How to Survive in Today's Environment

With everything that has changed this year, business owners are challenged to stay relevant and profitable. What worked last year might not work now and the businesses that are thriving are the ones that have solutions for today's problems. The quarantine forced everyone to stop which in turn fast forwarded everyone's situation! Businesses that were already struggling closed immediately and others that were okay but not current took a few months to burn through resources and then closed. The successful organizations were the ones that embraced the change and moved quickly by scanning the environment and deriving new ways to conduct business or presenting solutions to the problems that the pandemic created.

What has your business done to survive? How much was changed? For some companies their entire culture changed while others maybe a few logistical changes to facilitate working from home. A lot of employees have found that they can preform their responsibilities from home while increasing their quality of life. Business owners need to revaluate their foundation in order to move forward. Look at your vision, mission and "why" and determine has your company veered from those truths because of the pandemic. It's okay that your business has changed. Matter of fact, it is great that you survived!

Successful entrepreneurs and leaders know that a business plan is fluid and can change on a daily basis in the beginning. Being open and listening to your team is imperative to success. With all the information online, just about everyone is a business expert...knowing WHERE to find the answers is just as valuable as to knowing the answers.

SCORE, a nonprofit organization, is dedicated to helping small businesses get off the ground, grow and achieve their goals through education and mentorship. See below for a free template for a business plan.