| I'm a recent Hurricane Rita evacuee and survived the | | | | sets of files -- ones for the immediate short-term that I |
| evacuation and the ensuing hurricane. Running from a | | | | use frequently and my lateral file drawer files that are |
| hurricane isn't something I've ever had to do before, | | | | primarily reference files. I grabbed the contents of the |
| nor is it something I'd ever like to do again. However, | | | | two drawers of my 2-drawer file cabinet (which hold |
| as a solo business owner, I'm quite thankful that I have | | | | my immediate short-term files), all of which fit into one |
| a virtual business. The fact that I'm virtual and can | | | | small UHaul box. |
| operate from anywhere that there's electricity and | | | | 6. A backup telephone plan. I wasn't sure what I was |
| phone service was of great help to me in this disaster | | | | going to do for phone service for my business, as all |
| and helped me reopen my business a scant 4 days | | | | of my clients are scattered across the US and in |
| after the landfall of Hurricane Rita. | | | | Canada. Just to be safe, I upgraded my cell phone |
| As a solopreneur, what can you do to make your | | | | plan, and had a prepaid calling card (purchased an |
| business disaster-proof? It seems that we have an | | | | AT&T calling card at Sam's, at my disposal if I needed |
| increasing number of hurricanes making landfall in the | | | | it. As luck would have it, my hotel offered an unlimited |
| coastal states, and add to that an increased number | | | | Internet access/long distance plan for an additional |
| of other types of natural disasters like tornadoes, | | | | $1.88 per day, so I happily signed up for that, saving |
| earthquakes, wildfires, mud slides, ice storms, blizzards, | | | | myself a fortune in phone calls and Internet service |
| etc. makes me think that there is no ideal location in | | | | fees. |
| which to operate a business. Now accepting that | | | | 7. A backup Internet access plan. Since power |
| natural disasters are here to stay, here's what I learned | | | | restoration to my home was estimated at 2-8 weeks, I |
| from my hurricane evacuation that helped me get my | | | | had to find temporary lodgings. I looked for a hotel that |
| business back up and running quickly: | | | | offered high speed Internet access and was able to |
| 1. Know the location of your vital papers. You should | | | | use their system for my Internet access. However, |
| be able to quickly put into a folder the following for you | | | | once I found the hotel, I also called the tech support of |
| and your family: your marriage license, birth certificate, | | | | my DSL ISP and found the local dial-up numbers for |
| social security card, driver's license or state ID card, | | | | the area in which the hotel is located. I never had to |
| car title/mortgage info and insurance contact info, | | | | use the dial-up service, but it was good info to have. If |
| house deed/mortgage info and insurance contact info, | | | | you have cable or DSL Internet service, now is the |
| employee ID card, and apartment lease or copy of a | | | | time to discover alternate Internet access plans to be |
| utility bill. In a disaster, you'll be asked to prove where | | | | able to get online should your DSL or cable access be |
| you live and that you are who you claim you are, | | | | out-of-service. You should also know how to access |
| especially when applying for disaster assistance. | | | | your email online through your ISP if you don't have |
| 2. Have an online backup of all of your computer data. | | | | access to your computer. If your ISP doesn't offer a |
| I back up my computer in two ways--to an external | | | | version of webmail, you can use this service |
| portable hard drive as well as to an online backup | | | | free-of-charge, |
| service. I use both because my files are my livelihood | | | | 8. Adequate office supplies for a month. I threw in |
| -- I would be dead in the water without them -- so I | | | | pens, pencils, post-it notes, a calculator, stamps, |
| want to leave absolutely no room to lose my data. For | | | | envelopes, tape, stapler, paper clips, note pads, etc. that |
| my external backup, I use a 30 GB portable drive | | | | would last me at least a month while I was out of my |
| made by Iomega, and for my online backup, I have 10 | | | | office. I used a portable plastic file case in which to |
| GB of space that I pay for at XDrive, | | | | carry these items. |
| 3. Create an file with vital contact information. I copied | | | | 9. Outline of your office procedures to help you |
| a file with all of my usernames and passcodes for | | | | operate independently or be able to delegate tasks. I |
| websites, bank accounts, etc. to my USB flash drive (a | | | | carry much of my info in my head to run my office, or |
| key chain-like device with 512 MB or 1 GB of memory | | | | have what I need stored in various files across my |
| -- I use one from Lexar, as well as the physical and | | | | computer. What makes more sense for the future is |
| email addresses and all phone numbers of friends, | | | | to document all of my office procedures, as well as |
| clients and family members -- anyone I needed to | | | | computer and client info, so that everything I need is in |
| contact during the evacuation period. You'll also want | | | | one document. I can then upload this doc to my Yahoo |
| to take along your children's school contact info to be | | | | account, my backup files, or carry it with my on my |
| able to check on the current operating status of your | | | | USB flash drive. My colleague, Jean Hanson, has |
| child's school, as well as local media website info. My | | | | designed a great template that asks you to note and |
| lifeline in getting current information about my home city | | | | record everything someone would need to know to |
| was through the websites of Beaumont's newspapers | | | | get your business back up and running. It's the Home |
| and television and radio stations. If you keep your | | | | Office Procedures Manual, available for purchase here: |
| contact info in Outlook and have a Yahoo account, | | | | |
| Yahoo offers a synchronization feature in which you | | | | 10. Digital camera to record the event and/or record |
| can synchronize all of your info in Outlook to your | | | | damages to personal property. I wish I'd had a digital |
| Yahoo account. Find out more here: All you need to | | | | camera to record all that I witnessed during my |
| access your info in Yahoo is a computer and to know | | | | evacuation from Hurricane Rita. My sister took tons of |
| your username and password. | | | | pics, but I would've loved to have had the same |
| 4. Know the primary office/computer equipment that | | | | opportunity. More importantly, however, is the need for |
| will be required to get your business up and running. I | | | | a digital camera to record damage to your home and |
| had operated with a minimal amount of my office | | | | property. In a wide-spread disaster, it can be at least a |
| equipment recently due to my being a house sitter for | | | | month before your insurance adjuster will be able to |
| a friend for 2 months. So, upon receiving the | | | | assess damages to your property. In the meantime, |
| mandatory evacuation order, I knew in relatively short | | | | however, you need to start repairs, like placing a tarp |
| order that to run my business, I needed my desktop | | | | on your roof, boarding up broken windows, removing |
| PC, flat panel monitor, wireless mouse and keyboard, | | | | downed trees from your house or yard, or cleaning |
| speakers, modem and associated cords, backup | | | | your refrigerator of spoiled food. In many cases, your |
| portable external hard drive, office telephone and | | | | insurance will cover the repairs or food replacement, |
| associated cords, laptop computer, printer, box of | | | | but you need to carefully document the "before" |
| software, and scanner. It sounds like a great deal of | | | | scenario in order to receive compensation for your |
| equipment, but I packed it all into 2 boxes from UHaul (1 | | | | loss. |
| small and 1 medium box). I knew I could work for at | | | | Don't let a natural disaster destroy your business. Take |
| least 2 months comfortably with just this equipment. | | | | some time now to prepare your disaster-readiness |
| 5. Primary paper files for your clients/business. I have 2 | | | | plan, and get back into business as soon as you can! |