Our August blog features communication guidelines, down-sizing our office space, Kate's 1st anniversary, and a congratulations to HSU! Don't forget to read through our DEI discussions & community opportunities for some recommended readings and other important updates.
Welcome & Introduction
Welcome to the Solutions For Small Businesses blog! Our blog comes out on the 1st of each month. We intend to use this blog as a safe space to share the many forward-thinking businesses and organizations that we support.
What’s going on with S4SB?
Our “new” phone number and other communication guidelines
Recently, we decided to get rid of our landline. This means we’re out with the old 826-0312 number and in with the new 267-7923. Some of you may have this number for us, but it will now be the only number we use. We don’t always answer it, but it is monitored, and someone will respond to your calls the same day. That phone number and email are the best way to contact us. Messages sent via Liscio or text are easily buried, so not the ideal form of communication. Emails can be tagged and sorted, so if you need something done promptly, they are by far, the best way to go. If texting is your preferred method of sending, keep in mind that you can text to an email address, so that’s the best of both worlds. We love Liscio for its ease of file sharing and security, but please don’t depend on it for getting messages to us.
Down-sizing our office space
Recently, with COVID letting (demanding?) our team work from where we please, we decided to down-size our office space. Previously we had three offices; we shrunk down to two last year when we stopped meeting clients in person, and now we will have just one - suite 108. There’s still space for our staff members to drop in and work from there if they need to, and it’s quite cozy for a face-to-face meeting when that becomes a thing again. But right now, it’s mostly Katherine using it.
Kate's 1st Anniversary
From Kate-
August 1st marks my 1st Anniversary with Solutions for Small Businesses! And what an amazing year it has been! As the uncertainties of Covid made it difficult to continue with my massage practice, I was fortunate to have the opportunity to join this great team of hard-working, capable, kind, and conscientious women. I know I will always reflect on this time and see it as a silver lining amidst the ups and downs of such historic change. Thank you, Katherine, for creating such a healthy work culture, where teammates support one another and where work/life balance and flexibility are valued for everyone. It has made a challenging year so much more manageable, especially as a parent. To our clients: I haven’t interacted with all of you, but it’s been fun getting to know some of you and helping you settle in with us. I’ve been inspired by the creativity, resilience, and tenacity of our local business community. To Charlie, Connie, Georgia, Katherine, Katie, and Kiani: thank you for your kindness, support, and especially your sense of humor as I’ve settled into my new position. You’ve all brought a lot of laughs and light into my life. And thank you to all of you for being the kind of people who show up in the world to make it a better place. I’m truly grateful to be a part of such a great team.
Congrats to HSU!
HSU is on track to apply to become the first polytechnic institution in Northern California. Governor Gavin Newsom has approved funding for this effort, which will include new academic facilities, building renovations, upgrades to labs, additional student housing, and more. This is a very exciting moment for HSU, but it will impact our community as well, and all businesses in the area should start thinking now about how this may affect them. Here is a link to the HSU article about the plans. Our August ad also features a congratulation to HSU!
DEI Discussions & Community Opportunities
Recommended Reading, by Katherine
I’m currently reading The Sum of Us, by Heather McGhee, and I highly recommend it. It’s a thick book, but very readable, and packed with eye-opening information about the reality of racism in our country. Her premise is that this country’s commitment to structures and policies that unfairly benefit white people and especially white men do harm to people of all colors. Hope lies in what she calls the Solidarity Dividend, which is essentially the power of numbers to make real change. To quote the inside cover, “this heartfelt message from a Black woman to a multiracial America leaves us with a new vision for a future in which we finally realize that life can be more than a zero-sum game.”
Learn more about the book and its author here.
Federal courts block anti-trans laws in Arkansas and West Virginia
The ruling happened after 11-year-old Becky Pepper-Jackson wanted to try out for the girls’ cross-country and track teams at her school, blocking West Virginia from enforcing a law that bans transgender girls and women from participating in school sports. West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice signed it into law at the end of April. It was one of the hundreds of anti-LGBTQ bills pushed in state legislatures across the country in 2021. To read more.
South Africa's week of rioting
On July 8th, former President Jacob Zuma started serving a 15-month prison sentence for contempt of court. Supporters in his home province of KwaZulu-Natal set up roadblocks on major highways and burned about 20 trucks. Recently they deployed 25,000 army troops to assist police in establishing an uneasy calm over the country. Read more.
8th year of Black Lives Matter
On July 13th, it had been 8 years since the founding of Black Lives Matter. This movement was started by a “collective cry” for Trayvon Martin and made its way across the world through a hashtag. 8 years later and the movement has drastically grown, and our business is proud to show our continuing support for this movement. In honor of the anniversary, you can leave a message to the movement at 779-BLM-LINE (779-256-5463) describing how you have felt the impact of the BLM over the last 8 years. Read more.
Thank you for reading our blog and supporting S4SB. Make sure to enter your Full Name and Email to subscribe and receive a monthly email to notify you when our blogs come out on the 1st of each month. If you’d like to submit something to add to our blog, please email crm101@humboldt.edu. Feel free to reach out with questions, concerns, or other ways to support our community.
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