We are living in uncertain times. The global pandemic has disrupted nearly every aspect of our lives. And these disruptions have come at a cost, particularly for small businesses and consumers. According to a recent survey conducted by NPR, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, nearly 40% of U.S. households have faced serious financial problems, including struggling to afford medical care and food.

Exacerbating these issues for small businesses are disruptions to the global supply chain. Shortages of components and raw materials, together with rising energy costs, are forcing manufacturers into bidding wars to get space on shipping vessels, pushing shipping costs to record levels, which in turn are causing spikes in prices for goods, or simply cancellation of shipments altogether because of the rising costs, according to a recent article in Bloomberg.