CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Businesses across our area are slowly getting back to normal, but many are still feeling the impacts of a very challenging year.
Staffing companies that supply workers to other businesses relied on those other companies to survive and it's a trickle-down effect that had everyone figuring things out.
Frank Johnson and Kevin Smith started their staffing business, Access Services, 25 years ago in Charlotte. 2020 almost did them in.
"There was the possibility of having to close our doors," Smith said.
They provide staffing to construction, manufacturing and healthcare businesses and suddenly had to come up with new offerings, services we weren’t doing a year ago doing today. Temperature scanners, fogging and disinfectant."
They also made sure to take advantage of help when they could, applying for PPP and other grants.
"When the date came we were on it from the very minute it became available," Smith said.
Still, they had to downsize.
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"We were planning for the worst if you will," Smith said.
They moved into a smaller office space and learning on the fly to do more with less.
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"I think all entrepreneurs have an inner spirit to be optimistic even in the midst of a storm and were off to a good first quarter," Johnson said.
"I'm grateful, eternally grateful. We do have some competitors that had to close their doors and that could have been us so we feel really grateful," Smith said.
Contact Michelle at mboudin@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.