Issue link: http://www.insightdigital.biz/i/1239591
26 | I NSIGH T • M a y 2 0 2 0 w w w . i n s i g h t o n b u s i n e s s . c o m 26 | I NSIGH T • M a y 2 0 2 0 w w w . i n s i g h t o n b u s i n e s s . c o m the first or second quarter, we're not all of a sudden going to have more corporate events or weddings." Despite the difficulty, Batley and his sales team are forging ahead and helping organizations and brides and grooms create action plans to help ensure events can move ahead when it's safe for people to gather once again. Many businesses across the region that have remained open have pivoted to find new ways to operate within state directives. at's been the case for Caitlin Brotz, owner of Sheboygan-based Olivu 426, which specializes in natural beauty and personal care products. Business for Olivu traditionally was split evenly between her Sheboygan store and online sales. In the past several weeks, Brotz has seen demand for some of her products skyrocket. First and foremost, people are seeking hand sanitizer, but sales for products such as hand soap and lotion also are going strong. With hand sanitizer in short supply, many people have resorted to trying to make their own. However, even the key ingredients of that — aloe gel and rubbing alcohol — are nearly impossible to come by. Brotz feels fortunate that a bulk order for alcohol she placed in mid-March recently arrived. Olivu normally employs 10, but only about five are now working around the clock to keep up with orders. One employee works in a room dedicated to production, while another fills orders in a separate room, all with the aim of complying with physical distancing guidelines. Brotz herself oen comes in during the wee hours of the night, balancing helping fulfill orders with the day-to-day work of maintaining the online business. She relies on her faith and says helping others stay safe and well keeps her going. "I genuinely want to be a positive light," she says. "Find your gi and embrace it and use it in whatever package that looks like for you as an individual." Analyzing the disruption As emergency state rules began to close businesses, Jeffrey Sachse, the interim director of the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh Center for Customized Research and Services, realized data needed to be gathered and tracked. "In disaster situations — and this is an economic disaster — there needs to be documentation of what's happening," he says. "In this case, it is about documenting what businesses are going through. at way, we can go back and analyze the situation to fully understand its impact. We can also develop ways to prepare if something like this happens again." e COVID-19 Wisconsin Business Survey measures organizations' economic losses and will guide future recovery efforts as the pandemic plays out across the state. e first version of the survey went out in early April, with another one expected this month. As results are gathered, data will be available at the county, region and state levels. To increase participation in the survey and get the word out to industry sectors and businesses of all sizes, Sachse partnered with the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp., regional economic development groups across the state, chambers of commerce and other organizations. Plans include having the survey translated into Spanish and Laotian to make it more inclusive. "As we get the information in from businesses, especially about the specific help needed, we can share that back with the local organizations so they can reach out to address those issues," Sachse says. "From the responses I've seen so far, businesses want to keep the lights on and pay their people. When asked about their long-term survival, the most popular response is 'I don't know.'" New North Executive Director Barb LaMue says the survey will monitor the pandemic's rolling effects on the economy. She admits COVID-19 consumes most of her day, overshadowing other New North initiatives for now. "As a region, our top priority now is helping our businesses through the COVID-19 pandemic. We're doing everything from providing businesses with information on how to receive forgivable SBA loans to working with the state on identifying manufacturers who can retool what they're doing to produce personal protective equipment," she says. "We're all in this together." Makers keep making While many employees are now working remotely, vast numbers of others are working in essential industries that require them to show up at work, including most of Wisconsin's manufacturers. Ann Franz, executive director of the NEW Manufacturing Alliance, says COVID-19 has thrown the industry into chaos in several ways. "How do you manage something that's never been done? For a lot of companies, there was a lot of confusion about what is an essential business," she says. Sheboygan-based Olivu 426 has flipped its focus to its online business and seen demand skyrocket for products like hand sanitizers and soaps. FA C I N G O U R F E A R S Caitlin Brotz Jeffrey Sachse Barb LaMue C O U R T E S Y O L I V U 4 2 6