Is your business truly prepared for an emergency? Let's be real mergencies can happen at any moment and they can last anywhere from a few weeks to several months. We never know what tomorrow will bring, which is why having a solid backup system and emergency preparedness plan is not just important, but it's absolutely essential in order for your business to survive, and that's why we're going to revisit this core system again, because you cannot keep ignoring the need for business risk management.

Welcome to the Mind Your Time podcast. I'm Shannon Baker, your coffee loving host and business strategist. Each week, I will share practical insights and bold strategies for six figure entrepreneurs looking to clean up their back office and create streamlined systems strategist. Each week, I will share practical insights and bold strategies for six-figure entrepreneurs looking to clean up their back office and create streamlined systems. The weekly episodes will help you take control of your time, scale your business and create success on your own terms. So grab your cup of coffee or your favorite beverage and let's dive into today's topic.

So today we're going to really get into a topic that is often overlooked by many entrepreneurs, and that's business risk management. And this isn't just another system to check off your list, because it's one of the six core systems that you need, but it's really the lifeline of your business survival. With an effective backup system and emergency preparedness plan, not only do you protect your business, but you are empowering yourself to tackle unexpected challenges head-on because, let's be real, you're going to have to deal with them. But when you have a plan in place that you can execute, you can stay focused on your business growth and the opportunities that come your way, because you know you've got that plan in place and you can weather any storm that comes your way. So look, when you run a business and that's whether you're just starting out or you've been in the game for years it is very easy to get caught in the weeds where you're focusing only on the day-to-day operations. But guess what that means? You're missing a crucial system if you don't have a backup system, and part of that system is an emergency plan.

Part of that system is an emergency plan, and I'm talking about more than you just experiencing a minor hiccup that requires you to really focus on it for a day or two. I'm talking about something that causes a significant interruption to your life and your business. It can impact your ability to keep your business running Things like major power outages, you wake up sick, your mate wakes up sick, a kid wakes up sick, or you go through a serious health crisis, experience a natural disaster or even a cyber attack. I mean, the list goes on and on and on. Pay attention to this.

According to the Small Business Association and FEMA, almost 43% of small businesses do not reopen after major disasters and within two years, an additional 29% go out of business. This is exactly why business risk management is vital. You have to plan for emergencies before they happen so you can minimize the impact that they have on your business operations. So you can minimize the impact that they have on your business operations. This means you need to take the time to identify any potential vulnerabilities that exist in the way your business is currently set up. So, when you create a backup plan and an emergency preparedness plan, yes, they are separate. This will help your business not just survive but thrive.

And that's even if you're not around, because life can change quickly and unexpected events can have lasting, sometimes even devastating effects. But when they do happen, let's be real it's hard to think clearly or make sound decisions, which is why they say don't make decisions when you're in an emotional state make sound decisions, which is why they say don't make decisions when you're in an emotional state. So, while your mind is clear, you need to prepare your business for the unexpected. You don't want a personal crisis, whether it's yours or one of your team members. If you have a team to trigger a domino effect that spirals into a serious business crisis and possibly makes you close your doors. When an emergency strikes, your business is, nine times out of ten, the last thing that you're thinking about. You may not even have the mental space to manage it, and some emergencies might leave you in a position where you can't communicate. I call this and I say this in air quotes the hit by a bus scenario. But when you have a documented emergency plan, someone that you've designated in advance can quickly execute your plan, which ensures your business continues to operate even without you. Think of this plan as break the glass protocol. Without it, you risk facing severe consequences like losing important data, losing clients or even having your business shut down completely. So now that we know how important it is, let's talk about how you can create an emergency plan.

Well, the first thing you need to do is audit your current operations. This is critical so that you can identify where your business operations have vulnerabilities. In fact, it's one of the first resources I direct all members to take advantage of when they join a Mighty Society membership is the BizOps checklist. It's designed to help you identify gaps in your operations quickly that could leave your business exposed. Once you have that information, you need to make sure that your critical business systems are well documented. That means having your standard operating procedures, or your SOPs in place so that anyone can follow them if they need to take over specific tasks. Not only does this help you in case of an emergency, but this is a key piece that you need if you decide you want to of an emergency, but this is a key piece that you need if you decide you want to start delegating. The first choice that most business owners make is to delegate to a virtual assistant.

So, whether it's managing your client communications, handling payments in or out of your business, maintaining your marketing, whatever it is, in relation to your business operations, in relation to your business operations, sops are critical, but you also have to think about where you're storing important documents. Are they just saved on your hard drive? What happens if that crashes? Now, if you need more guidance on creating or even cleaning up your digital filing system, then be sure to listen to the previous episode that I did Transforming Frustrating Chaos with a Game-Changing Filing System because I give you practical tips on how to organize your documents. After all, it is one of the six core systems that every business needs in place. I'm going to put a link to that in the show notes, and I can't stress this enough Do not store essential business documents on your hard drive.

Really, don't store much of anything on your hard drive. Save yourself some space. Why? Because not only does that mean that you're the only one that can access that information, but you will lose everything if your hard drive crashes. I've had that happen to me twice, but what saved me from losing years of work was having everything stored in the cloud, in either Google Drive or Dropbox. And again, if you plan to hire a virtual assistant or anyone else in the future to build your dream team, they need to have access to those files too, so they can complete their work without you being a bottleneck, because a document that they need is sitting on your hard drive and they have to wait for you to get it to them. So here are a few examples.

What if you start working with a graphic designer? They ask you for your branding information and you have no idea where it is. Well, guess what? That is a problem. But when you take the time to create a comprehensive backup system, including your digital files, and you have an emergency preparedness plan, this also ensures that your business is ready for the unexpected. But you don't want to wait until it's too late. That's why the time to get prepared or get this in place is now, and here's another area that a lot of business owners don't think about. You need a backup process for your website and your blog content.

Let me tell you, I have had my email and my website hacked and it was not fun getting it cleaned up, but it was easier than for most people because I had clean backups. My website was able to be restored without me losing any of the content. A website was able to be restored without me losing any of the content. Same goes for your files. If you don't back this stuff up, you do not have a safety net. The same goes for contacts in your CRM, where you manage all your leads, client information, etc. So I always recommend downloading a list of your email subscribers at least once a quarter, but no less than twice a year. So you have that information in case you need to break the glass. That way, also, if you have to parachute from the email marketing platform that you're using, for whatever the reason may be, you have your data. And let's not forget about your team.

Especially as you start outsourcing, you have to have a plan B for the people. For example, if you have a virtual assistant that handles major tasks like sorting your inbox, responding to some basic messages, client follow-ups, what happens when they're on vacation? Your business operations should not come to a halt, or I should say, your business communication should not come to a halt because they're out. So you have to identify what your backup process is in advance. Is there someone else who can manage those tasks while they're away, or do you need to adjust your schedule to cover those tasks until they return? Document that entire process.

Your backup plan works hand in hand also with your emergency preparedness plan. You can't have one without the other. They're like peanut butter and jelly. They're essential for your business to run smoothly during those times when you've got to step away, and I suggest creating a hard copy notebook. Yes, that's what I said notebook for your emergency preparedness plan. So you need a digital copy and a hard copy. That way, if necessary, the binder can be retrieved and put into play without someone having to log into any systems at all. Yes, this may be surprising, because I'm a huge proponent of digital files, but you never know when you might need important information printed on good, old-fashioned paper. So make sure your binder is also stored in a location that can be easily accessed and is visible so they can get to it.

That plan should include all the details that someone needs to keep your company in operation while you're away, and you need to create a specific process that outlines immediate actions that need to be taken in your absence. This includes notifying your clients and your dream team, if you have one. They should know exactly what steps to take in case of an emergency, and you have to have this in case of emergency conversation with your team ahead of time so they know what to do. Now, who else needs to know about this emergency preparedness plan? Well, if you're married, obviously your spouse. Why? Because they may be the one that needs to grab the notebook. That doesn't mean they need to execute, but they need to know that it exists, but I highly recommend you establish at least one biz bestie, someone that you can trust with the keys to the kingdom. Their contact information needs to be included in the plan and your spouse needs to know who that person is. Having one point of contact means one single phone call can be made and they can step in and take action executing your plan. Now, while they can't do everything that you would do, they can notify your clients of the situation. They can postpone meetings on your calendar. They can respond to emails as necessary according to your emergency plan. And again, this conversation needs to happen before this designated person needs to step in for you. So give them access to your SOPs ahead of time, let them know where to find your emergency preparedness binder and establish mutual understanding about their role if they're the person that you're going to need to step in for you.

Once this plan is in place, you also need to test it with your main point of contact and see how well it is likely to perform in case of emergency. You don't want to find out when an emergency happens at your plan. It just doesn't work. So think about what will cause the most disruption and what is most likely to happen. So make sure your plan covers each of those risks. Make phone calls to verify that the key contacts and phone numbers that you have are correct. No one wants the worst thing to happen. Let's just be real. But life happens and we can't control that. And my point is being prepared makes the unexpected more manageable and reduces downtime. Your emergency preparedness plan can keep things running until you return to the office. This allows you to continue generating income, which definitely provides peace of mind when you're dealing with a crisis.

One more thing I do not want you to forget Once you get this plan in place and you have tested it, you need to keep it updated. You can't create it and forget it. If the information in your plan is out of date, it basically it's a worthless reference. So you have to review it at least once a year, especially any contact information. Make sure phone numbers and email addresses that you have in your plan are current. But guess what? Your business isn't the only thing that needs to be ready for the unexpected. As a solopreneur, you're wearing a lot of hats, so having a plan in place for your personal life is just as important. And let me correct that statement. It's not just for solopreneurs. If you own a business, you have a personal life. You need to be prepared just in case.

So I'm going to share a personal story with you that illustrates this point. When my mother-in-law passed away very unexpectedly, I was a little bit of a kid. Her sons had to scramble to find important information like banking details, account logins, even account information, retirement banking, all that stuff. It was so stressful, so it made an already difficult situation even harder. None of her paperwork was organized and it took weeks to pull everything together, get accounts updated, take care of all of those things that you have to do after someone passes away. For me, that experience was a wake-up call. I realized how crucial it is to have a system in place for my personal life, just like I do for my business. So I looked for a solution, and I found one. Now I have Knockbox, and Knock stands for next of kin next of kin Now.

Personally, I purchased the light kit, but it's a simple yet powerful tool that helps you organize all the important parts of your life in case of an emergency. Now let me tell you this this knockbox light kit comes with 14 labeled folders in it. There are 66 categories that cover everything from your financial accounts to your estate plans and your personal possessions. There's a protective bag for important documents and key tags for like spare keys for your home, vehicle, rental property, like all those things you have keys for. And the best part, each section has clear instructions so that whoever or your next of kin who is managing your affairs knows exactly what to do without having to dig through endless piles of paper.

The best part about it this wasn't just about preparing for a worst case scenario. It's about making life easier for your loved ones. After the fact, having all of this information organized means that if an emergency occurs, they won't be left guessing where to find things or how to manage your affairs. So if you want to ensure everything is easy to find and handle, the Nokbox Light Kit is invaluable. There are several options, but I found that was the best one for me. Why? Because it's not just about me. It's actually a gift of peace of mind for our loved ones. I'm going to put a link to that in the show notes if you'd like to check it out and learn more, and it is my affiliate link. I'll be transparent about that up front.

But now that we've talked about both the business and the personal sides of emergency planning. I want to encourage you to take action today, whether you start with auditing your business operations or begin with organizing your personal documents. The most important thing is, you got to start somewhere, and these plans don't have to be perfect right away, but just take small steps. This will be a blessing not just for you, but also for your loved ones, and save everyone a lot of stress later. Remember, if you're a member of the MY-T Society membership, you have access not just to the BizOps checklist, but a lot of other valuable resources that are designed to help you create effective systems in your business. There's step-by-step guides that will help you streamline your operations and more, and I cannot stress enough about how essential that Nokbox light kit is for your personal emergency preparedness. It's a powerful tool that can help you organize all those important parts of your life in case of emergency, and you don't have to think about it. Having everything in one place not only gives you peace of mind, but it makes it easier for your loved ones to manage things for you doing in crisis. So now is the time for you to grab a copy for yourself Now if you have questions about implementing any of these tips or strategies or utilizing the resources in the membership that I mentioned or that are in there in general, please don't hesitate to reach out.

I'm here to support you as you navigate this process. Your peace of mind is worth the effort. So I want you to take the first step with me. But let's do a quick recap. A business risk management plan is essential to make sure that your business can keep running no matter what life throws your way, so you need to audit your operations, create a backup system for your data. You need to audit your operations, create a backup system for your data, ensure your key processes are well documented and in place and that you have an emergency preparedness plan in place, not just for your business, but also in your personal life, and that's where having a tool like the Nokbox Light Kit can make all the difference for your loved ones during an emergency. So again, don't wait until it's too late to start planning. Whether you start on your business or your personal life first, make sure you just have that backup plan and emergency preparedness plan in place. It is one of the smartest decisions that you can ever make.

Thank you for tuning in this week. Remember, just listening to this episode will not get you better results. So I challenge you to break the mold and take action today. If you're unsure where to start, book a call with me to get your questions answered about the MY-T Society membership or anything else that I mentioned. A link to my calendar is in the show notes.

Not ready to take that step yet? No problem, be sure to connect with me on Instagram, at the underscore Shannon Baker. You can ask me your questions there, or let me know that you enjoyed the episode by taking a screenshot, sharing it and tagging me Now. If you haven't already grabbed my free audio masterclass, why don't you just start there? It's a great first step to assess your back office on your own, and this masterclass provides valuable insights and practical steps to help you organize your processes, reduce chaos and improve efficiency. Go to theshannonbakercom/ audio masterclass Now. If you haven't left a review for the podcast yet, please do so. I would love to hear from you, and it's an easy way to show some love to the podcast and help me reach more small business owners who are ready to defy the status quo. I can't wait to hear from you. So until next time, keep calm and streamline.