Staff Chats: Shannon Hein, Economic Health

Hear from City staff about their COVID-19 work, how they're staying connected and what they hope to learn from community members like you.

What advice would you give to community members who are looking for ways to support our local businesses?

SH: First, I would say, thank you for supporting local businesses! Second, I would say, please be patient with them as they are learning to do new things, transitioning to online, curb-side, or new platforms, sifting through the overwhelming amount of information to be safe while applying for loans, home schooling, and all of the other new roles we are all finding ourselves in. Third, I would say to visit ForFortCollins.com to join our local business rally. You can learn how to support businesses from spending and ordering to leaving reviews, and even creating custom social media graphics to express your devotion.

What COVID-19 work – from your office or that you’ve worked on personally – are you most proud of?

SH: I’m so proud to work with the Economic Health team right now. I think we’ve done a lot with a little and helped fill some gaps. I’m proud of the two business listening sessions we’ve hosted with Spanish simulcast, I’m proud to support the response side of our department to help direct resources to businesses and just listen to their challenges, I’m proud to work collaboratively with our business associations and partners and hear what they are doing for businesses every week, I’m proud to work with the team who launched the new For Fort Collins campaign to rally for local businesses, and I’m proud to work with entrepreneurs who are giving their own time and expertise to help others.

What’s been the most challenging part of your job the last several weeks?

SH: The weight of the raw and emotional stories from struggling business owners can be overwhelming. We don’t have all of the tools or resources they need and sometimes all you can do is listen. It’s heavy and tear-jerking. Add on physical distancing from my EHO team, home schooling our third grader, potty training our toddler, juggling the new home/work space with my husband who also now works from home and you question how you can even effectively contribute to the crisis while being a good parent. But everyone is in the same boat right now and I just try to remember I’m doing my best. We all are. That’s our EHO mantra right now.

What do you miss most about working in the office?

SH: I miss so much. I miss my teammates, our candy bowl, team spritzers from Butterfly Café, walking to Yampa Sandwich for my Panzanella salad, meeting entrepreneurs at Happy Lucky’s, Bean Cycle, or Little Bird, driving to work for my only chance to listen to a podcast, whiteboard brainstorming sessions, and running into people I know walking down the street. I miss community.

Have you started any new household or neighbor traditions or activities during the last several weeks?

SH: The owners of Crumbl Cookies live in my neighborhood and every night for the last couple of weeks the masked Crumbl bandits come out to leave boxes of cookies on the doorsteps with neighbor award certificates. Neighbors have been donating to the cause to keep the bandits working. It’s not anything my family started, but we sure love to watch the joy it brings. And dang those cookies are delicious!

Shannon also has questions for YOU. Check out the Quick Poll for FoCo Biz!