Do you have *any* kind of backup plan?

Ever had one of those days when everything seems to go wrong from the minute you step out of bed? Yesterday was that day for me.

I woke up with my back in a knot, I think all of my clients were conspiring against me to lose their mind at the same time, and just after lunch my internet went out.

Thankfully, the internet came back quickly — but there was a minute there I was in a bit of a panic. What if it hadn’t come back on… not just for a day, but longer?

Let’s face it; shit happens.

That’s why I wanted to spend a little time this week talking about something that’s crucial for your business, but often overlooked — contingency planning.

We regularly see posts in the group asking about people’s “hit by a bus plan”, but there are a lot of things that can go wrong that aren’t quite that catastrophic.

And while we can’t predict the future — I do think it’s worth it to have some sort of plan for when shit hits the fan.

Here are a few things I’m trying to map out (and when I say “map out” — I’m not getting extremely granular with my plans, more like a general overview of next steps and things to remember when I’m in the initial states of panic):

Extended Absence: Imagine tomorrow you, or someone vital to the team, was suddenly unavailable for a month. How would you adjust projects, make sure routines are handled, and clients are notified?

Technology Failure: Our businesses rely on technology — and most of it is out of our control. From data breaches to servers literally catching on fire, our digital world has to endure risks from a lot of angles. What steps do you take if any of the mission-critical technology in your stack goes off grid?

Financial Loss: While it might be great to avoid “whale clients” in theory, many businesses find themselves in a place where one client makes up a significant proportion of income. What happens if that client leaves? Or, let’s say a entire income stream dries up — what then?

Legal/Compliance Issues: Our industry has been relatively free from oversight, but that is changing. Who do you call if you get a non-compliance letter in the mail — or worse, notice of a lawsuit?

I know — Kyle’s a total bummer today 😅 I’m sorry!

But this isn’t about being all doom and gloom — it’s about preparing so your business can continue to thrive no matter what. And, to be honest, thinking some of these things through has given me some sense of peace of mind knowing I’m prepared to pivot.

It doesn’t mean I have all the answers — I certainly don’t — but I won’t have to start from ground-zero.

If it all feels a bit overwhelming, you can start small. Identify the most probable risk to your business and devise a simple “pivot plan”. Leave yourself a list of next steps and things to consider. Should one of these situations every arise, having any kind of plan is going to make a significant difference in how you persevere.