Small Businesses Shutdown Amid COVID-19 Crisis
By Koroush Farboodmanesh
From canceling international trips to stopping practice and gameplay, NAFC’s business is at a standstill. Director and coach of NAFC, Soorena Farboodmanesh, says that there is no other option than following governor and state orders to return to play. While the club’s main source of income is through the registration of players, Farboodmanesh says that their main focus is on the safety of the players, coaches, officials, and families.
Like all other sports teams, NAFC closed its doors at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, Farboodmanesh says that he is optimistic and believes that the new state rules will allow teams to return to play when it is safe to do so. Considering the current circumstance, Farboodmanesh and his co-workers are currently unemployed.
“Soccer and Futsal are their only means and they are hurting,” said Farboodmanesh. Along with 2.4 million other Americans, the staff and coaches at NAFC are relying on government-provided stimulus checks to stay afloat.
Many small businesses are struggling due to customers asking for their money back from subscriptions, registration fees, and other purchases they made from these businesses. Fortunately, Farboodmanesh says that the players and their families are not giving NAFC a hard time when it comes to refunds.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, Farboodmanesh and his partners have completely shifted their meetings over to platforms including Zoom and Microsoft Teams to abide by social distancing rules. Using these platforms can be hard to use and new to some people. Even though COVID-19 has physically separated small business owners and their partners, it has brought them together to think about innovative ways to maneuver around this problem.
Like all other sports teams, NAFC closed its doors at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, Farboodmanesh says that he is optimistic and believes that the new state rules will allow teams to return to play when it is safe to do so. Considering the current circumstance, Farboodmanesh and his co-workers are currently unemployed.
“Soccer and Futsal are their only means and they are hurting,” said Farboodmanesh. Along with 2.4 million other Americans, the staff and coaches at NAFC are relying on government-provided stimulus checks to stay afloat.
Many small businesses are struggling due to customers asking for their money back from subscriptions, registration fees, and other purchases they made from these businesses. Fortunately, Farboodmanesh says that the players and their families are not giving NAFC a hard time when it comes to refunds.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, Farboodmanesh and his partners have completely shifted their meetings over to platforms including Zoom and Microsoft Teams to abide by social distancing rules. Using these platforms can be hard to use and new to some people. Even though COVID-19 has physically separated small business owners and their partners, it has brought them together to think about innovative ways to maneuver around this problem.
Koroush Farboodmanesh is a participant of the First to the Frontpage Summer of 2020 program.