25 FREE or Discounted Resources During COVID-19

As always, SheCommerce Academy is here to help you in any way we can!

We know that in the wake of COVID-19, everyone around the world is making a lot of adjustments and trying to figure out a new normal. The best way to deal with this is taking it day by day, pivoting as you need to, especially as it’s an unprecedented and uncertain time.

A lot of small business owners are either being forced to close their business or work from home. We know this is a difficult time for boutiques and stores, which is why we are here to help and support you.

There are many companies that have graciously expanded their offerings for free or discounted prices, so we compiled a list of 15 resources that may help you with your business, as well as 10 resources that are for fun and entertainment… because at the end of the day we’re not only here for your business,  we’re here for YOU!

To check out all of the free resources we're giving to the boutique and e-commerce community right now - head to our COVID-19 Resources Page.

FOR BUSINESS

1. Apple —Apple is forgiving interest payments for Apple Card members who need assistance during the month of March.
2. Audible bumped up their 30-day free trial to include three free titles (membership costs $14.95 per month). 
3. Box is offering a 90-day free trial on their file storage software
4. Finimpact put together a free guide on the best 8 financial tools for small businesses to combat COVID-19
5. HoneyBook — HoneyBook has collected a huge variety of resources: from webinars to blogs, to mental health resources, to marketing tools and more. We definitely recommend taking a look at their list! 
6. LinkedIn — LinkedIn is offering 16 professional development videos free of charge. The lessons include tips on working remotely, maximizing productivity, and managing stress. 
7. ConvertKit — ConvertKit has created The Creator Fund to help out creators and small business owners who are being hit hard by the economic and social concerns with coronavirus. Here you can apply for financial assistance that can help you keep your business afloat during these hard times. 
8. Facebook is committing $100M in cash grants to 30,000 small businesses to support them during COVID-19 pandemic. Learn More (sign up for updates)
9. Forbes is hosting a free digital summit on March 20, 2020 under the theme of Business Resilience: Thriving in Crucial Times. The speaker roster includes top experts and best-selling authors such as Chris Brogan, Rohit Bhargava, and Dorie Clark. Many of the speakers were slated to speak at the cancelled SXSW this year. 
10. Microsoft Teams — If you’re still needing to collaborate with your team, Microsoft is offering 6-months free of Microsoft Teams, their communication and collaboration platform. Teams can be downloaded on your laptop or your phone, and is great for chats, video conferencing and sharing resources. It can also be used to scheduled shifts down the road, so it could be beneficial to test it out now! 
11. US Small Business Administration — The USBA has a Covid-19 homepage, listing loans, assistance, and government resources for affected small business owners. This will help you stay updated and in touch with what is going on day by day. 
12. Jamm — This collaboration tool is great for teams who are working together, but still working remotely. During the coronavirus pandemic, the company is offering free services for the next three months. With Jamm’s Slack integration, slash commands, shareable links, screen-sharing and white-boarding, get more stuff done by having conversations while working from home. 
13. Loom— Loom is used for creating and distributing videos, as well as for team collaboration. Until July 1st, Loom is removing the recording limit on their free plan to be unlimited, cutting the price of Loom Pro in half (now $5/month), and extending all trials of Loom Pro from 14 to 30 days. 
14. Your State’s Small Biz Development Center— Did you know that each state runs its own small business development center? This is a valuable, free resource for small business owners and entrepreneurs. For example, the California Small Business Development Center offers a handy business startup checklist on its website along with a variety of other tools. It also provides access to business advisors and special events. Check out the SBA’s list of small business development centers by state!
15. Financial Resources —  NFIB has collected useful resources for small business owners including information from the Small Business Administration, leeway from financial institutions, and assistance from state and local governments. NFIB has also posted a wide variety of other resources like blogs and webinars to help small business owners navigate through the current and potential impacts associated with COVID-19. 

FOR ENTERTAINMENT

1. Educational Resources — Do you have kids off school or out of daycare? Need to keep them busy while you’re focusing on your business or other daily tasks? Check out these fun virtual and education resources to keep them busy. 
2. Doodle Lessons — A fun activity for you or your whole family! Doodling is a great way to relieve stress and also stay busy.  Children’s author Mo Willems is live-streaming a doodle tutorial each weekday during the coronavirus outbreak. You can watch the doodle tutorials live at 1 p.m. ET on the Kennedy Center website. 
3. Epic Games — If you or your kids love to game, Epic Games is offering some of their titles for free! Plus… when you buy a game on the Epic Games Store, 88% of the price goes directly to developers, versus only 70% on many other stores.
4. Apple Arcade — With more than 100 games available on your iPhone, iPad, and/or Apple TV, you’re destined to find a new game addiction! We all need to get our mind off things every once in a while. Apple Arcade costs $5 per month after a one-month free trial.
5. Peloton — No Peloton? No problem! Peloton is offering a 90-day free trial for its on-demand, at-home training app. Access both live and on-demand classes where no Peloton bike (or any bike) is necessary since they also provide yoga and strength-training sessions.
6. AMC — AMC and its networks have extended their free trials in the wake of COVID-19. Watch content across AMC, AcornTV, Sundance Now, and others for free for 30 days when you use the code Free30.
7. Audible — Use this time at home to really read one of those books that you’ve been meaning to read! The company bumped up their 30-day free trial to include three free titles (membership costs $14.95 per month). They're also offering hundreds of free audiobooks for kids of all ages in seven different languages.
8. The MET Opera — You may not be able to experience an Opera show in a live audience, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy their performances from your home. The Met has launched a free live-stream series with a new opera offered up each night.
9. Sling — The streaming service provider Sling has rolled out a new Sling Free Experience that provides access to ABC News Live, as well as thousands of on-demand movies and TV shows for every age. Stay updated with the news, and also use it for entertainment to ease your mind! 
10. DownDog — In light of the pandemic, DownDog is making all of their apps free until April 1st so that anyone who wants to can workout while at home. They’re yoga, HIIT, Barre and 7 minute workouts have videos for any skill level! 

Don't forget - we also have free content made just for YOU - to check out all of the free resources we're giving to the boutique and e-commerce community right now - head to our COVID-19 Resources Page.