COVID-19 Help for Creatives

Legal + Contract

*I’m not an attorney and this is not legal advice, please contact a local attorney regarding all questions and concerns.

Regarding any and all legal and contract advice, I would highly recommend finding an attorney that either specializes in contracts and/or small businesses in your area. Legal fees are pricey, so below are some free resources.

Links for Contracts and Email Templates

Contract templates for rescheduling, addendums, and cancellations from The Legal Paige

Contract templates for rescheduling, addendums, and cancellations from The Creative Law Shop

Transcript of Webinar with Natalie Franke and The Legal Paige

Email templates for your contracts

Specific clauses to have in your contract + tips

-Make sure your deposit is non-refundable and that that clause is airtight.

-Your non-refundable deposits should be at or around 50%.

-Have a clause in your contract that once the contract is signed and deposit paid, the client cannot decrease their proposal by more than X amount. I personally have it at that my clients cannot decrease by more than 20%.

-Have a clause that pricing may change due to the fluctuation of the wholesale flower market as well as world changes such as political/world lockdowns (think back to Ecuador last summer) and COVID-19.

-Have a clause stating that you reserve the right to make substitutions.

-Have a Forced Majeure and Health + Safety clause

-When sending a rescheduling contract, addendum, or cancellation contract ALWAYS list in your email the important clauses you want the client to carefully review. Explain in layman terms those clauses. This email can also be used as backup if disputes comes up later.

-Make sure there is a line for both the client and the person who is paying to sign. Make it clear to whoever is paying that you serve the clients and not them.

-Always refer back to the contract during emotional disputes.

Client Communications

Marketing

How to Make Revenue During This Time

-Corporate: Notes from Emily Rose Florist. The best way to get in with a corporate company is to network with the people who you already know! Neighbors, church, etc. Ask them if they need flowers for any events.

Creative ways to earn revenue

SEO

Google Search Console – Get verified, this is different than “Google my Business” sending a letter to your work address.

Use ubersuggest to find a keyword for your website pages and blogs. This resource is mostly free.

Download SEOquake to help analyze your site. Important tools are Density and Diagnostics.

Get links! For example, being featured, blog posts written by others, directories, etc.

Utilize a free 30 trial with Moz. Moz can analyze your competition, do site analysis, and help you understand your domain authority. You can also check your spam score here.

Pinterest

Apps to help you with Pinterest:

Tailwind

Narrative. Use The Potted Pansy’s discount code. https://narrative.so?fp_ref=mandy83

Instagram

Facebook

The Future of The Floral Industry

The floral industry is changing with each day. The content below was last updated on: April 15th, 2020.

The Floral Industry: Worldwide

South American farms are still able to grow, cut, and sell (not necessarily to the U.S. but to other countries).

European Government and culture values the floral industry and considers flowers as “essential”. Farms are getting government help and still selling to the public. Have not shipped much to the states but with Miami port opening back up slowly…seeing a small increase. Farmers each week decide “what the market can bear” and then sell that amount in flowers.

As far as product availability for spring, everything will be available, the hurdle to jump over will be on transportation and restrictions in the U.S..

Mornings with Mayesh with Holland Flower Grower.

The Floral Industry: In the States

Wholesale companies are slowly opening back up and shipping flowers that are grown stateside. Limited availability and transportation is an obstacle (using mostly fedex). Growers will need to decide whether to plant for fall, will be a decision based on grower to grower and whether they can keep the water running (literally and figuratively). Expect holes and limited availability throughout 2020 and 2021.

Expect price increases due to transportation.

Price increases on actually stems are yet to be determined.

Morning with Mayesh with American Growers.

The Floral Industry: Small Local Farms

Notes taken after hearing from Katie from Old Slate Farm

Farmers are excited flowers are needed for florists, and WANT to see you flowers. Be flexible with your colors and flower varieties. Make sure you place multiple orders from multiple farms. This will help with back up when needed. When you are placing or verifying an order, be respectful of their time. The more information you can provide up front when you initially order, the better! Once you develop a relationship with a grower, learn their products and systems. 

What to know what is blooming each week? Check out the hashtag on Instagram #week(week number of the year)flowers. For example, the first week of the year would be #week1flowers, and so on.

The Floral Industry: Designers

From Society of American Florists, “According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “there is likely very low risk of spread from products or packaging that are shipped over a period of days or weeks at ambient temperatures. Coronaviruses are generally thought to be spread most often by respiratory droplets. Currently there is no evidence to support transmission of COVID-19 associated with imported goods and there have not been any cases of COVID-19 in the United States associated with imported goods. Information will be provided on the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) website as it becomes available.” More resources from SAF here. 

Intrigue Teaches: Many resources for florists.

Team Flowers: More resources.

Mayesh: Business Checklist for COVID-19

SBA Grants + Loans

CARE Act for Small Businesses

 

What’s available.

 

• EIDL Disaster Loan$10k

• PPP

• Unemployment
• Stimulus Check
• EIDL $10k

 

EIDL Disaster Loans: The Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) is an emergency program offering small business loans up to $2M. It also includes a grant for eligible businesses to receive a cash advance of up to $10,000 that you’re not required to repay.

Where to apply? 

• https://covid19relief.sba.gov/#/

Who should consider EIDL? 

• Smaller businesses who require less cash, and businesses who need immediate cash. 
• If you have less than 65K in annual operating cost, the 10K advance may be greater than the loan forgiveness on a PPP loan (see next section on PPP loan details).
• If the 3-day $10,000 disbursement will help you pay payroll, provide sick leave, or finance debt, you may want to consider this option.

Who’s Eligible? 

• Across all 50 states, any business with less than 500 employees who has been operating since Jan 31, 2020 and has been adversely impacted by COVID-19 is eligible for the $10,000 grant. No EIN Necessary!

How does it work?

• $10k in forgivable grant. Then, the additional loan portion is 3.75% interest for businesses with a 30 year term. First payment is due 1 year after the origination date. 

What can the money be used for?

• Financial obligations and operating expenses that could have been met had the disaster not occurred.

 

1. Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) – Paycheck Protection Program (PPP): A CARES Act Program offering forgiveable monies for small businesses, in order to keep people employed and businesses running.

 

Where to apply? 

• Apply at your local bank or credit union. Preferably the bank where you have your business account. Most have online applications and don’t want you calling in! If you can’t get access to an online application, call. If you can’t get an application then, try a smaller bank.

Who should consider PPP? 

• All small businesses (500 or less employees), including sole proprietors.

Who’s Eligible? 

• Across all 50 states, any business with less than 500 employees who has been operating since Jan 31, 2020.

How does it work?

 

• The application will ask for your monthly (or averaged) payroll expenses. Repeated personal withdraws, owner salary, contract employees, 1099 employees, and freelance employee wages are included. Can borrow up to 2.5x qualified payroll for one month. 
• Based on monthly average payroll in 2019. If you have seasonal work, take your 12 month average.
• Forgiveness portion is based on 8-weeks of qualified operating expenses. Remaining balance, if any, is amortized over 10 years at 4% interest with no prepayment penalties of any kind.
• Recommendation: Apply for this through your banker as soon as s/he says it’s available. Figure out how much you want to apply for by strategically thinking about how much can be forgiven. You want to apply for slightly more to make sure you get as much forgiven as possible and can quickly pay off the difference, so there is no real loan.

 

What can the money be used for?

• Payroll, rent, utilities. Loss expenses.

 

• Unemployment

Who’s Eligible? 

• The CARE act has opened up unemployment for self-employed individuals. You can’t be eligible for regular unemployment. Aka, you can’t use both avenues.

How does it work?

• The Federal government will be supplying funds for self-employed individuals to receive unemployment. Standard unemployment comes through state funds and trusts. This will be separate and not withdrawn from the state fund. 
• The CARE act has opened up unemployment for self-employed individuals. 
• Up to 39 weeks of unemployment is available.
• Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation: An additional $600 per week to supplement state or Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, payable until July 31 at the latest. You have to apply for unemployment through your state to get the $600 per week.

How does it work?

• These can be applied for through the State unemployment offices. Check your unemployment sites, per each state.
• Stimulus Check