19 People around the World Share How They Prepare for a Post-COVID-19 World<\/b><\/p>\n
Since its founding in 2015, impactmania always turns to the people who drive cultural, social, and economic impact. We need their inspiration now more than ever. We asked 19 impact makers how they are preparing for the new realities of a post-COVID-19 world.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n Mary Beth Larkin <\/i><\/b>has 20 years+ of experience in the fashion industry, as a fashion designer, both in the corporate and small-business sector, which gives Larkin the industry knowledge and design expertise to thrive with her new company, (IN)LARKIN. She is focusing her passion and expertise to deliver what women want\u2014an outstanding product that inspires and captivates women worldwide by making them feel beautiful and comfortable with the style they can live in.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n April 6, 2020<\/strong><\/p>\n Paksy Plackis-Cheng in Berlin, Germany emailed Mary Beth Larkin in Santa Barbara, California.<\/span><\/i><\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n What is your advice for people to prepare themselves for post-COVID?<\/b><\/p>\n I would say, \u201clook at things from the perspective that the glass is half-full and you\u2019re going to do all that you can to fill it up the rest of the way.\u201d My advice is not mired in nor focused on the doom and gloom of the whole event, but rather on finding ways to learn from it all, to build a better community, and to grow from the many lessons that we all will be and have been subjected to. Here are a few pointers to help achieve this that I\u2019d like to share.<\/span><\/p>\n I think sometimes it takes crises like this to shake us up a bit and force us to look at things differently. There are definitely lessons we can learn from on a lot of different levels. The quarantine\u2019s duration has given us all a lot of time to reflect and to gain unfamiliar perspectives. I am an entrepreneur having just launched my fashion brand for Holiday 2019. I was first affected by COVID-19 with interruption of my supply chain by my production factories in China and in the USA abruptly shutting down. A month later, still not knowing how long and what exactly the impact will be, is unnerving to me and to us all. The buzzword for business owners at the moment seems to be \u201cpivot.\u201d At times, I wonder if a crisis such as this was thrust upon us in such a cruel manner to globally force us to get out of our own way? Perhaps it was a call to \u201cthink differently\u201d as Steve Jobs of Apple used to say. I believe that this shake-up is going to force change.\u00a0<\/span>First Pointer: Be Open. Think Differently. Embrace Change.<\/span><\/p>\n As an entrepreneur, I would always say, \u201cIf I could just have a magic pause-button\u2026 I need more time.\u201d A little bit ironic now, I guess watch what you wish for. But in all honesty, this has been an opportunity for me to think of new ideas, to work on creating, and catching-up on so many things. What has this time taught me? It has drilled into me that I NEED to and that I MUST make time for the things that energize me. Sadly, it shouldn\u2019t take a pandemic for me to do so, nor to come to this realization.\u00a0<\/span>So, my Second Pointer: Brute-Force It. Re-evaluate what is important to YOU and make the time to do it.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Lastly, my advice would be to broaden our vision on not only a domestic scale, but also a global scale, putting geopolitical boundaries aside. On the domestic level, our great United States has been torn politically and become much divided. There is no unity, \u201ccommunity\u201d is little more than a buzzword, and we are weak because of it. I think no matter what your political views are, nor what your heritage might be, we need to GENUINELY come together for our future well-being.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Remember, we are called the United States, and that means something. On a global perspective, we are too busy pointing fingers at everyone and anyone else, instead of working in unity on this single planet of ours. We are no longer in control and maybe a pandemic was necessary to bring us to our knees in order for us to shift our thinking. The empty streets all over the world shown during the broadcast of Andrea Bocelli\u2019s Easter Concert at the deserted Duomo was a powerful reality check, which brings me to my Third Pointer: \u201cUnited we stand, divided we fall; union is strength.\u201d It\u2019s a Flemish Proverb we all should strongly heed and not forget.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n