Support for your Small Business
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June’s Monthly Mingle’s
“
Virtual
Munch & Mingle”
We were ALL used to mingling while we are having delicious food at the East Bay Chamber’s Monthly Mingle at a fabulous destination. Well, things have changed quite a bit but it just means we have to change how we do things.
- In June, all registrants will receive a special little surprise at their doorstep from our host, Bookkeeping Towne to enjoy while we network –
- BUT you have to register by 6/8/2020 at midnight!
Join us for a
Virtual Monthly Mingle
Thursday, June 11, 2020 from 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm
Hosted by Bookkeeping Towne
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Michelle Hughes, CPA
cuts the ribbon as she re-opens her office at 654 Metacom Ave. in Warren.
We were all treated to ice cream after the ribbon cutting!
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Anytime Fitness-Bristol Is Open and looking forward to seeing YOU!!
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If you own a business and are getting ready to reopen here are some steps you should take:
- Visit ReopeningRI.com and review both the Phase 2 general business guidelines and the guidance documents specific to your individual sector (restaurants, retail, hair and personal services, gyms, etc).
- Please make sure that you’ve completed your COVID-19 control plan. There’s a template for that plan on the ReopeningRI.com website – please complete the plan before you reopen.
- If you missed Commerce’s Facebook Live Town Hall or want a refresher, you can watch them on the Rhode Island Commerce Facebook page.
- If you’re a small business who is looking for masks and cleaning solutions , Commerce is making these available through industry associations and local chambers of commerce. Visit www.commerceri.com for information and locations on how you can pick that up.
Phase Two:
- Social Gatherings: Phase Two, the social gathering limit will be 15 people.: you still need to practice social distancing, you still need to wear your face covering, and you shouldn’t be seeing a different 15 people every day.
- Travel: In Phase Two, the travel restrictions will largely lift – with some important distinctions. The 14-day quarantine will only be in place for those returning to Rhode Island from an area still under stay-at-home order or similar type of restriction.
- Restaurants: In Phase Two, we’re going to allow indoor dining at up to 50% capacity. There will still be many other restrictions in place around cleaning, common areas, mask wearing and spacing out tables.
- Retail: In Phase Two, we’ll be continue to relax capacity restrictions so more people will be allowed in a store at one time. We’ll also be allowing malls to reopen – again, with restrictions.
- Offices:. We still want everyone who can work from home to do so. In Phase Two, if it is necessary that some of your workforce be on-site, business can allow up to 1/3 of their workforce to return.
- Haircare and Personal Services: In Phase 2, hair services including barbershops, salons, and hair braiders will all reopen with capacity restrictions. In addition, lots of other personal close-contact services – nailcare, waxing, tanning, massage, tattoos – will reopen. The person performing the services will have to wear a mask, and the customer will have to wear a mask as long as practically possible. Customers should make appointments so we can avoid crowded waiting areas . Customers will have to space out, and cleaning will be very important.
- Gyms and Fitness Studios. In Phase Two, gyms and fitness studios will reopen with restrictions. Group fitness classes will also be allowed to resume.. We’re asking fitness centers to go with a reservation system so they can prevent overcrowding and keep people socially distant. If you take a class, you should stay with the same consistent group.
- Outdoor Entertainment and Recreation: This virus thrives in crowded spaces, and so we still need to wait to reopen things like theaters and concert halls – places where maintaining social distancing is really challenging. However, we know it’s a lot easier to keep people spaced out when we’re outside and that the virus also doesn’t spread the same way outside. In phase 2 we can start to allow outdoor activities to come back. This includes things like going to the zoo and outdoor activities such as mini golf and boat rentals, and visits to areas such as public gardens and the outdoor ground of historical sites.
To stay up to date with Rhode Island's latest COVID-19 statistics, please check the Department of Health's
new data dashboard
for all the information you need about the spread of coronavirus in RI
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Reopening Guidance for Cleaning and Disinfecting Public Spaces, Workplaces, Businesses, Schools, and Homes:
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Hiring for server, bartender, bussers and food runner. High volume waterfront restaurant. Contact Eric at The Beach House.
eric@thebeachhouseri.com
with a resume.
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Open Fast, Open Slow, Wait, Reinvent or Close?
Which is Right for Your Small Business?
For small businesses forced to shutter or cut back during this crisis, the next step forward may not be clear. Jumping in with both feet right now may not be the best choice. You have options to consider and need to think carefully about how to evaluate those options. This important first step will define your path forward from here on.
This
ReStart RI
workshop for Rhode Island and South Coast Massachusetts small businesses will provide you with tools and techniques to help you accurately analyze your situation and make the right decision for your business. A panel of
SCORE RI
experts with decades of management experience will describe a framework for making your decision, followed by an interactive question and answer session. We will be joined by staff from the Department of Business Regulation as well.
Join us online Thursday, June 4th at 1:00 PM to get the information you need.
Topics will include:
· Understanding the current reality as it impacts your business
· Making your decision in a changing environment
· Overcoming biases that could influence your decision-making process
· Cash flow and business model toolkits
· Making the big decision: open fast, open slow, wait, reinvent or close?
· Defining your milestones and business metrics
· Next steps and getting help with your decision
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We would like to invite you to attend the
COVID-19 Relief Town Hall Discussion to be held on Thursday, June 4, 2020 at 10:00am
.
This is a free 60-minute teleconference call covering a variety of COVID-19 relief provisions.
The Internal Revenue Service, the State of Rhode Island, the City of Providence and the RI League of Cities & Towns invite you to attend COVID – 19 Relief Town Hall Discussion
This free 60-minute teleconference is open to All Call in Telephone Number: (888) 331-8226 Access Code: 3911745
Participants attending will learn about recent relief for Individuals, including Social Security Recipients, Non-Filers (no filing requirement), and Veterans provided by the 2020 Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act.
Join Odette Turenne IRS Senior Stakeholder Liaison, Neena Savage Rhode Island Tax Administrator, Theresa Agonia Senior Deputy Chief of Staff City of Providence, Peder Schaefer Associate Director Rhode Island League of Cities & Towns and Meg Chevalier IRS Senior Tax Consultant IRS-SPEC who will cover a variety of topics including:
• Economic Impact Payments, ranging from $1,200 to $2,400 (even more with qualifying dependents)
• Eligibility – How to determine if you qualify for the Economic Impact Payment
• Implementation – How the IRS facilitates delivery of the payments
• IRS “Get My Payment” Tool – How to use a web app to determine payment status and provide bank account deposit information
• IRS “Non-Filer “Tool – How to use another web app to register for the Economic Impact Payment if you don’t otherwise have a return filing requirement
• Scam Protection – Learn how fraudsters will attempt to scam your payment and how to protect yourself • Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) - Update on the VITA Program in Rhode Island during COVID-19
• Rhode Island Division of Taxation – State Tax Filing and Payment Updates
• City of Providence - Supporting our Residents through COVID-19
• RI League of Cities & Towns – Property Tax Updates and Relief Provisions
• Resources & Guidance - Find out where to get the information you need to learn more about the above topics NOTE: The number of teleconference phone lines available is limited so call in early!
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When:
Thursday, June 04, 2020 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM
So, you know some of the basics of digital marketing. But how do you grow your audience and convert website visitors to leads and sales? In this next-level digital marketing webinar, James Kwon, Founder & CEO of Figmints Digital and Creative Marketing, will introduce what he calls the "levers and gauges" of marketing. Learn how to use the proper dials for marketing, turn up what's working and turn down what's not, and create a predictable system to keep leads and sales coming.
James Kwon has helped develop brands, interactive solutions and marketing strategies for startups to fortune 100 companies. From application development to lead/demand/revenue generation through inbound marketing techniques, James has helped expand the intersection of creative territory, online development, while doing it all in an analytical and measurable way. He has degrees in Culinary Arts, Graphic Design, Entrepreneurship, Marketing, and Theology.
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WEBOND Women's Group online LIVE ZOOM Presentations Tuesday's at 12:00
Links and access to the live presentations are posted on
www.meetup.com/webond
and on the events calendar at www.eastbaychamberri.org
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RESOURCE LINKS
TOWN HALL Council MEETINGS:
click links for times/dates
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Ongoing Reminders
Additional ReopeningRI resources:
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UNDER THE DOME
Last week, the Senate Health and Human Services Committee passed S.2525 SubA, An Act Relating to State Affairs and Government – the Rhode Island Health Care Reform Act of 2004. The bill requires health insurance plans to cover telemedicine at the same rate it covers in-person patient visits. Governor Raimondo signed an Executive order which calls for insurers to cover telemedicine while the coronavirus emergency continues. .
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MICROENTERPRISE STABILIZATION GRANT PROGRAMS:
offering working capital grants to qualifying small business microenterprises adversely impacted by COVID-19.
The Town of
Bristol
application: AVAILABLE
HERE.
The Town of
Barrington
application: AVAILABLE
HERE
The Town of
Warren
application: AVAILABLE
HERE
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We Want to hear from you!
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How are you doing during this Coronavirus Pandemic. Send us your story, information or video - we'll do our best to highlight your business.
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