The Elephant that Isn't in the Room: How to Keep Your One-Person Business Running When You’re Out Sick
Discover how to keep your one-person business thriving during downtime. From automation to outsourcing, these tips can save your business when you can't.
I've had clients go MIA, sometimes for days, sometimes for weeks. No, they haven't just ghosted me, their businesses have gone dark too. The Elephant isn't the room; the Elephant has left the entire building. Generally they give me a heads up. A family emergency, a health emergency, Autistic or ADHD Burnout, business overwhelm, the list goes on.
These disappearances have inspired other articles I've written recently such as, "Have You Forgotten This Critical Part of Business Planning? Most Small Business Owners Have!" about business succession planning and even prompted me to create the Business Succession Planning Checklist.
But what happens you have (hopefully) short term interruptions to your ability to run your business. Can it carry on without you for a day? A week? A year? Frequently for solopreneurs and micro-businesses, the answer is no. The second you stop working, you stop earning money. Some say…
The difference between a Freelancer and an Entrepreneur is that one works in the business and the other works on the business.
Personally, I think that is a bit a harsh, unrealistic, and egotistical. I know many very successful businesses where the owner is in there day after day getting their hands dirty right along with the staff and the staff love them all the more for it. In fact, in my experience, Business owners who don’t participate in the day-to-day work, at least sometimes, become detached, uninformed, and start making bad decisions.
However, I’ve also seen tons of businesses that fail to thrive because the owner becomes the bottleneck. They refuse to delegate work, properly train staff, or hire enough staff and the owner never has enough time to get everything done, let alone done well. Then there are the one-person businesses who find themselves in financial dire straits the second a health emergency appears.
There is a happy middle ground that we all need to strive for. A place where we have balance between doing the work and building or improving the business. A place where our business is structured in such a way that it can survive and continue making money, at least for a couple of weeks, without us.
How to Keep Your One-Person Business Running When You’re Out Sick
Running a one-person business has its perks—you’re the boss, the decision-maker, and the creative force. But what happens when life throws you a curveball? Whether it’s a nasty flu or an unexpected personal emergency, being unable to work for even a week can bring everything to a screeching halt. The good news? With some foresight and planning, your business can keep running, and even earning, while you recover.
Quick Summary
Can your one-person business survive if you're out sick? Here’s how to prepare your business for unexpected downtime and ensure it keeps running smoothly:
Automate Key Tasks: Use tools for email responses, scheduling, invoicing, and social media posting.
Develop Passive Income Streams: Sell digital products, offer memberships, or engage in affiliate marketing.
Outsource Critical Tasks: Build relationships with freelancers and contractors who can step in as needed.
Document Processes: Create step-by-step guides for essential tasks.
Empower Clients: Offer FAQs, self-serve options, and chatbots for common inquiries.
Plan Finances: Save for emergencies and consider income protection insurance.
Prioritize Health: Prevent burnout and maintain a healthy work-life balance.
Read on for a deeper dive into these strategies and more actionable steps to safeguard your business.
1. Automate Wherever Possible
Automation tools are a solopreneur’s best friend. They work tirelessly, even when you can’t. Start by automating these key areas:
Email & Text Responses: Set up an out-of-office auto-reply with a warm, professional message and links to FAQs or resources your clients might need. Some social media platforms and Social Management Apps will also let you set up automated responses.
Scheduling: Use tools like Calendly or Acuity to let clients book appointments without your intervention. Include that link in your automated email response.
Payments and Invoicing: Platforms like PayPal, Stripe, or QuickBooks can handle recurring payments and invoice generation seamlessly. Stop manually creating a monthly invoice for any client who pays a set rate.
Social Media: Schedule posts in advance using tools like Buffer, Crowdfire, Hootsuite, or Later to keep your content flowing.
2. Create Passive Income Streams
A business that generates money while you sleep (or rest) is the ultimate safety net. Consider these options:
Digital Products: Sell eBooks, templates, guides, or courses that align with your expertise.
Memberships: Create a subscription-based model where customers can access exclusive content that you've built up over time or a community where they can connect with your other customers.
Affiliate Marketing: Partner with brands you love and earn commissions by recommending their products or services. Place those ads in your blog posts, articles, newsletters, websites, and other marketing assets that people might visit even when you're not actively marketing.
3. Build a Client Communication Plan
Transparency with your clients is key. Prepare for unexpected downtime by creating communication templates:
Notify clients of potential delays.
Offer an alternative contact (if available) or a plan for catching up once you’re back.
Reassure them that their needs will be met—even if it takes a little extra time.
Be honest with them. A client who knows you are experiencing a true emergency will be more forgiving and patient than one who thinks you just flaked on them and is too embarassed to admit to missing the deadline.
Maintain the contact information for all your clients in a centralized location such as Google or Outlook Contacts and label them as clients. If you need to ask a spouse or a friend to send out that Notification Template you created in bullet point 1, they'll easily know who to send it to.
4. Outsource Critical Tasks
While you might not be big enough to hire full time staff, having reliable freelancers or contractors on standby can save the day. Outsourcing critical pieces of your business management, such as bookkeeping and accounting, can also ensure that invoices go out and bills get paid, even if you're on bed rest.
Identify repetitive or time-sensitive tasks you can delegate.
Build relationships with virtual assistants, writers, designers, or other professionals in advance.
Hire high quality outsourced professionals and make sure they have all key information, so you could tap them in a hurry for additional support. For example, your bookkeeper might typically categorize expenses and reconcile accounts, but make sure they're trained on how to pay the bills and invoice clients so they can if you needed them to. When you hire a web designer, make sure they are professionals, not bottom dollar budget template factories. A quality web designer might also be able help you with graphic design, marketing copy, copy writing, and social media marketing. While you might not actively use those services, if your web designer has your full branding kit and access to your Canva templates and other marketing assets, you could call on them for additional help in a pinch.
Use platforms like Upwork, Fiverr, or Toptal to find experienced contractors.
5. Document Your Processes
Think of this as creating a manual for your business. Write down step-by-step instructions for your most essential tasks:
How to onboard a new client.
How to process an order.
How to manage customer inquiries. If needed, a trusted friend or virtual assistant contractor could use these instructions to temporarily step in.
6. Work in Advance
When you’re feeling well, maximize your productivity by batching tasks and work in advance whenever possible:
Schedule blog posts, emails, or social media content weeks in advance.
Pre-record videos or podcasts.
Prepare client deliverables early, where possible.
7. Establish Emergency Protocols
Have a plan for emergencies before they happen:
Create a priority list of tasks that must be done to keep the business running.
Keep a backup contact for urgent issues, such as a trusted colleague or assistant.
Store important files in cloud-based platforms like Google Drive or Dropbox so they’re accessible to others if needed.
8. Offer Self-Serve Options for Clients
Empower your clients to help themselves when you’re unavailable:
Build a FAQ page or knowledge base on your website.
Create easy-to-follow guides for common issues.
Use chatbots like Intercom or Drift to answer basic questions.
9. Plan Your Finances for Downtime
Set aside a financial buffer to cover personal and business expenses during unforeseen breaks:
Save a portion of each month’s earnings for emergencies.
Consider business insurance that includes income protection.
Regularly review and adjust your budget to account for slow periods.
10. Prioritize Your Health
Last but not least, staying healthy is the best way to minimize disruptions. Build self-care into your routine:
Take regular breaks and avoid overworking.
Maintain a healthy lifestyle with balanced nutrition, exercise, and adequate sleep.
Visit the doctor for routine check-ups and preventative care.
Recognize the signs of burnout and seek help when needed.
Be the Elephant, not the Ostrich
I know this isn't something anyone wants to think about, let alone talk about, but Life happens, and no one is immune to unexpected downtime. Be the Elephant in the Room of your business, not the Ostrich with your head in the sand.
By taking proactive steps to prepare your business, you can ensure it continues to thrive—even when you need to take a step back.
Remember, the goal isn’t to work yourself into exhaustion trying to do it all. It’s about creating a resilient business that supports you, not the other way around.
Start small. Pick one or two strategies from this list and implement them this week. You’ll be surprised how much peace of mind a little preparation can bring.
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Stay Magical,
Cheryl
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Many of the people and businesses I feature are ones that I've met in the course living my life and running my businesses. I feature them when I feel they have something my readers may be interested in hearing about.
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A good account of how to run a small business – all the things to consider. I like the pragmatic and yet progressive attitude: We should survive and thrive, both of them.