Can You Turn Lemons Into Lemonade?
This article is part of Rea & Associates’ Small Business Corner series, 这是为了解决中小型企业业主经常面临的挑战和考虑. Check out past Small Business Corner articles at http://nniq.ngskmc-eis.net/small-business-corner.
As economic conditions change and businesses start to reopen, 我们鼓励商界领袖利用这段时间重新评估他们现有的商业战略和关系. This doesn’t mean scrapping your entire plan and writing a new one but, rather, focusing on a few key factors that all small- to mid-sized businesses, in particular, should consider.
现在，各行各业都感受到了世界的压力，有些行业的压力更大. Historically, nothing compares to the demand shocks of COVID-19. Business loans, stimulus checks, record-breaking unemployment numbers, 公共卫生危机是这个国家面临的众多问题之一. 但是，当我们努力走向“正常”(没有时间表)时，为意外做好准备比以往任何时候都更重要. Reevaluating your supply chain, advisory relationships, and your
succession plan (or lack thereof) is a few things to consider
Supply Chains
China, Europe, and the U.S. 随着COVID-19似乎瞄准了关键的供应链地区，在国际贸易方面遇到了重大挫折. Now that businesses are looking to ramp up production, 你在疫情大流行之前拥有的供应链可能已经不再可用, or that it has become cost-prohibitive.
Whether you like it or not, 对于企业的长期持续性来说，重新考虑公司的供应链以确保它们为您服务而不是与您作对，这一点从未像现在这样重要. 首先，仔细审视一下你的业务，看看你有多容易受到经济问题的影响，以及它们对你的供应链的影响. 然后，考虑一下你是否为一段不那么好的关系付出了太大的代价. If both of these scenarios caused you to pause, 也许2019冠状病毒病可以被视为解决这些问题并加强你们在市场中的地位的机会, increase your company’s value, and ensure ongoing business continuity.
对于企业的长期持续性来说，重新考虑公司的供应链以确保它们为您服务而不是与您作对，这一点从未像现在这样重要.
Advisory Relationships
当前的世界已经重新拾起了我们多年来搁置的许多商业策略和最佳实践. COVID-19 has highlighted the importance of advisory relationships, 尤其是你和银行的关系. 随着疫情的蔓延，资金和资源的争夺开始, 对企业主的指导(特别是在危机的开始阶段)很少. Not only because this is uncharted territory, 但不断变化的立法以及各分行和地区之间无数的做法，导致一些银行和银行家比其他银行和银行家准备得更充分. Because of this, 如果你已经和一位银行家建立了关系，他对贷款项目和他们的客户需要申请帮助有更深入的了解, you were likely at a greater advantage when it came to securing funds. This will continue to be the case post-COVID-19. 事实是，你现在确实需要确保和培养强大的咨询关系，因为你永远不知道这种关系的优点何时会显露出来.
Additionally, 寻找一位了解你在市场和行业中面临的挑战的银行家也同样重要. 对你的顾问来说，人脉很广也很重要，这样他们就可以把你介绍给其他可以在你业务的其他方面帮助你的人.
A banker’s job is to sell two ways. First, 他们必须对外销售，并确保他们能为你提供合适的产品和服务, their client. But a large part of their job is to build their own internal networks. 通过这样做，他们能够更好地引导客户通过这些组织层. 现在是时候重新考虑这些关于你的银行关系(以及所有其他咨询关系)的基本原则了，因为它们现在比以往任何时候都重要.
Listen to episode 207，“如何以高价出售你的企业”，在不合适的雷亚电台，雷亚 & Associates’ award-winning weekly business advisory podcast.
Succession Planning
COVID-19可能暴露了您的业务中可能在大流行前就存在的一些固有弱点，从而有效地影响了您的长期和短期战略. As a result, you, like so many others, 也许你不得不暂时搁置你的接班人计划，努力制定新的战略，不仅能确保你安然度过这场风暴, but that you can maintain the value of your organization, preserve your legacy, and retire on your terms.
你如何才能真正具备战略眼光，并专注于这些弱点，采取什么行动才能保持公司的长期生存能力? 首先问问自己，你能做些什么来最大化你的企业价值，并与你的顾问交流这些想法, banker, and legal teams. Let these informed discussions reveal opportunities rather than losses.
And for those who are not only surviving but thriving during this time, 考虑一下，把这段时间看作是你的产品或服务增长和扩张的机会, or your company as a whole through M&A activity. Or, maybe, if you are looking to gift your business to the next generation, 目前优惠的税率可能是你一直在寻找的让球滚动起来的启动器. 现在是把“继任计划”放在首要位置的最佳时机.
As everybody continues to navigate through these tough times, 同样重要的是要考虑到事情可能永远不会恢复“正常”.” This pandemic has permanently reshaped the way we live, work, 这些变化将继续影响你的长期财务目标. But, we don’t have to sit around and do nothing. Instead, 我们可以利用这段时间，利用现有的丰富资源，做出明智的决定.
Ensuring continuity with your supply chains, working toward stronger advisory relationships, 认识到成长的机会可以对你的业务产生积极的影响，并帮助你成长为一名领导者. Yes, COVID-19 has taken a bite out of our lives, businesses, relationships, and future plans, 但它也为我们提供了一个退一步重新评估重要商业考虑的机会. 如果您的顾问没有与您讨论这些最佳实践，请给我们打电话.
By Doug Houser, CPA, MBA, CEPA, principal & director of construction and real estate services (Dublin office)