MONDAY NEWSLETTER
Re-think, Re-invent, Re-open,
Webinar with Ted Schmidt
 June 11 @ 1:00 - 2 P.M. (PST)
Local Businesses Share
In the coming weeks, we are interviewing local business owners to see how they are doing. We are publishing brief articles about each business - maybe you can relate to some of these business owners? Please consider supporting these businesses. Contact us to be interviewed at spokane@actioncoach.com or call us at 509-455-5053.
Interview #1
Owner: Christi Nance
What the business does: Sparrow Healthcare Education started in 2018 because there is a need in the community for healthcare workers such as caregivers and nursing assistants. They partner with health care facilities to train employees. If a facility hires a good candidate for training, they will send them through the program at Sparrow Healthcare Education.

Target audiences: 50% of students are pre-nursing, pre-med, physical therapy – bigger picture healthcare workers (usually in college) who gain points working as a nursing assistant. 50% are entry-level, just getting into healthcare. It is a great way to get your foot in the door without a high cost.

How has COVID-19 impacted your business? There has been a delay in State testing, but they’ve been able to obtain provisional licensing until the State re-opens the testing process. They’ve also had a decrease in college students finishing clinicals because they’ve gone home. Finally, they’ve continued with lab training using full PPE.

What has she learned? The biggest challenge was in realizing that when you own the business, you can’t be involved with teaching the classes, developing community partnerships, and leading the business forward on your own. She hired staff to support other business functions.

She is inspired by: Watching students from all over the world, seeing them launch into healthcare and grow. We are not seeing burnout, but what we are seeing is that people can make more money on unemployment; the industry is questioning how to keep health care workers in the field.

Special offer: They offer online training and they are also supporting their students through their employment services.

Contact: Christi Nance, RN, BSN, MSN, owner, www.sparrowhealthed.com, (509) 290-5489
Interview #2
Owner: Norm Morse
What the business does: Full-service commercial and residential garage and overhead doors – sales, installation, service.

Target audiences: Commercial segment of new construction, usually both public and private facilities/buildings. From fire stations to industrial warehouses, to new schools, overhead doors, fire doors, sectional doors; broad range of products. Residential segment of new construction in both eastern Washington and northern Idaho. Homeowners who want to upgrade. They also offer service and repair for over garage and overhead doors.

How has COVID-19 impacted your business? “Similar to other construction related businesses we have fared well, given the circumstances. The biggest impact has been what has come from Governor Inslee, we are obligated to perform to his mandate – essential vs. non-essential; we deemed ourselves an essential business, which kept us going. When the Governor closed residential home building in Washington, that impacted our businesses. If residential or commercial job sites were shut down, we were impacted. We were fortunate in that we are not a one-horse show, one trick pony - having three distinct divisions has served us very well. Washington, Idaho, Montana, Oregon; we had work in Montana, Idaho, and Oregon and were not impacted as much. Those who had all their eggs in one basket probably got badly hurt. If you were just in Washington with home builders, you would have had significant impact.”

What has he learned? “Others can learn from our experience – don’t wait for a bad situation/environment to react. If you are reacting to events that surround you, if you are constantly reacting, get yourself strong, work on building relationships. Get your house in order so you can better navigate through the choppy waters, daily, weekly, monthly changes. When things get bad that’s where businesses fail. With lessons learned, that’s the time to win the game. Every week we are strategizing, playing ‘what if’ scenarios. By planning and looking at all aspects, it has allowed us a viable path to get to the end.”

Special offer: They are offering a discount on new garage doors for residential.

Contact: Norm Morse, owner, https://www.continentaldoorco.com/, 509-792-3098
Interview #3
Owner: Michelle Darnell, OD
What the business does: The business started in Liberty Lake in 2017. They are a primary eye care office, glasses, contacts, dry eyes, cataracts, diabetes, and more. They were open by appointment during COVID, saw patients during the virus for things that didn’t need to be seen at Urgent Care. Specialties – multi-focal contact lens, trouble shoot visually-related headaches.

Target audiences: We serve anyone seeking vision care within the geographic area of Liberty Lake, Otis Orchards, and beyond. The core business is within five miles of Liberty Lake.

How has COVID-19 impacted your business? The bread and butter of the business is selling glasses and contacts, which was lost during the shutdown. She had to lay off her administrator because they were not seeing as many patients. She was able to take on more emergent issues with patients, however.

What has she learned? Trust, but verify. She made a mistake early on to purchase a large batch of frames at a discount. When she received them, she found they were used and damaged. She trusted someone’s opinion on the purchase but said that in future she will be more cautious.

She is inspired by: She has been inspired by a supportive community. She is grateful that she has been able to stay open. She said she has, “Really felt the love,” in the community.

Special offer: 30% off frames for no insurances; Converse frames (good for kids and readers) 50%, blowing out Oakley (including sunglasses) and Jones New York brand, 50% for month of June. (Specials are not valid with insurance).

Contact: Michelle Darnell, OD, www.lilacfamilyeyecare.com, (509) 210-0303
Interview #4
Owners: Jason and Dena Maas
What the business does: Dena and Jason Maas are one of four local franchise owners for ServPro which they purchased in 2012. They own ServPro Northeast and offer both commercial and residential services for water, fire, mold as well as carpet and upholstery cleaning and bio-remediation. They can come into a property – whether a business or home – and provide cleaning for COVID-19 per rules set by the CDC for cleaning viral pathogens.

Target audiences: People who own either residential or commercial properties who need either disaster relief and remediation and routine cleaning and disinfecting services.

How has COVID-19 impacted your business? Routine commercial contracts have slowed down or been put on hold; and/or in some cases of disaster relief, like water remediation, for example, water leaks are caught sooner because people are at home – so they aren’t calling for support as readily.

What has she learned? The biggest mistake is in being a business owner the hard part is in working in the business versus on the business. Working in your business too much and not thinking bigger picture can get you in trouble.

She is inspired by: Teamwork in the community across various businesses – people coming together to create a new normal.

Special offer: Duct cleaning this month; specials are on Instagram, https://www.instagram.com/servpronortheastspokane/ and facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ServproNortheastSpokane to view specials.

Contact: Dena Maas, https://www.servpronortheastspokane.com/ (509) 257-3912, dmaas@servpro10125.com
Referral Rewards
If you refer us to a business owner, to show our appreciation for a client sign up, you will be provided the gift card of your choice to one of the following businesses.

Group Coaching Sign-Up: $50 gift card
1-to-1 Coaching Sign-Up: $100 gift card