Lessons from the Ashes: Navigating Business During a Natural Disaster

In the face of the devastating LA fires, our company – headquartered just minutes away from Pacific Palisades in West Hollywood –- has been fortunate. While the fires came perilously close to our homes across the Los Angeles area, all of our local employees are safe.

Our deepest gratitude goes out to our firefighters and first responders for their courage and strength, and our hearts go out to our many neighbors who lost their homes and so much more.

With our communities under threat, the emotional toll on our team has been significant. The situation is constantly evolving as wind and weather impact the direction the fire takes and the ability for firefighters to get the upper hand on containment.

In the hopes of providing guidance to other businesses facing crisis situations like this, here are a few of the ways our tight-knit team is navigating this natural disaster:

1. Go Remote
   1. To alleviate stress and prioritize safety, we immediately shifted all operations to remote work. This allowed employees the flexibility to focus on their families and homes while maintaining business continuity.
   2. At the same time, keeping the roadways clear for emergency vehicles was critical.
2. Employee Wellbeing Is Paramount
   1. Safety first: Always confirm the well-being of employees and their families during a disaster. Proactively reach out and offer support. This came naturally to our team.
   2. Flexible policies: Provide paid time off or flexible hours for those directly affected. This demonstrates care and fosters loyalty.
3. Communication Is Key
   1. Stay connected: Use multiple communication channels to ensure everyone receives updates. In our case, our usual assortment of tools--like Skype, Zoom, SMS, and email--have proved invaluable.
   2. Transparency: Be clear and honest about the situation, company expectations, and available resources. This builds trust during uncertain times.
4. Prepare for Business Continuity
   1. Disaster recovery plan: Before disaster even strikes, develop a detailed plan covering remote work, data backup, and emergency contacts.
   2. Regular discussions: Discuss your disaster plan at least twice a year to identify gaps, ensure readiness, and get new employees up to speed. Familiarity breeds confidence in times of crisis.
5. Support the Community
   1. Extend support: Offer resources, such as temporary accommodations or financial aid, to employees impacted by the disaster.
   2. Volunteer or donate: Volunteering not only makes an impact but it can be very healing. For donations, here are a few organizations doing good work in the LA community by actively supporting those impacted by the fires:

World Central Kitchen

LA Food Bank

Baby2Baby

LAFD Foundation

6. Stay Adaptable
   1. Quick decision-making: Be ready to pivot operations based on rapidly changing conditions.
   2. Post-crisis evaluation: After the immediate danger passes, reflect on what worked and where improvements are needed. Use these insights to strengthen future preparedness.

Our team’s support for one another during this crisis is a testimony to the strength of our culture. We were quick to check on one another’s wellbeing from the beginning. The way we came together showed how we have always prioritized people over processes, and I recommend other companies take the same approach.

As we witness our community continue to fight the fires, we are committed to helping it rebuild and move forward. While incredible obstacles remain, we know that we can weather any storm (or fire) that comes our way if we all work together.

Go here to read our recent Forbes article about the strategies we lean into at our agency to build trust  from the inside out. We know these strategies helped us navigate the challenges of the past few weeks. And because, with gratitude, we remain open for business, we also invite you to reach out to our team to connect on our award-winning customer acquisition solution and services, including our B2B Living File® database – used by Fortune 1000 firms and startups to fuel omni-channel campaigns; our B2B2C linkage and performance media services; and custom audience building for CTV advertising, email marketing, media activation and much more.