According to the Institute for Business and Home Safety, up to 25% of businesses don’t reopen following a major disaster. FEMA has this number at nearly 40%. No one likes to think about disasters or losing key employees. However, when these events do happen, prepared businesses are better off. The goal of this guide is not to scare you with doomsday scenarios, but rather provide an opportunity for you to strengthen your business.
Business resiliency is the ability to quickly adapt and respond to business disruptions, protect your employees and assets, while maintaining business operations. Every business regardless of size, industry, or stage of growth needs a resiliency plan because at some point it will face an unexpected disruption, like a fire, flood, or pandemic. A business resiliency plan is a guide on how to function during an unexpected disruption in operations.
Below you will find numerous resources to begin or continue your business resiliency journey such as the resiliency guide, resiliency template, resource pages, online eCourses, our team of certified business advisors, and more.
The Business Resiliency Guide and complementing workbook below are tools to help you assess risks and make contingency plans that can help your business recover from an immediate threat as well as the disruptions that could occur in the near term or the distant future.
Resiliencey Guidebook
The Business Resiliency Guidebook is a tool to help you assess risks and make contingency plans that can help your business recover from an immediate threat or future threat, that could lead to temporary or extended disruptions in your business.
Resiliency Plan Template
The Business Resiliency Plan is meant to work with the Business Resiliency Guide; the goal is for you to create a plan that will help you respond to most emergency situations and recover as quickly as possible.
Connect with a Business Advisor
Not sure where to begin? Our team of certified business advisors provides highly individualized, confidential advising at no charge to NH enterprises. Advisors can work with a client throughout the life cycle of the business and at every stage of growth. Whether the business is just starting, seeking capital, bringing new products to market, improving operations, navigating an unexpected challenge or exiting through a sale or generational transition, SBDC advisors can help clients achieve their goals.
Learn more ways to bolster your Business Resilience
The NH Small Business Development Center has an online library of free self-paced eCourses ranging in topics that can enhance your knowledge and bolster your business resilience across the following resiliency areas: business model, finance, operations, organization, reputation, and technology.
Sustainability
The NH SBDC’s Business Sustainability Program (BSP) provides one-on-one confidential business advising in the areas of environmental management, energy efficiency, employee safety, and other issues that impact business sustainability. The goal of the BSP is to help the business owner adopt best management practices to reduce risk to operations, increase profitability, and enhance the value of their company.
Cybersecurity
International Methods of Exporting and Channel
Partner Options
Presenter: Alan Dillingham, International Trade Officer, OIC
90-minute webinar
Additional Educational Resources
Why export?
Small businesses may be in a strong position to expand into international markets. Diversifying your customer base can strengthen your bottom line, build resiliency, and enhance your competitiveness. According to the International Trade Administration, here are a few reasons to pursue export sales:
- Demand and Profitability. More than 95 percent of the world’s consumers are outside of the United States. Your competitors are increasing their global market share, and you can too, no matter what size your business is. On average, sales grow faster, more jobs are created, and employees earn more than in non-exporting firms.
- Access and Resources. Exporting is achievable, even for the smallest businesses, with the internet, improved logistics channels, free trade agreements, eCommerce, and the available export assistance through our federal and state resources team.
- Competitive Advantage. The United States is known worldwide for high quality, innovative goods and services, customer service, and sound business practices.
- Risk Mitigation. Most companies that export have an easier time riding out fluctuations in the U.S. economy, and are more likely to be resilient and stay in business.
Exports are an important and rapidly expanding part of New Hampshire’s economic prosperity. New Hampshire sells a variety of products to all corners of the world, exporting a total of more than $7 billion worth of goods in 2022. Overall, nearly 2,500 companies in New Hampshire export to overseas markets, with international trade supporting over 182,000 jobs in the state. US Global Leadership Coalition