Ice Box External Hard Drive
10 Steps to Creating Your Business Plan Disaster smalll
I am a recent Hurricane Rita and evacuees survived the evacuation and the hurricane that followed. Running from a hurricane is not something that I had to do before, nor is it something I like to do ever again. However, as a business owner alone, I am grateful that I have a virtual business. The fact that I'm online and can operate from anywhere with no electricity and phone service was very helpful for me in this disaster and I helped to open my business at just 4 days after Hurricane Rita.
As solopreneur, what can you do to make your business disaster-proof? It seems we have an increasing number of hurricanes making landfall in the coastal states, and added that a growing number of other types of natural disasters such as tornadoes, earthquakes, forest fires, landslides, snowstorms, ice storms, etc. makes me think that there is no ideal location in which to operate a business. Now accepting that natural disasters are here to stay, this is what I learned from my hurricane evacuation that helped me get my business back up and running quickly:
1. Know the location of vital documents. You should be able to quickly put the following in a folder for you and your family, your license marriage, birth certificate, social security card, driver's license or state identification card, car title / mortgage and insurance information contact information, title, home / mortgage information and contact details of insurance, employee identification card, and the apartment rental or copy of a utility bill. In a disaster, you are asked to prove where you live and that you are who you claim are, especially when seeking health disaster.
2. Having a backup of all data on your computer. I back up my computer in two ways – for a portable external hard drive and as an online backup service. I can use my files, because they are my livelihood – I would be dead in the water without them – and I want to make absolutely no place losing my data. To my external backup, which uses a 30 GB portable drive made by Iomega, www.iomega.com, and to my online backup, I have 10 GB of space I should pay for the XDrive, www.xdrive.com.
3. Create a file with vital contact information. I copied a file with all my user names and access codes for websites, bank accounts, etc. to my USB flash drive (a key device in the chain-like with 512 MB or 1 GB of memory – I use a Lexar, www.lexar.com), as well as physical and email addresses and all telephone numbers of friends, clients and family members – anyone who needed to contact during the evacuation. You'll also want to have contacts along their children from school information to verify the current operating state school his son, as well as local media information website. My life-line for updated information about my hometown, it was through Beaumont Web sites of newspapers and television stations and radio. If you keep your contact information in Outlook and have a Yahoo account, Yahoo also has a function synchronization where you can sync all your Outlook information to your Yahoo. Learn more here: http://help.yahoo.com/help/intsync. All you need to access your information in Yahoo is a computer and know your username and password.
4. Learn the elementary office and computer equipment that will be needed to get your business started. I had operated with a minimum amount of my office equipment recently due to my being the home of a babysitter for a friend for two months. Therefore, to receive the mandatory evacuation order, I learned in a relatively short time to run my business, I needed my desktop PC, flat screen monitor, speakers, wireless mouse and keyboard, modem and associated cables, backup portable external hard drive, your office and associated cables, laptop, printer and scanner software box. Sounds like a great team, but I packed everything in two boxes UHaul (1 small and medium 1 box). I knew I could work at least two months in comfort with this computer only.
5. Primary paper files for its customers / business. I have 2 sets of files – From the immediate short term I use frequently and my lateral file drawer files are the main reference files. I grabbed the contents of two drawers 2 of my cabinet drawers (that store the files in my immediate short-term), all of which fit into a small UHaul box.
6. A backup plan phone. I was not sure what was going to do for phone service for my business because my clients are scattered throughout the U.S. and Canada. Only to be safe, I upgraded my cell phone plan, and had a prepaid calling card (purchased an AT & T card calling at Sam's, www.samsclub.com) at my disposal if needed. Luckily has, by my hotel that offers unlimited Internet access or long distance plan an additional $ 1.88 day, so I happily signed up for that, I save a fortune on telephone calls and Internet service fees.
7. A backup plan for access Internet. Since the restoration of supply to my house was estimated at 2-8 weeks, I had to find temporary accommodation. I looked for a hotel that offers access to high-speed Internet and was able to use their system for my Internet connection. However, once he found the hotel, also called the support of my ISP and found DSL Dial the local number for the area in which located. I never had to use dial-up service, but it was good information to have. If you have cable or DSL Internet, now is the time to find alternate plans for access to the Internet to get online if your cable or DSL access to be out of service. You should also know how to access your email online through your ISP if you do not have access to your computer. If your ISP does not offer a version of webmail, can use this free service charge, www.mail2web.com.
8. Adequate office supplies for a month. I threw in pens, pencils, post-it notes, a calculator, stamps, envelopes, tape, stapler, paper clips, notebooks, etc last me at least a month while I was out of my office. I used a bag portable plastic file in which to carry these items.
9. Summary of procedures for his office to help you operate independently or be able to delegate tasks. I have a lot of my information from my head to run my office, or have what you need stored in multiple files through my computer. As makes more sense for the future is to document all of my office procedures and equipment and customer information, so all you need is in one document. I can then upload this doc to my Yahoo account, my backup files, or take it with me in my USB flash drive. My colleague, Jean Hanson, has designed a great template, that prompts you to take into account and someone record everything you need to know to make your business running again. It is the Home Office Procedures Manual, available for purchase here: http://tinyurl.com/bagxs
10. Digital camera to record the event and / or damage to personal property registry. I wish I had a digital camera to record everything that I witnessed during my evacuation from Hurricane Rita. My sister took tons of photos, but I would have loved to have the same opportunity. More importantly, however, is the need for a digital camera to record the damage to your home and property. In a widespread disaster, it can be at least one month before your insurance adjuster will be able to assess the damage to your property. Meanwhile, however, you need to begin repairs, such as putting a tarp on the roof, boarding up broken windows, removing fallen trees from your home or yard, or cleaning your refrigerator of spoiled food. In many cases, your insurance covers repairs or replacement of food, but need the document carefully "before" stage to receive compensation for their loss.
Do not let a natural disaster destroy your business. Take some time to prepare your disaster plan preparation, and resume business as soon as possible!
About the Author
Online Business Coach Donna Gunter helps self-employed
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