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Whether it’s a sudden drop in the stock market, new tariffs on Canadian goods, a messy election year, or a social platform imploding mid-launch—small business owners need to be ready. A little bit of planning prevents panic.
This week I’m sharing practical ways to protect your business from whatever chaos comes next—without selling your soul to hustle culture or joining a LinkedIn thought-leader cult. (But please join mine, of course.)
How to Prep Your Biz for a Bumpy Ride
Here are a few seatbelt-tightening strategies to get your business turbulence-ready:
Build a Buffer
Financially and logistically. You want a cushion in your bank account and your calendar. Emergencies love to show up during launch week.
I’ve told the story many times of having to take time away from business to recover my mental health. The only reason I was able to do so was because I had a buffer in my bank account. Time off to run for City Council? Buffer. Child’s medical needs? BUFFER.
Know Your Break-Even Point
When money gets tight, panic is the enemy. If you know the minimum you need to stay afloat, you can make smarter choices, faster. A cash flow budget really helps me stay on track for these down times. I know how much I pay myself and how much my expenses are, which means I also know how many months I have in the buffer!
Stay Visible
In tough times, the loud ones get remembered. Show up. Be useful. Be bold. (Don’t go radio silent just because the vibes are off.)
I remeber a home builder locally who was very successful during a downturn in the economy because he insisted on keeping up his marketing while others were cutting that department. Marketing is often the first to go but it can be the tactic that keeps your business alive.
Me? I had my best year in business ever in 2020, the first year of the pandemic, because I got loud, visible and helpful.
Audit Your Expenses
Cut dead weight before you’re sinking. Drop tools you’re not using. Cancel subscriptions you forgot about. Renegotiate rates. There are ways to save money on the many programs you might be using to run your business.
Grow and Own Your Email List
Social platforms get twitchy in a crisis. Algorithms glitch. Ads get expensive. Your email list is your lifeboat. Make it a priority.
In 2018 I was in love with Twitter. It was my favourite platform. Then it changed. Now I’ve completely deleted my accounts and data. I’m using Bluesky for that instant conversation and connection. Throughout it all I’ve maintained an email list (I have taken some breaks here and there).
Have a Plan B (and C and D)
What if your supplier vanishes? What if your biggest client drops you? What if your Facebook account is suspended permanently? Make sure you’ve thought through all the risk-management issues and have proper access to all your accounts so you can get back in! The ability to think on your feet is great, but planning ahead is better!
Social Media Strategy Under Pressure
And don’t forget your online presence in all this. Your feed can be your megaphone or your meltdown, depending on your prep. Here’s how to brace your social strategy for chaos:
Revisit Your Values and Voice
Now is not the time to water yourself down. What do you stand for? Say it louder. Your people need consistency, not chameleon energy. Unleash the Anti-Hero!
Build Platform-Independent Backups
If Instagram goes down, where do your followers go? If you get suspended, what’s your escape hatch? Email. Blog. Bluesky. Build those bridges now.
Create an Unplug Plan
Whether it’s for your sanity or safety, know how and when to log off without disappearing entirely. Schedule key posts. Set auto-replies and FAQs. Protect your peace without ghosting your brand. It’s ok to take a week or a weekend off!
Build Evergreen Content Now
Turbulence is no time to be staring at a blinking cursor. Create a stash of timeless posts—FAQs, origin stories, testimonials—to deploy when you’re too stressed, sick or shattered to create.