The last four months have been particularly interesting for this young lady who was forced home to work and help educate her daughter while her first-responder husband went to the pandemic’s frontlines.
Since mid-March, that tells the story of each day in the life of Colleen Touvelle, the marketing director for The Glessner Group in Elm Grove. While W.Va. Jim Justice’s stay-at-home order remained in place, that’s what she and her daughter did except for Mom’s trips to the stores for survival supplies.
School work. Work-work. Repeat.
Days turned into marathons on both ends while navigating what was referred to as, “the new normal,” and when her husband, Eric, would return to the homestead following a firefighter shift, safety was paramount.
Clean. Wash hands. Wear a mask. Clean again. Repeat … again and again.
Touvelle also has prepared herself for what the coronavirus brings with it come Sept. 8, when her daughter is scheduled to return to the classroom. Remote and packet learning were immediately implemented by Ohio County Schools to complete the semester, and now the district’s administrators are in the process of structuring how public education will be offered at the beginning of the 2020-21 academic year.
What is the difference between marketing a business and branding a business?
In order to market your business, you must have branding. Although your logo, colors and website design play a huge part in branding, it goes much deeper than that. Branding is your personality and message. It is the experience customers have. It’s who you are as a business.
Marketing is using your brand to promote your business, whether it be an ad, Facebook page, brochure, billboard, TV commercial, sponsoring an event, or a story on LEDE News. These are all ways to market your business and communicate your brand to the public.
What media markets are the most important to you when promoting The Glessner Group in Elm Grove?
The Glessner Group is such a unique business. It is the only business in the area that offers Tax/Accounting, Insurance and Investment services all under one roof. Since the need for this type of service is so great, we not only advertise in Wheeling, but also in the Weirton, Steubenville and St. Clairsville areas as well.
Although we focus our advertising in those zones, we maintain a variety of clients from New Martinsville, to Morgantown to the Pittsburgh region.
What has proved most difficult for you and your family during the coronavirus pandemic?
A couple of things have been challenging. Not being able to see our families in the beginning was very hard. Also, my husband, Eric, is a first responder on the Wheeling Fire Department, so there is always that worry of him being exposed to the virus and then bringing that home to me and our daughter.
On top of that, my mother is a two-time breast cancer survivor, so her immune system is compromised. We really have to be careful because she helps watch our daughter, Paige, when Eric and I are working.
If there comes a time where we need to limit that exposure with both of my parents out of precaution, then I will stay home with Paige and work from home. Gary, Brett and Steve have been very accommodating with all of the employees here at The Glessner Group.
What are your feelings about sending your daughter back to school for the beginning of the 2020-21 academic year?
I am very hesitant to send Paige back to school so soon. It doesn’t seem like there has been much research conducted, nor has enough time passed, to truly know how the virus affects children long-term. While I know that sending them back is the only way to find out these effects, it feels like we’re sending them in as guinea pigs. Since vaccinations are a requirement for all children to attend school, I would feel much safer sending her back when there is some type of vaccine or treatment.
Are you worried about your husband when he is working for the Wheeling Fire Department? Why or why not?
Yes and no. His job requires him to be in very dangerous situations. He goes into work not knowing what the day will bring, and that makes me feel very uneasy. The worst is when he gets a call on his day off and in the middle of the night. It is very hard to go back to sleep after that call.
But, at the same time, I know he is in good hands with his fellow brothers and sister on the dept. They are family and always look out for one another. It is extremely scary to know that your husband would risk his life to save another, but my heart is filled with so much pride.
