What Entrepreneurial Lessons Can We Learn from the Coronavirus?
By Rose Salas

If you are an entrepreneur, you can surely attest that losing profit and shutting down your business during this virus outbreak is not a joke but rather a nightmare you wish to end.
 

The effects of the coronavirus pandemic have hit businesses globally. With so many companies closing and being put on hold, a bankruptcy filing is urgent and critical for many. If this is not possible, laying off employees and putting them on leave without pay becomes a painful option.
 

At this moment, people in different parts of the world are in home isolation, and lockdown mandates are being issued by many governments. In this period of uncertainty, wise decisions are needed to save your business, allow you to survive until the outbreak passes, and keep you from liquidating assets to cover your payables and obligations.
 

新冠病毒大流行打击了全球企业，如此众多的公司倒闭或被搁置，世界各地很多人都陷入困境，政府的封锁命令无处不在。在这个不确定的时期，需要做出明智的决定，以挽救您的业务。
 

News and write-ups about businesses being on the brink of a financial crisis are frightening for employees who will soon have to face a negative impact on their lives. If there is any consolation in this trying time, here are some lessons you can learn from the COVID-19 outbreak:

It is advisable to establish an emergency fund and always be prepared for the unknown.

Who would ever have thought that a killer virus could paralyze the global business ecosystem! A great lesson to remember for small business owners and start-ups would be to start planning and strategizing on how you can build an emergency fund. This can help substantially when a situation like this occurs suddenly.
 

您必须获得应急资金并随时做好准备

对于小企业和初创企业来说，建立应急基金的战略非常重要。

All businesses, especially start-ups, must get their cashflow system organized and under control.

When you fail to control the spending of money in your business, it will fail to thrive even before a calamity or a crisis happens. Money and time are important, and building a planned and systematic cashflow can keep your business running in a time of adversity.
 

所有的业务，尤其是初创企业必须使现金流得到控制

建立系统的现金流可以使您的企业在逆境中运转。

You should acquire an efficient and innovative system for your product inventory.

Inventory management is often overlooked because spending money on it can be impractical. However, since customer demand can be predicted, inventory control should be prioritized to protect your assets, so you should invest in a system that can make the tracking quick and easy. If you have products that are expiring soon, make sure to turn them into sales, because this is an effective way to maintain cash flow in your business. Not being able to track your inventory will result in a loss over time.
 

产品库存必须有高效创新的系统

应优先考虑库存控制以保护您的资产。投资可以使跟踪系统快速简便的系统。如果您的产品即将过期，请确保将其转换为销售产品，因为这可以保持业务中的现金流。

Protect your network.

It is never too late to fix your network when everything is back to normal. Your network includes the people you work with and those who keep your business going––your suppliers, customers, employees, building owner, landlord or lessor, and anyone who is included in your work environment. Widen your scope and invest in what's essential. Love the people who work for you, and if you need to let go of them, make sure they benefit from your emergency fund. If you are an established business, work with small business owners, and support them. In return, you will see how your network can protect you in times of difficulty.
 

保护您的网络

网络意味着与您合作的人员，使您的业务持续发展的供应商，客户，员工，房东或出租人，以及您工作环境中包含的人。扩大您的网络范围，并对其进行投资。

Always prepare a backup plan, and act quickly.

Make it a habit to make a regular assessment of your business and establish a backup plan. A ready plan can help you navigate and survive when a stressful time comes. Get your business insured if you are able to. If possible, get coverage for everyone who's running and operating the company, including your employees. Educate them on why preparing for unforeseen storms like the current crisis is crucial, so they can participate and support your plans.
 

They say experience is the best teacher. When this is all over, we can rise again! However, since we do not know when this pandemic storm will calm down, we can do only so much, and think about how we can seize more opportunities to get back up again after the storm.
 

The whole world is feeling the hurt and pain of this virus outbreak, and we're not sure how long the consequences will last. Listening to the news creates anxiety, and while people in business take this time to reflect and think about how they can strategize, the prospect of thriving and surviving may still be unclear at this point.
 

For now, we should all focus on how to flatten the curve of this killer virus. This is not a one-person battle but a global battle that we must win! If you are one of the entrepreneurs who is facing loss and not sure on how you can recover, take a break from your worries and continue to keep a positive attitude as we move forward. While it is true that some good things don’t last, the same is said of every storm. It will not last and will soon pass.
 

准备好备份方案并迅速采取行动

养成定期对您的业务进行评估并确保备份的习惯。当压力很大的时候，一个准备好的计划可以帮助您生存。如果可以请购买商业保险。如果可能请覆盖经营和运营公司的每个人，包括您的员工。

全世界都感受到这种病毒爆发的痛苦，我们不确定后果将如何。如果您面临亏损并且不确定如何恢复，请保持积极的态度。每场风暴都是如此，它不会永远持续，很快就会过去。