‘Easier Access to Capital’ For Small Business Owners Needed: Founder of Plan to Protect

By Kekeletso Nkele, small.news Assistant

Q: How common is it that people who are trying to do the work, who are running organizations serving the vulnerable, end up in a situation where one of their staff or their volunteers end up doing the opposite?

A: I do think a lot of people have their heads in the sand, thinking that it wouldn’t happen within their organizations. One of the things we say is it’s not if, but when. If you are hiring staff, even people that you know and trust, and you’ve tried to do your due diligence in picking the right people.

I was at a funeral yesterday, and someone came and said to me, “Melodie, we need your services. We just heard that one of our teachers was abusing his students.” I hear these stories every day. I’ve heard them almost every day for the past 20 years in organizations where they trusted everybody. They just couldn’t imagine that it would happen.

Q: I would assume bad behavior happens more in stressed situations where people are triggered. Are you seeing an increase in harm?

A: Yeah, there is so much stress. There’s so much harm. I mean, people are gaslighting and harassment and bullying and sexual harassment and anger.

It’s just a lot of inappropriate behavior and misconduct happening within the workplace, within communities, and every sector of our society. We find abuse happening and harm happening. Yes, there is an increase.

Q: How do we acknowledge the sustained stress that most of us are operating under, but still stay committed?

A: It begins with self-awareness. Understanding what your stress behavior looks like. Understanding yourself and your own self-stress behavior, and trying to meet those needs so that you avoid your stress behavior.

Q: What is it about you that has done this for 16 years that is so gracious and accepting of accountability?

A: I struggled in school. My brothers really surpassed me in education.

But I went and I received my master’s in my 40s and got the recognition from the professors. I went on and got my doctorate in my 60s. And I still struggle with imposter syndrome at my age.

So because of that, I’m just like the sponge, wanting to learn and wanting to be held accountable and wanting to be the best version of myself. So that holds me accountable, wanting to really continue to be the best version of myself.

Q: What are you most worried about for small business owners in the context of all this change?

A: What I’m most concerned about is that, at some point, our countries have to face the huge deficits that they have on their books.

It’s not sustainable long-term. It’s hurting the next generation, drastically hurting the next generation. So I think that our countries need to face the deficits they’re facing. There’s an opportunity to identify and find people who are willing to take a risk on small business owners regarding funding.

Q: If you could wave a Magic Silver Wand and you could make one thing happen that would help small business owners, what would you use your magic wand to do?

A: Easier loans, banks willing to take a risk, and opportunities for grants. We’ve been a grant recipient for five years with the government, and it was for helping people who are elderly and seniors combat issues of loneliness and isolation, financial abuse, and other forms of abuse within their homes.

I’d like to see the government provide more assistance in providing grants if your services would help meet their priorities.

Q: How can we support you?

A: Connect us with our ideal client, which is business owners, organization owners, charities, not-for-profits that are serving the vulnerable sector and need to protect their entity, their organization, from loss of reputation, not having insurance in place, and the impact on their business if one of their people harms someone that they serve.

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