Appendix

Section 1: Begin the Begin

Find the Right Words

As a leader, whenever you are talking with your team, prepare. This is especially important during a crisis. Words are important.

The Preparation

At every major decision point, go back to your company’s or team’s purpose. Having a credible, honest purpose is the key to building a great team, and it is required to survive in a real crisis.

Tell your team how you’re going to start strong, what you envision the end will look like, and that the middle is up to them. Paint an optimistic picture and remind them of their strong foundation. They need something or someone to give them guidance and confidence, and something to act on.

The Mindset

Short-term decisions will need to be made during a crisis to stay alive as a business. Always weigh those against the long-term ramifications and never forget who you are. Integrity is key.

As a leader, especially during a crisis, you need to make sure you’re focused on the operational aspects of the business and the emotional state of the team. Stay close to your leadership. They are on the front lines. They’re your primary source of insight about the state of the culture. And they’ll need you more than ever.

A positive, optimistic leader is magnetic. People want to follow them. This may not be a natural state for you, and it will likely be more difficult during times of high stress, but keep in mind that your team is watching you for signs of how to behave. You can do this.

Working from Home

When working from home, be purposeful about productivity. Find ways that work for you, even if it requires ‘tricking’ yourself into it.

Financial Planning

Create a financial and operational plan going into a crisis. Even if you alter it as you go, it is crucial to take the time to consider all the details when you aren’t in the throes of a recession—or any disaster, for that matter. Having a plan will give you peace of mind and allow you to make better decisions in the future.

Make sure you have diversity in your client base. That means controlling the percentage of revenue a client comprises, varied deal structures, and a spread across multiple industries. This diversity will help when trouble hits, crisis or otherwise.

Focus on growth. Too often, teams will work hard on new business, get some wins, move their attention to other things, only to look up six months later and realize their sales pipeline has dried up. A consistent growth mindset—more than strategy, case studies, or any other sales concept—is the vital area of focus.

Save at least two months of expenses in cash. Try to establish a line of credit with your bank equal to that amount. You don’t have to use it, but you never know when disaster will strike. As your company grows, always look to increase your cash on hand and your line of credit accordingly.

Do everything you can to preserve cash. Pull from your line of credit, ask your landlord if you can defer rent payments, talk to your vendors, and see if you can get extended payment terms—anything to give yourself more runway to make it through a recession.

Be willing to think creatively about the things you can do to help keep your company alive. Ideas such as cutting everyone’s salary might seem untenable at first, but it might be the best decision if the alternative is laying off team members. Only you will know the right course to take, but make sure you’re thinking creatively and evaluating all possible options.