The current turmoil with the coronavirus drives home again the absolute requirement that small and medium-sized businesses strive to become bulletproof. In effect, making them less susceptible to abrupt or gradual changing socioeconomic and environmental conditions.

It is about creating a business that is agile and can react and adapt to any threat. It’s about the ability to survive and thrive when all hell breaks loose. It’s about preparing a business to withstand whatever comes its way.

As I speak to our clients in the St. Louis area, the level of emotional and irrational mind is higher when a business has not fully implemented an architecture that sets them up for consistent, consistent, and scalable growth. They still don’t have the confidence and clarity that comes with having a “strength of conviction” that their business will survive and thrive, regardless of the threat.

Counter that with companies that were prepared and understood that there was a threat on the horizon, in this case the coronavirus. Many had their plans in motion before it all came to light. At worst, it will lessen the short-term and long-term impact, both financial and non-financial, because they were prepared.

How does a small or medium business prepare for adversity? Frankly, the same way you set up a business for scalability and growth. The foundation or platform that is created when you want to take your business to the next level will protect your business when it weathers any storm or turbulence. It is the great differentiator and why your business will endure when many of your competitors will fall by the wayside.

It is really very simple and you can count them on the fingers of one hand.

1. Start with the leader. Great companies have great leaders. A great leader is prepared and has the emotional intelligence to overcome all challenges. They may not have all the answers, but at least they know how to find them.
2. Every company needs an operating system, a platform that stabilizes the business and makes its operation consistent and predictable.
3. Without the right people in the right jobs, a business cannot be successful.
4. You can’t run a business without good, solid data to help make “right” decisions and plan effectively.
5. Everyone in your organization needs to be aligned, rowing in the same direction, essentially thinking like business owners.

This is a very high-level set of requirements, but for companies that want to take it to the next level, scalable success is a requirement. An added bonus is having the added benefit of being protected from events like the one we are currently experiencing.

Author Jim Rohn once said, “In business there is spring, summer, fall, and winter.” Businesses should always plan for winter and enjoy the other seasons. In our research, 80% of small and medium businesses are not prepared for winter. Those that are will leave their competitors in the dust.