As I write this, I am surrounded by devastation and destruction. Here in Agoura Hills, California, we are at the top of the evacuation zone as wildfires have destroyed thousands of homes and businesses in the Pacific Palisades and expanded westward through Malibu. Our power is out and we are working from home off a generator. My husband and business partner are currently conducting interviews in a corner of the house. I'm elsewhere, checking on my team members and clients, many of whom have been personally affected by this, the worst wildfire disaster in southern California history.

Meanwhile, as I participate in more mundane and routine business activities, such as reviewing last year's annual reports and working with my marketing partners to create new field campaigns, I am filled with immense gratitude. for the business I've built and my skill. to deal with it even under such extraordinary circumstances. With a raging fire practically on our doorstep, it's all very touch and go, but it's also comforting in a way, to put all the fear and anxiety aside and focus on what I do best: closure in and doing my job.

Our resilience and perseverance in this difficult moment did not come by chance. In contrast, we have taken steps to ensure that our resilience in the face of disaster is an integral part of our corporate culture.

Here are some key strategies for maintaining business continuity in a world where natural disasters are increasingly common.

Related: 3 steps to prepare your business for fire season

1. Understand the deepest needs of your employees in times of crisis

When disaster strikes, your employees may experience different physical impacts, and they will also process the event very differently – from person to person – on a psychological and emotional level. As a boss and a leader, they will look to you to set the tone to persevere in adversity. It's great that you sent an email with the latest updates and that your evacuation plan is posted in plain sight at headquarters, but your work isn't done yet.

Although your first priority is safety, your leadership at this time also requires you to care for the mental and spiritual well-being of your employees. Do this by holding one-on-one or group “check-in meetings” to discuss the effects of the disaster on your employees and those they care for. Make sure they know how to access available mental health resources. For example, some employers offer Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) that include reduced-cost or free counseling services. In addition to practical disaster and emergency response materials, be sure to share inspirational and motivational content with your team that shows the strength and resilience of your community in action as they respond to said disaster.

What I am trying to emphasize with my employees at this time is that, above all, nothing is more important than the safety and well-being of our loved ones. And, like every other moment and event in life, these times of ruin will not last forever. Be grateful for everything you have. Take a deep breath. We will get through it.

Related: I lost almost everything in a natural disaster. This is how I recovered.

2. Understand your paths to maximum resilience

of sustainability of a business determined by how quickly it can restore basic operations after being affected by a disaster. The key to maximizing resilience is maintaining a capacity in excess of what is required for basic operations. To put this in simple terms, consider a diverse cloud storage capacity across several service providers. If your business backs up its files to a bunch of cloud drives, then the failure of one drive won't disrupt your normal operations.

Put even more simply: A business that keeps one emergency fund will prove more financially resilient in the face of disaster than a paycheck-to-paycheck business. Understand what your capacity to maintain basic services looks like, then invest in resources that will allow you to operate on your base.

3. Plan. Plan. Plan.

This should not be difficult and there is no need to reinvent the wheel. There are free tools available to help you assess your business risks and plan accordingly. For a comprehensive preparation guide, see “Open for Business-EZ toolkit” from the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Security. Once you fully understand your risks and your business continuity needs, you'll be better positioned to take further proactive steps such as:

• Proper investigation insurance coverage options that fits your business's unique risk profile and covers the value of assets that could be damaged or lost in the types of disasters most likely to affect you where you live.
• Cultivating awareness of disaster relief grants and loans for which your business may qualify.
• Understanding the weaknesses of buildings, vehicles or equipment used to operate your business. How might common disasters in your area affect these resources?
• Creating an emergency fund that can keep your business up and running in tough times.
• Determining whether a gasoline generator or other backup power supply is a good investment to make or not?

Related: 8 ways your business can avoid disaster – and recover if it happens

4. Keep your customers in the loop

It is important to notify your customers when you are affected by a natural disaster or any other event that may cause service interruption. Poor communication with customers, leading to unmet expectations, can make a disaster worse than it needs to be. Keep them informed of how your business was affected and of your ongoing recovery efforts. If you can, go the extra mile: offer discounts and special promotions to customers affected by the disaster. Doing so will get you good feedback and burnish your reputation as a responsible corporate citizen.

As we continue to fight this historic disaster in Southern California, my firm, CorpNet, is doing everything we can to support the community we serve and where we are home. We have rallied our employees and customers to join us in donating to him Red CrossCalifornia Fire Relief Fund and LA County Fire Department. We are sharing and promoting these giving opportunities as a practical means of responding to adversity, but also as a means of encouraging our team members and clients to stay mentally healthy during this troubling time by giving back , connecting and supporting. community in this time of need.

Remember, like it or not, there are those who look to you for guidance and inspiration. How you run your business – and how you treat the people who help you run it – speaks volumes. Strive to build a business that will set the standard for compassion, resilience and resilience during challenging times.