Prevent Your Startup From Folding After Disaster

Early on in the life of a startup, most decision makers place their focus on building up revenue and promotion. Backing up data and a disaster recovery plan are two priorities that are often overlooked, but taking these precautions could potentially save your startup and prevent you from losing your mind after a catastrophe.

Test it

So where do you start? The first step should be to develop a plan, and then test it. According to entrepreneur.com, about 23 percent of companies with action plans don’t test and never have. It’s almost impossible to anticipate what might go wrong and what may need to be fixed or update before a disaster. Testing gives you these insights from one simple exercise.

Ensure that new and seasoned employees are trained on your plans and know what to do during an event, especially if customers frequent your establishment. And entreprenuer.com suggests keeping a battery-operated radio nearby just in case.

Back it up

Backing up your vital information seems like a no-brainer if you’d like to keep it. Most enterprises are unable to function without client information and other documentation.

Taking the time to back up your data provides invaluable savings if you’re ever affected by an outage, hack or other disaster.

Entreprenuer.com cited a ransomware hack on Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center that happened in February of 2016 to highlight the importance of backing up. The hospital had to pay hackers about $17,000 in bitcoin to restore their health data, email and more.

Inspecting after the fact

While some damage may be impossible to miss, some of it may go undetected and cause serious issues later. Be sure to check and double check everything, as about a quarter of small businesses do not make it after a disaster, according to entrepreneur.com.

Consider a property restoration provider

In the event of an outage, a property restoration provider can supply you with temporary power, asset protection and help prevent additional damage. Consider taking a look at the players in the space and asking questions like are you IICRC– or BOMA-certified? What is your average response time? And do you have a customer service representative available 24/7?

Don’t let an unexpected crisis or disaster close your doors. A little preparation can go a very long way for your business.

If you still need more information, download our Backup and Disaster Recovery Buyer’s Guide that features an overview of the market, vendor profiles and more.

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