It is safe to say that this year was full of surprises. Some businesses thrived, while in other areas jobs were lost, companies were forced to go under, and we even lost loved ones along the way. Many businesses were affected by the pandemic in some way or another. According to a survey conducted by the PNAS (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America), 43% of businesses temporarily closed, and nearly all of these closures were due to COVID-191.[1]
We also learned that many small businesses are financially or structurally fragile. Companies were often strapped for cash, even when they had access to temporary government stimulus funds.
Although we may not have been able to foresee and properly plan for this year’s business and family disruptions, there are a few lessons to be learned about planning for the future so that your business can be more flexible and tolerant to change. We saw that responding to tough situations can be a good way to showcase your creativity and motivation to stay on track.