Community Building in the Time of COVID

By Giovannie Espiritu

Aimee Supp, VP of Sales and Marketing of Moxey, a community of business owners based around bartering goods and services, has been passionate about entrepreneurship since she was a young girl running her own dog walking business.

“My love of business began from watching Mr. Rogers Neighborhood,” Aimee recalls. “During a segment of the series, he would take you on factory visits and we would watch how things were made. I remember learning how everything was made from crayons to applesauce and became fascinated with business and wanted to be a part of that.”

Her career took her to Holland America Line where she educated guests on the cruise ships to shop in the local ports of call. Through showcases and educational seminars and 24 hour TV programming, she promoted local businesses and artisans. She traveled internationally, promoting neighborhood commerce like matryoshka dolls in Russia, silk carpets in Turkey, and colorful saris in India. Since then, she has amassed over twenty years of experience at helping small businesses marketplace and becoming a business-to-business matchmaker for business owners, craftsmen, and artists business sectors.

“There is nothing more that I love than working with people that are very talented at one thing but they’re missing one segment - whether it’s finding their true value and who they are, what they should charge for what they do, or to how to sell and market themselves,” she states.

It was her penchant for finding the missing piece that elevated a small pay-it-forward photography project into a regional movement.

It is an innate trait in us, as women, to bring people together rather than compete...In focusing on that, during this time, we can make real change.

Originally inspired by “TheFrontStepsProject,” Aimee called local Baton Rouge photographer, Jenn Ocken, a client of hers, to help support local businesses, during the beginning of the COVID by providing photoshoots to local businesses. In essence, the businesses and families would receive a free socially distanced photoshoot and would promise to “pay-it-forward” by supporting local businesses during the quarantine.

Their version of the movement, #TheFrontPorch ProjectUnited #TheStorefrontProjectUnited, was picked up by the media and was duplicated in several different states and cities under Aimee’s guidance and business acumen. They photographed over 4,500 families, 400 businesses raising 1.2 million for local businesses during this time.

“I’m always looking for ways that I can collaborate and bring people together to scale it faster and make a bigger impact for others. This was one of those incredible series of circumstances, a big vision, solid plan and great team that just worked - people paying it forward to local businesses that were closed during this time was uplifting to our community and crucial for local businesses.”

This couldn’t have been done without the collaboration of extremely talented women from our primary photographers Addie Laughery and Jenn Ocken to our social media managers Laura Siu Nguyen and Sarah Brown. Across the south over 50 people, volunteered their time in their communities.

“It is an innate trait in us, as women, to bring people together rather than compete. I think we tend to look at things where everyone can win and thrive together,” she says. “In focusing on that, during this time, we can make real change.”

SOME ADVICE SHE GIVES TO BUSINESSES DURING THIS TRYING TIME:

MAKE SURE YOUR BASE IS STABLE

“Whether it’s your mental well being, or your financial well being. If that’s not solid, then you can’t help others.”

FIND CREATIVE WAYS TO CONSERVE CASH

“Bartering is an exceptional idea. It can be clunky, but it allows you to get the things that you need without paying cash. If you have goods sitting around, you can barter with someone else to get what you need. If you are in a city where there is a company, like Moxey, who streamlines barter and amplifies what you do - reach out to them and see how they can help your business”

JOIN A COLLECTIVE OF LIKE-MINDED PEOPLE

“Leverage relationships to learn, enrich and grow. When you get dialed into a group, you have access to the talents of the group and collaborate. Be brave, start making connections with people that you wouldn’t have normally connected to. You would be surprised at who will respond.”

BE GENEROUS

“Ask what you can do for others twice as much than you ask someone to do something for you. If you get to a place where you don’t know what to do, reach out and ask how you can help another. The nature of being generous establishes rapport and can open doors in unexpected ways.”

DON’T GIVE UP

“We are going to get through this. We’re a country of people who have always gotten through the most extraordinary of circumstances. Our grandparents had their moments where they had to step up and rise. This is our time. One of my favorite quotes is: ‘a rising tide lifts all boats.’ If we look to see how we can help others. We will collectively help everyone.”