Reader TTS

She draws strength, too, from her background. She was one of only 10 women in her graduating class at Williams College and worked for Chase Manhattan bank. “I love working on strategy and

solving problems,” she says. Her years of experience and training in business and crisis management have served her well during this tough time. Now all that's left to do is wait and

see if the guests show up. She's hopeful that people who don't want to travel too far but want to get away will choose the inn. When they do, Gotthelf and her team will be ready.

DERRICK WILSON: COVID-19 GAVE HIM A REMOTE WORKFORCE — AND IT'S STAYING THAT WAY If you're a government agency or private-sector business that wants to run its warehouse or

mailroom more efficiently or better manage functions like printing or energy, Derrick A. Wilson's phone number can come in handy. His company, Wilson Technologies, based in College

Park, Maryland, is an outsourcing solution for everything from facilities to administration to lighting. Clients turn to him to run things, saving them time, money and resources that can be

devoted elsewhere. Since its 1997 launch the company has increased its annual revenue to $5 million and attracted an enviable client list, including household names such as the Consumer

Financial Protection Bureau, the Social Security Administration, the National Science Foundation, Six Flags America and Harley-Davidson. Then, almost overnight, everything changed as the

COVID-19 pandemic hit the country hard. Roughly a dozen of Wilson's 15 employees work on-site at clients’ facilities. By the last week of March, many had been sent home to work

remotely. By April 10, Wilson Technologies had closed its corporate offices because most staff members were working remotely or at client sites. Wilson, 47, lost nearly a fifth of his

business during those weeks — a disruption he hadn't seen since the Great Recession. "When COVID-19 hit, it was like a tornado to our business. It forced us to look for new ways to

do business." — Derrick Wilson A fierce commitment to workers had been part of Wilson Technologies’ culture from the beginning. Employees have robust benefit packages, with typical

offerings — including retirement plans and medical, dental and vision coverage — as well as rarer perks, like education and first-time home buyer assistance programs. Annual picnics, holiday

luncheons and quarterly get-togethers provide opportunities for social interaction. Employees also love summertime work-from-home Fridays, which started a few years ago. But, behind the

scenes, this benefit promoted a bigger plan. Wilson had been downsizing his office space — from 3,000 square feet to 1,500 square feet in 2017 — as more employees went to work at client

sites. Technology was making remote work easier. He was planning to transition to a fully remote workforce soon, but something kept holding him back. "The fear from growing up tied to a

desk,” he says. “The concept was there, but implementing it was fearful.” The pandemic shutdown gave him the push he needed. He's negotiating with his landlord to end his lease, which

was due to expire in August. The company will save more than $4,000 per month in rent and utilities. Wilson struggled with the decision about whether to apply for economic assistance through

the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act. But when he saw 20 percent of his business drop off so quickly, he decided to use all of the resources available to him. He

applied for and received a Paycheck Protection Program loan for $100,000 in May. But relief comes with strings attached. "You have two months to use it from the time it hits your bank

account,” he says, so the pressure is on to spend the money. He's using as much as possible for payroll, but if he doesn't meet the loan requirements for forgiveness, the repayment

term is two years, and monthly payments would be $5,600 to repay the full amount. Wilson is also adjusting his management style and processes so that the overall business comes through the

pandemic stronger. He finds himself doing more regular one-on-one staff meetings. The Tuesday-morning meeting is held by videoconference so employees can get face time with one another.

Eventually, he plans to resume the team's get-togethers, perhaps going out to lunch once a month. Wilson is also looking at how his company will take a leadership position as his

employees go back to work at client sites. He expects to supply his staff with basics like face masks and disinfectant wipes, to keep their workstations clean. He'll also assist clients

in making sure they're following Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines to keep employees safe — and ensure that workers know those guidelines, too. "We could never

really find time to implement the changes we wanted to make,” Wilson notes. “When COVID-19 hit, it was like a tornado to our business. It forced us to look for new ways to do business. And

that's working.”