Your Doomsday Plan: What if you didn't show up on Monday?
I watched a fascinating documentary recently about what would happen to Earth if humans suddenly disappeared.
You may know the one - skyscrapers crumbling, nature reclaiming cities, and nuclear plants melting down without human intervention.
It highlights a much smaller but equally important question: What would happen to your business if you didn't show up on Monday?
Not because you're taking a well-deserved holiday.
Not because you've planned a strategic absence.
But because you simply... couldn't.
Let's call this your "Doomsday Plan."
And despite the dramatic name, creating one is actually one of the most positive, proactive steps you can take for your business.
Why This Matters to You
If you're like most business owners I work with, your business depends heavily on you. You're the linchpin, the decision-maker, the keeper of critical information and relationships.
This creates an uncomfortable truth: without you, your business might be in serious trouble. Not just eventually, but immediately.
This vulnerability affects:
- Your clients, who rely on your business for services
- Your team, who depend on your business for their livelihoods
- Your family, who might be left with a worthless business asset
- Your own financial security and legacy
Creating a Doomsday Plan isn't pessimistic - it's powerfully optimistic.
It's saying: "This business matters too much to be vulnerable. Let's make it resilient."
Why Most People Struggle With This
Let's be honest - thinking about our own absence is uncomfortable. There are several reasons business owners avoid creating these plans:
It feels morbid: Nobody enjoys contemplating scenarios where they're out of the picture.
It seems unnecessary: We naturally assume we'll have time later to prepare.
It's not urgent: There are always more pressing fires to fight.
It's overwhelming: Where would you even start?
It requires vulnerability: You have to admit your business might have weaknesses.
Here's the good news: creating this plan doesn't just protect your business from worst-case scenarios - it immediately improves your business's operations, value, and your quality of life.
In fact, the process itself reveals the most critical improvements your business needs now.
Creating Your Doomsday-Proof Business
Building a business that can survive without you doesn't happen overnight, but it starts with asking the right questions:
Who knows what? Make a list of critical information that only you know: client relationships, passwords, banking details, key processes, supplier contacts. This becomes your "knowledge transfer" list.
Who decides what? Document which decisions require your input and who could make those decisions in your absence. This becomes your "decision authority" framework.
What happens when? Create a time-based response plan: what needs to happen in the first 24 hours, first week, first month if you're suddenly unavailable? This becomes your "emergency protocol."
One client I've gone through this exercise with recently discovered that only he knew how to process payroll - a critical function that happened every two weeks. Within a month, he had trained two team members and documented the process. This didn't just reduce risk - it freed him to take his first two-week holiday in years without interruption.
Another realised that while her business would continue operating without her, her family wouldn't have access to business accounts to manage cash flow. A simple meeting with her financial advisor and some updated documentation solved this vulnerability.
Turn Vulnerabilities Into Strength
The beauty of the Doomsday Plan is that it naturally reveals your business's most critical improvement areas:
1. Undocumented processes become systems anyone can follow.
2. Knowledge silos transform into shared team expertise.
3. Key person dependencies evolve into distributed responsibilities.
4. Informal arrangements develop into clear agreements.
5. Verbal understandings convert to written protocols.
Each vulnerability you address doesn't just prepare for a worst-case scenario - it makes your business stronger today. You'll notice immediate benefits:
- Less stress when you take time off
- Faster onboarding for new team members
- Smoother operations with fewer bottlenecks
- More confident leadership from your team
- Higher business valuation (resilient businesses are worth more)
Takeaways for Creating Your Doomsday Plan
Ready to make your business more resilient? Here are your next steps:
1. Start with a "critical functions" list: Identify the 5-10 most essential business operations that would need to continue without interruption.
2. Create a "Day One" document: Write down exactly what your team should do if you're suddenly unavailable.
3. Identify your emergency leadership: Who would step up? Do they know this? Are they prepared?
4. Document your key relationships: Ensure someone else knows your important clients, suppliers, and partners.
5. Update your legal preparations: Ensure powers of attorney, succession documents, and insurance are current.
Remember, this isn't just about preparing for the worst - it's about building a stronger business today. Every step you take toward a more resilient operation increases your freedom, reduces stress, and adds real value to your business.
The most successful business owners I work with review and update their Doomsday Plan annually. They don't see it as planning for disaster - they see it as planning for success, no matter what happens.
What's one critical function in your business that depends entirely on you? This week, document it or teach it to someone else.
Not only will you reduce risk, but you'll also take one small step toward greater freedom and a more valuable business.
Because the best plans don't just prepare you for doomsday - they help you build a better business today.
There's no better time to make a start on your Doomsday Plan than right now. Contact me to discover just how much stronger you can make your business in a matter of days.