戴安·希爾與科特尼·克拉克是一對母女,二人共同經(jīng)營著大麗花鮮花車公司(Dahlias Flower Truck),在佛羅里達中部的生日會、新娘派對、迎嬰派對、婚禮、企業(yè)活動中常常能看到她們的身影。如果有客戶預(yù)定,她們便會開著滿載活動主題相關(guān)花卉的卡車如約而至,希爾和克拉克在返程前還會幫著客人一塊制作花束。
大約一年半前,兩人開始了她們的生意,當時希爾和丈夫都丟掉了工作,于是如何賺錢同時做點有創(chuàng)意的事就成了他們需要思考的問題。
“當我們坐在餐桌旁暢想未來時,發(fā)現(xiàn)自己最想做的還是能夠在社區(qū)中傳播歡樂的事情?!毕柣貞浀??!拔覀儓孕牛呐轮皇呛苄〉纳菩泻完P(guān)懷也能帶來一些變化。我們從未像過去一個月那樣真切地感受到自己的使命所在。我們的客戶對家人、朋友、鄰居的關(guān)心、體貼和善意非常的鼓舞人心。”
近期,《財富》雜志采訪了希爾,詢問了有關(guān)新冠病毒對她及其女兒,以及她們未來規(guī)劃的影響,并了解了她們在面對疫情時如何管理自身情緒和財務(wù)狀況。 Courtney Clark and Diane Hill are the mother and daughter duo who run Dahlias Flower Truck in central Florida.
《財富》:一年中這個時候的鮮花生意通常怎么樣?
希爾:這個時候我們一般都比較忙,會接到很多公司活動和花卉工坊的單子,也會有很多人為迎接春天和慶祝母親節(jié)跟我們訂花。
你什么時候發(fā)現(xiàn)新冠疫情會影響到花卉銷售?現(xiàn)在影響如何?
3月的第一周我們就意識到自己的小買賣會受到影響了,當時我們收到了第一份公司活動取消的通知。之后的一周里,我們母親節(jié)前的活動都出現(xiàn)了延期或者取消的情況。
疫情爆發(fā)以來,花卉銷售狀況如何?你現(xiàn)在每天的工作大概是怎樣的?
所有的常規(guī)業(yè)務(wù)都停了,我們的鮮花車已經(jīng)在外面跑了有差不多一個月的時間。但出乎我們意料的是,在現(xiàn)在這樣一個瘋狂的時期,當我們問客戶有沒有興趣讓我們送花上門或者到店取花的時候,他們都給出了肯定的答案,于是我們便對整個業(yè)務(wù)模式進行了調(diào)整。本地的小型企業(yè)管理局表示,如果小企業(yè)可以通過送貨上門、到店取貨或銷售禮品卡的方式保持營業(yè),就可以繼續(xù)開門營業(yè)。
我們在配送花卉時嚴格遵守CDC制訂的指導(dǎo)方針,并時刻關(guān)注州長發(fā)布的各種消息?,F(xiàn)在很多人都沒法跟自己的朋友和家人見面,但他們都非常愿意支持我們的小買賣,并通過我們與親朋好友分享一些歡樂、送上一些關(guān)懷,大家的熱情讓我們頗受震撼。在這樣的一個特殊時期,我們工作最棒之處就是能給大家搭建一座溝通的橋梁,同時分享一些快樂。
你有沒有經(jīng)歷被迫縮減開支或者裁員的情況?申請薪資保障計劃了么?
在這樣的特殊時期,我們希望能盡可能地多給員工一些工作機會。我們沒有雇傭第三方駕駛員,而是在使用自己的員工。我們已經(jīng)申請了薪資保障計劃,也希望能夠獲批足以維持公司運營的資金。
在鮮花配送或遠距離訂單方面你有沒有發(fā)現(xiàn)什么變化?現(xiàn)在因為大家都沒辦法親自去其他地方走親訪友,人們?nèi)鄙傧蜃约宏P(guān)愛的人表達愛意或關(guān)懷的途徑,而鮮花似乎恰好填補了這一空白。
以前送花上門的需求非常小,而現(xiàn)在我們的活動范圍則覆蓋了整個大奧蘭多地區(qū)。一直以來,鮮花都是我們向自己關(guān)愛的人表達思念或者愛意的媒介,現(xiàn)在更是成了所剩無幾的表達關(guān)愛的方式之一。聽到人們失業(yè)、過世的消息總是讓我們?nèi)f分悲痛。
但我們的社區(qū)從未像現(xiàn)在這樣讓我們充滿希望。大家一言一行都透著體貼和善良,雖然窩居家中,但人們依然在向奧蘭多各地寄送鮮花,并通過這種方式表達著自己對他人的關(guān)愛。
現(xiàn)在疫情仍在蔓延,你對未來有什么規(guī)劃?
短期內(nèi),我們將繼續(xù)開展日常的鮮花配送業(yè)務(wù)。長遠來看,則是希望能早日回歸正常,為各種活動、快閃提供花車預(yù)定服務(wù),我們也打算將鮮花配送業(yè)務(wù)保留下來。
說個私人話題,你在疫情期間過得怎么樣?
挺難的。是否會停業(yè)、何時停業(yè)等問題讓我們倍感焦慮,我們也很擔心,如果沒有收入的話公司能堅持多久。我們也一直在關(guān)注并遵循CDC給出的建議,在維持營業(yè)的同時確保員工、客戶與我們自身的安全。(財富中文網(wǎng))
譯者:Feb
戴安·希爾與科特尼·克拉克是一對母女,二人共同經(jīng)營著大麗花鮮花車公司(Dahlias Flower Truck),在佛羅里達中部的生日會、新娘派對、迎嬰派對、婚禮、企業(yè)活動中常常能看到她們的身影。如果有客戶預(yù)定,她們便會開著滿載活動主題相關(guān)花卉的卡車如約而至,希爾和克拉克在返程前還會幫著客人一塊制作花束。
大約一年半前,兩人開始了她們的生意,當時希爾和丈夫都丟掉了工作,于是如何賺錢同時做點有創(chuàng)意的事就成了他們需要思考的問題。
“當我們坐在餐桌旁暢想未來時,發(fā)現(xiàn)自己最想做的還是能夠在社區(qū)中傳播歡樂的事情?!毕柣貞浀馈!拔覀儓孕牛呐轮皇呛苄〉纳菩泻完P(guān)懷也能帶來一些變化。我們從未像過去一個月那樣真切地感受到自己的使命所在。我們的客戶對家人、朋友、鄰居的關(guān)心、體貼和善意非常的鼓舞人心?!?/p>
近期,《財富》雜志采訪了希爾,詢問了有關(guān)新冠病毒對她及其女兒,以及她們未來規(guī)劃的影響,并了解了她們在面對疫情時如何管理自身情緒和財務(wù)狀況。 Courtney Clark and Diane Hill are the mother and daughter duo who run Dahlias Flower Truck in central Florida.
《財富》:一年中這個時候的鮮花生意通常怎么樣?
希爾:這個時候我們一般都比較忙,會接到很多公司活動和花卉工坊的單子,也會有很多人為迎接春天和慶祝母親節(jié)跟我們訂花。
你什么時候發(fā)現(xiàn)新冠疫情會影響到花卉銷售?現(xiàn)在影響如何?
3月的第一周我們就意識到自己的小買賣會受到影響了,當時我們收到了第一份公司活動取消的通知。之后的一周里,我們母親節(jié)前的活動都出現(xiàn)了延期或者取消的情況。
疫情爆發(fā)以來,花卉銷售狀況如何?你現(xiàn)在每天的工作大概是怎樣的?
所有的常規(guī)業(yè)務(wù)都停了,我們的鮮花車已經(jīng)在外面跑了有差不多一個月的時間。但出乎我們意料的是,在現(xiàn)在這樣一個瘋狂的時期,當我們問客戶有沒有興趣讓我們送花上門或者到店取花的時候,他們都給出了肯定的答案,于是我們便對整個業(yè)務(wù)模式進行了調(diào)整。本地的小型企業(yè)管理局表示,如果小企業(yè)可以通過送貨上門、到店取貨或銷售禮品卡的方式保持營業(yè),就可以繼續(xù)開門營業(yè)。
我們在配送花卉時嚴格遵守CDC制訂的指導(dǎo)方針,并時刻關(guān)注州長發(fā)布的各種消息。現(xiàn)在很多人都沒法跟自己的朋友和家人見面,但他們都非常愿意支持我們的小買賣,并通過我們與親朋好友分享一些歡樂、送上一些關(guān)懷,大家的熱情讓我們頗受震撼。在這樣的一個特殊時期,我們工作最棒之處就是能給大家搭建一座溝通的橋梁,同時分享一些快樂。
你有沒有經(jīng)歷被迫縮減開支或者裁員的情況?申請薪資保障計劃了么?
在這樣的特殊時期,我們希望能盡可能地多給員工一些工作機會。我們沒有雇傭第三方駕駛員,而是在使用自己的員工。我們已經(jīng)申請了薪資保障計劃,也希望能夠獲批足以維持公司運營的資金。
在鮮花配送或遠距離訂單方面你有沒有發(fā)現(xiàn)什么變化?現(xiàn)在因為大家都沒辦法親自去其他地方走親訪友,人們?nèi)鄙傧蜃约宏P(guān)愛的人表達愛意或關(guān)懷的途徑,而鮮花似乎恰好填補了這一空白。
以前送花上門的需求非常小,而現(xiàn)在我們的活動范圍則覆蓋了整個大奧蘭多地區(qū)。一直以來,鮮花都是我們向自己關(guān)愛的人表達思念或者愛意的媒介,現(xiàn)在更是成了所剩無幾的表達關(guān)愛的方式之一。聽到人們失業(yè)、過世的消息總是讓我們?nèi)f分悲痛。
但我們的社區(qū)從未像現(xiàn)在這樣讓我們充滿希望。大家一言一行都透著體貼和善良,雖然窩居家中,但人們依然在向奧蘭多各地寄送鮮花,并通過這種方式表達著自己對他人的關(guān)愛。
現(xiàn)在疫情仍在蔓延,你對未來有什么規(guī)劃?
短期內(nèi),我們將繼續(xù)開展日常的鮮花配送業(yè)務(wù)。長遠來看,則是希望能早日回歸正常,為各種活動、快閃提供花車預(yù)定服務(wù),我們也打算將鮮花配送業(yè)務(wù)保留下來。
說個私人話題,你在疫情期間過得怎么樣?
挺難的。是否會停業(yè)、何時停業(yè)等問題讓我們倍感焦慮,我們也很擔心,如果沒有收入的話公司能堅持多久。我們也一直在關(guān)注并遵循CDC給出的建議,在維持營業(yè)的同時確保員工、客戶與我們自身的安全。(財富中文網(wǎng))
譯者:Feb
Diane Hill and Courtney Clark are the mother and daughter duo who run Dahlias Flower Truck, popping up at birthdays, bridal and baby showers, weddings, and corporate events all over central Florida. When customers book the flower truck, it will come fully stocked with flowers for the event theme, and Hill and Clark assist guests with building their own bouquets to go home.
The pair launched this business approximately a year and a half ago after both Hill and her husband lost their jobs, and had been trying to figure out how to earn an income while wanting to do something creative.
"As we sat at our dining table, dreaming up what could be, we settled on the fact that we wanted to spread joy to our community," Hill recalls. "We believed, wholeheartedly, that small acts of kindness and thoughtfulness could make a difference. We have never felt our mission come more alive than in this past month. Our customers care, thoughtfulness and kindness to family, friends and neighbors has been inspiring."
Fortune spoke with Hill for a new series, The Coronavirus Economy, to ask about how the outbreak of COVID-19 has affected her and her daughter, their plans for the future, and to get a sense of how she has been handling this news, both emotionally and financially.
Fortune: How does the flower business normally fare this time of year?
Hill: This is normally our busy season of corporate events, floral workshops, and flower orders for spring and Mother's Day.
When did you realize that COVID-19 would affect your boutique? How has it so far?
We realized that our small business would be affected the first week of March when we had our first corporate event cancel. Within the next week, we had all of our events up to Mother's Day either postponed or cancelled.
How have bouquet sales fared since the outbreak commenced? What are your day-to-day operations like at the moment?
It's been about a month since we have had the flower truck out in the public, so all of our normal operations have stopped. However, in the midst of all the crazy, we asked our customers if they would be interested in flower delivery or pick-up. They responded with an astounding yes, so we have adapted an entire new business model than before. Our local SBA suggested if small businesses can do delivery, pick-up, or sell gift cards to stay open, then do it!
We follow the CDC guidelines when delivering and stay informed of any updates from our governor. We've been blown away by peoples desire to help support our small business, and to spread a little joy and kindness to their friends and family since they can't be there in person. Being able to help people connect and share a little joy in these times has been the best part of our job.
Have you been pushed to make any budget cuts or layoffs? Have you applied to the Paycheck Protection Program for assistance?
It's our goal during this time to give our employees as many hours as we possibly can. Instead of hiring a third-party driver, we are using our employees. We have already applied to the Paycheck Protection Program and hope to be getting approved for sufficient funds to keep our business open.
Have you found delivery or long-distance orders shift at all? It seems like flowers would fill a void for people who want to show their affection or sympathy for loved ones while they can't be somewhere else in person right now.
Before this, we had very little demand for deliveries, and now we are driving all around the greater Orlando area. Flowers have always been a simple gesture to show our loved ones that we're thinking of them and that they are loved, but now, flowers are one of our only ways of doing that. Our hearts have broken for the messages we hear of people losing jobs, deaths, etc.
But our hope in our community has never been stronger. People care. They are kind and they are being intentional with their words and actions by staying home and sending little love notes of flowers across Orlando.
What are your future plans as the pandemic continues?
Our short-term plan is operating in a day-to-day mode with deliveries. Our hope is that, long-term, we will be able to go back to normal with booking the truck for events, pop-ups, and plan to keep deliveries on as well.
On a personal note, how have you been faring amid all this?
It's been hard. There's been a lot of anxiety of when or if we will have to shut down, and worrying about how long we would be able to go without any income. We also are constantly monitoring and following CDC recommendations to keep our employees, customers, and ourselves safe while we are open.