Small Business Toolbox

A library of business management info


Disaster Planning
  • Ten Ghastly Ghouls That Can Spook Any Small-Business Owner at Halloween (or Any Time of Year)
    10/31/2007
    Things that go clunk in the night. The sound of fingernails being scraped down a blackboard. Walking alone at midnight on an empty street and suddenly hearing footsteps behind you.
  • Preparing for the Summertime Storm Season
    06/08/2007
    For many, the arrival of summer means ice-cream cones, blockbuster movies and trips to the beach. But along with all the good things the season brings, it also carries with it the threat of damaging storms. And even if your small business isn't anywhere near a coast where a hurricane could cause harm, it doesn't hurt to prepare for other types of storms--and the destruction they can wreak.
  • Preparing for a Disaster
    03/06/2007
    If disaster strikes, will you be ready? Being prepared for a business disaster--whether it's a fire, a hurricane or a massive power outage--is just smart business. Besides helping you protect your employees and other company assets, having a disaster recovery plan in place before disaster strikes can also help reduce your downtime--meaning less lost revenue and a better bottom line.
  • Checklist for Disaster Preparedness
    10/05/2006
    Disasters come in many forms––hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, severe rain or hail, windstorms, fires, earthquakes and others. They may be mild or severe, causing damage to property and danger to health and life. But they all have one thing in common: The risks they pose can be prepared for only in advance. From the moment that a disaster strikes, one can only hope that comprehensive steps for preparedness were taken.
  • Involving Employees in Emergency Preparedness
    10/03/2006
    As a small-business owner, you probably always consider your employees when making plans for your business. You think about questions, such as what to pay, what to charge for services, which health-care plan is best and should we grow? But if a disaster should occur––whether in the form of fire, tornado, chemical accident or dozens of other emergencies––how would you get in touch with your employees, and would they know what to do?
  • Preparing Your Business for Unprecedented Emergencies
    10/02/2006
    The idea of preparing for emergencies might seem to be a contradiction in terms. A pure emergency is a completely unanticipated event; what will happen, and when it will occur are unknown beforehand. How can we prepare to deal with some event if we don't know what form it will take, or when it will happen?
  • Carry On
    09/20/2006
    Survive unexpecter setbacks with a continuity plan
  • Flu to Fear
    09/20/2006
    The media hype surrounding the bird flu has many skeptics wondering if it's a legitimate concern. Yet health officials strongly advise establishing a pandemic plan for your small business.
  • Remote Control
    09/20/2006
    How to set up shop away from the office
  • Preparing Your Small Business for Disaster
    07/14/2006
    While hurricane season officially runs from June 1 to November 30, the worst storms often occur in August and September. This means that if your small business is located in the Gulf or southeastern coastal states, you have about a month to make sure your disaster plans are up-to-date and workable. If you live outside of this volatile region, don't think you're off the hook. Other forms of natural disaster, such as earthquakes, floods, tornados or brush fires, can be just as devastating. Take some time this summer to make sure your business can survive the worst Mother Nature can dish out.
  • Surviving Downtime
    05/25/2006
    Business interruption insurance saved a New Orleans deli after Hurricane Katrina hit.
  • When Disaster Strikes: Navigating the Claims Process
    02/17/2006
    Hurricane Katrina is on track to be the most costly natural catastrophe in U.S. history. Estimates of insured losses range from $9 billion to $26 billion. When a disaster strikes your city, you will at first be overwhelmed with concern about the welfare of your family, the future of your business and the seemingly mounting debt. Inevitably, however, the devastation caused by a disaster like Hurricane Katrina will raise a number of insurance coverage issues that you will need to address. Consider the following when it comes time to file and resolve your claim:
  • Approaching the Start-of-the-Year Meeting With Your Insurance Agent
    01/09/2006
    The first of the year is an excellent time to revisit your insurance coverage. As your business changes and grows, your insurance needs will change accordingly. It’s wise to monitor your insurance to make sure coverage is adequate in all areas.
  • Government Offers Business Resources in Wake of Hurricane
    09/23/2005
    As small-business owners in the Gulf Coast region are getting back on their feet and NFIB members nationwide are helping with relief efforts, the federal government is helping to connect business owners nationwide with the resources they need to succeed during these hard times. Here are some of the ways the federal government is helping small businesses in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
  • Disaster Proof Your Business
    09/12/2005
    The catastrophic damage caused by tropical storms in Florida and the Gulf Coast during the last several years serves as a warning to small-business owners nationwide. No region of the country (or the world, for that matter) is immune to natural and other types of disasters.
  • Fraud Often Follows Disaster
    09/02/2005
    Charitable scams often arise during crisis situations. While many legitimate organizations provide relief to disaster victims, con artists historically move in after a disaster to collect funds for non-existent charities and pocket the money.
  • High Deductible Health Insurance for the Self-Employed: What to Watch for
    07/19/2005
    Many self-employed individuals, as well as small-business owners with employees, find health-insurance costs increasing 25 to 30 percent annually.
    One way to combat this rising cost is to choose higher deductible levels for your insurance.
  • Retrieving Information After a Disaster
    05/02/2005
    Every small-business owner knows you should back up key business information to avoid loss in case of disasters such as fire, theft, tornado, hurricane or any other such catastrophe. Hard copies of items such as insurance documents and bank statements should be stored in fireproof safes or bank lock boxes, and it is best to back up computer information in multiple locations offsite.
  • Know Your Needs
    02/25/2005
    Your business constantly changes. Therefore, your insurance coverage should not be thought of as a static, unchanging package. Rather, you should review your coverage regularly to make sure you're adequately covered for all developments in your business and to see if there are ways to decrease insurance costs.
  • Choosing Your Specialty Insurance
    01/20/2005
    There’s one thing that every small-business owner can’t live without: insurance. But what type of insurance do you need? There’s quite a selection, and it takes a few types to cover the basics; however, there are also those types that go above and beyond your everyday needs, and since you can never be too careful when it comes to your small business, these might be worth a look.
  • Steps to Take Before and During the Insurance Claim Process
    11/18/2004
    When fire, tornado, wind/hail/rain damage, major theft or other disaster strikes your business, certain steps regarding insurance need to be taken quickly and accurately. Disasters can leave a person emotionally distraught, just when clear thinking is needed most. The following list can serve as an orderly guide for what to do during such times.
  • Business-Interruption Insurance Could Save Your Company in a Disaster
    11/11/2004
    In a disaster such as extensive damage to business property by fire or wind, two types of expenses usually result: The actual cost of repairing or replacing property and damaged contents, and loss of revenue during repairs while the business is non-functioning. In many cases, loss of revenue may be as much as or more than the cost of repairs and can cause serious cash-flow problems if the business is unable to operate for an extended period.
  • The Best Way to Save on Business Insurance: Take Measures to Reduce Risks Before Applying
    10/28/2004
    One of the best ways to combat this is to focus on risk management, which reduces potential losses by putting certain procedures into place within a company's operations, or by adding safety factors to a company's premises.
  • Be Prepared Should Disaster Strike
    09/13/2004
    We live in a world where bomb threats and the specter of biological and chemical warfare – once the stuff of great action movies – have become an all-too-familiar reality.
  • Better Safe Than Sorry: Getting the Right Insurance for Your Business
    08/26/2004
    Do you carry enough insurance of the proper kinds on your business? Unfortunately, this is a question that doesn't occur to some proprietors until the unanticipated happens and they discover the coverage they depended on to set things right was simply not enough.
  • Business Interruption Insurance: Are You Adequately Covered?
    05/03/2004
    If damage to your business' premises force you to close while repairs are made, you will still need to pay employees, mortgages, leases and other debts. These ongoing expenses can mount up quickly for a business that has reduced income.
  • Cyber Insurance May Save Your Business if Digital Disaster Strikes
    05/03/2004
    If a hacker broke into your small business' computer network and stole a batch of stored credit card numbers, would you be prepared to handle the potential flood of lawsuits from your customers?
  • What To Do If Disaster Strikes Your Small Business
    03/29/2002
    These tips from the National Institute of Disaster Restoration may help you in an emergency.