Every small business faces moments that test its endurance, but nothing shakes retail quite like unexpected global or economic crises.

For Norvell Tolbert, owner of Norvell’s Photography, a studio in Oak Park, Illinois that specializes in professional headshots and corporate event photography, keeping his retail business open meant pivoting, saving smart, and putting customer care at the heart of everything.

Read on to learn about his real-life journey, which offers seven practical, tested strategies to help retail owners navigate tough times and emerge stronger.