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Steve B
02-17-2009, 08:13 AM
I'm working with my web designer right now on a simple disaster recovery plan. I've relied very heavily on him for the website and I don't know how to do anything on my own (and don't want to learn). I'm asking him for a one page sheet that I can put in my file that I will pull out in the event that he gets hit by a bus. (My webguy is VanGogh - so let's hope this never happens). Basically, I want some simple instructions that I can give to the next person.

I'm going to train my wife on all aspects of my business in the event that I get hit by a bus. I know she won't want to install the fences, but she should be able to train someone else how to do it. She already knows my bookkeeping (better than me).

Is there anything else I should be doing?

What have you done along these lines?

tuitionsource
02-17-2009, 09:40 AM
Those are great ideas Steve. I am doing the same thing but I don't think I can get all my instructions on one sheet. I have a binder with instructions, account numbers, and contact info on it in case of my demise. I update it annually. I also use that update as the opportunity to update my annual goals. I had thought about keeping folder on my computer with that info but I do travel with the computer. Wouldn't want my info getting out in case of theft.

Greg

vangogh
02-17-2009, 11:46 AM
You know if you keep talking about me getting hit by a bus I'm going to get very nervous around buses :)

Steve I'll prepare something for you so you know what to do, but quickly here for everyone else. The most important thing for any site owner is to own their domain. Make sure you're listed as the registrant and the administrative contact on the domain and make sure the email listed is one you actually use. If you do then any changes to the domain need to go through you.

You should also have the login information for your hosting account. That's where all your site's files will be and you want to make sure you have access to them even if you're generally letting someone else do everything on your site.

One thing I always insist on with clients is that they go through the process of registering their own domains and signing up for the hosting account. Some designers will register everything through themselves which sounds nice and easy for you until something happens to your designer or something happens between you. I've run into quite a few situations where an old designer was being spiteful and refusing to turn over access to a client's site.

You should also have a backup of your site's files and database. Odds are your web host will be making periodic backups and can put the site back in a disaster, though it would be back to whatever their last back up was, which might be a few days ago. However it's not guaranteed that your web host is backing up anything. Many offer this as a service, but not all do and even if they do it's not the best to rely on them just in case.

The main thing is to be listed as the owner of everything relating to your site, have the login information of everything related to your site, know where to use that login information, and have backups of your files and database.

One quick tip: If your site gets lost and you don't have a backup there are some tricks to get back much of what you lost, though generally not all. Sometimes you can find things in your browser's cache, thought that's not the best source. One place I've gone to often for retrieving lost files is Google.

Search site:yourdomain.com and you should see all the pages Google has indexed for your site. There should be a link to the cached page on Google's servers which will be how your page looked the last time Google indexed it. That could be anywhere from a few minutes ago to a few months ago depending on important Google's considers your site.

Using Google for file recovery isn't foolproof by any means and you probably won't recover everything, but it can be a lifesaver at times.

kml9870
02-20-2009, 01:52 PM
I'm starting a petition to ban buses from SBF.

Depending on how your business is set up and the extent of physical damage the bus causes, your wife may need your power of attorney. I have had my hubby's full power of attorney for about 6 years now (he has mine too) and it came in very handy in August of 07 when he hit a deer while riding his motorcycle. He spent 2 weeks in the hospital and much to my surprise there were a few times I needed to produce that POA so I could take care of things.

Blessed
02-20-2009, 02:01 PM
I think hitting a deer while riding a motorcycle would hurt! Hope your hubby is all ok now! Oh and send that petition over - I'll sign it :)

kml9870
02-20-2009, 02:20 PM
I think hitting a deer while riding a motorcycle would hurt! Hope your hubby is all ok now! Oh and send that petition over - I'll sign it :)

Yeah it hurt...he had 3 broken ribs, a shattered spleen and a bunch of cuts & bruises. The spleen was the worst of it. Thank God you don't need your spleen (strictly speaking) and they were able to removed it. He has some minor after effects but his is mostly back to new :D


Oh & here's that petition:



Petition to ban buses from SBF

Name

1) Kandi
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)
9)

vangogh
02-20-2009, 02:34 PM
Since my name has come up in this bus discussion as the unfortunate victim I'll gladly sign the petition

1) Kandi
2) Steve (vangogh)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)
9)

huggytree
02-20-2009, 05:39 PM
its something ive thought of, but done nothing for.

my wife worries about it, but i cant teach her about the business right now since i have 3 kids under 4 years old....she can barely keep up with the house/kids tasks. She has no time to even handle the bookwork for me....i handle the business 100%

if i get hurt in a major way and unable to do my job for 6 months im pretty much out of business.....if i die im also out of business.

my job folders are very organized and my wife could figure out whats going on..who owe's money,etc

without any employees what could i do? without employees what could my wife do?

i have disability insurance and financially id always be ok..that is 100% planned for....my wife can go back to work and make a good wage anytime...so financially i can survive anything... the business would have to be started over again......how many customers would come back after a 6 month injury? wouldnt they worry it would happen again and they would be left high and dry... 50% may come back....

i wonder if contractors would sue me for finishing a project 1/2 way?....usually i get paid in 2 phases...rough and finish...i take all the profit out in the rough and do the finish 'at cost'...so id probably owe some people some money back and would even offer to stay on their good side.

Steve B
02-20-2009, 06:44 PM
HT - it sounds like you've done all that you can. But, you didn't mention life insurance.

Also, you mentioned disability insurance. Is it short term, or long term? I looked into Long Term and it was literally impossible for me to get any since my business was fairly new. If you have long term, I'd love to know where you got it. Long term would be for a disability that goes beyone 6 months and potentially up until age 65.

Blessed
02-20-2009, 10:18 PM
Ok, here's my sig for the petition:

1) Kandi
2) Steve (vangogh)
3) Blessed (Jenn)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)
9)

Patrysha
02-20-2009, 10:25 PM
Mine too...though I live in a town with no bus system other than school buses, so I think I'm personally safe from the threat...

1) Kandi
2) Steve (vangogh)
3) Blessed (Jenn)
4) Patrysha
5)
6)
7)
8)
9)

kml9870
02-20-2009, 10:49 PM
its something ive thought of, but done nothing for.

my wife worries about it, but i cant teach her about the business right now since i have 3 kids under 4 years old....she can barely keep up with the house/kids tasks. She has no time to even handle the bookwork for me....i handle the business 100%

if i get hurt in a major way and unable to do my job for 6 months im pretty much out of business.....if i die im also out of business.

my job folders are very organized and my wife could figure out whats going on..who owe's money,etc

without any employees what could i do? without employees what could my wife do?

i have disability insurance and financially id always be ok..that is 100% planned for....my wife can go back to work and make a good wage anytime...so financially i can survive anything... the business would have to be started over again......how many customers would come back after a 6 month injury? wouldnt they worry it would happen again and they would be left high and dry... 50% may come back....

i wonder if contractors would sue me for finishing a project 1/2 way?....usually i get paid in 2 phases...rough and finish...i take all the profit out in the rough and do the finish 'at cost'...so id probably owe some people some money back and would even offer to stay on their good side.
From experience I can tell you that you would be amazed at what you can juggle when you have to.

Disability insurance won't help your wife take care of things that are in your name and you would be surprised how many places don't accept that because you are married she can conduct business for you. Not just your business transactions, but utility companies, creditors, etc. My hubby and I originally gave each other POA because our natural gas bill was in his name and they wouldn't discuss it with me with out him present without a POA.

A POA also gives her the right to act as your health care proxy. With today's HIPPA laws, not all health care facilities accept a marriage license the same as a health care proxy. That was also the case with the hospital my hubby was taken to. If I hadn't had his full POA they would not have let me sign for him to have surgery to remove his spleen.

After my experiences with those two situations I advise all married couples to have POA of each other. In my opinion, the marriage license and vows constitute the same rights but the law has a different view.

Steve B
02-21-2009, 04:14 AM
"Disability insurance won't help your wife take care of things that are in your name" ???

Disability insurance is income replacement in the event that you are not physically able to work. It typically pays 50 or 60% of your pay as long as you meet the requirements for disablity. Typically "short-term" pays during the first period of 1 to 26 weeks. If you have Long Term - it will begin paying in the event your disability goes beyond 26 weeks. It was somthing that every corporation I worked for offered, but it's very difficult (impossible in my case) to get as a business owner.

huggytree
02-21-2009, 08:28 AM
i think the dissability goes up to 5 years for me.....i wouldnt take a 6 month version because i need enough time to come up with a new occupation if i chop my hand off or something major....5 years means i could go to college...6 months means your screwed

1 million each for life insurance...im set there....

maybe i should start teaching the 4 year old how to handle things? he could be my apprentice?

when he's twelve id consider it....but i dont want him to follow in my footsteps

Steve B
02-21-2009, 08:38 AM
I figured you had the life insurance covered. You're right about the disability, a lot of people only get the short-term. It's the long term stuff that is really scary.

I can't imagine why you wouldn't want your son to follow in your footsteps. You have a trade that will always be in need and you are making decent money and in control of your own destiny. You're even doing well despite being fairly new in business and during a rough economic period.

I'll teach my wife how to train installers in the next couple months. In a couple years I can train my kids.

kml9870
02-21-2009, 09:18 AM
Sorry, I guess I didn't explain that too well. Disability insurance only replaces income. If you are in a hospital it is very likely there will be things health related and/or finance related that your wife will have to sign and/or discuss.

Blessed
02-21-2009, 12:30 PM
Sorry, I guess I didn't explain that too well. Disability insurance only replaces income. If you are in a hospital it is very likely there will be things health related and/or finance related that your wife will have to sign and/or discuss.

This is very true. A power of attorney can save everyone a lot of hassle if you are out of commission either permanently or even just temporarily laid up in the hospital. It's one of those things that just makes life simpler for whoever has to deal with your business in case our bus petition fails.