This week I was recently reminded how unpredictable business can be.

One of the members of my group coaching programme, The Impact Retail Success Club, had quite the challenge - a road closure after a large artic crashed into a neighbouring building.

The centre of the village was brought to a standstill.

This was a disaster.

In just one day, footfall in their butcher shop dropped by over 100 customers

Suddenly, they were faced with a very real threat to their livelihood.

But instead of panicking, we turned this challenge into an opportunity.

An opportunity to take action.

Together, the group brainstormed ways to keep their business thriving, despite the chaos.

And, as a result, ‘Operation Protect’ was born.

I decided to compile a disaster plan for the group.

But what struck me was, all too often we wait until disaster strikes, before we think about how to protect our businesses.

But why wait?

Being proactive in your business can mean the difference between weathering the storm and being swept away by it.

In this case, the strategies we came up with ranged from ramping up delivery services and setting up pop-up shops to harnessing the power of social media and local collaborations.

And that’s just scratching the surface!

These are the types of solutions we regularly discuss in our coaching group - real-world, actionable strategies tailored to the challenges you face.

So, I’ll leave you with a question: How prepared are you to protect your business from the unexpected?

Whether it’s a road closure or a sudden change in market conditions, having a plan in place can make all the difference.

Something to think about.

Have a great week.

Mark