Changing Business Models to Adjust to COVID-19

The COVID-19 has taken over our lives in a very unexpected way. Just like the every day person, most, if not all, local businesses are taking a big hit financially. Some businesses may never recover. To stay afloat while also helping with the pandemic, business owners Johnathan Dye and Tanya Turner have adjusted their business models to accommodate for the current times.

Tanya Turner (L) and Johnathon Dye (R). (Pictures provided by Tanya Turner and Johnathan Dye).

Dye is the owner of Milwaukee’s Mr. Dye’s Pies, who’s entire business is built on face-to-face interactions. For Dye, this virus has pushed him to act on business ideas he’s had in place for months. Two of those business ideas are his Mr. Dye’s Pies hand cleanser and Irish Sea Moss Gel.

“Sometimes your paradigm changes. In this case, it seems like it changed overnight,” Dye said. “You have to be able to change quickly.”

Since there’s a shortage of essential items like hand sanitizer, Dye has been giving away his hand cleanser and gel for free for customers who pick up from their store. Along with delivering pies through Uber Eats, Doordash and GrubHub, pies are being delivered by Mr Dye’s Pies staff with no face-to-face interaction.

“It has further taught me what I already know, you should always be analyzing and reanalyzing your strengths and weaknesses to your business,” he said.

Dye isn’t the only local business who’s made some additions to their business for the COVID-19. Owner of Bace Products for Bath & Face, Turner has turned her soaps into miniature bunnies, so people can wash their hands wherever.

Turner describes the soaps as “cute” and a fun way to get kids to wash their hands. The miniature soaps are all hand-made with hemp seed oil and no chemicals.

“Sometimes people are sensitive to the soap in the store,” she said.

Turner worried that her business would take a huge hit, but thanks to a review from actress Tabitha Brown, her business is booming. In the past, Turner would receive one order a week, but after Brown’s review on March 10, 2020, Turner has been receiving about five orders a day. On a slow day, she’s receiving at least one order a day.

On just Facebook alone, Brown has over 400,000 followers, so it’s no surprise Bace is being purchased on a daily basis.

“I was so sure I wasn’t going to get any orders,” Turner said. “[But], it just hasn’t stopped.”

As two local businesses, Turner and Dye encourage the community to keep supporting in any way they can. Whether that’s by adopting a business, sharing a post or ordering pick up, every little bit helps.

To purchase Mr. Dye’s Pies, click here. To purchase Bace, click here.