SBA Offers Free Webinar and Web Chat to Encourage Disaster Preparedness Planning for Business Owners
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WASHINGTON –No matter what time of year it is, or where you run your business, it’s a good idea to have a disaster preparedness plan in place. Recent disasters, such as the record-breaking flooding which occurred in Tennessee in April, serve as reminders to be proactive when it comes to building strategies to survive a disaster and recover quickly.

Toward this end, the U.S. Small Business Administration will offer two online disaster preparedness events next week. On Tuesday, June 22, Agility Recovery Solutions CEO Bob Boyd will discuss 10 Steps to Business Preparedness. Boyd will highlight key aspects of business continuity planning, including risk assessment, data back-up, crisis communications and insurance coverage.

On Thursday, June 24, SBA’s monthly Web Chat will be hosted by Nashville business owner Genma Holmes, CEO of Holmes Pest Control. Holmes will share her experience of how another business owner’s losses after Hurricane Katrina inspired her to develop her own preparedness plan. Because she was ready for the disaster, Holmes was able to resume operations just one day after cleaning up after a recent flood in Nashville.


TUESDAY, JUNE 22, 2010

WHO: Bob Boyd, CEO, Agility Recovery Solutions

WHAT: During the Tuesday Webinar, Agility CEO Bob Boyd will present 10 Tips to Business Preparedness, which will be followed by a question and answer session.

WHEN: 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. EDT

HOW: Register in Advance for 10 Tips to Business Preparedness by visiting Agility’s “Prepare My Business” Web site at www.preparemybusiness.org/education.


THURSDAY, JUNE 24, 2010

WHO: Genma Holmes, CEO, Holmes Pest Control

WHAT: Small business owner Genma Holmes will host the Thursday Web chat on “Disaster Preparedness for Business Owners: An Inside View,” and give her own account of how disaster preparedness planning helped keep her business running after Nashville’s recent record-breaking floods. Holmes will take questions and offer advice on disaster preparedness. Those participating in the Thursday Web chat may submit questions before or during the chat discussion.

WHEN: 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. EDT

HOW: Join the chat live by visiting www.sba.gov, and clicking “Online Business Chat.” Web chat participants may post questions prior to the chat by visiting: http://web.sba.gov/livemeeting/Jun10 .

To review archives of past Web chats, visit http://www.sba.gov/tools/monthlywebchat/index.html

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Advisory Date: June 17, 2010 Contact: Cecelia Taylor (202) 401-3059
Advisory Number: MA10-10 Internet Address: http://www.sba.gov/news