How Gary Vee Helped Me Clothe Healthcare Workers on the Frontline of the Coronavirus Pandemic

I am not a professional seamstress.

I’ve made quite a few garments over the years, but nothing too taxing.

I was happily ploughing through Marie Forleo’s B-School, planning a course on helping others find their purpose.

Then COVID-19 hit the UK.

Not unexpected, but shocking nonetheless.

Many entrepreneurs continued to “sell, sell, sell” – often caveating their social media posts with statements about how they’d be doing a disservice NOT to sell.

And I get that, I really do.

Most people aren’t in a position to take unpaid time off.

My anxiety was through the roof – I didn’t know what to do. I felt torn: I knew selling a course of purpose finding COULD help people right now. But, equally, I didn’t need the money. I could get by.

For the first week or two of lockdown, I was anxious, I let myself be consumed by my empathy.

Every death, every infection felt like a fresh wound. I hated that I couldn’t do more.

‘Tea with Gary Vee’ is an amazing weekday Q&A Facebook Live session with marketing expert and entrepreneur, Gary Vaynerchuck. I watch every episode. And then listen again when they get released on his podcast!

And then I realised something: Gary was one of the only entrepreneurs in my socials to agree with my ethos… don’t sell unless you need to right now.

I sat pondering the ways I could help people.

I stepped up my podcast to two episodes a week, but that didn’t feel direct enough.

Then, a beautiful friend of mine at The Makery a crafting and events business, in my home town created a free medical scrubs pattern.

I doubted myself as being capable of this. I questioned whether I should stick to podcasting and leave the sewing to the experts.

Then I heard Gary’s voice in my head, his frequent reminders of the dangers of imposter syndrome, the perils of worrying what others would think, the pitfalls of constantly telling myself, “I’m not good enough”.

I’ve purchased over £500 of fabric, threads and sewing notions. So far.

I’ve orders for over 25 sets of scrubs from local health and social care workers, along with over 50 requests for scrubs laundry bags.

People trust me because I use brand new fabric – which I wash twice, and even label the bags with the date items were sealed inside.

It may be a totally free service, but I refuse to cut corners.

The only sad thing?

That collection is faceless. Their sealed parcels sit in a plastic box on my doorstep.

I don’t get to see the gratitude firsthand. But the messages and photos afterwards tell me all I need.

I am helping.

I am making a difference.

And I wouldn’t be able to help in this way, if I’d not been listening to Gary Vee’s daily tea time on FB Live. It’s literally lifesaving – not my life, but potentially the lives of all those I sew for, their patients, their families.