Small town start-ups: How Sonoma entrepreneurs are responding to the pandemic world

By Leslie Nicholson | Sun Contributor

Sonomans continue to put their creative energies to work building businesses that have been started since the COVID-19 shutdown in March. It’s a way to replace lost income while fostering the human connection that plays a big part in how local entrepreneurs see their businesses supporting people in their community.

Sourdough is something that Michelle Finn started working with to distract her mind after going through a difficult period in her life. She has turned that healing activity into a business that has taken off during the last five weeks.

“I used to look forward to my weekends and a chance to bake 12 loaves of sourdough bread. In late March, I found myself unemployed, like so many people. But I am now baking 72 loaves of sourdough a week! I applied and got approval for my Cottage Business License and am branching out to a larger group of customers. As of May 15, I’ve been running a real business.”

“After making hundreds of loaves of bread to find the perfect loaf, I realized that I needed to add my own creativity into my baking. With dough that I thought I had ruined, I started seeing how I was able to make something unique,” she explains. “I started adding jams, caramelized onions, peppers and even dips to the bread and the Sourdough Sloppy was born!” In addition to the web site, Michelle has a Facebook page, and you can reach her at 707-637-6100.

“I love how sourdough is so simple,” she adds. “The fact that it starts with just salt, water and flour and becomes a “living” thing that requires attention, ultimately turns into something that becomes comfort food that people can enjoy and share.”

Barbie Hoffmann has always loved to sew, but when she stepped up to make and donate 200 masks for front-line workers in March, she didn’t anticipate this becoming her sole source of income. She and her husband Pat, long-time owners of Sonoma Taekwando, knew that the shutdown would not make it possible for them to renew their lease for studio space, and they had to find a way to bounce back during an economic downturn.

“It was the reality of the schools being closed, the shutdown, and we knew we could not renew our lease after 32 years,” says Pat.

With their livelihood changed in an instant, Hoffmann was busy focusing on how to fill a niche with masks that fit men’s faces. “I had to find a mask that men would be comfortable wearing. Otherwise, I was concerned they wouldn’t wear masks.” As a result of her work to find a mask to fit a man’s face, she also followed up with a design that is specifically designed for women.

“At the beginning of this project, I cut up a lot of old jeans, shirts, and fine dress shirts. I had to use what I had was available because elastic, material, and even thread were in short supply,” she explains.

“This community is amazing in the ways we have supported each other and been so incredibly generous through this crisis, and the past two years with fires and power outages. I am so grateful for the people who are keeping us afloat and helping our little business to thrive.”

Since March, Got You Covered Masks has produced 600-700 masks and is now receiving commercial orders. Over 40 different style and themes are available for order at Gotyoucoveredmasks.org.

You can reach them at 707-337-8649, or through their Facebook page.

After 30 years in the wine industry and tasting room management, Nancy Woods, who was born and raised in Sonoma, had taken the leap of faith in going out on her own as a consultant. Only two weeks into her new venture, the Shelter-In-Place happened and Woods had to draw from her extensive sales background to move in a new direction.

Vowing to keep going, she found a niche and has become a “lifeline” for wineries. In a twist she could not have anticipated, she focused on selling wine for five winery clients, making it possible for their wineries to have a revenue stream that had been all but wiped out due to lack of business from tourists and restaurants. They are having to find creative ways to create revenue and my business is helping with keeping them afloat with out-bound tele-sales. She sells all varietals, and the wine can be shipped anywhere in the United States.

“I am selling wine for them to their wine club members and it has been such a great partnership. They are having to find creative ways to create revenue and my business is helping with keeping them afloat with out-bound telesales. People are happy to purchase good wine that is delivered to their homes. I am definitely surprised at the willingness of people to answer their phones when I call. People love quality wines and that is something they are continuing to purchase and enjoy.”

“I was too young to retire, but needed a change from what I was doing in retail,” says Woods. “I like the chance to keep working in wine sales, but working from home, working earlier in the morning to contact people on the East Coast, stopping work at 3 p.m. and getting in an hour of walking every day, has definitely been an upside for me.”

Carol Allison has always enjoyed being self-employed. She is a licensed massage therapist and yoga instructor, as well as the owner of Alter-Ego Sweets. Being faced with how to make up for her loss of business when the shutdown started, Carol signed up to work for Insta-cart.

“I soon realized that I wanted to do grocery delivery that adapted to the needs of people in our community. Customer service is so important to me, so I got set up through the Dumpling app, and Sonoma Shop and Deliver was born,” says Allison. “I like being able to provide a service that is personalized and customized. I never expected to enjoy this as much as I do.”

Carol has people of all ages utilizing her grocery service, with Seniors and young professionals, mostly Moms, making up most of her client base. “With Moms trying to work at home, while their kids are now home from school and daycare and trying to juggle a lot, I have had quite a few sign up with me to avoid the hassle of grocery shopping. I learn what my customer’s preferences are and will often take photos of items and text them to give them a choice if a particular brand they like is not available.”

Carol takes customer service to a new level by taking extra time and care with people’s shopping requests. “I make sure that I keep my customer’s preferences noted so that I get produce that is the ripeness, color, and quality they want. I let them feel like they are shopping for themselves.”

Being able to go to all of the local grocery stores in town is an advantage that Carol has over Insta-cart type businesses. “I go to all of the stores in town to fill my customer’s orders. I even fill orders from Watmaugh Strawberries.” She’s added Tuesdays at Sonoma Market to get the senior discount, and even Trader Joe’s.