Virus-Proof Your Small Business

Whether you’re a fine-dining restaurant or a hipster t-shirt company, lockdown has put the squeeze on every small business across South Africa. We’ve turned to Douglas Kruger, the author of virus-proof your small business, for expert advice to help you stay afloat when everything else is in the sink.

- Kelleigh Korevaar

1 See the Swamp

No, this isn’t going to be a Shrek metaphor (although, we’re not saying he wasn’t a savvy business… um… ogre). Douglas Kruger explains that while setbacks are inevitable and making the odd mistake might not be fatal, getting stuck and doing nothing will be. Elite fighting forces teach their teams that movement is life. Pre-program yourself with rescue mechanisms for when you stall, and you’ll be able to wade through the swamp and come out the other side.

Your Task: Tell yourself in advance that if you feel stuck, you will immediately get up and go for a walk around your garden, call a team meeting or do any other pre-planned swamp-busting activity designed to shake things up and keep people moving.

2 Be a Man with a Plan… B

“Outside of your business, who do you rely on to do what you do?” asks Kruger. And while cracking open a cold one at the end of a rough day might seem like the answer, that’s not what we’re talking about. In layman’s terms: who are your suppliers? With a May report by Heavy Chef finding that 3 out of 4 South African SMMEs won’t survive beyond this month, you need to have a plan B.

Your Task: Grab pen and paper – or shout across the room for ‘Siri’ to start taking notes – whatever works for you. “Imagine your primary suppliers go under. How will you source what you need or deliver what you create?

Is an alternative available to you? Or could you make or do it yourself? What might you need to plan or prepare today in order to make a seamless switch, should you be forced to do so?” asks Kruger.

3 Remove Yourself