Forget the Lifeboat.

Make Your Business Truly Unsinkable!

In my last article in this series Will your business come out of this crisis stronger and better? I said that it is possible for businesses to not only survive this pandemic but come out the other side in better shape than before. Here are some examples of businesses which are determined to thrive – and what we can learn from them.

Writing in the Harvard Business Review, Steve Blank said that the “lifeboat choices you make” during the COVID-19 pandemic will influence your business’s ability to survive.   

He's right, of course, and his article A 5-Day Plan to Keep Your Company Afloat is worth reading (see the link at the end of this article), but at the risk of taking Mr Blank out of context, I believe the use of the term ‘lifeboat’ is sending the wrong message to business owners.

Instead of focusing purely on survival, I believe business owners and managers should also be thinking about how they can actually gain from their current situation and become, in the words of economist Nassim Nicholas Taleb, ‘antifragile’. 

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying you shouldn’t cut back on unnecessary expenses, and rationalise your business. You must, and hopefully you already have. But I’m saying now’s not the time to give in to the fear that nothing you do is going to make a difference. It’s time to roll up your sleeves and rethink your strategy for the future.



This is definitely not the time for theories, but for action. So here’s what other business owners are doing to ensure their businesses not only survive but thrive during these challenging times. I have categorised them into industries but if you happen to be in a different industry, don’t worry – you may be able to adapt their ideas into your business.

Low-cost, subscription-based, open-all-hours fitness centres created a massive new business model (Think Anytime, Snap and Jetts Fitness) but as they are now all 'temporarily closed' according to their websites, you may be wondering how they could possibly thrive during this time.

Smart operators have shifted their businesses online, not only using interactive communications tools such as Zoom to work with their members at home but also creating workout guides, recipe books, and equipment bundles to help members stay on track during the lockdown.

Seven years ago, Sarah-Louise Hayton, a former teacher, established Thinking2morrow, an after-school Learning Centre offering students personalised computer-based learning programmes with access to one-on-one tutoring in a fun, rewarding environment. The business model was so successful that when Sarah-Louise and I set up the business as a franchise, the first franchisee signed up almost immediately. But that was just weeks before the start of the COVID-19 lockdown.

Now, of course, the two Learning Centres are closed but Sarah-Louise was quick to adopt online tutoring. “Because our personalised learning programmes are cloud-based, they can be accessed from students’ homes as well as our Learning Centres,” she explains. “And we simultaneously use an online interactive platform to provide access to our tutors. Our students are saying it’s like the tutors are right there with them and for the first time we are able to offer this unique benefit to students throughout the country. The lockdown has provided the opportunity to develop our business model and grow our business.”      

Home Renovations

I’m Robin La Pere, no ordinary business consultant. I've been a corporate leader and owned my own businesses, so I understand the impact that so-called 'Black Swan’ events such as pandemics and recessions can have on businesses and franchises, no matter what size.

That's why I have decided to do something about it. In addition to my business consulting services and resources such as ebooks and guides, I have developed several programmes designed to help business owners and managers to navigate the current crisis more confidently.  

If you're a New Zealand business, the good news is that all this may not end up costing you as much as you think – if you qualify for a grant under the Regional Business Partner Network scheme, which you almost certainly will with my help.

For our first conversation, however, I will not charge you a cent, even it takes an hour or more. I see it as our opportunity, mine and yours, to get to know each other and to share and explore. And rest assured that anything we talk about will be treated in strictest confidence by me and not shared with anyone else.

To arrange a mutually suitable time for our conversation, click on the button below and complete the Contact Form, telling me a little about yourself and letting me know whether you prefer to communicate by phone, Skype, Whatsapp, Messenger or Zoom.

I look forward to talking with you.         

Download this free ebook now before it’s too late

A year ago, I predicted that a recession was on the way but of course at that time I had no idea that a global pandemic would trigger it. I produced an ebook then called The Ultimate Guide to Business Sur-thrive-al which has been widely read.

I initially thought the book may no longer be relevant but on re-reading it, I believe it may still offer some value to business owners and managers, so I am making it available to download again...

AT ABSOLUTELY NO COST! 

I’ve packed The Ultimate Guide to Business Sur-thrive-al  with 45 pages of great case studies of businesses which have not only survived previous recessions, but have actually thrived.

I promise to never share your email address with anyone else

My 10-Step Business Sur-thrive-al Programme has been developed from lessons I learned from successfully navigating three previous recessions.

I urge you to read this article, download my free ebook The Ultimate Guide to Business Sur-thrival-al, and contact us for a free Initial Business Sur-thrive-al Consultation. 

Need a Lifeline in These Troubled Times?

There’s a saying that a problem shared is a problem halved. I work with people all over the world to help them with the many problems that are confronting business owners and managers at this time.



You need to understand that there are solutions to every problem, but you may need help to find them. The first step is to take advantage of my free Initial Consultation so we can begin to explore the possibilities.