Santa Cruz Works

View Original

Using Faerie Dust to Pivot in COVID Times

In addition to its impact on public health, the COVID-19 pandemic shook the economy to its very core, negatively affecting small businesses. Many small businesses have been forced to temporarily or permanently shut down, whereas others have switched over to survival mode in order to remain active. Despite these unprecedented times, Fae Gershenson, founder of Happily Ever Laughter, has been able to save her company with determination and refined tactics. 

Happily Ever Laughter, a children’s entertainment company, was founded in 2006 and has since provided magical experiences for over 500,000+ children. However, with the spread of the coronavirus, it didn’t take long for the service to receive cancellations from clients and eventually lose everything. Instead of idly standing by, Fae teamed with Meadow, one of the company’s employees, to brainstorm strategies and make calculated changes to adapt to the COVID-19 crisis. With in-person bookings out of the picture, it was time to get creative with outreach, so the pair turned to email blasts and social media campaigns (DigitalMarketer). After moving over to an online platform, the company has been able to expand nationwide and around the globe. With travel now being a trivial issue, the company is able to flexibly create wholesome experiences for children and their families. 


Advice from Fae:

“Take that initiative to apply to financial packages coming out right now, which will benefit you in the long run. Don’t let your fears and exhaustion cripple you from your success. Also, as a member of the small business community, I find it crucial that we communicate and support one another.”


Check out some of the resources below that have helped Fae with her company and that might just help you!

Want to know more about Fae’s journey? Check out her interview with Content Strategist Becky Zieber here.