Businesses Respond to COVID-19: Kurt Benedict, Last Man

By Hylan Joseph

I asked Kurt to be a part of this project because he is a small business owner and operations his size are the most affected by this. My personal story with Kurt is interesting, while at Expo in Boston, he cornered me to offer some input on how the guild was going. The conversation resulted in me saying if you want to see the guild do better, then sign up, help out, and see how we do things. Kurt did just that. He has been a key member of several of our committee and his input with the contact group is invaluable.

Kurt Benedict, Last Man, LLC

Hylan Joseph: How have your service calls/business been affected since this pandemic began?

Kurt Benedict: I have seen roughly an 80% drop in business since the beginning of the pandemic.

HJ: How are you communicating with your staff concerning the loss of work?

KB: Being a smaller group, I tend to talk with my employees one-on-one twice a week. I don’t want to leave anybody in the dark about the situation.

HJ: Are you going to utilize any of the state and federal program offered?

KB: Yes, I am currently applying for the SBA PPP loan.

HJ: Have you or your company participated in any community volunteer events or roundtable during this event. If so, what were they?

KB: I have spoken with some of the local community about helping each other out on a phone conversation.

HJ: Is your organization doing anything to support your local community? If so, can you provide details?

KB: I have waived all OT rates for the small coffee shops and I am willing to shut down units at no cost. I have placed a loaner for free instead of renting, only because manufacturers are having a hard time getting parts out.

HJ: How do you feel your local community has responded to this event?

KB: First word: Fear. I think the local community has no idea what to do at the current time. People are sheltering and have taken the quarantine to an extreme level. The second word: Ignorance. People are not accepting the reality of the pandemic and not using face covers and are still gathering in large groups.

HJ: How are your employees reacting? What creative measure are you using to assist them through this time?

KB: Being a smaller group and having discussions on a regular basis has helped keep all of us calm and reacting in a mild manner.

HJ: Do you think this event will alter our industry? If so, how?

KB: Yes – not sure how, but I don’t think the specialty coffee industry will remain the same.

HJ: What are your key takeaways so far? What are the crucial lessons you will walk away with for the future?

KB: Take time making decisions. Knee-jerk reactions are causing more problems than they have solved. The biggest thing I will take away from this is to appreciate the time we get with our friends and family.

HJ: Are you hiring, if so why?

KB: No