Virgil Winston:Marketing Guru
Did you know that by raising your legs slowly and lying on your back, you can’t sink in quicksand? Or that snakebite rarely causes death? The treatment involves keeping the person calm and getting them to an emergency room, and not, thankfully, sucking venom out of their wound. Also, you should also never run from a bear but rather talk to it and back away slowly because if you run, it will chase you. Good to know. I learned these fun facts watching a survival show on PBS, and while I hope I never have occasion to test any of them out, I’m glad to be armed with the information. Fortunately, most of us don’t have to worry about surviving in the wilderness but we do need to be concerned with surviving—and thriving—in business, which can be just as treacherous…especially if you are running your own show.
There may come a time when your business must run without you—you may fall ill, have an accident or other trauma that takes you out of the office for an extended period of time. That’s why, if at all possible, you should have your spouse work in the business with you for at least three or four weeks per year. The important thing is that if for any reason you are not available to run the business, your spouse will be familiar with certain people and situations about your business. These people should include your attorney, accountant, any consultants or advisors, creditors and your major suppliers. The long-term advantages of having your spouse work four weeks per year in your business with you will greatly outweigh the short-term inconvenience.
I can tell you from experience that having Mrs. Winston dialed in to my business was invaluable when I was truck down for several weeks by a pinkie injury. She jumped right in and saved the day while I nursed my sore hand back to health. Well, I’m off to buy a wilderness survival kit…you can never be too careful. Remember, “It’s better to be safe than sorry”