19 Tips to Protect Your Core Assets from a Disaster

Aug. 30, 2009 - PRLog -- One of the most-devastating disasters in the nation’s history – Hurricane Katrina’s nightmarish assault on New Orleans – put us on notice how important it is to plan and recover from disasters. But has your business or nonprofit capitalized on those lessons?  

Biz Coach Terry Corbell provides a checklist – a 19 point business continuity plan in his column entitled, “19 Tips to Protect Your Core Assets from a Disaster.” It is published on his Web site, http://www.bizcoachinfo.com, “Proven Solutions for Maximum Profits.”

You recall the news reports:

At wind speeds as high as 127 miles per hour, Katrina ripped into the U.S. Gulf Coast on Aug. 29, 2005. The storm’s accompanying floodwaters overwhelmed the levees and flooded 80 percent of New Orleans. Thousands of schools, businesses and homes were devastated. More than 1,000 people died.

The Biz coach writes a disaster plan must take into account several un-forecast factors.

“For example, seemingly lost in all the finger-pointing were questions regarding why at least a third of the first-responders walked off the job,” writes Mr. Corbell. “Plus, strategic flood control plans were apparently made in 2001 to protect New Orleans, but were never implemented because they were grossly under-funded, according to a press account.”

His column lists the five typical excuses managers make when they fail to protect their business assets.

“Disaster plans are important because Katrina-like events threaten a company’s three core assets: Finances, reputation, and people,” he explains. “Make sure your business is prepared to provide immediate help and safety measures; information; compassion; and a return to normality.”

Where does The Biz Coach recommend you start in a business continuity plan? Your employees.

“Remember, aside from innovation and profitability, companies are revered when their employees are respected as paramount,” he explains. “You are only as strong as your team of employees.”

So, his column’s 19-point business continuity plan explains precautions for employees and other important business relationships, including your customers and the news media.

A profit professional, he has systems and strategies to relieve a company's financial stress, which includes a financial turnaround program on a pay-for-performance basis. Mr. Corbell provides complete solutions for a small retainer and one percent of the net-profit increase.

As a business-performance consultant, Mr. Corbell has written 450+ business-coaching columns since 2001 for several media Web sites. He currently writes an Internet business-coaching column, The Biz Coach, for the Money News page at Seattle's KIRO, the "2009 National Edward R. Murrow Award Winner for Overall Excellence."

He is a member of Society of American Business Editors and Writers (SABEW).

Many of his business-coaching columns are being updated and archived on The Biz Coach site, which was developed by Solid Technology of Portland, http://www.solidtechnology.com.

Mr. Corbell is a business-performance consultant and is managing member of CMS Associates LLC, http://www.cmsassociatesllc.com.

Mr. Corbell was honored when The New York Times featured him twice. For some of his other business tips, simply Google each of these headlines:

• Been There... Done That... Here's How

• Advice on Taking an Entrepreneurial Leap

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Terry Corbell, The Biz Coach, is a profit professional and business-performance consultant. He is a longtime media columnist, and publishes performance-enhancing strategies at http://www.bizcoachinfo.com, "Proven Solutions for Maximum Profits."