Useful resources for business owners during crisis
Please note: This article aims to be helpful and not harmful while still providing useful information. Trigger warning: post mentions bushfires and COVID-19.
2020 has been an extremely challenging time in Australia, and now around the world. Earlier in the year, it was confronting to see images of enormous bushfires across the country and the impact they had on local communities.
Businesses have a responsibility to support the communities they’re involved in and business owners have a great opportunity to create positive change in the world.
It was humbling to see the donations and support that poured in from all over the world to provide relief to the brave firefighters, the supporters inside bushfire affected areas and everyday Australian’s living in crisis.
It was also inspiring to see positive initiatives like Empty Esky, Spend with Them and Buy From the Bush created to support local businesses impacted by the bushfires.
And that was just the start of 2020.
Since December 2019, COVID-19 has slowly been spreading around the world. On 11 March 2020, the virus was officially categorised as a global pandemic, meaning the virus spreading quicker than we can respond to and contain it. Countries have taken drastic measures to treat the ill and prevent the virus from spreading.
As at 19 March 2010, worldwide statistics show there are are over 220,000 cases of the virus worldwide and almost 700 in Australia. No one can predict when prevention initiatives, like social distancing, have been effective to: #StopTheSpread and #FlattenTheCurve.
There are changes occurring around the world across industries that no one has ever been seen before. Trade is slowing. Travel is being considerably reduced. Australia is closing its borders. And businesses are doing what they can do to prepare themselves and their employees for what’s to come. Courageous business leaders have had taken preventative and unified action to stay informed, support their teams and #LeadBoldy.
Below are resources that provide insights to businesses navigating these major changes. I hope they serve you, help you and your team to ease into new ways of working, and give you hope for a better future. I look forward to what positive things we can create during this time of crisis.
Resources for business owners in the time of COVID-19:
For leaders:
Founder of Drop Bio, Phil Hayes St Clair, and Director of Entrepreneurship at UNSW, David Burt, ran a session on how to lead through COVID19. The first section of their presentation covers the major industry and economic impacts,. The second section is useful for founders as it outlines decisions leaders can make to mitigate risks long term (slide 18).
For startup founders:
Blackbird, a VC supporting Australia’s and New Zealand’s most ambitious founders, created a Toolkit for Founders. The Toolkit outlines how to develop remote working practices, managing the downturn in sales and investment, how to map out potential scenarios, and focus on what really matters.
For everyone working from home:
Google has outlined a bunch of resources with tips and tricks for when you’re working, teaching or learning from home. It features many tips about communication, meeting structure,
Some of my former BlueChillian colleagues hosted a webinar on remote work and shared their insights on what they’ve experienced after years of working from home e.g. greetings, having a lunch break, and a little mindfulness from Megan Flamer, Head of Startup Programs at Monash and founder of Mindful Under Fire.
For Slack users:
Michael Batko, CEO of Startmate (the Blackbird accelerator) also shares some practical tips for Slack channels and other rituals the Blackbird team have benefited from.
Pioneera is a woman-led startup that offers Slack bot integration which can help leaders and their teams to prevent workplace stress by identifying triggers early.
For everyone:
SingularityU are a game-changing company that aims to solve some of the world’s greatest problems. From Mar 16-18, they hosted a three-day virtual summit that shared insights from world leaders across industries sharing information and practical steps. The sessions have been uploaded to the SingularityU Youtube channel and cover a wide range of useful topics: leadership, resilience, prevention, media, costs, disruption as well as remote and distributed work.
More support services:
Meditate. If you already meditate, I think you’ll be able to feel the benefits of it calming your mind and body. If you don’t, please try the Headspace 1min breathing exercise and note how you feel before and after.
Lifeline: are a “national charity providing all Australians experiencing a personal crisis with access to 24 hour crisis support and suicide prevention services.” You can call 13-11-14 anytime, you can chat through their website or use live text from 6pm-midnight.
Beyond Blue aims to help the millions of people across Australia with anxiety and depression. You can call anytime 1300-22-4636 or chat on their website from 3pm- 12am. Beyond Blue also have a great list of resources and helplines.
Remember: Take it slow. Stay calm. Over-communicate. Keep healthy. And keep doing things that make you feel good.
Try the 1min breathing exercise now:
If you know of other resources that should be on this list, please send me a message here, on LinkedIn or Instagram.
For the next few weeks, I’m offering free #MarketingChats for 30mins. If you’re a positive impact business owner who would like to discuss your marketing activity, what you’re struggling with right now or what you’d like to do in future, book in here.