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Europe struggles to interrupt freed from Covid restrictions as delta variant surges

Europe struggles to break free of Covid restrictions as delta variant surges

People celebrated the end of the coronavirus curfew in Barcelona, Spain, on May 9, 2021. Now, Catalonia is reimposing restrictions amid a surge in Covid cases.

NurPhoto | NurPhoto | Getty Images

LONDON — Europe is struggling to contain a surge in Covid-19 cases caused by the delta variant, but while several countries reimpose measures to control the spread, the U.K. is taking the plunge and lifting restrictions.

From residual vaccine skepticism in some countries, to surges in infections linked to nightlife resuming, Europe is having to contend with competing needs: the reopening of crucial economic sectors this summer, while at the same time, curbing surging cases.

It’s not an easy balance to strike and, erring on the side of caution, a number of countries – including France, the Netherlands, Greece and Spain – announced new restrictions on Monday in a bid to curb the rise in infections, particularly among younger people who are the last in the queue to be vaccinated against Covid.

Mandatory vaccines?

In France, President Emmanuel Macron announced that for health and care workers, vaccines would be mandatory, and that a “health pass” (an app showing one’s vaccination status or recent negative test) would soon be required to access culture or leisure venues of a larger capacity. From August, the pass will be mandatory to access cafes, restaurants, malls, planes and trains in France. Lastly, in a bid to encourage vaccination take-up, PCR tests will stop being free from the fall unless they’re part of a prescription.

“If we do not act today, the number of cases will continue to rise sharply, and will inevitably lead to increased hospitalizations from the month of August,” Macron told the public in a televised address.

Similarly, Greece’s Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis also gave a televised address Monday in which he announced that Covid shots would be mandatory for nursing home and healthcare workers and that only vaccinated people will be allowed indoors in bars, cinemas, theaters and enclosed spaces.

Greece, like France, has struggled to encourage vaccine take up among more skeptical members of the public.

Imploring people to take up Covid shots, Mitsotakis said: “The country will not be shut down again by the attitude of some. It will give freedom to many. And protection for all. Because it is not Greece that is in danger, but the unvaccinated Greeks.”

Danny Altmann, professor of immunology at Imperial College London, told CNBC Tuesday that the divergent approaches showed just how nuanced the issue was.

“[It illustrates] how difficult it is and hard for any policy makers and scientists to make assertions against such a formidable and unpredictable foe,” he said. “We make predictions at our peril.”

Nightlife

The highly-transmissible delta variant of the coronavirus is reeking particular havoc among Europe’s younger populations as economies had started to allow their nightlife leisure venues to reopen, some after many months of closure. Vaccination rates among younger people lag in the region, however, with many only just being invited to receive their first dose.

While countries like France and Greece are still struggling to convince everyone to get the vaccine, other countries are rushing to administer shots to younger people, seen as both vectors of the virus through socializing, and more vulnerable given their partial or unvaccinated status.

A study in the U.K. in May found that two doses of either the Pfizer-BioNTech or AstraZeneca-University of Oxford vaccine give effective protection against the delta Covid variant, first discovered in India. Having just one dose, or being unvaccinated, makes individuals far more vulnerable to infection, however.

Rising Covid infections saw Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte admit on Monday that Covid restrictions had been lifted too soon at the end of June. On Monday, 8,522 new Covid cases were confirmed and on Saturday, the country reported its highest number of cases since Christmas.

Rutte’s comments came after the government conceded it was caught off-guard by the rising infection rate. It announced Friday that it would have to reimpose rules on bars and restaurants and close nightclubs, just days after they were reopened, in a bid to curb the spread among younger people.

Spain has also had to backtrack on the lifting of measures. On Monday, officials said the country’s two-week Covid-19 contagion rate was still rising, more than tripling in two weeks, Reuters reported. However, health emergency chief Fernando Simon said the pace of increase had reduced in recent days and the latest wave could be nearing its peak.

Nonetheless, new restrictions were announced in Catalonia and Valencia last week, including the closure of most night-time venues, as well as limits on social gatherings. In Valencia, the regional government asked its court to authorize a curfew on towns with more than 5,000 inhabitants that are considered high-risk, including on its capital Valencia and tourist favorite Benicassim.

For its part, Germany is seeing a slow rise (albeit from a low level) in Covid infections as many parts of the country relax restrictions.

There is a reluctance among officials (including Chancellor Angela Merkel and Foreign Minister Heiko Maas) to continue restrictions any longer than necessary. Nonetheless, the country is watching what’s happening in neighboring nations carefully. 

Since Sunday, Germany has imposed stricter restrictions on visitors from Spain who must now present proof of vaccination against Covid, proof of recent recovery from the virus or negative test results otherwise they must quarantine on arrival.

In sharp contrast, the UK

In sharp contrast to its continental cousins, the U.K. government confirmed on Monday that it will lift its remaining restrictions on July 19, despite its own infection rate remaining high, Over 34,000 new cases were reported in the U.K. Monday, marking the sixth consecutive day that Covid infections have been above 30,000.

Speaking in Parliament, Health Secretary Sajid Javid said that after monitoring the latest data, the government does not expect Covid infection rates to put unsustainable pressure on the National Health Service.

“We firmly believe that this is the right time to get our nation closer to normal life,” Javid said.

“Now, to those who say: Why take this step now? I say, if not now, when? There will never be a perfect time to take this step because we simply cannot eradicate this virus.”

Professor Altmann said the U.K.’s strategy was “a gamble,” but noted that, with its advanced vaccination program, the country was not in the same place as in the start of the year when the alpha variant emerged.

“Because of the vaccine we’re in a different place but let’s not construe that as meaning that the NHS isn’t under pressure or NHS doctors aren’t terrified of another wave. There are still dangers out there,” he said.

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Business

Biden Administration Debating Methods to Overhaul a Trump-Period Tax Break

Biden Administration Debating How to Overhaul a Trump-Era Tax Break

Critics of the program say the regulations put in place by Mr Trump’s Treasury Department to clarify what kind of investments are eligible for the special tax treatment likely didn’t invest much in the kinds of projects that would help people and Bringing communities into trouble B. New businesses that would create jobs in areas with persistently high unemployment. Critics say evidence suggests the zones could reward wealthy investors for projects that would have been possible without tax breaks. This includes a sawmill in Mississippi that Mr. Trump put in the spotlight in 2019 and that a new owner wanted to buy before state officials decided to designate an area, including the mill, as an opportunity zone.

“It’s hard to see if people with low and middle incomes benefit from this incentive,” said Brett Theodos, director of the Community Development Economic Hub at the Urban Institute in Washington. “The Biden government could now initiate reforms and make this program work much better for the communities.”

During his presidential campaign, Mr Biden pledged to improve the zones and saw this as a way to achieve more economic justice. One of his promises was to require detailed disclosure from investors in the zones in order to better track their impact on the distressed communities they are supposed to help.

“We cannot close the racist prosperity gap if we allow billionaires to use tax breaks in opportunity zones to replenish their wealth,” said his campaign under the Build Back Better agenda, “instead of investing in projects that benefit poor, low-income communities come.” Americans struggling to make ends meet. “

The Treasury Department has already issued an ordinance regulating the zones, and others are in preparation. Even so, the program hasn’t made it high on the president’s tax agenda, government officials say, given the other priorities the White House is trying to get through Congress, including a $ 2.3 trillion infrastructure package.

Mr Biden’s economic team did not delve deep into a bipartisan debate on Capitol Hill about applying new rules as to which projects are eligible for the zone-related tax breaks or whether some wealthier communities should be granted opportunity status. Zone should be withdrawn. However, administrative officials are aware of the new study and are concerned about its conclusions. They are particularly interested – as Mr Biden promised in the campaign – in efforts to increase transparency and affordable housing investments in the zones.

In many cases, the government’s plans align with the demands of critics and supporters. In other cases, the sides disagree. Mr Theodos is urging the administration to put in place some sort of government certification process for investments in the zones, which essentially requires officials to sign projects that deserve the tax breaks. Mr Lettieri said such a requirement would cripple the program.

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Business

Covid variant from South Africa was capable of ‘break by means of’ Pfizer vaccine in Israeli research

Israeli data suggest mass vaccinations led to drop in severe Covid cases, CDC study finds

An Israeli health worker from Maccabi Healthcare Services prepares to deliver a dose of the Pfizer BioNtech vaccine in Tel Aviv on February 24, 2021.

Jack Guez | AFP | Getty Images

The coronavirus variant, first discovered in South Africa, may evade some of the protection provided by the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine, according to a new Israeli study that has not yet been peer-reviewed.

Researchers from Tel Aviv University and Clalit, the largest health organization in Israel, examined nearly 400 people who had tested positive for Covid-19 after receiving at least one dose of the vaccine. They compared it to the same number of people who were infected and not vaccinated.

The researchers found that the prevalence of the South African variant known as B.1.351 was about eight times higher in patients who received two doses of the vaccine than in those who were not vaccinated. The data, released online over the weekend, suggest that B.1.351 may “break through” the vaccine’s protection better than the original strain, the researchers in the study wrote.

“Based on patterns in the general population, we would have expected only one case of the South African variant, but we saw eight,” Professor Adi Stern, who led the research, told The Times of Israel. “We can say it’s less effective, but more research is needed to see exactly how much.”

CNBC asked Pfizer to comment on the study.

The new data comes as public health officials are increasingly concerned that highly contagious variants, studies have shown can reduce the effectiveness of vaccines, could slow global advances in the pandemic.

Last month, CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky issued a terrible warning, telling reporters that she feared the United States was facing “impending doom” as variants spread and daily Covid-19 cases rise again, threatening to move more people to the US send hospital.

“I’m going to stop here, I’m going to lose the script, and I’m going to think about the recurring feeling I have before the impending doom,” she said on March 29, so much promise and potential where we are and so much reason to Hope, but right now I’m scared. “

Israel launched its national vaccination campaign in December, prioritizing people aged 60 and over, healthcare workers, and people with comorbid illnesses. By February, it was the world leader in vaccinations, vaccinating millions of its citizens against the virus.

In January, Pfizer and the Israeli Ministry of Health signed a collaboration agreement to monitor the real effects of its vaccine.

The researchers found that the study’s main limitation was sample size. B.1,351 only made up about 1% of all Covid-19 cases, they said. B.1.1.7, the variant first identified in Great Britain, is more common.

As the variants spread, drug manufacturers tested whether a third dose would offer more protection.

In February, Pfizer and BioNTech announced that they were testing a third dose of their Covid-19 vaccine to better understand the immune response against new variants of the virus.

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Business

I.R.S. will start issuing tax refunds in Could for unemployment tax break.

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Taxpayers who received unemployment benefits last year but filed their tax returns before a new tax break became available could receive an automatic refund as early as May, the Internal Revenue Service said on Wednesday.

The latest coronavirus relief legislation, signed on March 11 in the middle of the tax season, made the first $ 10,200 of unemployment benefits tax-free in 2020 for people with modified adjusted income less than $ 150,000. (Married taxpayers filing together can exclude up to $ 20,400.)

However, some Americans had filed their tax returns back in March and waited for official guidance from the agency. Millions of U.S. workers registered unemployment last year, but the IRS said it is still determining how many workers affected by the tax change had already filed their tax returns.

On Wednesday, the IRS confirmed it would automatically recalculate the correct amount of taxable benefits – and any overpayment will be refunded or applied to any other outstanding taxes. The first refunds are expected to be made in May and will continue into the summer.

The IRS said it would start processing the simpler returns first, or those eligible for excluded benefits up to $ 10,200, and then move on to returns for joint claimants and others with more complex returns.

It is not necessary for those affected to file an amended tax return unless the calculations make the taxpayer eligible for additional federal credits and deductions that are not already included in the original tax return, the agency said. These taxpayers may also want to review their state tax returns, the IRS said.

People who have not yet submitted and expect to do so electronically can simply answer the questions from their online tax advisor, which will take the new tax break into account when submitting. The agency provided an updated worksheet and additional guidance in March for taxpayers who prefer paper.

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Health

Covid masks and hand sanitizer can get you a tax break, IRS says

Covid masks and hand sanitizer can get you a tax break, IRS says

Luis Alvarez | DigitalVision | Getty Images

Americans can get a tax break on masks, hand sanitizer, disinfectant wipes, and other personal protective equipment this filing season to help prevent the spread of Covid-19, the IRS said on Friday.

The tax code allows taxpayers to deduct medical expenses that exceed 7.5% of their adjusted gross income per year. The IRS counts the cost of PPE as a medical expense that is eligible for the tax break.

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For example, individuals with an income of $ 100,000 in 2020 can deduct medical expenses greater than $ 7,500 from their tax bill. You need to list your taxes to take advantage of this.

Expenses reimbursed by the insurance are not eligible.

PSA costs may be paid or reimbursed in certain tax-privileged medical accounts, according to the IRS. These include health savings accounts, flexible health spending accounts, Archer medical savings accounts, and healthcare reimbursement schemes. Taxpayers typically have two and a half months after year-end to spend unused FSA funds. According to the December Relief Act, employers can extend this grace period to up to 12 months.

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Business

I.R.S. urges taxpayers to not amend already-filed returns to take new tax break.

I.R.S. urges taxpayers not to amend already-filed returns to take new tax break.

Taxpayers who have already filed their 2020 tax returns should not change them to take advantage of tax breaks created by the new $ 1.9 trillion pandemic relief act, Internal Revenue Service agent Charles said Rettig, on Thursday, told lawmakers that the IRS would automatically send refunds to those who qualify.

Mr. Rettig referred to a provision in law at a Congressional hearing that provides tax exemption for the first $ 10,200 in unemployment benefits received in 2020 by unemployed people whose households earned less than $ 150,000.

“We believe we can automatically issue refunds related to the US $ 10,200,” said Rettig.

According to The Century Foundation, around 40 million Americans received unemployment insurance last year.

The tax changes contained in the latest bill passed earlier this month, as well as tax changes in the December bailout package and the rush to pay out payments for economic impact, have put the IRS under heavy pressure. The agency said Wednesday that tax day would be pushed back a month from April 15 to May 17 to give both themselves and taxpayers more time to process returns and refunds.

The Finance Department and the IRS are also engaged in developing new regulations and update systems to reflect other aspects of the March Aid Act.

Treasury officials said at a briefing Thursday that they are working with the IRS to develop a new online portal for prepayments for the expanded child tax credit, which ranges up to $ 3,600 per child under 6 years old and $ 3,000 for children between 6 and 3,000 years provides 17 regardless of whether a family earns enough to pay income taxes.

Taxpayers can use the portal to upload relevant data for mid-year payment adjustments, for example for the birth of a child.

Tax officials also said the department is working on additional guidance on how states can use money included in the relief bill. This includes clarity about how states will have to repay aid if they decide to cut taxes after receiving aid.

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Entertainment

What It Means to Break Free: A Story of Detention, Advised in Dance

What It Means to Break Free: A Tale of Detention, Told in Dance

A boy alone in his room imagines sailing across the seas in a paper boat. It could be a moment from Maurice Sendak’s classic “Where the Wild Things Are”. Except that this boy is 14 years old and his room is a cell in a juvenile detention center.

The scene is from “Wild: Act 1”, a new dance film by the choreographer Jeremy McQueen. The 50-minute film (available until April 4th on McQueen’s website blackirisproject.org) is a continuation of a larger project that seeks to convey the experiences of young men trapped in the criminal justice system.

The project was actually inspired by Sendak’s book and its fantasizing protagonist Max. “It’s a favorite of mine,” McQueen said in an interview. “I love how Max, even though he’s in his bedroom and sent there for his terror, can use his imagination and think beyond his walls and circumstances to create a world for himself where he will be valued. “

McQueen, 34, said the book reminded him of his own childhood in San Diego. When his mother took him on a touring production of “The Phantom of the Opera,” everything “made him feel terrifying,” he said. “I wanted more of it.” So he started taking performing arts classes – a black male teacher introduced him to ballet – and he locked himself in his bedroom for hours, playing cast albums, and introducing himself as a choreographer.

For “Wild”, however, McQueen had a different type of space in mind. While visiting the Equal Justice Institute in Montgomery, Alabama, he got that terrifying feeling again when he came across a photo of Richard Ross of a black boy in juvenile detention. In the photo, the boy stares at the concrete walls of his cell, which are covered with writings and drawings from previous residents.

“I thought about the number of young people who had lived in this room and contributed to these walls and what it meant for them to want to break free,” said McQueen.

He had already thought about “Where the Wild Things Are” for a work commissioned by the Nashville Ballet. The Ross photo focused the idea. But the pandemic put the project on hold.

With the filmmaker Colton Williams, McQueen had already turned one of his dances, “A Mother’s Rite”, about a mother whose son is killed by a white police officer into a film. (It was nominated for an Emmy Award.) If the theaters were closed for performance, why not start “Wild” as a movie?

“I always try to find ways to get new people to the art,” said McQueen. That is the core of my mission. “

McQueen has been on this mission since at least 2016 when he founded the Black Iris Project, a New York-based ballet composed mostly of black artists telling black stories. This project, too, has its origins in McQueen’s reaction to a work of art – Georgia O’Keeffe’s “Black Iris,” which gave him the terrifying feeling when he discovered it at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

That was in 2012 when he applied to be the choreographer for the Joffrey Ballet Color Prize. He channeled his feelings about the painting – and about his mother’s breast cancer – into a ballet called “Black Iris” about the strength of black women.

The Joffrey Studio Company did the work, but McQueen said he felt too many of his decisions were being challenged. In general he said he believed that his voice was not really heard or appreciated by the wider ballet world, and so was he stayed away from this world for a while.

But during He taught ballet in New York City public schools as part of the public relations work for the American Ballet Theater, and found that black teens who were resistant to ballet could connect with it – if he used the right music and stories to familiarize themselves with could identify.

“I love the magic of ballet and the language of ballet,” he said, “but I don’t love not being able to see my stories.” So he started Black Iris.

“Instead of waiting for someone to give me a seat at the table, I decided to build my own table,” he said. “It’s a vision of black creatives who tell our stories and our path without being censored and share those voices directly with our communities.”

“Wild” is part of this vision. “My mission is not to educate whites about the black experience,” said McQueen. “My mission is to give young black and brown people the opportunity to see their life as art and to encourage them to dream bigger.”

Initially, McQueen hoped to develop “game” in detention centers and work directly with young people in custody. The project is partially supported by a Soros Justice Fellowship awarded by the Open Society Foundation for projects promoting reform of the criminal justice system. McQueen is the first choreographer to be awarded one.

After it became clear that filming in prisons would not be possible during the pandemic, McQueen and Williams came up with the idea of ​​depicting the cell with a three-walled set that is inhabited by an adult dancer, Elijah Lancaster. Sometimes the walls look like concrete, but they also fill with pictures of other young men in custody – embodying the wall markings in the Ross photo – or the boy’s fantasies.

Lancaster, a member of Ailey II, dances expansively and barely fits into the room. The pictures on the walls suggest a world beyond. Sometimes we hear words (from Ross’ book “Juvie Talk”) from young men in juvenile detention. We see photos of these men, but also films of black dancers from all over the country who react to these stories in motion.

For the 24-year-old Lancaster, exploring his part was training. “Some of these kids were in the wrong place at the wrong time,” he said. “So much injustice. That is why this project has to take place. “

Filming during a pandemic wasn’t easy, but the hardest part of making Game was living up to the responsibility of telling real people’s stories through art. “You want to get it right,” said McQueen.

McQueen said he felt that pressure especially in his decision to deal with sexual abuse. “Wild” may have been inspired by a children’s book, but it contains corrections officers more menacing than Sendak’s monsters. One sexually assaults Lancaster’s character. The scene is not graphic, but it is clear what is happening. The episode mirrors many that McQueen discovered in his research.

“Can I do that?” McQueen remembered wondering. He decided he had to. “I can’t leave out parts of the story to please other people,” he said.

For McQueen, this fight against self-censorship is a holdover from how he believes ballet companies have controlled and constrained it in the past. “They want a censored and filtered version that suits their aesthetic and their idea of ​​blackness,” he said.

Working outside of these companies – just collecting donations and logistics – is a challenge. “I don’t think people really understand how hard it is,” said McQueen.

In “Wild”, however, he can express anything he wants and in the dance language that he loves. When the boy imagines sailing the seas in this paper boat, he balances on his bed like a ballet dancer.

Categories
Health

CDC chief warns of one other Covid surge as Individuals journey for spring break

CDC chief warns of another Covid surge as Americans travel for spring break

Passengers arrive for American Airlines flights at O’Hare International Airport in Chicago, Illinois on February 05, 2021.

Scott Olson | Getty Images

The US could still see a renewed spike in coronavirus – even if vaccinations against Covid-19 surge across the country – as states relax restrictions and more Americans travel to spring break, the centers’ head warned disease control and prevention on Monday.

“With warmer weather coming, I know it is tempting to relax and lose our vigilance, especially after a harsh winter that unfortunately saw the most cases and deaths during the pandemic,” said CDC Director Dr . Rochelle Walensky said at a press conference.

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) examined more than 1.34 million people on Sunday, 86,000 more than the same day a year ago, shortly after the World Health Organization declared Covid-19 a pandemic.

TSA screenings have exceeded 1 million every day since Thursday, the highest volume in a year. While air traffic is well below 2019 levels, despite the CDC’s warning of non-essential travel, more and more Americans are returning to heaven, even those who are fully vaccinated.

Although many colleges in the US have scaled back their spring break to curb parties and infection, Biden’s top government officials are still concerned about travelers “enjoying a maskless spring break,” Walensky said.

“I beg you, for the sake of the health of our nation,” Walensky said at the briefing on Monday. “The cases rose last spring, they rose again in the summer, they will climb now if we no longer take precautions, if more and more people are being vaccinated.”

Even with infections declining and vaccine adoption rapidly growing, the US continues to report a dangerously high baseline of daily cases that could be higher if Americans lose their vigilance, Biden’s top health officials have warned. Around 37.5 million people in the US, about 11% of the population, have been fully vaccinated to date, according to the CDC.

The U.S. has come a long way since early January when it hit a weekly average of just over 250,000 new cases per day. According to a CNBC analysis of data compiled by Johns Hopkins University, the nation reports an average of 53,670 new infections per day for the past week, a 10% decrease from the previous week.

– Leslie Josephs of CNBC and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Business

How Black-owned magnificence manufacturers break billion-dollar obstacles

How Black-owned beauty brands break billion-dollar barriers

Mahisha Dellinger, Gründerin der Haarpflegelinie Curls, startete ihre Schönheitsmarke im Jahr 2002 und sagte zu dieser Zeit: “Trotz großer persönlicher Kredite konnte ich keinen Kredit für kleine Unternehmen bekommen, um mein Leben zu retten”, sagt sie.

Locken Beauty Brands

Mahisha Dellinger fühlte sich von ihrer Erfahrung als Marketingmanagerin in Corporate America entrechtet, als sie beschloss, ihre persönlichen Ersparnisse zu riskieren, um Unternehmerin zu werden. Sie begann ihre Haarpflegelinie Curls im Jahr 2002, nachdem sie Schwierigkeiten hatte, natürliche Optionen in den Regalen zu finden. Dellinger hatte auch Schwierigkeiten, eine Finanzierung zu finden. Am Ende startete sie Curls mit 30.000 US-Dollar an persönlichen Ersparnissen.

“Trotz großer persönlicher Kredite konnte ich keinen Kredit für kleine Unternehmen bekommen, um mein Leben zu retten”, sagte sie. “Das ist eine Herausforderung, die Frauen mit Farbe und Menschen mit Farbe noch heute erleben.”

Laut einem aktuellen McKinsey-Bericht beginnen schwarze Unternehmer mit durchschnittlich 35.000 US-Dollar Kapital im Vergleich zu 107.000 US-Dollar für ihre weißen Kollegen. Der mangelnde Zugang zu Kapital belastet langfristig auch die schwarzen Unternehmer. Der Bericht des State of Black Entrepreneurship in America von der Congressional Black Caucus Foundation aus dem Jahr 2019 ergab, dass schwarze Unternehmer aufgrund des fehlenden Zugangs zu Kapital fast dreimal häufiger negative Auswirkungen auf ihre Gewinne haben.

Trotz der Herausforderungen gelang es Dellinger. Die Marke Curls ist jetzt landesweit in den Verkaufsregalen erhältlich, darunter Walmart, Target, CVS und Kroger sowie bei Amazon. Obwohl Dellinger keine Verkaufszahlen bekannt gab, verzeichnete Curls jedes Jahr ein Wachstum.

“Ich wollte unbedingt die Kontrolle zurückerobern”, sagt Dellinger. “Unternehmer zu werden und mein Schicksal zu besitzen, war meine Gelegenheit, diese Erzählung zu ändern.”

Selbstfinanzierender Erfolg

Ihr Erfolg wird durch ein wachsendes Peer-Netzwerk von schwarzen Unternehmern im Schönheitssektor ergänzt, die die Finanzierungsherausforderungen bewältigen, um einen milliardenschweren schwarzen Verbrauchermarkt zu erreichen, der in der Vergangenheit von Einzelhändlern unterversorgt wurde. Laut Nielsen verfügen Afroamerikaner über eine Kaufkraft von 1,2 Billionen US-Dollar, und allein die schwarze Haarpflegeindustrie erzielt laut Essence einen Jahresumsatz von Milliarden.

Mit der persönlichen Finanzierung startete Melissa Butler, Gründerin und CEO von The Lip Bar, 2012 wie Dellinger. Wie Dellinger startete sie die Kosmetikmarke mit rund 30.000 US-Dollar ihrer persönlichen Ersparnisse, angetrieben von der Frustration über eine Schönheitsbranche, die sich auf eine Einzigartigkeit konzentrierte Archetyp. In den ersten drei Jahren stellte Butler jedes einzelne Produkt von Hand her.

“Mit jedem Cent, den wir verdient haben, haben wir wieder in das Geschäft investiert”, sagte Butler (Dellinger tat dasselbe). “In den ersten Jahren habe ich mich selbst, meinen Kreativdirektor und Geschäftspartner, nicht bezahlt”, fügte Butler hinzu.

“Sie dachten, dass die Schönheitsindustrie wirklich nur den Traditionsmarken wie den L’Oréal’s und Maybelline’s der Welt gehört”, sagt Melissa Butler, CEO von The Lip Bar, über die Schwierigkeiten, eine Fremdfinanzierung zu erhalten.

Bre’Ann White

Ein entscheidender Moment für beide Schönheitsunternehmer waren die Geschäfte mit Target. Curls konnte sich nach einem Käufer mit Target namens Dellinger im Jahr 2009 auf eine breitere Kundenbasis ausweiten. Der Käufer wollte das Angebot des Geschäfts überarbeiten, nachdem er bemerkte, dass chemische Relaxer nicht mehr aus den Regalen flogen, da immer mehr Frauen die natürliche Haarbewegung annahmen.

Curls wurde zusammen mit drei anderen Marken in 105 Zielgeschäften einem Test unterzogen, um zu sehen, wie sie sich entwickeln würden.

“Dieser eine Schuss gab uns tatsächlich die Möglichkeit, zu den anderen Einzelhändlern zu gehen”, sagte Dellinger. “Das hat den gesamten Geschäftsweg verändert.”

Butler sagte, ihr Vertrauen in die Suche nach Kapital sei erst gekommen, als The Lip Bar 2018 zu Target expandierte. Die Marke startete auf Target.com, bevor sie einen 44-Store-Test durchführte und dann in Hunderte von Stores expandierte. Obwohl The Lip Bar bei einem der größten Einzelhändler des Landes verkauft wurde und wusste, dass ihr Unternehmen für Wachstumskapital bereit war, hatte es immer noch Schwierigkeiten, die Finanzierung zu sichern.

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“Ein Teil davon ist, dass die Leute, die diese Schecks ausstellen, besonders zu dieser Zeit, wieder weiße Männer an der Spitze waren, die wiederum nicht der Endverbraucher des Produkts waren”, sagte Butler. “Sie dachten, dass die Schönheitsindustrie wirklich nur diesen Traditionsmarken wie den L’Oréal’s und Maybelline’s der Welt gehört.”

Sie konnte schließlich Spenden mit dem New Voices Fund sammeln, einem Fonds, der von Richelieu Dennis, dem Gründer von Shea Moisture, gegründet wurde. Er konzentriert sich auf Investitionen in Frauen in Farbe und erhielt 2018 2 Millionen US-Dollar aus dem Fonds.

Während sich die frühere First Lady Michelle Obama mit der Marke für einen Lippenstift zusammengetan hat, um die Wählerregistrierung zu fördern, und die aktuelle First Lady Dr. Jill Biden im vergangenen Herbst den Flagship-Store des Unternehmens in Detroit besuchte, sagt Butler, dass eine Zielerinnerung für ihren Erfolg nach wie vor am aussagekräftigsten ist Pfad. “Meine Nichte war zu der Zeit in der 5. Klasse und sie ging in einen Target-Laden und sie sah mein Gesicht auf unserem Target-Display”, erinnerte sich Butler. “Also macht sie Fotos damit und für den Karrieretag sollten sie sich alle als jemand verkleiden und sie hat sich als ich verkleidet.”

Bootstrapping eines Unternehmens zum Risikokapital

Die CurlMix-Gründer Kim und Tim Lewis haben die Marke zu Beginn selbst finanziert im Jahr 2015 als DIY-Abo-Box-Unternehmen für Verbraucher, um ihre eigenen Haarprodukte herzustellen. Im Jahr 2018 wurden sie jedoch zu einer Haarpflegelinie. Im selben Jahr konnten sie 25.000 US-Dollar von Backstage Capital, einem von Arlan Hamilton gegründeten Risikokapitalfonds, der sich auf Investitionen in Frauen, Farbige und Farbige konzentrierte, finanzieren LGBT-Gründer.

“Für die meisten Leute, die ein Unternehmen gründen, sind 25.000 US-Dollar nicht viel”, sagte Kim Lewis. “Aber weil ich und Tim so viele Fehler gemacht hatten, wussten wir genau, wie wir sie ausgeben sollten. Diese 25.000 Dollar waren damals wahrscheinlich eher 100.000 Dollar für uns.”

Die CurlMix-Gründer Kim und Tim Lewis haben ihre Marke selbst finanziert, aber letztendlich Startkapital vom ehemaligen LinkedIn-CEO Jeff Weiner erhalten.

J. Lauryn | J Lauryn Fotografie

Nach der Finanzierung erzielte das Unternehmen 2018 einen Umsatz von 1 Million US-Dollar.

Der wachsende Erfolg führte dazu, dass die CurlMix-Gründer es auf “Shark Tank” schafften und schließlich ein Angebot von Robert Herjavec über 400.000 USD für 20% des Unternehmens ablehnten, was sich als kluge Entscheidung herausstellte.

“Nachdem wir auf ‘Shark Tank’ gegangen waren, erhielt ich einen Anruf vom CEO von LinkedIn und seinem Partner und sie sagten:” Können wir eine Million Dollar investieren? “Lewis erinnerte sich an das Gespräch mit dem ehemaligen CEO von LinkedIn, Jeff Weiner.

CurlMix sammelte in einer Startrunde 1,2 Millionen US-Dollar – das Start-up hat derzeit einen Wert von 12 Millionen US-Dollar – und erzielte 2019 einen Umsatz von 5,5 Millionen US-Dollar und 2020 einen Umsatz von 6 Millionen US-Dollar. Die Gründer sagten, die Pandemie habe sie veranlasst, ihre Werbeausgaben zurückzuziehen letztes Jahr, aber insgesamt blieb das Geschäft stabil.

Covid-19-Pandemie und Geschäftsrisiko

Laut McKinsey waren 58% der Unternehmen in Schwarzbesitz von finanziellen Problemen bedroht, verglichen mit 27% der Unternehmen in Weißbesitz vor der Pandemie, und die Pandemie hat diese Lücke vergrößert. Zwischen Februar und April 2020 schlossen 41% des Geschäfts in Schwarzbesitz. Die Auswirkungen der Pandemie auf schwarze Unternehmerinnen sind noch stärker. Ein Bericht von digitalundivided vom Mai 2020 zeigt, dass 98% der schwarzen Unternehmerinnen angaben, dass ihr Geschäft direkt von Covid-19 betroffen ist, und 82% gaben an, Umsatzverluste zu verzeichnen.

Aktuelle Daten aus der CNBC | SurveyMonkey Small Business-Umfrage für das erste Quartal 2021 zeigen, dass die Sorgen um das Überleben unter den schwarzen Geschäftsinhabern weiterhin höher sind. Die CNBC-Umfrage ergab, dass die Befürchtungen einer dauerhaften Schließung bei schwarzen Kleinunternehmern hoch sind. 37% geben an, dass sie unter den gegenwärtigen Bedingungen mehr als ein Jahr überleben können, gegenüber 59% der weißen Kleinunternehmer und 55% der hispanischen Kleinunternehmer. Unternehmen in Schwarzbesitz, die nach einer vorübergehenden Schließung aufgrund der Pandemie noch nicht wiedereröffnet wurden (25%), stehen 8% der Kleinunternehmen in Weißbesitz gegenüber.

Ich denke, manchmal geraten wir in den Kopf und leiden unter einer Analyse-Lähmung, und manchmal muss man es einfach tun.

Dorian Morris

Undefined Beauty Gründer

Vor der Pandemie veranstaltete Curls mit seinen Curl-Botschaftern persönliche Veranstaltungen wie Messen und Pop-ups im ganzen Land, machte aber den Online-Pivot. “Sie haben angefangen, viele großartige, kreative digitale Events zu veranstalten, und das war ein schneller Dreh- und Angelpunkt, den mein Team sehr schnell und sehr erfolgreich gemacht hat”, sagte Dellinger, und sie fügte hinzu, dass die Verkäufe von Curls stark geblieben sind und die Nachfrage ist sogar höher als vor der Pandemie.

“Die Leute wollten mehr mit ihrer Haut anfangen und ihre Haare verwöhnen”, sagte Dellinger.

Die Lip Bar hat ihre Marketingstrategie geändert, um sich mehr auf Verbraucher zu konzentrieren, die zu Hause festsitzen, aber nicht so aussehen möchten, als würden sie in ihrem Bett arbeiten, und auf Online-Termine. Butler sagte, dass trotz mehr Menschen, die zu Hause bleiben, das Unternehmen von 2019 bis 2020 ein Umsatzwachstum von 80% verzeichnete.

Die Zukunft der Finanzierung schwarzer Unternehmer

Laut dem ProjectDiane-Bericht von digitalundivided haben 93 schwarze Frauen im Jahr 2020 eine Million Dollar an Investorenunterstützung für ihr Geschäft erhalten, verglichen mit nur 38 schwarzen Frauen im Jahr 2018. Die Zahl der schwarzen Frauen, die Risikokapital erhalten, liegt weiterhin unter 1%.

Im letzten Jahr haben sich Einzelhändler verstärkt, um einige der Unterschiede zu beseitigen, mit denen Unternehmen und Marken in Schwarzbesitz konfrontiert sind. Einzelhändler wie Sephora und Macy’s haben das von Aurora James geschaffene 15-Prozent-Versprechen unterzeichnet und mindestens 15% ihrer Regale für Unternehmen in Schwarzbesitz bereitgestellt. Der Beauty-Einzelhändler Ulta gab kürzlich bekannt, dass er die Anzahl der Marken in Schwarzbesitz in seinen Filialen bis Ende 2021 verdoppeln will.

Schwarze Unternehmer brechen auch in einigen der neuesten Nischen des Verbrauchermarktes Barrieren.

Dorian Morris startete 2018 die Beauty- und Wellnessmarke Undefined Beauty, nachdem er die Notwendigkeit einer Beauty-Marke erkannt hatte, die “Pflanzenmagie” wie CBD enthält.

Dorian Morris ‘Wellnessmarke Undefined Beauty wurde als Teil der neuen Kategorie inklusive Schönheit von Nordstrom ausgewählt, die im vergangenen Oktober eingeführt wurde.

Jennifer Skog

“Wellness hatte ein Gesicht und sie war dünn, wohlhabend, blond, weiß und wir alle verdienen Zugang zu Wellness. Bei Undefined geht es also wirklich darum, diese Erzählung zu ändern, Wellness zu demokratisieren und es auf unterhaltsame, frische Weise zu tun”, sagte sie.

Die Produkte von Undefined Beauty wurden ausgewählt, um Teil der im letzten Oktober eingeführten Kategorie New Inclusive Beauty von Nordstrom zu sein.

“Ich möchte anderen Gründern gerne sagen, dass man manchmal von der Klippe springen und auf dem Weg nach unten Flügel bauen muss”, sagte Morris, der das Start-up selbst finanziert hat. “Ich denke, manchmal geraten wir in den Kopf und leiden unter einer Analyse-Lähmung. Manchmal muss man es einfach tun. Testen Sie die Nachfrage und drehen Sie sich dann entsprechend.”

Morris sagt, ein Teil des Grundes, warum sich ihr Geschäft immer noch selbst finanziert, ist der zusätzliche Druck, den sie als schwarze Unternehmerin empfindet, um sicherzustellen, dass ihr Produkt ein Erfolg ist, bevor sie nach externem Geld sucht.

“Ich wollte sicherstellen, dass dies tatsächlich Traktion hat und dass dies tatsächlich etwas sein wird, das erfolgreich sein kann”, sagte Morris. “Weil ich finde, wenn ich ein weißer Mann wäre, der Geld sammelt und mein Geschäft scheitert, würden sie sagen ‘Es ist okay, Chad, du wirst sie das nächste Mal bekommen.’ Aber eine schwarze Frau zu sein, wenn ich Geld gesammelt habe und es gescheitert ist, bedeutet das aus repräsentativer Sicht viel für andere schwarze Unternehmer, die hinter mir stehen. “

Morris plant, noch in diesem Jahr Spenden für Undefined Beauty zu sammeln.

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