Humans of GLISS Blog

Looking back on Fernando’s life, his greatest pride was running his company. He owned a rock and jewelry business that helped him create the life he wanted. He didn’t worry about bills being paid or food on the table because the business provided him with those comforts.

Then the pandemic hit.

Covid restrictions prevented his business from operating in ways he couldn’t have planned for. Suddenly the life he had created as a business owner came crashing down and Fernando’s income was dwindling. Fernando had to find a “Plan B” quickly.

Fernando recalls this time as a sinking depressive feeling. It wasn’t the life he had worked hard for and certainly wasn’t what he had planned for – but such is life, he says. Fernando had a passion for his business, and he wasn’t willing to lose that so he set out to find other work. 

GLISS was mentioned to him by a friend and relayed as “a place that will find you work right away”, so he followed the signs and jumped right in. It wasn’t easy to work a job and run his business but slowly the pieces started falling back into place. Fernando was able to gain the perfect part-time job through GLISS, which gave him the supplemental income he needed while allowing him the necessary hours to keep running his business. Stress melted away and Fernando started to feel a glimmer of HOPE again! 

Not every downfall leads to rock bottom. Fernando learned that through this journey. We asked him if he had one piece of advice for anyone who is in his situation, and he said “always have a plan. Don’t wait until the last minute to feel hopeless.”