COVID-19 Relief Fund
Donation protected
When COVID-19 hit in March 2020 owner, founder, Taylar Colyar of the New York based Pop-UP, Sip Shop Eat (SSE), could not have imagined how the pandemic would catastrophically damage her business. After building Sip Shop Eat into a destination pop up for small businesses and guests over a 3 year period, she had no idea how severely the Coronavirus would impact her event based business.
It was mid-March and the first 2020 pop up event was scheduled for April 15th-ish. The vendor line-up was complete. Event tickets were selling and she was feeling accomplished to have expanded the brand from one city to three. Then, on Friday, March 13, 2020 the US White House issued a National Emergency and the San Francisco Mayor banned events and gatherings of 100 people or more. It would be the first time ever in their business history that they’d have to postpone an event.
Even in the midst of this news Taylar had no idea exactly how much the brand would be affected. In the weeks to follow, Sip Shop Eat would experience a 100% decline in revenue. Despite attempts to apply for federal aid, grants and loans Sip Shop Eat did not receive one cent of COVID-19 financial relief, SSE received not one cent of relief funding.
While Sip Shop Eat and Taylar remained resilient, pivoting the brand to pursue virtual experiences. She truly started to imagine the end of her brand. With sales in complete decline she had know idea if SSE would ever weather this storm from the business loss to personal loss and family deaths due to COVID-19 her hope was starting to wane.
Taylar quickly went to work building a new platform embodying the spirit of the Sip Shop Eat’s IRL, Pop-Ups that cultivate entrepreneurship and foster the discovery and support of small businesses. It would be a way for people who enjoy shopping small to do just that no matter where they are in the World. In May of 2020, Sip Shop Eat launched two new components of their brand: SSE Virtual Pop-UP and SSE Social. The Virtual Pop UP features small businesses from all around the World who make, design or curate their collections. The Pop-Up offers: Jewelry, Accessories, Clothing & Shoes, Home Decor, Art & Stationery, plus Babies and Kids and Food. Each brand is featured up to 90 days in the virtual Pop-Up. Brand listings include product photos, where the brand is based, details on the founders background such as Female-led, BIPOC, etc and links directly to the brand’s online store and social media platforms allowing customers to discover and find new business and engage in socially conscious shopping. Brands are featured on Sip Shop Eat’s social media pages allowing even more amplification for the small businesses featured on the platform. Entrepreneurs featured at Sip Shop Eat’s virtual Pop-UP have experienced increases in web traffic, social media engagement and store sales. It’s proven to be the safest way for Sip Shop Eat to stay afloat.
The SSE virtual pop up allows people who love discovering new small businesses to do that in safe, socially distant manner all while providing an alternative for small businesses to set up shop in the absence of trade shows, markets and events that so many small businesses rely on to generate income.
2020 has proven to be the hardest year in business for Taylar Colyar as an entrepreneur and SSE as a brand. Truthfully, even with the development of SSE’s new offerings, the struggle to stay open is still real. Their hope is to continue to be a refuge for small businesses which is why we’ve launched this GoFundMe to keep the business open, continue fostering the discovery of new businesses and help empower successful entrepreneurs.
Our goal is $30,000.00 which will help us ensure the IRL Pop-UPs reopen safely, when it's time. In addition, our goal is to ensure our employees stay on board and the vendors we work with can be accommodated for their financial losses associated with cancellation of events. Lastly, funds will be used to continue to refine the Virtual Pop-UP platforms and drive traffic to our small business partners.
Without this support, we don't really know what the the future will be for Sip Shop Eat. We are hopeful that no matter how much we raise we can stay in business and keep doing the work that so many rely on. We are completely humbled by any ounce of support we receive and appreciate everyone's time hearing our story and contributing to keeping our dream and the dreams of so many entrepreneurs alive.
Sincerly,
Sip Shop Eat Team
It was mid-March and the first 2020 pop up event was scheduled for April 15th-ish. The vendor line-up was complete. Event tickets were selling and she was feeling accomplished to have expanded the brand from one city to three. Then, on Friday, March 13, 2020 the US White House issued a National Emergency and the San Francisco Mayor banned events and gatherings of 100 people or more. It would be the first time ever in their business history that they’d have to postpone an event.
Even in the midst of this news Taylar had no idea exactly how much the brand would be affected. In the weeks to follow, Sip Shop Eat would experience a 100% decline in revenue. Despite attempts to apply for federal aid, grants and loans Sip Shop Eat did not receive one cent of COVID-19 financial relief, SSE received not one cent of relief funding.
While Sip Shop Eat and Taylar remained resilient, pivoting the brand to pursue virtual experiences. She truly started to imagine the end of her brand. With sales in complete decline she had know idea if SSE would ever weather this storm from the business loss to personal loss and family deaths due to COVID-19 her hope was starting to wane.
Taylar quickly went to work building a new platform embodying the spirit of the Sip Shop Eat’s IRL, Pop-Ups that cultivate entrepreneurship and foster the discovery and support of small businesses. It would be a way for people who enjoy shopping small to do just that no matter where they are in the World. In May of 2020, Sip Shop Eat launched two new components of their brand: SSE Virtual Pop-UP and SSE Social. The Virtual Pop UP features small businesses from all around the World who make, design or curate their collections. The Pop-Up offers: Jewelry, Accessories, Clothing & Shoes, Home Decor, Art & Stationery, plus Babies and Kids and Food. Each brand is featured up to 90 days in the virtual Pop-Up. Brand listings include product photos, where the brand is based, details on the founders background such as Female-led, BIPOC, etc and links directly to the brand’s online store and social media platforms allowing customers to discover and find new business and engage in socially conscious shopping. Brands are featured on Sip Shop Eat’s social media pages allowing even more amplification for the small businesses featured on the platform. Entrepreneurs featured at Sip Shop Eat’s virtual Pop-UP have experienced increases in web traffic, social media engagement and store sales. It’s proven to be the safest way for Sip Shop Eat to stay afloat.
The SSE virtual pop up allows people who love discovering new small businesses to do that in safe, socially distant manner all while providing an alternative for small businesses to set up shop in the absence of trade shows, markets and events that so many small businesses rely on to generate income.
2020 has proven to be the hardest year in business for Taylar Colyar as an entrepreneur and SSE as a brand. Truthfully, even with the development of SSE’s new offerings, the struggle to stay open is still real. Their hope is to continue to be a refuge for small businesses which is why we’ve launched this GoFundMe to keep the business open, continue fostering the discovery of new businesses and help empower successful entrepreneurs.
Our goal is $30,000.00 which will help us ensure the IRL Pop-UPs reopen safely, when it's time. In addition, our goal is to ensure our employees stay on board and the vendors we work with can be accommodated for their financial losses associated with cancellation of events. Lastly, funds will be used to continue to refine the Virtual Pop-UP platforms and drive traffic to our small business partners.
Without this support, we don't really know what the the future will be for Sip Shop Eat. We are hopeful that no matter how much we raise we can stay in business and keep doing the work that so many rely on. We are completely humbled by any ounce of support we receive and appreciate everyone's time hearing our story and contributing to keeping our dream and the dreams of so many entrepreneurs alive.
Sincerly,
Sip Shop Eat Team
Organizer
Taylar Hagan
Organizer
Richmond, CA
