THE DISCOVERY AND COVID-19

If anybody was suffering because of Covid-19 in a non-medical kind of way it was Jake Milch. Some people hated being on the road, not Jake. He loved visiting customers and looking for potential new clients. He enjoyed eating at road side diners and he had an affinity for decent motels. Jake counted the number of days he was selling women’s garments to different stores and the number added up to two hundred and eighty two days. His car was his office.

Jake had a simple business model, he had a manufacturing plant that was in operation year round making knock offs of the most popular new fashion designs and releases. Jake had a philosophy, better to make the stuff you’re knocking off in the United States than depend on China.

He did venture into New York City for the Fashion Shows twice a year, but he never got a front row seat, organizers always tried to give him obstructed views. He didn’t mind, he had his people scattered around and as soon as the show was over, designs were being sent to his people at the plant.

Jake was happy. He was married to LC who was an amazing woman and who on occasion jumped in the car to keep him company. Some of his best road trips ever were with LC by his side. She was a wonderful wife and an amazing Mother to their three kids.

One of the things that made Jake’s life easy, was the fact that wherever he went, he would FaceTime at least twice a day with the kids. That was the rule and in a strange way it brought them all closer.

When Covid-19 first appeared, Jake figured it would be low numbers and it would vanish like the Swine Flu. Unfortunately he soon found out he was wrong and the idea of travel was over. The other problem was the virus was killing retail. He had started migrating his company LMM online, but getting buyers to find the site had been a challenge. He had hired an SEO expert, and was rewarded with a big bill and little visibility.

Jake was at home now and he and LC were working the phones together, trying to convince buyers that they would protect them. They wouldn’t have to pay for orders for sixty days. Unfortunately, the retailers said they couldn’t move existing merchandise and they didn’t know how long they could keep the doors open. Sales began to fall dramatically.