April 30 workshop to address planning to survive business disruptions

Giving local businesses a survival checkup and helping them plan to stay open for business when unexpected events disrupt service is the goal of a free workshop being offered from 8 to 10 a.m., Wednesday, April 30, at the Virden Center in Lewes by the Delaware Business Resiliency Initiative.

The workshop, in partnership with both the Lewes and Rehoboth-Dewey chambers of commerce and Discover Bank, will help local businesses take proactive steps including a self-assessment and preparation of a business survival ready kit that includes important documents and supplies essential for a business to get up and running quickly in the event of disruptions. Experts from financial, legal, IT, insurance and other areas will participate to advise on business continuity preparations and strategies.

Through a generous donation from Discover Bank, the workshop also will feature a continental breakfast, small gifts for all participants and a drawing for a gift card.

“Any kind of surprise disruption - the loss of power for days, a road closure in front of a business or a computer crash or cyber-attack - can interrupt operations and cash flow,” says program coordinator Carrie Townsend. “A small investment of time now in planning and preparation can reap huge benefits later and get a business back up and running quickly. Our business survival checkup can help with self-assessment and simple steps that will safeguard small businesses and give peace of mind to owners.”

The Delaware Small Business & Technology Development Center with the help of a grant from the U.S. Small Business Administration recently launched the Delaware Business Resiliency Initiative, a program to provide long-term assistance so businesses are prepared and ready for anything.

Registration is required to participate in the workshop. Call the Delaware SBTDC at 302-856-1555 or email ctownsen@udel.edu to register for the workshops or for more information about the Delaware Business Resiliency Initiative, or go to www.dsbtdc.org to register or learn about all programs, services and locations.

The Delaware Business Resiliency Initiative will include other training and informational workshops, webinars, a readiness tool kit and one-on-one counseling for small businesses in Delaware as part of its mission to educate on preparedness and business continuity.

Delaware is among 11 states impacted by Hurricane Sandy to receive grant funding for this type of outreach and education. Delaware businesses certainly need to plan for hurricanes and other acts of nature such as flooding, fire, drought, and snow that could impact their operations. Other disruptions that could be anticipated and planned for include power outages, construction near a business that displaces or reroutes traffic, infrastructure and IT malfunctions.

The SBTDC, a unit of the University of Delaware’s Office of Economic Innovation & Partnerships, provides business advisory services for free in all three counties in Delaware through funding from the SBA, Delaware Economic Development Office, the University of Delaware and private-sector organizations.