Small Business, Marketing, Payment Protection Program – With Beth Schnitzer Of Spritz Marketing SF
ONN – Small Business, Marketing, And Payment Protection Program – With Beth Schnitzer Of Spritz Marketing in San Francisco
On Facebook, Beth captured what we’re all feeling about and experiencing with the Payroll Protection Plan Bailout Program when she wrote this:
Most of you know I’m not one for posting anything negative or political however, I feel compelled to share my feelings given the unique circumstances we are all experiencing.
This is NOT a political post but rather my comments on an economic issue that is facing me and my small business- SpritzSF an integrated marketing and branding agency.
I am totally disheartened, disappointed, dejected, disgusted, and outraged. ?
As a co-founder, small business owner and single, self-partnered person, it’s been a daunting struggle emotionally, physically, and financially these past 5 weeks, working non stop to keep our small business- afloat, maintaining our current clients’ businesses, motivating our staff, staying positive, and being there for friends, family, colleagues and industry leaders.
We founded the business back in 2009 so resilience is part of the Spritz DNA. ??
I’m confident we will survive and pivot as needed for the new reality. ?
As part of the pivot process, we had to lay-off staff in our SF and Bangalore offices + reduce hours for team members given the sudden loss of business and cancellation of client events.
To that end, we applied for the Federal disaster aid relief loan packages through our business bank, Bank of America. After meeting in person at BofA, on April 2, we were guided through the process and timing. We applied on line when the BofA application link went live at 6:12 am Friday April 3rd. Received notification on Sat April 11 that a link would be sent to upload more documents. After multiple conversations and emails, and promises by BofA that our app would be reviewed, we waited and waited. Received the link Sat. April 18 and uploaded the requested documents knowing full well that the PPP funds were already depleted.
How could that be? How could our submission not be in the queue when it was submitted on the first day of the application process within 10 minutes of the BofA link going live?
Learned yesterday that the PPP funds, intended for small businesses were allocated to publicly traded companies with market capitalizations of $100 million dollars & they received loans for $10 million dollars. These are tax -payer backed low interest loans.
How could these large companies even apply for a small business loan intended for mom and pop businesses? The fact that Shakeshack, J Alexander’s Holdings, Fiesta Restaurant, Quantum Corp, and so many more, received small business loans for $15 million and $10 million is incomprehensible and outrageous to me. ?
Is this how small businesses are defined? How could the SBA roll out such a thwarted program ? How could this fund be allocated without any oversight?
Is this more about politics than economics?
How could we be so misguided?
My guess is since the banks are incentivized by increased fees from the federal government for higher loan amounts, it makes sense that small mom and pop businesses were shutout due to total greed by the big banks. ?
No need to comment politically however, I am open to a ? for #SpritzSF and hearing your economic comments about how small businesses can survive this crisis and how the federal government will support them.
Stay safe. With Gratitude. ??
#corporategreed #smallbusinessowner #SpritzSF
Tonight, we talk about her company, the PPP, and San Francisco.
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