Can your business run without you?

Like many, I have aging parents. With that comes uncertainty and caregiving work. My partner recently had to leave town to be with his parent during a medical emergency. I stayed at home with the kid. For a week, he attended to the needs of his parent. From cooking meals, to coordinating care, to following up with medical professionals, he was there to be of service and support. He had zero mental capacity to work or even keep up with personal emails. Nothing moved forward that week for him except the care of his parent. Which is exactly where his energy and attention needed to be.

It got me thinking about the inevitability of a sudden departure from work during times of family medical emergencies or something else unexpected. What happens to my business if I step away for a week? Or a month? What will move forward? What stalls? When many business owners go on vacation, they continue to tend to the business, whether checking emails or taking quick calls. When you are dealing with a crisis, tending to the business is not always possible.

Can your business run without you?

For solopreneurs who do all the service delivery, much of the business will stall. For those with a team, it is important for the owner to understand what continues and what stalls in your absence. Having a plan in place that allows your business to continue moving forward without you can make all the difference.

Here are six essential areas to focus on to ensure your business can run smoothly while you are away.

1. Operations and Processes
Documenting your core processes, and cross training with a team member, is one of the most important steps in making sure things do not grind to a halt. This includes everything from client onboarding and invoicing to service delivery. By creating clear, written guides, with clear direction on who needs to take on which process, your team can keep the operations moving while you are away. Be sure to keep these documents regularly updated and easily findable so your team can operate confidently in your absence.

2. Decision-Making Authority
Identify team members who can make decisions on different areas in your absence. Having a clear hierarchy for decision-making, and who is available when additional help is needed, will prevent things from stalling when issues need to be resolved and allow your team to continue working effectively. It is also important to indicate what issues require owner involvement, so no one questions when it is the right time to bring you back into the fold. 

3. Financial Management
When you are away, it is essential to have a trusted person, or system, in place to manage cash flow, handle payments, and oversee any financial obligations. If there are payroll, invoicing, collections, or payment schedules that need to be adhered to, ensure these are automated or assigned to a reliable team member. Having processes in place for the financial activities can keep cash flow steady and avoid any unwelcome surprises.

4. Client Communication and Support
Clients’ needs still exist while you are away. Designate a point of contact within your team to handle client questions, updates, and any minor issues that may arise. For larger clients or more complex situations, consider drafting a response plan so that everyone knows how to escalate issues appropriately.

5. Marketing and Sales
If you are the primary person conducting marketing and sales activities, consider what activities can be kept in motion in your absence. Identify capable team members for the different activities that need to be maintained. Whether it is continuing a social media campaign, following up with potential leads, or getting agreements signed by prospects, continuity in marketing and sales efforts will ensure your business does not lose momentum. 

6. IT and Security
Technology is still critical for your team to get work done while you are away. Ensure that passwords, critical systems, and data backups are in place and secure. Assign someone to monitor any system alerts or technical issues and keep key access information stored securely, so trusted team members can handle issues if they arise.

While there are many reasons you want to build a business that can run without you, medical emergencies are something we cannot predict or avoid. Spending the time now to identify and plan for what happens if you do disappear from work for a week or more will give you the confidence to be exactly where you need to be when your family needs you most.