Good News for Couples, and Positive Ideas for Small Business

Last week, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced that wedding receptions will be able to resume on March 15 in accordance with state guidance. Events must be approved by the local health department, there will be a 50 percent capacity limit and no more than 150 people can attend. All patrons must be tested prior to the event. The Governor also announced that assuming New York State’s COVID-19 infection rate stays on its current trajectory, indoor dining in New York City can reopen at 25 percent capacity on Valentine’s Day. This is a big sigh of relief for many, though the timing seems odd with new COVID variants turning up and numbers spiking. State guidelines have often made zero sense, in my humble opinion, not to mention the atrocious vaccine roll out in NYS, but one thing I have learned in this pandemic is that complaining doesn’t help. With things opening up, it is time to focus on the good.

Where does small business stand with regard to the COVID situation?. The disease, civil unrest, a toxic political climate, natural disasters and more have compounded the decision making process for business owners during the past year or so. Yet they have adapted and they’ve come out of the lows of the pandemic. They’re still cautious, but they’re moving forward.

On the bright side, many people will continue to benefit from working from home. More affordable commercial rents are already attracting new startups. With the forced focus on technology, there are even more opportunities for existing and new businesses who are ready to learn, adapt and execute. We are seeing a lot of available funding that should last through 2022 according to financial experts.

The future looks bright despite the challenges. Small business owners are tough, smart and adaptable. It’s a great source of pride to see how so many businesses have pivoted in a successful manner. A breakdown always equals a breakthrough. And in each scenario, good or bad, there’s always a lesson. This doesn’t minimize the plight of those who face uncertainty, or have a family business that has been open for decades and struggles, or even has had to close. All of that is true. I still believe we will bounce back, better than before.

Lastly, I know Eric is reporting on our first PCBC meeting of 2021, but it was fantastic, fun, fabulous and you really missed out if you were not there. Hope to see you at the next one – the PCBC is the county’s largest, fast growing business networking and advocacy group. More info is available at https://putnamcountybusinesscouncil.com/putnam-county-business-council-events/ .

Thank you to Tompkins Mahopac Bank, Titan Concrete and all our generous sponsors for their support!

The Siena College Research Institute (SCRI), in partnership with The Business Council of New York State, Inc., and with support from Western Governors University is conducting the 14^th Annual New York State Business Leaders Survey.

This year, we are opening the survey up to chamber members so your members can participate in this study and share their valuable insight and opinions about the state of business in New York and the important issues that impact their ability to successfully compete in today’s economy including the changes that have happened due to COVID-19. For over ten years, SCRI has gathered data that measures economic indicators across the state and for specific regions. Using this data, SCRI has constructed the Business Leaders Index. This Index, and the survey as a whole, have been valuable resources for leaders across New York State.

We encourage you to participate within the next two weeks as we are looking to close the survey before the end of February.