Fight or flight: Rolled sleeves, dirty hands and well-worn bootstraps

Editor's note: These stories are part of a national Special Report from The Business Journals: Small Business, Big Mission. To many entrepreneurs, the prospect of taking on debt is anathema to the independence and peace of mind they need to run their businesses. Many resisted the lure of federal support — namely, disaster relief loans and conditional debt offered through the Paycheck Protection Program — even as the pandemic eviscerated their revenue and cash reserves. Rather, they relied on…