Originally written April 2020, By Tiffany Ritchie.
Buying a business is a huge decision. It is a lot of work, long days and fresh challenges, it is scary, and stressful but exciting.
RPM has been no exception.
The first couple months was filled with cleaning, organizing, getting familiar with all the different aspects of this unique business. As had been the goal from day one, the shop was open for full services by February 1st. Meanwhile, we got some much needed help dipping our toes in the waters of social media and digital marketing.
These days social media is a vital part of running a business.
It can be overwhelming, but now we have Facebook rolling, Instagram started and we are working on this website. We still need to figure out what exactly we want out of a website, what it is going to be used for...not going to lie, it is still a little overwhelming.
I fall back to Olive, she's a natural social media super star, and Ritchie Part and Mechanical Employee of the Decade! How can you not LOVE that face!
Enter 2020, the year that will go down in history...in ways we can't even imagine yet I am sure. On January 27th, in Toronto the first Canada resident test positive for Covid-19 after returning from Wuhan. But we still felt pretty safe tucked in the south west of corner of the province. Life carried on as usual in the little Crowsnest Pass, there were fund raisers and events, dinners out and touring weekends.
Between when the first Albertan tested positive on March 5th and the 25th Alberta banned gatherings over 250, suspended school, declared a public state of emergency and "self-isolation and physical distancing" went from a suggestion to enforced.
RPM was weirdly slow, we, the community and the province were collectively holding our breath. We had to cut back our staff, Alan was solo on the counter 6 days a week.
March 27th we were relieved to see that as shop and parts sales RPM was considered an essential service. But mid March our technician had broken his ankle. While there us absolutely NO good time for an injury, by April 1st we still weren't sure if the timing that was fortuitous, or a disaster for business.
Without the option to travel, and limited socialization people turn to their hobbies, and pick up new ones. Those pet projects in the garage get dusted off, people in their mid thirties decide to start dirt biking. Looks like we are going to be ok!
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