As the owner of an essential business, you’re doing your part to help.
It’s safe to say 2020 will be a year we’ll remember for a long, long time. Over the past few decades, we’ve experienced national and international crises, from terrorist attacks to natural disasters. These events have claimed many lives and inflicted massive economic damage. But we’ve never experienced a threat whose antidote is for everyone to stay home.
When I think about the coronavirus pandemic, I often think about the famous quote from the late Fred Rogers: “Look for the helpers.” The quote is a reference to some great advice from his mother. When Mister Rogers was a kid and he saw something scary in the news, his mother would tell him, “Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.”
Helping is the American way. When those planes slammed into the World Trade Center towers on Sept. 11, firefighters and other first responders instinctively rushed into the inferno. In the aftermath of a hurricane or tornado, you’ll see volunteers searching for survivors, and neighbors helping neighbors. In this country, the worst calamities tend to bring out the best in people.
That’s one reason why this has been such an excruciating situation. Staying at home – not rushing into the proverbial inferno – goes against our instincts. When bad things happen, we want to roll up our sleeves, get out there and help in any way we can. But, health experts tell us, literally getting out there is the opposite of what we should be doing. That is, unless we’re talking about someone who works in an essential industry – like you.
As the owner of an essential business, you are one of the helpers. You’re doing your part to help, just by doing what you always do.
This month’s edition of ShopOwner marks a new chapter for us, as we shift to a new format within the pages of Brake & Front End, ImportCar and Underhood Service magazines. We think it’s a powerful way to reach the nation’s shop owners – creating a one-stop-shop, if you will, for management best practices and technical information.
Our mission at ShopOwner hasn’t changed, though. We’re still committed to helping you provide essential services to your customers, as efficiently and profitably as possible. As the owner of an automotive repair shop, you are one of the helpers. And we are honored to continue serving you.
