#232 - Crisis management for your growing business, with Sally Branson

 
 
 

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The 2:00 a.m. spiral is trying to tell you something

Have you ever found yourself awake at 2:00 a.m., running through every possible “what if” in your head about your business? Let me tell you, you are not the only one. That late night spiral is usually your brain trying to protect what you have built. Which is exactly why crisis management for small business is not something you leave until you are already in the middle of a mess.

Why crisis management matters for small and medium businesses

I recently spoke with crisis management expert Sally Branson on the podcast, and the message was clear. Crisis planning is not about being dramatic or expecting the worst. It is about being prepared. The same way you would not go on a hike without water and a map, you should not be growing a business without a basic crisis management plan. Because when something goes wrong, you do not rise to the occasion. You fall back to whatever systems you already have.

The myth that keeps business owners exposed

One of the biggest myths Sally called out is the idea that small and medium businesses do not need crisis management. If your business is your livelihood, a hit is a hit. It does not matter if the crisis costs you $800 or $80,000. It still hurts. And the point of crisis management planning is not to predict every possible disaster. It is to have a clear plan for how you will respond, who does what, and what steps you take first when the pressure is on.

Crisis hygiene is the boring stuff that saves you

A big part of this is what Sally calls crisis hygiene. These are the everyday habits that reduce risk and protect your business reputation before anything even happens. Think practical stuff like two factor authentication, secure passwords, access control, and keeping your systems tidy. It is not glamorous, but it is business risk management at its most useful. It is the difference between a problem being annoying and a problem becoming a full scale business crisis.

Your reputation buffer is built before the crisis hits

Then there is the reputation buffer. This is the trust you build with customers, clients, partners, and your wider community. When you have a strong reputation, people are more likely to give you the benefit of the doubt when something goes wrong. They are more patient. More supportive. More willing to stick around while you fix it. Reputation management is not something you do after a crisis. It is something you build quietly, consistently, over time.

There is always a solution, but you need a plan to find it

One of the most grounding lines from the conversation was simple: there is always a solution. It might not be the outcome you wanted. It might not be neat. But there is always a way forward. That mindset matters in crisis response, because panic makes everything worse. Preparation gives you options.

Values are not a vibe, they are a decision making tool

Values matter too. When a crisis hits, your values stop being words on a website and start becoming decisions. How you communicate. How you take responsibility. How you treat people. How you make calls under pressure. Businesses that respond in a way that matches their values tend to recover faster, because people can feel the integrity in it.

Build your wisdom council before you need it

And finally, Sally spoke about building a “wisdom council”. Not just a professional network, but a real support system. People you can call when you are stressed, stuck, or too close to the situation to think clearly. Mentors, peers, advisors, maybe even a competitor you respect. Crisis management support is not only about plans and policies. It is also about having humans around you who can help you stay steady.

Crisis management is part of sustainable business growth

Crisis management for growing businesses is not a nice to have. It is part of building something that lasts. So if you have been putting off crisis planning because it feels like something for bigger companies, take this as your sign. Start small. Get your basics in place. Build your buffer. Tighten your risk management. Because when the crisis comes, you will be glad you did.

LINKS:

Sign up for my fortnightly Atelier Briefings here

Check Your Legals with the Essential Legal Checklist here

Book a Complimentary Introduction Call with me here

Sally's website https://www.sallybransonconsulting.com/

LinkedIn page https://www.linkedin.com/in/sallybransoncrisisprreputation/

Free guide: sbcg.au (Calm in a Crisis) https://www.sallybransonconsulting.com/store

Crisis and Issues Starter Kit: sbcg.au/crisis-kit

https://www.sallybransonconsulting.com/store/p/crisis-and-issues-starter-kit


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Tracey Mylecharane

Tracey Mylecharane is the Principal Solicitor and founder of TM Legal Atelier, a boutique commercial law practice working with small and growing service-based businesses, and providing fractional in-house counsel to mid-size businesses Australia-wide. She has more than 20 years' commercial legal experience, was admitted in 2002, lectures at UNSW Law, and hosts the Rise Up in Business podcast.

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#233 - When your contracts haven't kept up with your business

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#231 - Must-know statistics for women-led businesses in Australia