We the Patients

#EpicenterExperience: Sustaining a Small Business Through Quarantine

Welcome to the thirteenth installment of our #epicenterexperience series!

Epicenter Experience is a video series where consumers like you share exactly what it’s like living in NYC during quarantine. We’ve gathered personal stories about how New Yorkers were impacted financially, emotionally, or physically by COVID-19. Watch Amy’s story below!

Amy shares her experience as a small business owner during quarantine.

The week of March 15, businesses throughout New York City were closed down. One of these was Amy’s indoor cycling studio, BYKlyn. However, she and her team asked their members to stay on. A total of 70 members fortunately chose to stay until BYKlyn was able to open up NYC’s first outdoor cycling studio.

She shares her struggle with applying for the Paid Protection Program (PPP) for small businesses. Although she was denied for her first application, she was able to receive help from small business support systems that helped her to negotiate through the PPP.

Now that she has been able to reopen her business, her members continue to support her. Amy leaves us with a positive note: “Stay strong during COVID, think creatively, support your community, and they’ll support you.”

Watch her full story below: