Sign up for our daily briefing
Make your busy days simpler with Axios AM/PM. Catch up on what's new and why it matters in just 5 minutes.
Stay on top of the latest market trends
Subscribe to Axios Markets for the latest market trends and economic insights. Sign up for free.
Sports news worthy of your time
Binge on the stats and stories that drive the sports world with Axios Sports. Sign up for free.
Tech news worthy of your time
Get our smart take on technology from the Valley and D.C. with Axios Login. Sign up for free.
Get the inside stories
Get an insider's guide to the new White House with Axios Sneak Peek. Sign up for free.
Catch up on coronavirus stories and special reports, curated by Mike Allen everyday
Catch up on coronavirus stories and special reports, curated by Mike Allen everyday
Want a daily digest of the top Denver news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Denver
Want a daily digest of the top Des Moines news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Des Moines
Want a daily digest of the top Twin Cities news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Twin Cities
Want a daily digest of the top Tampa Bay news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Tampa Bay
Want a daily digest of the top Charlotte news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Charlotte
On Thursday July 23, Axios Media Trends author Sara Fischer hosted the fourth of a six-event series on small business recovery across America, focusing on how small businesses in Colorado have pivoted during the coronavirus outbreak, featuring Colorado Governor Jared Polis and Ryan Cobbins, owner of Coffee at The Point.
Governor Jared Polis discussed his frustration with federal level response to the coronavirus and highlighted state-level funds in Colorado that have been established to support small businesses.
- On the lack of coordination at the federal level: "We've had 50 different responses in each state. Each of the U.S. governors has really largely been on our own...But what we really need, because we do have freedom of movement between our borders, is a better coordinated national response."
- What the state is doing to help small businesses: "Many Colorado small businesses were able to get two months of payroll from the federal government, but it's not enough. So we did two things here in Colorado. We created a $20 million fund...Then we established a larger $250 million climber fund, which is a loan facility for businesses that aren't quite able to be credit worthy to get loans they need directly from banks."
Ryan Cobbins discussed his experience as a small business owner and how Coffee at The Point has navigated safety measures and addressed the concerns of employees during this period.
- On how the politicization of masks impacts his workers: "Some people have an extreme [reaction] around masks, to a point to where they get a little bit abrasive...So we make sure that our staff stays careful and we provide them with the language to speak to customers in an appropriate way so that things don't escalate."
- On how his business is using this slow period: "We've taken the advantage of the time to review our process and procedures, get to know our staff on a deeper level, review our vendors and so forth...This period gives us the time to do so."
Axios co-founder and CEO Jim VandeHei hosted a View from the Top segment with Policy Programs Manager for Economic Impact at Facebook Diana Doukas, who discussed Facebook's recent research on the global economic impact of coronavirus and its particular impact on women-run businesses.
- How the division of labor at home affects which businesses are closing: "Thirty-three percent of women business owners are finding that household responsibilities are falling to them. In a report that we've just released with the World Bank and the OECD, we're seeing a disparity between women-run and men-run businesses, where 12% more women-run businesses are closing."
Thank you Facebook for sponsoring this event.