Our culture saved our business. Part 3 (final).

Our business had been burglarized.  Basically, everything that we had built as the operational foundation of our business, our vital forms created for work flow, and our previous six years of client work, walked out the door with the criminals.  We had two things left: our admin computer with our QuickBooks and checking account (guess there was no interest in an old PC), and our team. 

This is what happens when a business has no culture.

All we had left: An Old PC and our Team.

The next four months or so saw the entire team work late hours reassembling projects, rebuilding forms, reaching out to clients and doing just about anything to keep the business going.  They were nothing short of 100%.  The culture of respect and loyalty paid off for us…for all of us.  Our team dug deep to deliver outstanding work, and to build back up everything we had lost.  

We kept our word and never missed a payroll, not an entirely easy feat.

My Type A wife went into overdrive and we both lost weight from stress and lack of sleep.  Frankly, it is not a weight loss plan I would recommend.

We still looked pretty haggard a year after the event.  

Also, during the first few months, we discovered that our network of business friends was much more supportive than we had imagined.  Some gave us offers of no-interest loans.  Some sent over lunch for our entire team out of the blue because they knew we were working insane hours and could use the break. One even discounted an alarm system, so we could afford to install it…better late than never. 

They all have our undying gratitude.

The lessons learned.

We did have insurance, but it was an off-the-shelf policy and did not really fit our needs.  We were still fighting with the insurance company a year and a half after the event.  However, it was enough to eek by on until we got the business back on its feet.

So, what are the lessons learned from this adventure? 

-Don’t just settle for any general insurance policy.  Brokers are delighted to sell you off-the-shelf policies without regard to what the real needs are in your business.  It is easy and fast for them.  Delve into your insurance and make sure it is right for your needs.  If you plan for the worst, the worst just might not kill your business when it happens.

-Be part of the business community.  Shop for a great business networking group.  Get involved with other business owners. Some of them may become your mentors…others may need mentoring from you.  Care about their success, send business their way and take your business to them. I really believe a strong business social network helped save our business when the chips were down.

-Build a great team.  Build a team that you care about and that cares about your business.  Allow them to contribute their ideas as well as their energies.  Show them you care about their lives and their careers.  There are enough crappy places to work.  Be exceptional in the way your treat your team.  Not only is it rewarding for all involved.  The culture you build just might save your business someday.

More soon.