Claudia’s Story

Claudia Lesperance-Delivers, Beauty Bar Charlotte
Charlotte, NC

I’ve been in business as a professional stylist and salon owner for 20 years, first in New Jersey and now in Charlotte, North Carolina. I’ve never seen a bigger hit to my business than what this pandemic has done, and it couldn’t have come at a worse time. I’ve gone from being on the brink of a major expansion for my salon to hoping we’ll survive through the year. Worse still, I’m on my own, left to find a way without the support I need while others receive help from the federal government. Where is the fairness in that?

In the beginning of March I had just finished a major remodel to my salon. I invested in new dryers, chairs, flooring and plumbing, and had plans to add pedicure and manicure stations. I was on the brink of attracting a whole new clientele and providing several more jobs in my community. All this I did on my own, without a penny in financing from banks. Despite being in business for two decades, I’ve never been approved for a business loan.

When salons were ordered to close my revenue ceased. For public health reasons, I couldn’t operate. But my expenses didn’t stop. I had to continue to pay rent and make payments on the new equipment I’d purchased. Without any help in sight, I put these expenses on my personal credit cards.

I didn’t know at the time, but doing what I thought was right—paying off my bills on time—would impact my credit score so that when I applied for an Economic Injury Disaster Relief loan, I was denied. 

I looked for other ways to get help. I wanted to apply for the Paycheck Protection Program, but when I spoke to my accountant he told me that because I had faced some challenges making all my IRS payments on time in the last couple of years—a previous partner had saddled me with debt that caused me to miss some tax payments—I got scared. He literally told me he thought people might be arrested and put in jail if they submitted applications.

There was so much confusion when these programs were introduced. Even those who were supposed to be experts were giving bad advice. The result—for me and thousands like me—has been that we’ve missed out on the help that was supposed to arrive. That means I’m left just trying to survive and make it to the end of the crisis—something that’s hard to do when I’ve gone from having ten clients a day to one or two. 

It’s a shame—but not a surprise—that so many businesses who need help the most haven’t gotten relief, while others had their bankers give them VIP treatment to access more than they need. We need a better designed program—one that works for all of us, not just the well connected and well to do.