SAMA Seeks to Help Business Owners Survive the Pandemic
by Joshua Rosario
989 Words (Currently)
In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, many small businesses have had to temporarily
close down. However, one 300-member statewide organization is doing its best to assist small
businesses affected as a result of the virus.
The Spanish American Merchants Association (SAMA) has been working to help
members hit hardest after temporarily closing down due to COVID-19.
Established in 1982, SAMA was created as a vehicle to assist small businesses, originally focusing on assisting Latinos in growing and maintaining their businesses. Its two offices are located in Hartford and New Haven – and the organization is still going strong in 2020, according to Executive Director Julio Mendoza.
While SAMA has more than 300 members around the state, it serves thousands of CT
merchants, Mendoza noted, as the organization seeks to assist not only its members but also
those who come though their door regardless of who they are.
During these times, SAMA has been able to continue operating and abiding by social distancing guidelines, with most meetings held over Zoom, as Mendoza notes. “We teach technology and all different types of training. As far as the organization is concerned, we don’t have any difficulties at all working from home.”
However, Mendoza noted that the association’s merchants have faced difficult
adjustment challenges when navigating technology. “As far as the merchants, it’s a different story. Even though we have trained a lot of merchants throughout the years, a lot of them are not that savvy when it comes to technology, so it’s a little challenging for them,” Mendoza stated. SAMA has been keeping in touch with merchants through other means, such as cell phones and emails, he added. “We try to help them as much as we can.”
“Merchants have to get more trained with technology. There’s a lot of things you can do with your phone, but there’s some things that are probably better with a computer or laptop,” Mendoza stated. “They’ve got to get more computer savvy. That’s our goal. That’s what we want to do.” Mendoza also stated that 11 different types of training were given to owners in the past quarter, with courses ranging from QuickBooks (an accounting software) to teaching owners about sales taxes.
While some businesses have had trouble signing up for federal funding, SAMA has been doing its part to assist them throughout the process. “There’s been a lot of different types of programs out there. First, it started with the EIDL (Economic Injury Disaster Loan), then the $10,000 advance, and then finally with the PPP (Paycheck Protection Program) as far as the SBA (Small Business Administration) is concerned.” Mendoza states, “We have helped a lot of the merchants to apply for PPP, some of them we have done their applications for them. A lot of them, we have given them the information. A good number of them, we have guided them through the process.”
There also have been grants given out to small businesses, such as one that can give up to $10,000, depending on the amount of employees an owner has. PPP can become a grant if an employee’s payroll can be maintained, with 25 percent accounting for overhead costs. The EIDL is a loan offered by the SBA that does not require payment during the first year.
Mendoza also stated that SAMA partnered with Liberty Bank, allowing their association
to assist their merchants and business owners through the sign-up process through Liberty
Bank’s website if they were turned down by other banks. “We’ve been trying to look everywhere
in order to help our small businesses,” he said, explaining that SAMA also has helped applicants for up to $20,000 from the Department of Economic Community Development (DECD). “We’ve helped over 700 merchants to apply for these different programs, and we have provided technical assistance to hundreds of merchants throughout this process in the past two months,” Mendoza stated.
Small businesses have been hit particularly hard by the shutdown. On April 20, NBC had reported that a group had gathered to do a rally against the governor’s shutdown of non-essential businesses. Mendoza notes though that small businesses are beginning to reopen as of May 22nd, the transition to being able to reopen has been tough. “Some of them did apply and receive funding through some of the programs that I mentioned. But a good number of them did not, and those that did not are hurting the most.”
Mendoza hopes that small businesses do not have to close down during this time. “I’m hoping that that doesn’t happen. I’m hoping that because of the programs that were put out by the federal government, the state, the city, the services that we have provided, that most of our merchants do not fail… it’s a little difficult to gauge.”
Mendoza also stated that due to having been closed, businesses’ sales and previous customer base would not be the same as it was before the pandemic. “The hardest challenge for them will be bringing back their customers. How do you do that? You’re going to have to advertise, you’re going to have to market,” he explained. “You’re going to have to do a lot of things in order to bring your customer base back.”
Noting many people will be reluctant to venture out, Mendoza suggested that both the business staff members and the customers will have to understand and follow current protocols for wearing masks and social distancing. Also, “Whatever the customers touch, [they] have to clean. It’s something that we haven’t seen before, ever. And it’s something that they have to deal with, little by little,” Mendoza said.
“The expenses don’t go down. They stay the same… everything that is postponed, it has to be paid.”
The pandemic, while damaging to many facets of American life, has allowed SAMA to
expand its understanding of technology and applications. Mendoza hopes the usage of Zoom
and other meeting programs can continue to grow in the near future.
