Opinion: Why I had to sell my wedding ring to keep my business alive

I signed the lease to open my first salon, The Bare Bar on Valentine’s Day 2020, less than a month before the World Health Organization declared Covid-19 a pandemic. I remember having butterflies in my stomach when I signed my name. I was one big step closer to starting my own business, a dream that I’d been working toward for eight years. I’d recently sold my family’s dream home and used that money to start the salon. A year later, I’ve sold my wedding ring to keep it going and have done everything I can to keep this dream alive — except take out a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan. I’m not eligible for one because The Bare Bar didn’t open its doors until after February 15, 2020.