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Writer's pictureErika Andresen

Row, Row, Row Your Boat

Business owners who don't think you need business continuity: listen up. You are doing all the things you need to do to make your business a success. You have everything you need dialed in. And you have insurance! You are rowing that boat. Your ducks are in a row. Ehhhh...the water matters - how it is flowing and what's under the surface.


Don't fight the trends or the inevitabilities.


Like what? Cyber intrusions (mostly from your employees not being careful with phishing emails). Climate change increased the frequency and severity of storms. Blind trust in every vendor you use ("I don't have to worry about that, they have it under control." Are you sure? Even The Cloud gets taken down.). Putting your eggs all in one basket because you assume reliability outside your 4 walls is a thing you shouldn't do.


Row all you want, just row in the direction of the current. You'll be more successful in the end, get to the destination more quickly, and be less exhausted and a lot drier when you do.


Now think about ducks on a pond. Just floating on by. But are they? Underneath the water their feet are pedaling furiously. Why? Because things aren't going so smoothly.


Did you know disasters and disruptions happen every single day in emergency management? But they are small and become part of business as usual. Only the big ones make the headlines. Not every 911 call is an active shooter or 5-alarm fire, but people call 911 every day and every day first responders respond.


Same is true with your company's business as usual and it's most helpful when you know about them and are prepared for them...so your response is business as usual and you get to carry on, floating seamlessly on top of the water. I didn't say "effortlessly" because there is effort involved. Just not frantic effort.


Here is a statistic I hate to share. I hate it because it's a terrible statistic. In one of the most expensive years for disasters (2021 at over $20B), of the percentage of small businesses who survived, 46% have done nothing to prepare for the next one. Another bad statistic: 25% of small businesses that suffer a disaster or disruption will not open again. The odds for that 46% who aren't planning seem dim for next time. And there is always a next time.


What's the solution? Row with the current. See how fast the duck's feet are pedaling. You can always do something. Always. You just need to have someone tell you.




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