As a wife, mom, and small business owner, COVID-19 affected me in more ways than one. I had to learn to homeschool, share my home office, and navigate the changes the pandemic brought upon my business. It’s safe to say the word balance has taken a new meaning in my life.

Although the pandemic has created a lot of fear and uncertainty in the small business community, it’s more important than ever to lean on each other to support one another. Below are some of the ways I’ll be using my network to help my business bounce back after COVID-19.

Creatively collaborate

There’s always room for collaboration in the small business community. You’d be surprised by the opportunity to combine your skills and services to bring value to your clients and customers. Collaboration allows businesses to offer unique products or services to double the audience. When brainstorming ideas, think of creative ways you can serve your community in these difficult times. Consumers are looking for what you have to offer.

Strategize and support

During quarantine, we’ve spent an abnormal amount of time by ourselves stuck at home. While this is an amazing time to recharge, it’s always a time of great frustration for entrepreneurs who are used to networking with their peers. A great way to use your network to help your business bounce back is to offer strategies and support. No act is too small for an entrepreneur in need. Offer an hour of your time to listen and offer strategies for your fellow business owners to recover from difficult times.

Ask questions and share advice

While I’m not a fan of unsolicited advice, I do appreciate having someone I can reach out to for questions and tokens of advice. Of course, you take it with a grain of salt and apply only what you see fit but being open-minded to the idea can bring positive changes to your business. In times of growth and recovery, I like to reach out to those veteran entrepreneurs who have already experienced something similar. You’ll know their feedback is coming from someone who’s already faced similar challenges.

Assistance and accountability

One of my favorite things about having a network is having peers that help keep me accountable. As a multi-passionate entrepreneur, I can often steer off track trying to start a new project without finishing the last one. Fortunately, your network can help you create accountability, something I’ll be taking advantage of once things go back to normal.