In Case of Emergency Playbook

Today though I’d like to share about the events of October 2010 and how that month helped form the Playbook as a cornerstone of my business.

October is a busy month in my family, with dozens of birthdays to celebrate and the annual Hershey Swap Meet in Pennsylvania (a must attend event to my car crazy family).

Last year my Grandpa George was planning on traveling back to Pennsylvania at this time of year but ended up in the hospital instead. Still independent at 90 years old, Grandpa George and Grandma lived in their home, restored cars, traveled with family and were active in various organizations – he was a member of his church, several car clubs and had just celebrated his birthday on a family trip to Hawaii.

A late night call from Grandma when my dad was in Pennsylvania revealed that Grandpa George was a lot sicker than we knew. I rushed to the hospital, arriving with Mom just after midnight. By 2am Mom left to pick up Grandma – the doctors were working frantically and needed to know if Grandpa George had a DNR (do not resuscitate order).

The next ten days were a roller coaster. Family came in, doctors were consulted, we moved Grandpa George to a new hospital and he underwent major procedures in an effort to save his life.

On October 15th, Grandpa George died. Sixty-five years of marriage, three kids, 6 grand kids and 3 great-grand kids. In losing the patriarch our family was rocked, in mourning and had to quickly come together in his absence.

You know what I wasn’t focused on? The day to day needs of my business.

While hospital wifi and some rudimentary systems enabled me to keep track of tasks, I saw a bigger vision. The freedom to manage a bigger business, with much more moving parts in the midst of family emergencies without worry.

Because we don’t know what tomorrow holds for our families – hurricane Irene, a school shooting, cancer, a power grid failure, death – all of these things happen whether or not your business is ready.

The comprehensive Business Playbook gives you peace. You can focus on the things that matter most without sacrificing your business operations. Give the people that matter most the attention they need in crises.

I learned a lot from my Grandpa George, himself an entrepreneur running water wells most of his adult life. In the last few days he was with us, Grandpa would pull me in close so I could hear his weak voice and one of the last things he told me was to ‘go to work.’

See, to Grandpa George and his generation, you have to be present, physically present, at your desk or your rig in order to build a business and generate income. Thankfully that’s no longer true, particularly for online entrepreneurs. But you do need to be present in your business by ensuring that your team has the playbook and systems are automated, even if you’re not present at the moment.

So even if you don’t have a vacation planned I want you to sign up for the free session to start your own Operations Manual. While it is my desire that you’d never need it due to a child falling ill, a natural disaster that destroys your computer or home or a personal setback – having your Playbook will bring you comfort in those times.

To sign up you can follow this link and submit your name and email or simply contact my team for an appointment at team@kellyazevedo.com.