Smart, Driven and Successful
Navigating Disaster Relief
Programs
During COVID-19
by Elizabeth Denham
Do You Qualify? Bethany Barnes, Director of Business Development at Rapid Business Plans, is using her experience to help businesses navigate the process of applying for stimulus monies to keep them afloat through the pandemic crisis.
help people try to weather the storm and stay in business.
“I write business plans every day for people who are applying for SBA loans for their businesses,” Barnes said. “I know what banks are looking for and how to help them through the process.”
“We are doing whatever we can to help,” she said. “We are sending out information, resources and links as we get them. Some people are great at doing it all themselves, and we guide them to resources. Others hire us to complete the process from start to finish and send their documentation to our Dropbox so that we can do all of the heavy lifting.”
When Barnes realized the impact the coronavirus was going to have on the economy, she knew her skillset could
The process Barnes takes people through is fairly simple. There is a questionnaire on her website to
14 The Franchise Woman
help you determine if you qualify. Credit is a factor in qualifying. If your credit score is below 640, she will recommend that you do not apply, and she will suggest other options. Once it is determined that you may qualify, Barnes will help you research what you qualify for in your state and through federal programs. “We have been recommending businesses apply for as much as eight months of expenses,” Barnes said. “We think that is a reasonable timeframe to expect to be impacted by the crisis.”
