Brooklyn Pop-Up To Help Freelancers, Small Business Amid Pandemic

BROOKLYN, NY — A pop-up event this weekend will help freelancers and entrepreneurs shift their businesses during the coronavirus pandemic.

The free, virtual event will bring together the Freelancer Union, the #WeLoveYou Campaign and BKlYN Common — a co-working space with locations in Flatbush and Bed-Stuy — to help small business owners or entrepreneurs think outside the box to overcome the economic strain of the coronavirus pandemic.

“Small businesses are in crisis and we want to help,”#WeLoveYou Campaign Founder Shelly Gracon said. “It’s reported that more than 100,000 small businesses have closed due to COVID-19 and more than 44 million Americans have filed for unemployment since the start of the pandemic. The experts we’re bringing together for this event will provide insights, strategies and resources – local and national – that are needed to immediately help small businesses, freelancers, creatives and entrepreneurs pivot and thrive.”

The virtual event will be livestreamed from BKLYN Common’s new Inside Brooklyn Studio, a media content studio supporting online content creation and digital asset development.

Experts who will join the event include Johanne Brierre, Head of Growth at BKLYN Commons; Rafael Espinal, President of Freelancers Union; Jay Clouse, Creator of the Freelancing School/Unreal Collective and Art Novoselsky, Founder of Brooklyn’s GFTD Collective.

"The collective will share proven strategies and resources available to entrepreneurs, small businesses and freelancers that can help them pivot during these challenging times," organizers wrote.

The small businesses or creatives who participate in the event will also be able to pitch their products and services to panelists and other attendees to help network and find business opportunities.

Find more information about how to participate here.