Even in Florida We Still Wear Flannel!

by Skip Cohen

​I know everything is relative, but living in Florida, we all complain when it drops to a bone-chilling sixty-five degrees. Well, we're in the forties this week, and Orlando is forecasted for close to frost this weekend. But, having lived most of my life in the north, I never threw out my flannel shirts.

Okay, this might seem like a little bit of a stretch, but are you ready for those business changes when it seems like hell really is about to freeze over? 

When business is great, we all ignore things we should have fixed years ago. Then, when things change, we jump to address the challenges with the urgency they should have had in the first place! There's a great quote from business writer and author Tom Peters from years ago:

If it ain't broke, don't fix it, should be, if it ain't broke you haven't looked hard enough.

​​So, here's a starter list for you to think about - Just like my backup flannel shirts when the temperature drops, are you ready when there's a "firedrill?"

• Backup Gear: Sometimes, the most fundamental definition of a professional photographer is having the right gear. If you're on a shoot and something breaks down, what's your alternative plan?
• Backup Staff: Most of you are single operators. What's your plan if something gets in the way of any commitment? Who's your backup if you're sick?
• Financial Responsibilities: Bills don't stop coming in just because you've been benched. Again, who's your backup?
• Who you gonna call? Yes, it's the Ghostbuster's theme, but when you can't come up with a solution to a problem, who's on your personal call list?
• Your Inner Circle: Everyone's network should have a handful of people at the very core. These are the people you trust the most. But the responsibility goes beyond a simple hand-off when something goes wrong - you've got to keep them informed all year long of the challenges as well as the good news.
• Building a Stash: A blog is only as good as its consistency. At the very minimum, you should be posting twice a week, same time, and same days. But things get in the way. Build a stash of posts, so you've always got something in the pipeline. And if you're stuck on ideas of what to write about, I shared 35 topic ideas in a post last week.
• ​Got a Call List? Take a look at all your gear and every supplier whose services you rely on - you should have a spreadsheet with all your contacts. From your gear to your lab to the staff at your bank, a call list can be invaluable.
• Check Your Website EVERYDAY! What good is working so hard to create the very best images if people can't see them? Check your website on different platforms every morning. And check your email as well. It's amazing how often something is wrong on a business website, but nobody is aware of it.

There are eight "flannel shirts" for when the climate changes - what have I missed?