EDGE

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  Our team (since we are all remote in 3 different cities)

Inspiration

As the pandemic hit, I can see the small businesses literally failing in my Manhattan neighborhood. The Chinese run dry cleaner in my building had kept its doors opened during all these months. The owner started back in 1985 and has built up to 8 other locations in Manhattan and Brooklyn, and a cleaning plant in Brooklyn. Yet, they did not have a web presence and only took cash/check. With COVID19, as people stopped going to work, their business was down 80%. The store's operations reflect similar setup of other dry cleaners, particularly those started by immigrants.
Talking this over with Ming Ooi, who I worked with at BoardPackager real estate tech startup, we can relate this basic operations model in the Chinese restaurant business. While Ming has worked with several Chinese restaurants over the years in several states, I can clearly relate to this as well, having worked in a Chinese restaurant as a delivery boy, one of the first summer jobs I held, in Manhattan.

Our team’s focus is on Chinese restaurants, which are hit even harder during the current pandemic for a few reasons. Even before the lockdowns, there were misguided fears of the virus in Chinatowns even though there were few confirmed cases in those districts. Compounding the severe economic impact, the workers, along with Asian-Americans, face more direct threats for their safety arising out of xenophobia and racism from ignorant people across this country due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In addition, many of these immigrant-owned businesses have struggled to qualify for government and private grants, due to significant sociocultural norms and language barriers preventing these businesses from applying.

Many of their current business models depend on a high volume of sales given the lower prices which have been kept unchanged for many years. The survival and success of the restaurants depends on their adaptability to such unprecedented circumstances. For those that rely exclusively on their Asian clientele and stay on a cash only basis, the future is grim. The simpler, old world operating model does not work anymore.

Receiving advice and support to adapt to newer ways of doing business, without eating up the already thin margin business, is crucial to give them the EDGE needed to survive and thrive past the current pandemic.

What it does

EDGE is a grassroots not-for-profit business consultancy specializing in supporting Asian small businesses with initial emphasis on restaurants impacted as a result of COVID-19.

How I built it

We are proposing a model to start a not-profit. Time is of the essence. While a tech savvy solution would be great, the time to market is too long. If we were to design an innovative solution, by the time it is available, there would be no one around to help.

We arrived at our solution after applying the following criteria to the various options and ideas:

1. Should be executable in a short period of time.
2. Should not require large financial resources to execute
3. Should be able to scale (go nationwide) quickly
4. Should be easily adoptable
5. Should be applicable to other Asian or minority businesses

Challenges I ran into

Getting through to restaurant owners since we don't have current contacts. I have reached out to every single contact I have asking for introductions to restaurant owners. Talking to another not-for-profit that is focusing helping to save NYC Chinatown - they iterated that it is difficult to reach out to the businesses in virtual/online channels and that there needs to be in-person visits, which during COVID19 is quite difficult. Those businesses that are reached, are reluctant to change the way they have done business all these years or simply don't have the capacity or knowledge to do what is needed to modernize in the digital age.

Accomplishments that I'm proud of

Forming a team that is fully capable of putting taking on this challenge. Gaining a better understanding what is happening and the impact of this pandemic on so many lives. The chance to research something and connect with people energized to see about making a difference. Putting together a business plan (have to thank Ming for guiding us through this as he has gone through this a few times before), pulling a video together (Kiran did an excellent job both in summarizing, speaking and editing the video).

What I learned

As an immigrant who came here at a young age, my family was quite broke. We have adapted and achieved quite a few of the American Dreams that many immigrants seek out in this country. Having been laid off (twice now), and off a stable paycheck, it makes me see more realistically how there is quite a bit of inequity out there. Researching this project brought me in touch with a young group of Asian Americans who are seeking to make a difference.

What's next for EDGE

Let's see where this adventure takes us.
This is a favorite quote of mine: "If you can't feed a hundred people, then feed just one." - Mother Teresa Even if 1 business is ultimately changed and saved, then something positive would have come about from this challenge.