The best way to reduce business interruption following a disaster is to plan for it now. As many as 50% of businesses may never recover following a disaster, according to the latest industry research. Of the businesses that survive, the overwhelming majority of them had a preparedness plan in place. Pre-planning can serve as an insurance policy aimed at peace of mind. Planning ahead speaks trust to your clients and your employees.  Knowing what to do and what to expect in advance is the key to timely mitigation and can help minimize how water and fire damage can affect your business.
 
Are You Ready?
Many businesses have an emergency contingency plan in place, but few have a plan back into buildings following a disaster.  It is estimated that 95% of disasters affecting regular business operations are internal or man-made, such as fire or internal flooding.  With the proper planning, you can better recover from disasters after they occur.
 
Consider a plan post-disaster to help you recover. This is a vital component of any pre-existing contingency plan. Here are a few check points:

• A concise profile document that contains only the critical information needed in the event of an emergency. This could include structural information or special instructions. It will only take a little time to complete, and will save a lot of time if ever needed. 
• A guide to help you get back into your building following a disaster. This can help minimize the amount of time your business is inactive by having an immediate plan of action.
• Establish your local disaster mitigation and restoration provider.

• Identify the line of command for authorizing work to begin. This saves time to begin the work of mitigating the damage which can save you time and money.
• Facility details such as shut-off valve locations, priority areas and priority contact information. Having a quick reference of what to do, how to do it and who to call provides solutions in advance.

 
Think about the potential disasters that could affect your facility.  Now ask yourself this question:
 
ARE YOU READY?
To find out more about the Emergency Ready Profile offered by SERVPRO of Naples/Marco Island contact Deborah Drotar. The Emergency Ready Profile is a start up approach that provides critical information needed to begin mitigation and recovery services.

SERVPRO of Naples/Marco Island independently owned and operated Franchises have been helping business owners recover from disasters for over 40 years… The Experience You Need! Trusted by Insurance companies across America.  Over 1700 Franchise locations in all 50 states, specializing in fire water mold clean up and Restoration, we are faster to any disaster. 

If you are a Chamber member and interested in writing for the blog as an expert in your field contact madeline@napleschamber.org

2018 is in the home stretch. This is the time for looking back at the year that was and ahead at what we’d like for the year to come.
 
The three principles of Authentic Communication can guide your review of 2018 and your visioning for 2019. Here’s how:
 
BE
The foundation for all clear, consistent and effective communication is self-awareness. It’s also key to running your team or business.
 
Take an inventory of your activities for the year. Go through your calendar, your email, your balance sheet. Spend a morning making a comprehensive list of everything you accomplished in 2018.
 
Celebrating your achievements helps cultivate a non-judgmental understanding of yourself and your business and will energize you for 2019.
 
LISTEN
Good communication requires good listening. And a year-end review needs it, too.
 
Pull together a list of people you trust from your various audiences: customers, suppliers, partners, industry colleagues, team members and managers. Throw your net wide, and choose people who will give you honest feedback. Then ask for it.
 
Send out an email requesting frank answers to these questions:

• What do I (or we) do well – maybe better than anyone else you know?
• Where do I (or we) consistently slip up?
• Where do I (or we) fall short of what I say I am? (or we say we are?)

 
If that feels risky, it’s because it is. That’s why we start with getting solid in what went right.
 
Listening this way takes courage, and it’s worth it. It helps you identify the real gaps your 2019 business strategy needs to fill – the ones that affect the relationships your business is built on.
 
ACT
Grounded in self-awareness and insightful feedback, you’re ready to set your sights on 2019. It’s time for mindful action.
 
There are a variety of tools that can help with visioning for your business (like SMART Goals, OKRs and Golden Circle). Choose one that works for you and fully engage your team in deploying it. Create a safe container to call forward your team’s most innovative thinking. Then make clear, effective agreements about who will do what in the coming year.
 
Apply the principles of Authentic Communication – BE, LISTEN, ACT – to celebrate 2018, listen for your greatest opportunities, and prepare for a stellar 2019.
 
Want to share your experience or get more information? Please contact me. I’d be delighted to exchange ideas with you.

Hey there! Victoria here from Clean and Sassy. As a small business owner I've created a personalized office space to encourage effectiveness, collaboration and idea generation. An office can impact yourself and your employees' performance, mood and efficiency. In fact, "Research by Exeter University’s School of Psychology found that employees who have control over the design and layout of their workspace are not only happier and healthier -- they’re also up to 32% more productive." So, in honor of Spring Cleaning, I'm sharing all things inspirational to help promote productivity in the office whether you're at home or in a business setting.  ​

"Wherever you are, be all there!"
​
In the days I spent working in a professional office,  I always had to bring a touch of who I am to work because it helped me get through the day and more importantly, it made me want to be there. It's certainly not easy if you can't surround yourself with the things you love. Daily reminders are a reflection of your productivity, attitude and well being. Remember the saying, "A picture is worth a thousand words!?" It's also something very simple yet, makes a huge difference. Add your favorite photos to your desk if you can. I wasn't able to bring photos of my family but I printed out a saying like this and tacked it on the board in our office.

Anything to make you smile deserves to be there.  The littlest things will do that.