“I have owned my business for 33 years. My husband and I both have small businesses. I know there are a lot of people struggling that are also self-employed.

“I will say that the help has been very disappointing. No SBA loan, no PPP loan, no stimulus check, and no unemployment. 

“Right now, there is no income for our family. We have to open soon, or we will not have any businesses. They both will be gone. Our economy cannot hold out any longer. So please open it up so we can survive. 

“I don’t know how this will turn out, but I keep my faith and I will survive.”

Deshea Dilmore
Gaeleria The Salon
Ridgeland, Mississippi

“I have short-term and long-term rental properties in Oxford. 

“At this point I have only seen my Airbnb take a hit, but I'm pretty worried about the rumors for football to not come back or even a possible cancelling of the fall semester. I can handle the loss in Airbnb revenue, though that's about $6,000 this summer alone. I can't handle the loss of the five other homes and that rental roll being taken away. 

“I also have an ownership interest in a company that's a Grove vendor. We set up TVs and satellite dishes for other tent vendors across the Grove. Bookings are pretty dead right now as everyone waits to see what is going to happen. 

“I don't know of any business that plans on 3-6 months of zero revenue. I understand having cash reserves and trying to be prepared for contingencies in business, but no business owner plans for losses of revenue ranging from 50-95 percent for months. 

“I'm just ready to see the economy turned back on and the government to get out of the way.”

Nathan McCartney
Real estate investor
Oxford, Mississippi

Gov. Tate Reeves said today that the state will make final decisions about the current shelter-in-place order within the next 36 to 48 hours.

"We will take the position that every business is essential to the person that works there, and that it is certainly essential to the small business owners who employ those individuals," Reeves said.

The current order expires on April 27.

Reeves said it was too early to provide a definitive statement on what the order will look like, but that they will rely on data from various industries, while taking a localized approach, either regionally or on a county-by-county basis.

"I do not think there is a high probability that we will extend the shelter-in-place in its entirety," Reeves added. "As we look at various regions, industries, its fair to say we will continue to loosen restrictions from state government with respect to shelter-in-place."

The recovery will likely be rolled out, much as the original order was as it was put in place.

"We were slower than most, intentionally so, and I would argue correctly so, in putting the shelter-in-place order in effect," Reeves said. "We took measures throughout that process, which eased us into it. I think what you will see over the next two, three, four weeks is measures that incrementally get us out of it."

As for restaurants, Reeves hasn't made a final decision on how or when they will be able to open.

“We own Little Yazoo Sports Bar & Grill in Yazoo City. 

“They say we are non-essential, but I beg to differ. We provide a place where people can come to and get away from all of their troubles. 

“We have trunk or treat every year for the kids, a womanless beauty pageant for Yazoo county kids in foster care, and also provide a drop off point for the Girls Scouts of America cookies. We help sort out the orders and help deliver them. 

“We hold benefits for people in need. Over the past five years, we have raised over $20,000 to help our community. So, it's vital not just for my family but our community. We volunteered to close before the order because we would be taken care of by the SBA grants and loans. We have received nothing!

“We can't continue to be closed or we'll lose everything.”

Edward and Kristi Ferrell
Little Yazoo Sports Bar & Grill
Yazoo City, Mississippi

"Saving Mom’s Sanity, LLC is a ministry that helps moms keep their households running smoothly.

"We offer task-specific packages named for biblical women. Appointments were made through our Facebook page. Since the shelter-in-place, we have been unable to work, unable to come alongside moms, unable to earn income.

"The last month has been extremely difficult. We’ve gone from serving 15 to 20 families per month to zero. As a ministry, cost has never hindered service: we work within each family’s budget.

"We’ve lived on a shoe string budget ourselves in order to serve others. With no income, it has been extremely difficult.

"Beyond the infringement issue, it’s well beyond time to put our people back to work. Those who are afraid should stay where they are most comfortable and let the rest of us resume business with common sense protocols in place."

Tia McArthur
Saving Mom's Sanity
Clinton, Mississippi

"I own and run a small catfish farm.

"I cannot sell my catfish to the processing plant because catfish sales are down. The plant I sell to predominantly sells to restaurants which are closed.

"Catfish can grow to big to be processed if we cannot keep restocking and growing catfish. When the economy is reopened, there may not be enough catfish to supply the restaurants that depended on our products."

Wendell Schmidt
Catfish farmer
Clarksdale, Mississippi

"I am the owner of a commercial and residential cleaning service, Cleaning By Brandy.

"My business grew exponentially since I started it in 2015. Up until March 23rd, it was a very successful and thriving cleaning service to most of the Golden Triangle area.

"As soon as stay at home orders were announced, customers started cancelling their appointments in fear of getting sick. In a matter of days we lost all but two of our regular customers, causing me to have to let my helpers go.

"Since I was considered an essential business, I maintained the only two I had left and worked hard to obtain new appointments. That didn't happen. As of now, I only have one weekly and one biweekly customer left.

"As a single mom, the loss of income has been devastating to me and my kids. Still have not been able to get unemployment or food assistance. I try not to worry since I like to believe God will provide.

"But the stress from trying to figure out how to pay all the bills alone has caused me to slip into a little bit of depression.

"We struggle daily now and if things don't change soon I don't know if I'll be able to keep my home. I feel like opening the state back up 100 percent would relax the customer base and in turn business would pick back up."

Brandy Gray
Cleaning By Brandy
Columbus, Mississippi

"I am the co-owner of the Glossary Salon in Florence and of the Tracy Branch Agency, which is a hair and makeup artist team who mainly works events like weddings, proms, pageants etc.      

"Between both small businesses that I own, we have nearly 45 people that work with and for us that are all independent contractors. We have had to close the salon and my team and I have been without pay for over a month. 

"Many of my stylists are the sole earner for their families. Because we get paid by the service, when we don’t work, we don’t get paid. As the owner, the bills for the rent, utilities, and systems don’t stop.    

"The salon is our livelihood. For my hair and makeup team, we are all forced to be out of work now as well because large gatherings are not allowed. Over the last two months- my team has lost hundreds of wedding and event jobs. This is the only way most of them make a living.     

"Assistance has been little to none as most of us are independent contractors and as of now 99 percent of us have been denied unemployment. We applied for the SBA loan but our applications had to be held until they opened it for independent/ self employed workers. 

"Yesterday we were told that the money has run out. I worry and pray for everyone in my work family and every small business owner. We need the ability to be open. We follow all guidelines of sanitation and we will ramp those up to the extreme if we need to, but I pray we can get back to work soon.  

"The financial strain is getting harder by the day and the mental wellness strain is also something I am seeing affecting my team.      

"We want to do the right thing for the health of the community but we also want the right to work and provide for our families."

Tracy Branch
The Glossary Salon/ Tracy Branch Agency
Florence, Mississippi

"I own The Cut Above Hair Salon in Meridian.

"This is my career. I have been a cosmetologist since 1979.

"I depend on customers for my income. We take every precaution for keeping our clients safe and ourselves.

"We are self-employed, so that means no clients no pay. I have utilities and bills to pay. But I need to work to pay these bills.

"Please reconsider opening salons so I can get back to work!"

Mary Miller
The Cut Above
Meridian, Mississippi