When starting Assette more than 20 years ago, we had a revolutionary idea, the team to design and sell it, and a plan to succeed. What we lacked was a contingency plan that could do the impossible — prepare us for the unexpected series of events that lay ahead.
As professionals, we have all learned that dealing with unexpected day-to-day events is part of the job. In fact, I’m sure we could fill pages with examples right now. Most of us have had help along the way. For example, there are courses and books about risk management, and many firms run contingency drills. However, what about the circumstances we cannot foresee or prepare for? For example, how do you manage or grow a startup during the dot-com bust and 9/11 or maintain your workforce during the 2008 Wall Street crisis or the most significant global pandemic in centuries?
