Business
How Five Community-Owned Businesses Were Bolstered with Cares Act Money – BeautifulLea Hair Salon
Businesswoman Lea Harwell said her business has been subject to ebb and flow since the onset of the pandemic some 16 months ago. Although she prides herself on having an “always prepared” mentality, being shut down for five weeks and then having to make operational concessions to COVID took a considerable financial toll.
She said the thousands of dollars in COVID grant money she received helped compensate for the weeks of no income. The veteran cosmetologist dipped into her own finances for business expenses during that time, then used some of the grant money to replenish her rainy-day stash.
She also utilized the help to get masks and additional safety supplies and institute cleaning measures. Then there were operational and scheduling changes that chewed away at her former income level.
“I work longer hours to do the same number of people because I’m not seeing two people at the same time,” Harwell said. She occupies a one-room suite with three chairs at the MY SALON Suite – Beautiful Hair Salon and said in pre-COVID times she could have a client in one chair undergoing a color processing while simultaneously giving a haircut in the other. That’s not possible now.
On the other hand, she allows that having an individual room instead of working as part of a larger open salon has been a plus.
In addition to the limitation on people, additional costs have come with completely sanitizing her room between clients and keeping mask and cleaning supplies on hand for her and for customers who want to feel more comfortable.
That has made her more adaptable, she inferred. “You can’t cut hair very well around a mask,” she said, although if clients insist on a covering, she can find a workaround.
She’s gone the extra mile on Zoom to help clients who are even more ultra-cautious. Harwell said several who have feared venturing out have asked her to jump on a video call with her so they can trim a friend’s or partner’s bangs or clean up a bit around their ears.
She’s willing to do that, but couples it with a cautionary note. “I tell them I will try to help, but I can’t take any responsibility for what you do with your untrained hands.” As she noted, “I have doing this for 40 years.”
Providing what could be termed “tele-haircuts” is a second manner in which she’s had to be nimble since COVID reached pandemic levels last year. Harwell said there are other examples as well.
Take what happened at the end of the five-week shutdown, for example. “I remember the day the governor was doing his press conference. He made the announcement at 4:00, and at 4:01 my phone started blowing up. That day was a scramble, and everyone wanted to be back,” Harwell recalled.
She said that after initial rush, business tapered off. A couple of roller-coaster cycles followed, including a drop-off last July and August. Now her business has settled into a groove that’s about 80% of the pre-pandemic level.
A couple of ancillary factors have brightened the picture. “Our owners were very generous to us,” she said. Although they had to keep up with payments to their landlords, lease payments from individual salon tenants were waived during the time that they were not able to be open, she explained.
Harwell also cited working for a number of years in sales and marketing, which she pursued until coming back to the haircutting business some 13 years ago. “I can get out there and find business,” she said confidently. “If business falls off, I just don’t wait for something to happen. I need to work, and I want to work.”
For now, she’s playing it conservatively, using her much-appreciated help to rebuild her savings while keeping her fingers crossed that cases don’t spike again to the point that another shutdown is required. She’s still in recovery mode, financially.
Harwell said she thinks Governor Brian Kemp has done what he can to keep small businesses going during the pandemic and added that she’s eternally grateful that Georgia is not in the same boat as California, where she said stylists weren’t allowed to work for a year.
The strategic acquisition strengthens TransPak’s Southeast presence and expands their capabilities in custom packaging for military, aerospace and high-value equipment.
TransPak, a global leader in logistics, packaging and crating services, recently announced the acquisition of Reid Packaging, a long-standing provider of custom packaging solutions based in Peachtree Corners. Both family-owned and operated companies share a deep-rooted commitment to quality craftsmanship, reliability and customer service, making the acquisition a natural fit.
Reid Packaging, founded in 1982, has distinguished itself as the go-to customer industrial packager in the metro Atlanta region, providing corrugated, foam and custom-engineered crating solutions, particularly in the military and aerospace industries.
Under the ownership of Ward Phillips since 2008, the company has grown to become one of the largest packaging facilities in the region, with a 60,000-square-foot site.
The acquisition will allow TransPak to expand its local manufacturing capabilities in the Southeast, while leveraging Reid Packaging’s expertise in specialized and heavy-duty custom crates.
Strategic Atlanta location and enhanced capabilities
The acquisition is part of TransPak’s strategic expansion into the Atlanta market, a critical logistics hub for both the renewable energy and semiconductor industries.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Reid Packaging into the TransPak family,” said Tomas Molet, executive vice president of East and Midwest Operations, TransPak. “With Reid Packaging’s prime location in Peachtree Corners, we are now able to serve customers throughout the Southeast, including direct routes to the Carolinas and beyond. This acquisition strengthens our ability to meet the needs of existing clients, especially those in the semiconductor and renewable energy sectors.”
In addition to the strategic location, the acquisition brings new manufacturing capabilities to TransPak’s East Coast operations. Reid Packaging’s facility is now the largest of TransPak’s locations in the region. Its offerings include enhanced services, such as heavy-duty and triple-wall corrugated packaging, which will enable TransPak to meet the growing demand for custom-designed packaging solutions for fragile, high-value equipment.
Commitment to employees and leadership appointments
A key focus of the acquisition was ensuring a smooth transition for Reid Packaging’s employees.
“We made a commitment to Ward Phillips to take care of the staff, and we’ve delivered on that promise,” said Molet. “All employees were retained, and we’ve introduced benefits they previously didn’t have as part of our commitment to making this a positive transition for everyone involved.”
Amanda Gautney, a longtime member of TransPak’s leadership team, has been appointed as the operations manager for the Peachtree Corners facility. “I’m excited to work with the team at Reid and continue the legacy of this respected company,” said Gautney.
Looking forward in Atlanta
TransPak plans to continue operating under the Reid Packaging name for the immediate future. However, the facility will gradually transition to full integration under the TransPak brand, reflecting the shared values and commitment to quality of both companies.
About TransPak
Headquartered in Silicon Valley, TransPak has been providing innovative and cost-effective design, crating, packaging and global logistics for over 70 years.
As a customer-focused, women- and family-owned company, TransPak combines the agility of a small business with the reliability of a global powerhouse. TransPak lives by the slogan, “We make it happen,” ensuring that high-value, fragile, and oversized goods reach their destinations safely and efficiently.
For more information about TransPak, visit transpak.com.
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