| Hope for the best, plan for the worst is | | | | up solution. In some cases, having multiple |
| something that one of my old mentor always | | | | franchises becomes a families overall focus. |
| shared with me. | | | | Long Term Loss of Power. Just ask anyone in the |
| That's good stewardship. All you need to do is | | | | Houston/Galveston area who went without power |
| read the paper, follow the news on the web, | | | | for three or more weeks after Hurricane Ike hit |
| television or radio to see the results of finances | | | | last month. How did that affect their ability to |
| and nature running havoc in communities both | | | | provide service? Your power loss does not have |
| here in the US and abroad. Whether from bank | | | | to be measured in weeks. It only takes hours to |
| failures, layoff's, earthquake, hurricane, tornado, | | | | spoil food, or overheat without air conditioning; in |
| fire or flood, the cost is high, both to communities | | | | just minutes you can lose your computers and its |
| and the businesses that serve them. | | | | memory. We are so tied up in the electric grid |
| As we can see natural disasters aren't the only | | | | that even a short power off situation can be |
| kind of unpredictable disaster that can occur; just | | | | critical. With predictions of rolling brownouts and |
| look at the financial crisis now sweeping the globe. | | | | blackouts in urban areas rife, what's your plan? |
| I've had emails from many small business owners | | | | Flood--from above or below. While your insurance |
| who often (like many small businesses) borrow to | | | | (hopefully) will make you whole if your roof leaks |
| make payroll, and their lines of credit have been | | | | or the proverbial creek rises, it won't replace your |
| reduced or canceled in recent weeks asking what | | | | data, or your key historical or legal documents. |
| they should do, where should they go? Is that a | | | | Use a safe deposit box for your key documents. |
| disaster? It meets my definition: sudden, sweeping | | | | Get your electronic data offside, all the time. Use |
| in its impact and unpredictable in its timing......thus, I | | | | one of the many low cost data backup plans that |
| think the financial mess qualifies. | | | | constantly back your information up to someplace |
| Do you have a disaster plan? Do you have | | | | else. I use Carbonite for my computers, but there |
| different forms of income that come from | | | | are many players in this field. Lots of businesses |
| different areas of the country? | | | | on the Gulf Coast backed up their data on disk, |
| I hope so. If you do, is it up-to-date? If you don't | | | | or a second server and felt secure. When their |
| have one - Why not? There are many tools | | | | entire building was destroyed, that security went |
| available to help you! Remember, the point of all | | | | with it. |
| disaster planning is to continue during and after a | | | | Fire. Fire doesn't have to consume a building to |
| disaster, or re-start as quickly as possible. | | | | ruin it. The smoke and water damage from the |
| The following are things you should consider in | | | | automatic sprinkler can make a building |
| your plan. Some of these probably aren't on your | | | | uninhabitable for weeks or months. Again, getting |
| watch list, but should be. | | | | key documents and data off site is crucial. |
| Sudden loss of income: What is your Plan B? Do | | | | Snow, Sleet, Ice: Here the issue can be the |
| you have multiple forms of income? I can't tell | | | | difficulty of getting to your work site, as well as |
| you how many people we have seen caught of | | | | power loss. Carefully consider the pressure |
| guard by being laid off, a medical issue or a family | | | | employees may feel to get to work in dangerous |
| emergency that had no fall back, no savings. | | | | conditions. If you can, have a backup plan to allow |
| They were living today borrowing from | | | | certain staff to work from home in very bad |
| tomorrow. So often they have no backup. | | | | weather. It's good for your staff, and it's a good |
| Today's headlines focus us on the same thing. | | | | move for the community at large: keep more |
| The US economy is hurting, we can't afford social | | | | people off the roads until things are safe. |
| security and banks and investors are far too | | | | Plan for the worst. Now. And then, hope for the |
| leveraged. | | | | best. But keep a careful eye on the financial |
| Here, the solution is four fold: Have a line of credit | | | | markets and the weather! |
| (if you don't, it may take a while in the current | | | | Disasters such as bank closures, job loss, medical |
| environment until someone will give you one), | | | | emergencies, hard disk crashes, viruses, |
| have a cutback spending plan, have some savings | | | | tornadoes, wildfires, floods, snow storms, thefts, |
| and have a separate business or another form of | | | | even spilled water or coffee can come at any |
| income. We suggest looking at a Personal | | | | time. |
| Franchise from the home a great plan b or back | | | | |