Sierra Vista Area Chamber Member
These are unprecedented times. Historic. Do you feel blindsided? If not, I am impressed. If you’re like the rest of us this COVID 19 pandemic threw us for a bit of a loop. My favorite words to my grandchildren are usually “What did we learn?”. Now I’m using those words on myself daily, and sometimes hourly. So… what did we learn?
I don’t know about you, but Google couldn’t tell me how to fix this. It couldn’t tell me what to expect, what to feel, or what to do. We have all had to use our brains, our imaginations, and our own creative nature…. Yes, you have that. Who knew?
We have been forced to think outside the box. So, what now? Once you are outside the box…in the words of Sharice Erby Castle “Crush the Box!” Don’t get back in. The box is confining and limiting. You have escaped it! It no longer serves the same purpose. You have moved on and created a new way of working, of living, of learning. You did that! Well done! Oddly enough this is a great time to pat yourself on the back. This is also a time to reflect on what was working, what is working, and what we’ve learned to help us secure the future for our business, our family, and our community.
I am not making light of the extreme difficulties that so many have been going through, but we must look towards recovery. We weren’t prepared for the pandemic, but we can be prepared for the recovery, and we will recover. Are you prepared? Have you started working on your recovery plan? The Sierra Vista Area Chamber of Commerce is partnering with the City of Sierra Vista, the Small Business Development Center, the Arizona Regional Economic Foundation, and Hispanic Chamber of Commerce on a recovery plan for our community. That includes our local businesses, but your own recovery plan is essential. Stay tuned for more ways that we will be supporting and working with our local businesses as we look toward a brighter future.
Melany Edwards-Barton
CEO
Sierra Vista Are Chamber of Commerce