for yourself, your
kids, or for fall and winter 2020. Let’s Go Shopping is a virtual mall like no
other, so grab your gift list and your phone, and Zoom in to our 2-day
event!
Get the Zoom virtual shopping mall invitation by subscribing to our announce list. You can send a blank email to:
or go to:
Please share the news with your own network! Don’t forget to use the tag, #LetsGoShopping when tweeting about the event. Can’t get to the mall? No problem. We’ll bring the mall to you. Best of all, no mask needed!
Ready for a little retail therapy? Let’s Go Shopping!
LL
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