Bay Area non-profits can point small businesses to unknown resources for post-storm help

Disaster help for small businesses

Help can come from places you may not think of looking at, and a Riverview studio owner is hoping to spread the word in case other small business owners need help this storm season. Briona Arradondo reports.

RIVERVIEW, Fla. - Help can come from places you may not think of looking at, and a Riverview studio owner is hoping to spread the word in case other small business owners need help this storm season.

The backstory:

Shellena Carter is in the business of self-care, having owned Bare Skin Studio for six years.

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"I am an esthetician, so I do all kinds of spa treatments, from cryotherapy to facials. I specialize in Korean facials, and I also do a lot of body waxing," said Carter.

Her Riverview location gives a home to nine other entrepreneurs just like her, other estheticians and a hair braider. She said some of them are single mothers or young entrepreneurs looking to get their start in business.

When the hurricanes hit last fall, they lost power for a few days, like many in the Tampa Bay area. When the studio reopened, Carter said they quickly saw how services like facials, eyelashes and more were cut from many budgets.

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"Even when we came back to work, instead of having fully booked days, we were very spotty," said Carter. "You know, maybe one or two appointments, because so many people in the Riverview, Apollo Beach, Wimauma area were very affected by not having power."

While some businesses suffered physical damage, others like Carter’s suffered economically, noticing a sizable dip three months later.

"I was down revenue close to $15,000, $16,000. So, it greatly affected my business personally," said Carter.

Big picture view:

The non-profit Corporation to Develop Communities of Tampa (CDC of Tampa) reached out to Carter about a disaster recovery grant to help businesses impacted. Carter said she received a message from them on social media after posting about the impacts of the hurricanes.

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"There are a lot of persons who launch entrepreneurial suits and with that we want to make sure that those persons who are working in an entrepreneurial space have an opportunity to flourish," said Jeffery Johnson, the chief strategy officer at the CDC of Tampa. "It's not just about the brick and mortar, but what happens when you can't pay your employees? What happens when can't you pay yourself? And so, it's a trickle-down effect."

Johnson said the CDC of Tampa already has a network of more than 100 businesses they help, and they are always looking to connect with more businesses. The CDC of Tampa said it’s putting together a toolkit for business owners.

"Last week, we hosted Impact Monday with 125 business owners in the room with officials from both the county and the city to let them know what is available," said Johnson.

Carter’s studio was one of five businesses that received part of the disaster recovery grant.

"Last year, it was $10,000 to work with businesses. And this year through our partnership, we'll be able to support more businesses, more or less in a resource capacity as well," said Johnson.

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Raising that kind of awareness is what drives Carter now, and she wants others to know help is out there, no matter the size. She said she received about $650 from the grant.

"I knew that it was on the smaller side, but any little bit actually does help. And that did help me a great deal," said Johnson.

Carter said it’s hard as a small business owner to prepare a nest egg for a hit that can last for months like that, but she said knowing the resources out there makes a difference.