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New Delhi, Jun 11 () <keyword id="6368202" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="credit-card">Credit card</keyword> issuer <keyword id="91294" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="American-Express">American Express</keyword> on Thursday said it has pledged Rs 9 crore for combating the COVID-19 pandemic in India. "Rs 9 crore has been committed in various forms of financial support to back the tireless work of those on the front lines of this global crisis," the company said in a statement. <br /><br /> This includes contributions to the Prime Minister's Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations Fund (PM CARES) as well as to local organisations in India, it said. <br /><br /> The grants will help provide protective equipment to frontline healthcare workers, support the development of vaccines and research and help feed people impacted in our communities, among other critical needs, it added. <br /><br /> American Express Banking Corp Senior Vice President and Chief Executive Officer Majoj Adlakha said: "While we are doing everything possible to keep our colleagues and their families safe, we are also constantly striving to make a positive contribution and meaningful connection with the communities in which we live and work." <br /><br /> The company said it has also partnered for an initiative called, 'Hunger Heroes' that will help distribution of dry ration and essential supplies to the families of 10,000 food delivery riders, severely impacted by the pandemic. <br /><br /> The proposed project would be implemented across India, with a specific focus in tier-2 and tier-3 cities where e-commerce logistics and online food delivery services have been affected the most due to COVID-19 lockdown. <br /><br /> All efforts have been complemented by partnering with NASSCOM Foundation for donation of 11,150 personal protective equipment (PPE) kits including N-95 masks to the hospitals in the National Capital Region (NCR). <br /><br /> Another partnership with Samhita ("Collective Good Foundation") is enabling the company to procure PPE kits and other essentials for frontline healthcare and sanitation workers as well as isolation kits and beds for hospitals to support health infrastructure in NCR, Mumbai, Bangalore and Pune, it added. <br /><br /> As per the Health Ministry's data, the death toll due to COVID-19 rose to 8,102 and the number of cases climbed to 2,86,579 in India after it registered the highest single-day spike of 357 fatalities and 9,996 cases till Thursday 8 AM. LUX ANS ANS

American Express pledges Rs 9 cr to combat COVID-19 outbreak in India

<div type="image" title="Soapbox founder David Simnick" height="1066" width="1422" msid="78814230" hostid="261"></div><ul class="summary-list"><li>David Simnick cofounded <a href="https://www.soapboxsoaps.com">Soapbox</a>, a socially conscious hygiene brand, in 2010, after realizing how effective proper hygiene can be in preventing childhood mortality.</li><li>The company donates one bar of soap for every Soapbox purchase. </li><li>In early March, Soapbox began carrying hand sanitizer. Market demand for available sanitizer super-charged their sales, while straining their supply chain.</li><li>Now, Soapbox is on track to do 10 times its 2019 revenue, enabling the company to donate more than 5 million bars of soap since August.</li></ul><p>Long before hand sanitizer became more valuable than gold, David Simnick has been preaching the gospel of good hygiene. </p><p>Simnick, the cofounder of <a href="https://www.soapboxsoaps.com">Soapbox</a>, created the socially conscious soap brand in 2010, after his work with <a href="https://www.usaid.gov/">USAID</a> inspired the budding entrepreneur to address what he felt was an under-discussed <keyword id="6354750" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="health">health</keyword> crisis. The project of creating clean water, says Simnick, gets most of the eco-friendly attention, but clean hands are just as vital.</p><p><a href="https://www.unicef.org/health/childhood-diseases">According to UNICEF</a>, two of the top five reasons for death of children under the age of five are diarrhea and acute respiratory diseases. However, when proper hygiene practices are introduced, <a href="https://www.unicef.org/stories/childhood-pneumonia-explained">rates of respiratory disease drop by 50%</a> and rates of <a href="https://www.unicef.org/media/media_21423.html">diarrhea-related illnesses drop by 33%</a>. </p><p>The solution, then, became apparent to Simnick: communities experiencing hygiene-related illness needed access to sanitizing materials and education about the importance of hygiene.</p><p>That realization led Simnick and his cofounder, Eric Vong, to make Soapbox a socially conscious enterprise, donating one bar of soap for every purchase of a Soapbox product.</p><h2>Lead with your mission, and the business plan will follow.</h2><p>"The mission was not an afterthought or a marketing gimmick," said Simnick. "We wanted to solve this social ill, so we figured out how to run a company. Had it been the inverse, I think we would have been successful much quicker."</p><p>The team adapted, expanded, and rebranded — five times — over the course of the decade, finally settling on a design that resonated with consumers in 2017, says Simnick.</p><p>By the time the pandemic hit, Soapbox had become a player in <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/changes-ive-made-to-my-self-care-routine-during-quarantine-2020-9">the personal care market</a>, an industry dominated by household names like Procter &amp; Gamble, Unilever, and Colgate-Palmolive. </p><h2><strong>A high-growth opportunity can lead to quick expansion, but not without challenges.</strong></h2><p>Early in 2020, Simnick and his team realized how big of an opportunity the pandemic presented, so they pivoted to capitalize on their position. In March, the soap-makers added hand sanitizer to their list of available products, and retailers across the country flocked to place orders. </p><p>While on a call with a sales representative from Wegmans, the Soapbox team mentioned their new product offering. "We will take 1 million," the rep replied, according to reporting from <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/soapbox-sees-explosive-growth-in-pandemic-era-pivot/2020/06/05/643f97fe-a67e-11ea-bb20-ebf0921f3bbd_story.html">The Washington Post</a>.</p><p>As word spread that Soapbox had sanitizer to sell, demand ratcheted up. This pressing interest, coupled with <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/covid-19-disrupting-global-supply-chains-how-companies-can-react-2020-3">pandemic-induced production challenges</a>, led to a series of supply-chain hurdles. Simnick says that Soapbox is now operating at 85% of its total capacity, up from 50% in March.</p><p>"In terms of supply chains, Covid is still as much of a reality as it was when it first broke out," said Simnick. "If one of the plants that we rely on for packaging goes down, then we just have to wait."</p><h2><strong>Capitalize on a period of growth to go all in on the causes that drive you.</strong></h2><p>Despite these challenges, Soapbox has enjoyed tremendous growth in the last year. Though Simnick asked to omit specific numbers, documents shared with Business Insider confirm that the company's revenue is on pace to increase tenfold year over year, from over $5 million in 2019 to nearly $50 million predicted by the end of 2020.</p><p>This success has, in turn, allowed the company to donate more than 5 million bars of soap since August, and 18 million since its inception, according to documents shared with Business Insider. </p><p>In addition, Simnick explained, the company does more than donate hygiene products. In certain ecosystems, flooding the market with free soap can harm the local economy. In others, communities have access to soap, but lack an understanding of its importance as a hygienic tool.</p><p>To accommodate the various needs of different communities, Soapbox helps fund hygiene-focused research projects and supports other nonprofit organizations involved in providing necessary products, such as the Clean the World Foundation, Delivering Good, and the Eco-Soap Bank.</p><p>Since March, Soapbox has also focused on providing resources to high-risk populations, both in America and abroad. Sixty-two percent of its donations have been to international communities, while 38% have gone toward helping fight unsanitary conditions in America, according to documents shared with Business Insider.</p><h2>Serving customers first paves the way to giving back.</h2><p>These efforts, says Simnick, are fueled by purchases of Soapbox products. Although Soapbox's mission has a clear appeal to consumers, Simnick and his team have learned not to lead with their social messaging.</p><p>People have a basic need to fulfill when they're buying soap — finding a price-appropriate, effective method of sanitization — and they have to believe they're purchasing a product that fulfills that need. As a result, the company aims to compete with its peers on a price and product-quality level. </p><p>However, the Soapbox mission does serve as an effective tie-breaker, says Simnick. When a customer is deciding between Soapbox and a competitor, they might find Soapbox's social efforts to be the tipping point.</p><p>"We sell a great product with natural ingredients at an affordable price," said Simnick. "But the customer making the decision to buy something six inches to the left? They're the ones actually making the difference. We're just the conduit."</p>

How entrepreneurs can support causes they care about and grow their business at the same time

<div type="image" title="Erica and Stephen Laughing at the Flea 2" height="1587" width="2116" msid="77917493" hostid="261"></div><ul class="summary-list"><li>Companies that sell DIY <keyword id="52853" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="60" keywordseo="kits">kits</keyword> have seen an increase in sales as customers search for new activities to do at home. </li><li>Business Insider spoke with the founders of two kit companies who shared their strategies for success.</li><li>Entrepreneurs should consid<strong>er adjusting the tone of marketing messages to meet customers where they are — amidst a time of global uncertainty and need for connection. </strong></li><li>Business owners should also think about adding new offerings based on the season or cultural movements. </li></ul><p>After the pandemic pets were adopted and complicated cooking projects were completed, individuals stuck at home sought new ways to entertain themselves and loved ones during the coronavirus.  </p><p>Companies that sell do-it-yourself kits for goods like beer, kombucha, and cheese saw an increase in sales after lockdowns were issued across the US in spring, founders told Business Insider. </p><p><a href="https://www.thekombuchashop.com/">The Kombucha Shop</a>, a DIY kit that sells the necessary tools and ingredients for customers to make their own kombucha, saw a massive uptick in sales since mid-March. The company booked about $300,000 in sales in April, compared to $75,000 in the same month a year earlier. "I felt like everyone in the country was either making sourdough bread or brewing," said Kate Field, who founded the company in 2013. </p><p>The Kombucha Shop's regular kits sell for $45 and a deluxe version goes for $75. Field sold her company to entrepreneur Habib Bakshi in June, hoping that his expertise with digital advertising would help grow the business. She plans to remain involved with the company for the near future, she added. </p><p>Husband-and-wife duo Stephen Valand and Erica Shea — cofounders of the 11-year-old beer-making kit <a href="https://brooklynbrewshop.com/collections/beer-making-kits">Brooklyn Brew Shop</a> — experienced a similar boost in sales. Brooklyn Beer Kit booked about $2 million in revenue last year and is up about 250% this year, Valand said. The couple's other brand FarmSteady, which sells kits for homemade cheese, pickles, and hot sauces, closed 2019 with about $500,000 in sales is up 425%, he added.  </p><p>Prices for most of Brooklyn Brew Kit's products hover at around $48, while a majority of FarmSteady's kits fall just under $40. </p><p>The founders shared three tips for entrepreneurs who may be considering a pivot to kits in light of the pandemic. </p><div type="image" title="Kate Field" height="206" width="275" msid="77917498" hostid="261"></div><h2>Experiment and map out your kit</h2><p>For entrepreneurs interested in making their own kits, start by considering how you can improve products already on the market. While Field had experience brewing her own kombucha, she tested kits from other companies to learn what worked and what didn't. Those experiments informed her final product. </p><p>Shea and Valland took a different route: They designed custom pots and strainers so brewing would be more accessible to at-home customers. They also assessed what their clients might already have in their pantries and included the specialized parts that would be hard to find. </p><p>Either way, the key to a successful kit is knowing the potential customer, what they need, and how to make the process complete, the founders said.</p><h2>Match marketing to your customers</h2><p>Before the pandemic, Field kept The Kombucha Shop's message light and cute. However, when crisis hit, she changed the business' marketing to reflect the devastation of the pandemic. </p><p>"We focused on the positive and that this was something productive you could do with your time," Field said. "We also marketed it as an activity you could do with your family that isn't binge-watching Hulu." </p><p>Shea and Valand also changed their marketing tactics for Brooklyn Brew Shop. The duo sell their beer-making kits to mom-and-pop shops across the country, but when the pandemic forced many of their outlets to close temporarily, the cofounders helped those entrepreneurs develop e-commerce strategies. </p><p>Shea and Valand sent the shops emails with tips on how to sell through Instagram. They also started doing virtual brewing classes where participants could ask questions and connect with other enthusiasts. </p><h2>Communicate about supply chain difficulties and canceled orders</h2><p>At the start of the pandemic, Field posted a letter on her company's website that outlined how shipping dates and procedures would change for customers. She also ordered her supplies months in advance, anticipating that some goods might go out of stock during the pandemic. Field described this <keyword id="6363690" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Strategy">strategy</keyword> as "playing whack-a-mole" — once she found a replacement for one out-of-stock good, another would pop up. </p><p>Shea and Valand faced a different problem: Sales were up, but some of their larger retail partners weren't paying them back for wholesale orders. What's more, the couple feared those companies might go bankrupt like several other major firms. Protecting Brooklyn Brew Kit meant standing up to big retailers, changing the way they processed orders, and introducing new payment systems. "We needed to be stricter with some of our larger customers and not let ourselves get pushed around because we're smaller," Valand said. </p><h2>Refresh kit offerings according to the times</h2><p>During the pandemic, Shea and Valand have introduced seasonal flavors and new styles of beers. The first was a milkshake IPA — a hazy brew that has lactose in it — and the second was called "Black is Beautiful." The beer was made from a collaboration of hundreds of breweries and was sold to spotlight racism and "raise donations for causes dedicated to supporting equality and inclusion," according to the company's website. </p><p>Brooklyn Brew Kit vowed to donate half of its total sales from kits and mixes to the nonprofit civil rights advocacy organization Color of Change. So far, it's given a few thousands of dollars, Valand said. "We want our products to bridge divides," he added. "Making beer should be something that brings people together." </p>

4 steps for founders to cash in on the boom in at-home DIY kits during the pandemic from entrepreneurs who scored big this year

<p class="source"><span>Shutterstock</span></p><p class="caption">The author is not pictured.</p><ul class="summary-list"><li>I'm still making enough money to pay the bills, and I have a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-much-money-to-save-in-emergency-fund-rules">healthy emergency fund</a>. So, I originally thought I'd invest my stimulus check while the stock market is down.</li><li>After considering the privilege I have right now of being able to afford my basic living costs and having money saved up, I decided to donate my money instead.</li><li>Rather than donate it all to one big organization, I chose to break up my stimulus check and offer financial support to specific communities in hopes that my money will have a more direct impact.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/yourmoney?utm_source=bullet">Read more personal finance coverage</a>.</li></ul><p>Coronavirus <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/coronavirus-stimulus-check-questions-answers-2020-4">stimulus checks</a> are already on their way, and many Americans are wondering what to do with theirs.</p><p>If you have an immediate and necessary expense you can't afford, like rent or utilities, the answer is obvious: pay the bills. If you're <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-pay-off-debt-fast-strategy">paying off credit card debt</a> or don't have any money saved in an <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/what-is-an-emergency-fund">emergency fund</a>, the answer is still pretty easy: pay down your debt or stash it in a savings account.</p><p>But what if your bills are covered, your credit cards are paid off, and you have a healthy emergency fund? This is where I'm at, and while I first decided I would <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/money-saved-to-invest-during-financial-crisis-opportunity-fund-2020-4">invest my stimulus check in the stock market</a> while it's down, I've since decided to donate it instead. </p><h2>Why I decided not to save or invest my stimulus check</h2><p>My first thought when I realized I'd be getting a stimulus check was that I should <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-invest-in-stocks">invest in the stock market</a>.</p><p>While the market is volatile right now and could continue to drop, it's still the case that stocks are currently priced far lower than usual. </p><p>This means that if you buy right now, odds are good that the value of your investment will increase significantly once the economy has recovered. </p><p>As long as you have a long time horizon on your investments - that is, you don't need to access them for another five or 10 years - you've got time to ride out a recession.</p><p>I <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/no-retirement-savings-at-30-my-plan-to-retire-by-50">finally started saving for retirement</a> last year, at age 30. I feel pretty behind when it comes to investing and saving for retirement, so I try to funnel any extra money I get toward retirement.</p><p>However, I realized that the decision I was faced with - whether to spend my stimulus check or invest it - was an extremely privileged one, especially given the current state of the world. </p><p>Unemployment has skyrocketed, and plenty of people are concerned about making ends meet right now. While I don't have as much money saved for retirement as a lot of people my age, I still have enough income to pay my bills, and I have a year's worth of expenses saved up in an emergency fund. I can afford to use my stimulus check to help others who are currently in a less fortunate position.</p><h2>How I plan to use my stimulus check to support my community</h2><p>Rather than donating to a massive organization, I decided that I would rather find ways to donate my stimulus check that directly impact smaller communities that I'm a part of. This includes not only the communities I live in, but other communities that are struggling right now: artists and creators, freelancers, and small business owners.</p><h3>Donating to community relief funds</h3><p>When it comes to supporting physical communities, a couple places I've lived have set up community relief funds that will go toward buying basic food and household items for families in need, so I'll be donating a portion of my check to those.</p><h3>Supporting members of mutual-aid networks</h3><p>There are also mutual-aid networks popping up in communities all over the country, which are online groups of people who share resources, typically centered around a neighborhood or other type of community. </p><p>Anyone in the group can submit a request for support, and then those in the group who have the capacity to fulfill the request can do so. Not all of these requests are financial, but some are. I plan to spend a portion of my check fulfilling requests for support in these mutual-aid networks.</p><h3>Supporting other freelancers and creators</h3><p>As a freelancer and writer myself, I also want to send some support to creators and freelancers who are unable to work or out of work. I don't want to hire them or attach any strings to this financial support, because I know that this can be a difficult time for some to create. Instead, I prefer to connect with creators and freelancers who are in need and send them some funds, no strings attached.</p><h3>Supporting small businesses</h3><p>Finally, I want to support small businesses. While I've been doing my best to order food and groceries from local businesses, I thought I could spend part of my stimulus check by offering to purchase things for friends and family who are unemployed and underemployed and then making those purchases from local businesses as well. This can include food and other material goods, as well as things to keep them entertained and motivated, like online courses, books, or tickets to virtual events. </p><p>I also want to focus on supporting Chinese-owned businesses when I can, as there have been <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/coronavirus-chinatown-flushing-queens-new-york-city-2020-3">reports that they're suffering additional coronavirus-related losses</a> due to xenophobia and racism. Whenever possible, I try to order from the Chinese-owned restaurants and supermarkets in my city's Chinatown.</p><p>Hopefully, this will give you some ideas for how you can spend your stimulus check. If you're in a place to do it, consider using some of your check to support your community.</p><ul class="read-more-links"><li>Read more on managing your money in this tumultuous time:</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/how-to-pay-mortgage-during-coronavirus-pandemic">3 options for people struggling to pay their mortgage during the global health crisis</a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/who-needs-disability-insurance">4 reasons to get disability insurance, even if you don't think you need it </a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/pause-bill-payments-if-you-lost-work-due-to-coronavirus">If you've been financially impacted by the coronavirus, you may be able to pause payments on these 8 bills</a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-get-stimulus-check-coronavirus-crisis-2020-3">How to get a stimulus check from the US government, which could pay up to $1,200 if you qualify</a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/credit-card-companies-financial-assistance-coronavirus-2020-3">In response to the coronavirus, credit card issuers like Amex and Capital One are letting customers skip payments without interest and more</a></li></ul><p class="tagline"><i>Do you have a personal experience with the coronavirus you'd like to share? Or a tip on how your town or community is handling the pandemic? Please email <a href="mailto:covidtips@businessinsider.com">covidtips@businessinsider.com</a> and tell us your story.</i></p><p><i>Get the latest <a href="/coronavirus-business-impact">coronavirus business &amp; economic impact analysis</a> from Business Insider Intelligence on how COVID-19 is affecting industries.</i></p>            <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/experts-debunk-16-myths-about-parenting-younger-children-toddlers-2020-3">Doctors debunk 16 myths about raising kids</a></h3>

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American Express pledges Rs 9 cr to combat COVID-19 outbreak in India

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How entrepreneurs can support causes they care about and grow their business at the same time

Mark Stenberg

4 steps for founders to cash in on the boom in at-home DIY kits during the pandemic from entrepreneurs who scored big this year

Emily Canal

I don't need my $1,200 stimulus check, so I'm giving away every penny in 4 strategic ways

Elizabeth Aldrich

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