A Maryland nonprofit is helping to bring small businesses together in a time when they need help and collaboration more than ever.|| Coronavirus updates | Maryland’s latest numbers | Where to get tested ||How do you network when you have to socially distance? Online.Mary Catherine Derin, the founder of the Anne Arundel County nonprofit Coffee & Cocktails with MC, is like a social networking matchmaker for locally owned small businesses.”I can’t do a lot else right now, so if I can at least try to pair people up and try to suggest that, that’s what I can do,” Derin said.Before the coronavirus pandemic, Derin hosted two free monthly events, bringing in a barista and a photographer to help business owners connect and share ideas. It’s something she now has to do entirely online and said it’s more important than ever.”They’re still there for you even if it’s not the way it was before. So I’m just trying to help spread the word for them,” Derin said.Bruno Romeo is the co-owner of Mamma Roma in Odenton, which has been able to do well with curbside service during the pandemic.”When you see your dream business stopping, no activity, you just get frozen,” Romeo said.He said Coffee & Cocktails with MC has helped tremendously in spreading the word.”She did a really great job. I mean, she posted on Facebook, on Instagram, on her personal Facebook. She has a lot of connections, everybody knows MC in the community,” Romeo said.Coffee & Cocktails with MC is helping business owners share what’s working for them to stay afloat. For months, CFI Fitness in Crofton had to be shut down, turning to Zoom and recorded workouts to reach customers. Owner Sam Bowles said connecting with others through the nonprofit has been extremely helpful.”Any business owner, at this stage, if you’re not trying to learn from what other people are doing, whether that’s in your industry or not in your industry, you’re making a huge mistake,” Bowles said.”It’s not a competition right now. They’re all feeling it, so I feel like I’m seeing a lot of collaboration,” Derin said.
A Maryland nonprofit is helping to bring small businesses together in a time when they need help and collaboration more than ever.
|| Coronavirus updates | Maryland’s latest numbers | Where to get tested ||
How do you network when you have to socially distance? Online.
Mary Catherine Derin, the founder of the Anne Arundel County nonprofit Coffee & Cocktails with MC, is like a social networking matchmaker for locally owned small businesses.
“I can’t do a lot else right now, so if I can at least try to pair people up and try to suggest that, that’s what I can do,” Derin said.
Before the coronavirus pandemic, Derin hosted two free monthly events, bringing in a barista and a photographer to help business owners connect and share ideas. It’s something she now has to do entirely online and said it’s more important than ever.
“They’re still there for you even if it’s not the way it was before. So I’m just trying to help spread the word for them,” Derin said.
Bruno Romeo is the co-owner of Mamma Roma in Odenton, which has been able to do well with curbside service during the pandemic.
“When you see your dream business stopping, no activity, you just get frozen,” Romeo said.
He said Coffee & Cocktails with MC has helped tremendously in spreading the word.
“She did a really great job. I mean, she posted on Facebook, on Instagram, on her personal Facebook. She has a lot of connections, everybody knows MC in the community,” Romeo said.
Coffee & Cocktails with MC is helping business owners share what’s working for them to stay afloat. For months, CFI Fitness in Crofton had to be shut down, turning to Zoom and recorded workouts to reach customers. Owner Sam Bowles said connecting with others through the nonprofit has been extremely helpful.
“Any business owner, at this stage, if you’re not trying to learn from what other people are doing, whether that’s in your industry or not in your industry, you’re making a huge mistake,” Bowles said.
“It’s not a competition right now. They’re all feeling it, so I feel like I’m seeing a lot of collaboration,” Derin said.