Disaster Recovery Journal Summer 2025

ger, safer, and more resilient. 1. Identify Your Critical Business Functions Start by asking yourself: What are the essential parts of my business that must keep running—no matter what? This might include client communication, payment processing, delivery logistics, inventory management, or access to records. Make a list and prioritize. This will guide your entire continuity strategy and help you respond faster when things go wrong. 2. Build a Simple Emergency Communication Plan Emergencies are chaotic—but com munication shouldn’t be. Create a clear contact list that includes employees, vendors, service providers, and key cus tomers. Make sure it’s stored digitally (in the cloud) and printed out in case of tech failure. Bonus tip: Designate a second-in command who can take charge if you’re unavailable. As immigrant entrepreneurs, many of us manage multiple roles—don’t let your absence leave your business paralyzed. 3. Back Up Data Regularly—and Automatically Your data is one of your most valu able assets. Contracts, financial records, designs, marketing assets—losing them could mean weeks or months of recov ery time. Use tools like Google Drive, OneDrive, or Dropbox to back up every thing regularly and automatically. These platforms are low-cost and easy to use. If your budget allows, consider a second backup (on an external hard drive or a different cloud provider) for an extra layer of protection. 4. Design a Fast and Flexible Recovery Plan Think of recovery like a fire drill. If disaster strikes, you should know exactly what to do—step by step. Your recovery plan should answer questions like: n How do I notify customers and vendors? n Where can I work if I can’t access my office or store?

Disaster-Proofing for Immigrant Entrepreneurs By JULIANA ARDILA S tarting a business is never easy—but starting one in a new country, with unfa miliar systems, limited resources, and the pressure to succeed, takes extraordi nary resilience. Immigrant entrepreneurs bring with them not just business ideas, but courage, adaptability, and an unmatched work ethic. However, even the strongest busi disasters, cyberattacks, supply chain disruptions, illness, or even simple power outages can throw operations off track. That’s where business continuity plan ning (BCP) and disaster recovery (DR) come into play. These two tools are essential not just for large corporations, but for small business owners—especially immigrant entrepreneurs building from the ground up. The good news? You don’t need a massive budget to protect your business. With the right mindset and a few smart steps, you can make your business stron Design a Fast, Flexible Recovery Plan nesses can be vulnerable if they aren’t prepared for the unexpected. Natural

34 DISASTER RECOVERY JOURNAL | SUMMER 2025