CAPE CORAL, FLA — In life and in the ring, Augustus D'Angelo says one motto is key.
"We're just going to roll with the punches, keep our head down and keep going strong," he said.
It's what the owner of Fight Zone, a mixed martial arts training facility, has held onto as he weathered the pandemic.
"It's definitely been the most challenging year that we've had at this business, especially as a small business," he said.
And the hits just keep on coming. New Year's resolutions are looking a bit different due to the pandemic, which means businesses like Fight Zone may not see the usual boost they do at the start of the year.
But D'Angleo says the news isn't all bad.
"On the upside there still are a lot of people that still are coming in the door, that are still interesting in self-defense," he said.
Florida Gulf Coast University Finance professor Tom Smythe says the resolution changes are only compounding a bigger economic problem.
"I think the bigger issue is that combined with the sort of the slowness of the recovery until we can get the vaccine distributed," he said.
But he adds that if businesses can hold on, they should be able to get some extra relief through the new stimulus package, which offers another round of the Paycheck Protection Program or "PPP" loans.
"Businesses can get a second draw. They can go and get a second loan that could also be forgivable," said Smythe.
D'Angelo says he's staying in the fight and encourages other small businesses to do the same.
"Stay strong. Things are gonna get better. Just keep doing what you guys been doing," he said.
