As America shut down in the wake of the Coronavirus, many businesses were forced to pivot, scramble, and face down many challenges around the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic. Adding to local small business’s sudden lack of revenues, shortfalls in banks assisting small business also went awry. Coworking spaces are considered essential businesses and were able to remain open while many other businesses were closed, but have still had to make some adjustments for the “new normal.” Now, as Venture X looks forward to the future, we join our other United Franchise Group (UFG) brands in “Reopening America Together” while maintaining a safe working environment to help you grow your businesses.
Small and medium-sized businesses are resilient
Yes, like the rest of the world, things will be different for a while as the new normal reshapes the way businesses operate. However, as we have seen, when the going gets tough, small and medium-sized businesses pivot to support their communities in crisis. After all, a lot of small businesses started in home offices, where remote business owners navigated the kids, the dog, and the other distractions. Interestingly, during the Zoom-boom that will define this time in everyone’s lives, we all got to witness and experience the humorous and unpredictable challenges that working from a home office can entail.
At the local level, the small business community rallied
As shelter in place restrictions took hold, restaurants, wineries, and other food and beverage businesses rallied to move into take-out mode to accommodate a quarantined public. Partnering with third party delivery services, such as GrubHub and UberEats, these small businesses supported the ride-sharing industry, as well. Most small businesses, already operating on e-commerce platforms, rallied to meet the demand for online shopping. Small fitness companies and yoga studios began offering online classes to keep their members working out during the shutdown. Local distilleries stepped up to shore up the hand sanitizer shortage gap, while independent manufacturers helped make masks and/or retooled their focus to assemble face shields and produce ventilators for our essential workers. And flexible workspaces, like Venture X, made virtual offices as well as private offices and private meeting rooms available for immediate use.
United Franchise Group leads the charge to empower local businesses
Now, as stay at home restrictions are being relaxed and more businesses are opening with capacity restrictions, Venture X welcomes our business communities back to work, in alliance with United Franchise Group’s family of brands. Driven by our 34 years of experience and the proven expertise of our vast network of franchisees and entrepreneurs all over the globe, UFG brands are coming together to lead the charge to encourage and empower local businesses.
Reopening America Together helps re-energize small businesses
We’ve launched “Reopening America Together” as an initiative to support and help re-energize our vibrant communities all around the US, as the economy reopens. Recognized as the global leader for entrepreneurs, United Franchise Group supports the passion of small business owners and entrepreneurs, as our brands, in over 1,600 locations globally, have been working with essential businesses during this crisis to provide signage, Personal Protective Equipment products, and other essential services. United Franchise Group feels the need to do what we can to help ensure that small businesses continue to make the American Dream their reality. Free signs are available for download on the website.
Proceeds from Reopening America Together sales donated to small business fund relief
As part of this initiative, United Franchise Group is donating all proceeds from the sale of our Reopening America Together products to the Go Fund Me Relief Fund. Purchase a bracelet, a storefront sign, window sign, or t-shirt on our SHOP page to support this initiative and American businesses.
Venture X welcomes business professionals of all types
Now that we know that the country can survive working remotely, at Venture X we welcome all of those business professionals that need to work anywhere except at home. To that end, we will be practicing COVID-19 guidelines that include the below.
· Social Distancing – Designated seating to accommodate social distancing in common areas, at desks, and in our cafés.
· Cleaning – Frequent cleaning measures are in place. We are sanitizing hard surfaces often throughout the day. We are using disposable cups and water bottles, in addition to providing members and visitors stylus pens at check-in. Our phone and meeting rooms are sanitized after every use.
· Communication – Our Community Managers are excited to help you get back to work so please direct your questions, requests, or any concerns that may arise to them.
Moving forward, we also ask all members to follow these guidelines:
· Wash hands frequently
· Maintain a safe distance
· Cough or sneeze into your elbow
· Stay home if you feel sick
· Clean and disinfect your work area often
Upgrade to a dedicated desk or private office plan
With our flexible contracts, you can move into a private office space that allows you to control your workday and your interactions. Dedicated desk plans offer members the same space to work from every day, along with ergonomic office chairs and a lockable filing cabinet.
Virtual office plans offer workable solutions
Venture X offers virtual office plans that can work for your business during this time. With social distancing built-in, virtual office plans offer your business an upgrade by providing a prestigious business address with mail and package services. Virtual office plans also allow you to rent private conference rooms and/or office spaces to meet with clients, as needed to grow your business. As a temporary solution or a way to establish your business in the community, virtual office plans could be the right option for you.
Venture X pledges to maintain vigilant safety measures to keep everyone safe as we do our part in Reopening America Together. We look forward to getting back to the business of helping you grow your business. Contact Venture X to request a flexible workspace tour!
