Category Archives: Business News

By Jill NAgy
ECS Psychological Services already had a platform to connect with patients remotely before the COVID-19 restrictions, according to clinical supervisor Dana Jacobs. Clinicians communicated remotely with patients in cases of illness or inclement weather.
Now, all their work is remote.
While many businesses are losing clients and customers because of the health emergency, ECS is actually taking on new clients, she said.
“Of course, our preference is to see patients personally, face to face,” said Jacobs. “But we are doing a very good job and so are our patients. People are very resilient.”

In light of current social distancing guidelines revolving around the COVID-19 pandemic, Adirondack Festivals LLC has rescheduled the sixth annual Adirondack Wine & Food Festival to the weekend of Sept. 26-27.
The festival is normally held the last weekend in June. The decision to reschedule was made to help protect the health and safety of festival attendees and vendors, while providing an alternative date in 2020 with favorable weather, said Sasha Pardy, owner of Adirondack Festivals LLC.

By Andrea Harwood Palmer
Catherine Hover, owner of Palette Café on Broadway and Paint & Sip on Henry Street in Saratoga Springs, has revised and redirected her business services in the wake of the coronavirus economic shutdown.
“The most important thing for me is my team and keeping them employed. They have so much invested in Palette Café and Paint & Sip, and I have so much invested in them. It’s not someone else’s problem—it’s my problem, and I’m going to be part of the solution. Putting my staff on unemployment is not solving the problem. We’re going to pivot the hell out of this thing,” said Hover.
Hover utilized both businesses to put together “Paint & Take” paint kits. The kit includes a canvas, brushes, all the paint you need for the project. There is a $3 refundable deposit for the brushes, refundable when brushes are returned. Step-by-step instructions are included in the kit, and a recorded instructional session is available as well.
Wine is included with the kit for $15. Customers choose between a white or a red house wine.

Skidmore College student entrepreneurs were awarded more than $50,000 in prizes recently in the 10th anniversary Freirich Business Plan Competition.
First prize of $20,000 cash went to Maya Ling ‘20 and Emily Egan ‘20 for their bakery business, Coven.
Self-described “natural leaders, entrepreneurs and doers,” Ling and Egan met during their first year at Skidmore in the dining hall, where they bonded over their shared love of food, college officials said. They grew their passion into an herbal bakery and lifestyle brand that focuses on core values of quality local ingredients and community.
Coven baked goods are infused with herbs, flowers and spices. Current cookie flavors include rosemary dark chocolate, lavender orange, cardamom ginger and hibiscus black sesame. In addition to creating delicious treats, Coven also engages with customers on online platforms to share recipes, cooking tutorials and articles to “generate a community excited about a healthy and fun lifestyle,” said Egan.
“When we decided to enter the competition, we could never have imagined that we would end up where we are now,” said Ling. “We have never pursued something more ambitious, and have never felt more accomplished than we do now.”

The American Hotel & Lodging Association released data today showing that 70 percent of hotel employees have been laid off or furloughed as eight in 10 hotel rooms across the nation remain empty.
As the crisis, the impact to the travel industry is nine times worse than the 9/11 tragedy, with forecasted occupancy rates for 2020 hitting record lows worse than rates in 1933 during the Great Depression, the AHLA said.
“With the impact to the travel industry nine times worse than September 11, the human toll of this public health crisis has been absolutely devastating for the hotel industry. For the hotel industry our priority is rehiring and retaining our hardworking employees who power our vibrant industry,” said Chip Rogers, president and CEO of AHLA. “Hotels were one of the first industries affected by the pandemic and will be one of the last to recover.
“The CARES Act was an important first step with a lot of supportive measures for the hotel industry, but we need Congress to make important changes to the program to reflect the current economic reality and help the employees in the industries that have been impacted the most.”