Tikitibü Needs You!!!

#SmallBusinessRelief ~Hello!  My name is Cynthia. I am a licensed Esthetician and Certified Massage Therapist.   I am Sole Proprietor at Tikitibü skin care studio.   Tikitibü is a British word that means “Everything is just fine”.    Tikitibü was born 9 years ago because I thought that if I could build amazing client relationships at the spa I worked at,  I could do the same at a business of my very own.  When I started my business I had no clients and I was not able to bring any of my clients from the spa.  Every year my little business grew steadily.  I now have the most loyal and amazing clients!  It’s a joy to see them and help them with their skin care and to help my massage clients with their chronic pain.  Most of all,  they come to connect and de-stress from their hectic lives!   I was just feeling like I was hitting my stride and making my business not just sustainable but profitable and then this event that no one could have imagined, fell upon us all.  I had to temporarily close my business on March 16, 2020 because of Covid-19.   Safer At Home orders were in place and I needed to do what was best for my clients safety, my safety and that of my family.  There have been rumblings in my industry to open, but in doing so,  I would risk revocation of my hard earned permits and licenses.  I applied for the SBA disaster loan and found out today that I was declined.  I have a PPP loan pending but it is controlled by the SBA so it is not likely that I will be approved.  I applied for a grant and have heard nothing.  As of now, businesses like mine are set to reopen in phase 3 of California’s plan which puts me out of work until at least September.   I am not eligible for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance because I had a lesser amount of W-2 income.  I can’t apply for Unemployment because I have small W-2 checks that come to me from acting work I did ages ago and Unemployment time out can last for weeks.  Right now my options for help are less than zero.   I have always followed the rules and done things the proper way.  I don’t believe in shortcuts or cheating the system, but right now the system isn’t there for me.   Everyday that I have been closed I have been thinking about what I can do to keep my little office so that I have a business to come back to.  I have seen the generosity of the GoFundMe Community and it is a true kindness to help someone you don’t even know.   I have never asked for help before but as one of my clients said sometimes you just have to put your pride away, put on your big girl pants and ask.  My clients need me and I need Tikitibü.    Anything you can give will help!  Thank you so much! #SmallBusinessRelief