Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/1476304
82 m a s s a g e & b o d y wo r k s e p te m b e r/o c to b e r 2 0 2 2 The "What If" Scenario How to Build a "Get Hit by a Bus" File for Your Massage Business By Allissa Haines and Michael Reynolds As business owners, it's easy to feel like we're indestructible. When you're in the thick of caring for your clients, managing your business, and handling any challenge that comes your way, there isn't much time to consider the "what if" scenarios if something happens to you. But things can happen. While we hope to have a long, healthy career, everyone is at risk of a tragic event, such as death or disability. While it's not fun to think about, it is a real possibility, and we have a responsibility to make the tasks in our business easy to handle if we need help. WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO HAVE A PLAN? It's important to have a plan because if you were to pass away or become incapacitated, many people would be affected. Naturally, the emotional stress on your loved ones would be very real. However, beyond this, there are many logistics of your massage business that would be interrupted, and it would affect your clients, your business associates and colleagues, and your loved ones. Your clients would need to be notified. They would need to know what's going on because their lives and their care would be affected. Your business associates and colleagues would need to be notified. You rent space, pay for software, and pay for other services, and all these entities would need to be notified. Your family and/or loved ones would also be affected. If you are no longer able to run your business, your income is interrupted, and many other challenges would occur as your loved ones deal with various elements of your business. WHAT THINGS NEED TO BE ORGANIZED? A lot goes into running a business. Some of the critical information about your business includes: • Financials • Client information • Vendor/supplier information • Insurance documents • Licenses and certifications • Marketing systems • The person(s) delegated to manage your business affairs In the event of a crisis that takes you out of commission, one of the first things that needs to happen is a notification to all your clients letting them know what the situation is. You need to delegate someone in your life to handle this task and be sure they have access to your schedule and necessary information. Additionally, business associates and colleagues would need to be notified, including your landlord, utility companies, cleaning service, accountant, attorney, financial advisor, and any other service providers you work with. You will need to make a list of the professionals who are suited to help in situations like this. If you work with an attorney, they should be at the top of the list. Your accountant and financial advisor should also be at the essential skills | BLUEPRINT FOR SUCCESS