How to Prepare Your Business for Death, Disability or Disaster
Do you have a plan for death, disability or disaster in your business?
God is not a rabbit’s foot. He expects you to be a good steward of what he has entrusted to you. That means preparing for potential business interruptions. Jesus confronted this in Luke 12:13-14:
“Someone in the crowd said to him, ‘Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.’ Jesus replied, ‘Man who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?”
Death
They were a wonderful young couple with a thriving business, four kids, and leaders in their church. But that did not protect them from the plane crash that claimed their lives. The children and business were left in disarray. No will. No business succession plan. While matters ultimately resolved the emotional cost to the children and financial cost to the business were extreme.
Disability
He owned a successful construction business. Young and strong, he did not foresee the drunk driver that would leave him paralyzed. While in the hospital his workers did not know what to do. There were no documented systems in place, passwords were not known, and the business suffered significantly as a result. Make certain others are trained to step in for key employees in your business.
Disaster
I just started a new business. With the enthusiasm of an entrepreneur I was up early working on my laptop. My two year old son came bounding down the stairs and jumped in my lap. “Daddy, my head hurts,” he said just before throwing up on my laptop. You should see what stomach acid can do to a laptop.
I failed to back up my information, except financial. No business interruption insurance. I failed to review my policy. Apparently if my laptop had been hit by a meteorite it would have been covered, but not from kid vomit.
That disaster was small compared to a major fire, tornado, flood or other catastrophic event. Every business must have disaster plans for safety, data, and business continuity.
CBF has a series of teachings in the library on this topic with helpful questions and assessment tools. Watch the teaching, take the assessment and review with your CAB group. Failing to plan really is planning to fail.
