In their own words: Three Black small business owners share how the pandemic transformed their companies

Black and minority-owned businesses are historically fragile. The pandemic put significant stress on the ecosystem in which they were operating.
For businesses that survived, online marketing and digital platforms were pivotal to income-generation. Keeping up with these technologies will be crucial to post-pandemic recovery.

According to the Census, there were less than 125,000 Black owned businesses in the U.S. in 2019. Despite the number of new businesses that have emerged due to the growth of e-commerce and the COVID-19 pandemic, minority-owned businesses were severely impacted by the pandemic. A 2021 report from McKinsey found that unequal access to capital, the most recent racial reckoning, and a pivot to the digital economy exacerbated existing racial inequities. Black-owned businesses suffered greatly and have a long-road to recovery, but it varies by sector and region. Three owners share how the pandemic has affected their businesses and how they have managed to survive, when so many others have forcibly closed their doors. Each has a physical location and an online presence that was deeply affected by the COVID-19 sales and e-commerce environment.
Alyza of Sw3at Sauna
Alyza of SW3AT Sauna Studio in New Jersey

SW3AT Sauna Studio provides infrared heat therapy, and serves as a wellness, fitnes...