Let’s be honest:
You’ve got a plan for your taxes.
Maybe a plan for hiring.
A plan for marketing.
But what happens when life throws a curveball at you?
What if you get sick?
What if a parent needs sudden care?
What if your kid has a health emergency, or burnout hits hard, or the unexpected just… shows up?
Here’s the truth no one tells small business owners:
You are the business, until you’re not.
And if there’s no plan for that?
Cash flow stops. Projects stall. Clients walk.
All while your inbox keeps piling up like nothing happened.This Isn’t Dramatic. It’s Real.
Over the last year, we’ve worked with clients who:
- Spent weeks in the hospital with zero financial backup plan
- Had no one else who knew how to access vendor accounts or send invoices
- Faced sudden health diagnoses and scrambled to “teach” someone how to run payroll
- Lost months of revenue—not because the work wasn’t there, but because they weren’t
What You Can Do—Now—To Safeguard Your Business (and Your Sanity)
1. Automate Where You Can, Document What You Must
- Who knows how to pay your vendors?
- Can someone else send an invoice if needed?
- Do you have a written SOP (standard operating procedure) for the basics?
Even a shared Google Doc or password manager could buy you time and prevent panic.2. Build a Cash Flow Buffer—This Is Exactly What It’s For
Emergency funds aren’t just for personal finances.
3–6 months of basic business expenses—payroll, rent, software, etc.—can be a lifesaver when you hit pause.
Even if it’s not “extra” money, spreading out recurring payments or trimming non-essentials can start building this buffer quietly.
Pro tip: Reassess your retained earnings and owner draws with your accountant now, while things are stable.3. Create a Continuity Cheat Sheet (Even If You Don’t Call It That)
At a minimum, document:
- Key client contacts + project statuses
- How to access financial accounts
- Where to find insurance, payroll, and vendor contracts
- Who to call in your absence
Doesn’t have to be formal—just findable.4. Designate a Backup Person—Even If They’re Not “The One”
You don’t need a full-blown succession plan yet.
But you do need someone who can step in short-term: a spouse, a trusted team member, a business partner, or even a fractional operations person.
It’s not about giving up control. It’s about giving your business a chance to breathe without you.This Is About Peace of Mind, Not Paranoia
We know—this isn’t the fun stuff.
It’s not growth. It’s not launch-day energy.
But it’s real. And for most small business owners, it’s overdue.
When you plan for the “what if,” you free yourself up to focus on the “what’s next.”Not Sure Where to Start? We Can Help.
If this stirred something in you, and you’re realizing your business couldn’t function without you, it might be time for a cash flow review and light continuity plan.
We can help you:
- Map your current financial dependencies
- Optimize your operating cash flow
- Build a sustainable, documented backup plan
- And turn “what if” into “we’ve got this”
Contact our office to talk about continuity, cash flow, or just building a business that doesn’t fall apart if you need a moment to step back.
Because you’re not just the business owner. You’re a human.
And humans need room to be human sometimes.
