Mind Your Business

The recent eruption of Iceland's Eyjafjallajokull volcano got me thinking. It first got me thinking about what a weird name that Eyjafjallajokull is. Then it got me thinking about the only thing I know about Iceland, which is the singer, Bjork (who is also very weird). Then it got me thinking by that logic Iceland must be a weird place. (Seriously, this is how my mind functions) But THEN I got to thinking about how the ash fallout has caused complete travel chaos in northern Europe. The flight cancellations alone cost British Airways $16.04 million dollars per day. And that's just the airline industry. According to MSNBC, this is the worst air interruption since 9/11 as many countries near Iceland have closed or heavily restricted their airspace. Also hard hit are train companies, the hospitality industry and car rental outlets. For more information on this story, visit MSNBC by clicking here.

So, what does this mean for you? Probably nothing, but it does spring to mind that we have several volcanoes in our state, some that are prone to belching hot ash on occasion. If you are a business owner, or if you work for a small business, it is necessary to have a solid business continuity plan. The sad statistic is that nearly half of all businesses that must unexpectedly close for more than three days, never re-open. It doesn't have to be that way. There are many options in preparing for unexpected closures and business slow-downs due to unforeseen emergencies (i.e. extended power outage, snow, flood, etc). Many businesses chose to purchase business interruption insurance. This is the best way to keep your business afloat during an unexpected event. Even if you are not a business owner, an unexpected closure due to an emergency still affects you. If you are an employee of a small business, it may be prudent to talk to your employer about their emergency plans. If they go out of business, that means you are out of a job. In case you hadn't noticed, this isn't the opportune time to be unemployed.

There are many templates available to help you create a successful business continuity plan on your own. (http://www.ready.gov/ has a good one) However, if this is all too much for you, you are in luck. The Cowlitz Wahkiakum Council of Governments, Cowlitz Economic Development Council and the Small Business Development Council are here to help. For more information on individualized help on business continuity plans in case of disaster, please contact Jennifer Keene at Council of Governments at 577-3041 or jkeene@cwcog.org. Don't let your business become a statistic!