Being Prepared as a Business Owner: Because Life Happens

I live in rural Oregon. No buses, no crowds, and honestly… getting hit by a bus seems unlikely. But here’s the thing: it doesn’t take a bus to disrupt a business. Illness, accidents, family emergencies, power outages, tech crashes—a thousand things could happen. And if they do, who’s going to pick up the pieces?

When I started out, I ran my business from memory. No calendar, no project lists, no password book. It worked… until it didn’t. I realized that being unprepared doesn’t just stress me out—it risks letting down clients, delaying projects, and losing trust I’ve worked hard to build.

Now, being prepared looks very different. It’s not about obsessing over every “what if.” It’s about creating systems so your business can keep running—no matter what. Here’s what I do:

My Business Preparedness Checklist:

• Project & Progress Tracking: Every job has a clear status, deadlines, and next steps. Anyone stepping in can see exactly where things stand.
  
• Client Communication Plan: Contacts, preferences, and instructions for who reaches out if I can’t. Paid services in progress? Covered.
  
• Emergency Backups: Files, documents, and passwords stored safely online and accessible when needed.
  
• Step-by-Step Procedures: From how work gets done to where resources are stored, nothing is left to memory.
  
• Regular Updates: Check-ins to keep everything current and avoid surprises.
  

Being prepared doesn’t mean overthinking every disaster—it means protecting your business, your clients, and your peace of mind.

I still probably won’t get hit by a bus tomorrow. But if life throws me a curveball, I know my business will keep moving. And that’s worth more than any calendar reminder or sticky note ever could.