Not quite there yet?  That’s OK – you’re not alone – and we’ve got you covered!

Below are some useful disaster preparedness resources including websites, an episode of our radio show, a free business continuity teleseminar,  and some recommended tools to help you weather any storm.

AUDIO (Radio Show Archive):

Failing to Plan is Planning to Fail (Business Continuity in the Changing World of Work)
There are many potential obstacles that can interrupt a company’s ability to do business as usual: inclement weather, natural disasters, special events, transit strikes, and skyrocketing transportation costs just to name a few. In this episode from our radio show archive we took a look at the differences between business continuity and disaster recovery as well as some strategies and technology to help you and your organization prepare. Jason and I talk with Brian Donahoo of Citrix Online, makers of GoToMyPC and GoToMeeting, to explore how aspects of the digital lifestyle can address and overcome these obstacles. As the Zen proverb says . . . The obstacle is the path.

FREE TELESEMINAR:

Riding the Storm Out (Tips to develop a business continuity plan)
Consider this, almost 40% of small businesses that close due to a disaster event never re-open.

What would you do if the building your business is located within was damaged or destroyed in a disaster? Where would you go to continue providing your business services? Would you have the resources, databases, contact information and other necessary items to adapt to these changes?

The best time to respond to any disaster is before it happens. A well thought out business continuity or disaster recovery plan can ensure that you are prepared for any contingency. Our panel of South Florida experts discuss best practices, strategies, and tools to ensure your business can weather any storm or business interruption.

CLICK HERE for the Downloadable Audio and Handouts

WEBSITES:

Ready.gov
The website for The Department of Homeland Security’s Ready Campaign. This site has comprehensive information about all aspects of Disaster Planning, Business Continuity, and Continuity of Operations planning. It is broken down into 3 main areas Ready America, Ready Business, and Ready Kids.

National Hurricane Survival Initiative
A coalition of a number of organizations including National Hurricane Center, National Emergency Management Association, The Salvation Army, and others. This is an exceptional site – well designed and full of resources.

Office Depot’s Disaster Preparedness Strategy
An excellent collection of articles and resources on how small business owners can prepare for unplanned interruptions. This site will get you up to speed and help prevent a crisis from becoming a full-fledged disaster.

Hurricane Preparedness
The official site of Hurricane Preparedness Week. Hosted by the NOAA and The National Weather Service.

FloridaDisaster.org
Florida Division of Emergency Management website about Business Disaster Planning. They have an online tool that walks you through creating a Business Disaster Plan in about 15 minutes.

MOBILE WORK AND VIRTUAL OFFICE SERVICES I RECOMMEND:

GoToMyPC Remote Access Service
Even if something prevents you from making it to the office, you can use your office PC just as if you were sitting in front of it. For a free trial CLICK HERE.

GoToMeeting Web Meeting and Conferencing
Web conferencing can be used for team meetings, webinars, sales demos, training, consulting, brainstorming, and much more. No worries if the office is closed due to storms or inclement weather. You and your clients and co-workers can even collaborate on documents in real time.

Skype (Audio and Video Conferencing/Screen Sharing):
One of the best tools for web-based video and audio conferencing.  Even has simple screen sharing and it’s Free!. If a disaster or storm prevents travel or anytime you work with others across distance – add this to your toolbox! To learn more about the power of skype check out my article “How to Embrace Skype to be a True-Blue Mobile Entrepreneur” over at VirtualBusinessLifestyle.com.

Regus BusinessWorld Gold Card (6 months free)
Having to evacuate, or losing access to your office or workplace are only a couple of the scenarios where a virtual office or touch down space can be an invaluable resource. Regus is the world’s largest provider of outsourced workplaces for businesses of any size.  A Regus businessworld Gold card gives you many privileges, including complimentary access any of their 1,100+ global business lounges and cafés, with complimentary internet and refreshments.
CLICK HERE to get a FREE 6 Month Regus Businessworld Gold Card

Wi-Fi Center and Hotspot Locator
If you’ve lost internet service at home or the office use our Wi-Fi center to find hotspots so you can get online from coffee shops, airports, bookstores, cafes, and other public locations. Quickly find a place to use your laptop, tablet, or mobile device and get online.

I hope this collection of disaster preparedness and business continuity resources and tips helps you develop a more flexible business approach so you can deal with whatever emergencies or business interruptions might come your way.  With some forethought and a strategy you can ensure that you are prepared.

Like this Post? Check Out These...

1. Disaster Preparedness and Business Continuity A few months ago Phil and I dedicated one of...
2. Free Business Continuity and Disaster Preparedness Teleseminar Well it’s July and that means hurricane season in Florida,...
3. Disaster Recovery and Hurricane Preparedness Planning – ‘Define Your Day After’ Tomorrow is the last day of Hurricane Preparedness Week 2008...

I met Karl late last year we instantly hit if off.  As we talked further he told me he wanted to embrace a virtual business model for Smart Company Growth. Shortly afterward I started working with Karl to help him refine his business model and choose the best strategies and tools that would allow him the flexibility to work from anywhere, keep his costs low, and work with clients from all over the world without the expenses and headaches of all that travel.

One of the things we discussed was how to use Skype for video conferencing and remote interviews as Karl wanted to include a series of these interviews with noted authorities on his blog. So after getting the technology in place he figured what better way to kick them off than by interviewing me about the strategies and technology that help entrepreneurs, small businesses, and solo professionals to work virtually.

Click below to watch the interview is broken down into 2 parts:

• Video Interview Part 1 where we talk about the shift toward mobile work, how and why companies are embracing this type of work, some of the challenges, and what  it means to work with people you don’t see every day.
• Video Interview Part 2 where we talk about some of the non-tech elements critical for success when leading virtual or distributed workforces as well as some of the key gadgets and technology that help you and your team stay connected.  We also talk briefly about my on-demand webinar The Art of Virtual Leadership and how it helps managers learn to lead virtual teams.

I hope you enjoy the interview and find it informative.  Karl did a great job and had some great insight from his own experiences about what it means to work virtually and work with clients and team members remotely.

What do you think is the biggest shift in working virtually?  Please share your thoughts by posting a comment below.

Like this Post? Check Out These...

1. It’s Strategies and Tools That Make Remote Team Collaboration Work Although many people feel remote collaboration is all about technology...
2. Catch my video chat with Dave and Brian on Freelance Jam A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of joining...
3. Choosing the Right Technology for Your Virtual Team or Virtual Office [VIDEO] A question I’m asked by many entrepreneurs, small business owners,...

I’ve seen significant growth in the desktop video conferencing space with services like Skype, Tokbox, and ooVoo being used for everything from virtual meetings and remote collaboration to friends and family keeping in touch.   Thanks to the increase in broadband and wi-fi people can meet face-to-face virtually from almost anywhere.

Well now it looks like video chat/conferencing is about to get even more mobile.   Last week Apple released the iPhone 4 which includes a forward facing camera and a built in program called FaceTime that allows video chatting from iPhone to iPhone.  Also Sprint released the EVO 4G which also includes a front-facing camera and the QIK video chat software. It seems like the natural next step . . .

There is no mistaking that the time is ripe to get into the mobile video chatting game. It is already big enough with tools from Skype, Google (Talk) and others, and it’s only going to get bigger. There are already millions of notebook owners in the mix, and when you add what is likely going to be millions of smartphone and tablet owners, the potential market for video chat offerings is going to be huge.

via Is a Mobile Video Chat Revolution Imminent?.

I’m sure these two phones are only the start of this trend.  In fact you can be sure that once Apple starts to push this envelope others will be soon to follow – much the way that the iPhone invigorated the smartphone market and the iPad has woken up the sleeping tablet market.  I’m still shocked that the iPad didn’t include a camera on it for video chats – but I’m almost certain the next generation will include that feature.  In fact it’s one of the main reasons I didn’t run out and buy one – I’ll wait for the second generation so I can tap into the video.

The stats seems to back up this prediction in a recent report, entitled “Can You See Me Now?: The New World of Consumer Visual Communications,”  by GigaOM Pro. (subscription required):

Like this Post? Check Out These...

1. Catch my video chat with Dave and Brian on Freelance Jam A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of joining...
2. Video Conferencing Breaks Out of the Boardroom – Watch it On-Demand Video conferencing has changed.  What was once a very costly...
3. Join me Thursday – Bloomberg BusinessWeek Free Live Webcast on Video Conferencing I’ve been invited by Bloomberg BusinessWeek to be a panelist...

As Jason and I often say it’s about “the right tools thoughtfully applied”. Yesterday I came across a great blog post by Isaac Gube (@IAMTHEGUBE) about the tools and strategies he and his brother put into place when they launched their latest venture DesignInstruct.com – a regularly updated web magazine for designers and digital artists where you can find and learn design tips and tricks. The Brothers Gube clearly share the same philosophy as the Brothers Montero:

Design Instruct is our first real venture together. It is the first time my brother and I sought to actually build something of our own (unless of course you count all the make-believe forts we built when we were kids).

There are many challenges associated with working with someone over a long distance. However, we found that there are solutions to those challenges, and so far, we’ve managed to make it work.

via How to Make Remote Team Collaboration Work.

I love the way the post breaks down the 5 main challenges they had and describes the solutions they came up with.  When technology was needed they used free or low cost tools that can be embraced by any small business owner, solo professional, or entrepreneur.

The important thing is they did their own workflow analysis, tooks a step back, and developed a structure and approach that worked for them. The spirit and philosophy they brought to this approach echoes my own:

Working on the Internet over a long distance is definitely different than working together in the same physical location. But being different doesn’t mean that it’s a worse way to work.

Of course, it’s a different way to work, but it’s also a very effective way to work once you acknowledge the challenges and are willing to adapt.

Just think, a few years ago, working from such great distances would have been quite an ordeal, and today it is done with such great ease and effectiveness.

I strongly encourage you to read their blog post and please share some comments below about the tools and strategies you’ve found to help you collaborate and work across the web.

Like this Post? Check Out These...

1. Virtual Collaboration and Brainstorming – Use the right tools I recently stumbled on a great article on Read-Write-Web about...
2. Tips and Strategies for Working Virtually (2 Part Video Interview) I had the pleasure of being interviewed via Skype recently...
3. Using Technology for a Lean, Green, Virtual Team It’s no surprise that telecommuting, workshifting, or virtual work -...

This was the topic of discussion a few weeks ago when I joined Bloomberg Businessweek in their New York Studios for a live Video Webcast called “Video Breaks Out of the Boardroom”.  The show was hosted by Jim Ellis, Assistant Managing Editor of Bloomberg Businessweek, and I was delighted that they invited me to join Marc  Beattie from Wainhouse Research to be part of this episode.  Here is a photo from our broadcast:

The Bloomberg building was amazing and everyone I met there was extremely friendly and helpful.  We had a wonderful discussion and looked at what’s involved with implementing video conferencing including how much technical know-how it takes, how and why companies using it, what it costs, and what are some of the stumbling blocks. We also took some great questions from those that were viewing the live broadcast.

In case you missed it you can now view the entire Video Webcast live.  Just register here and you can watch the whole show.  We discussed the topic for about 20 minutes and then had about 10 minutes of Q&A.  If you’re currently using video conferencing, or thinking about it, you definitely want to catch this.

A big thanks to everyone at Bloomberg Businessweek for having me be a part of this event. I hope to join them again for future shows!

Please post a comment below and let me know what you thought of the webcast and feel free to ask me any questions you might have about using video to connect with your virtual teams and remote workers.

Like this Post? Check Out These...

1. Join me Thursday – Bloomberg BusinessWeek Free Live Webcast on Video Conferencing I’ve been invited by Bloomberg BusinessWeek to be a panelist...
2. Tokbox – A great free tool for video conferencing and video email Whether you are collaborating with team members across distance or...
3. Choosing the Right Technology for Your Virtual Team or Virtual Office [VIDEO] A question I’m asked by many entrepreneurs, small business owners,...

Video Breaks Out of the Boardroom
Thursday, June 10 at
10am PT | 1pm ET | 6pm GMT

Video is changing how companies interact with employees, suppliers, partners and customers. It’s an important area for growth and an essential tool for global businesses.

Join us as we speak to executives and thought leaders in the video collaboration space about emerging technologies and how these tools offer so much promise for business.

• Build & sustain business relationships
• Broaden the scope of your markets
• Strengthen customer relations and loyalty

Our expert panel, moderated by Jim Ellis of Bloomberg Businessweek, includes Marc Beattie, co-founder, Managing Partner, and Co-Manager ofUnified Collaboration Practice at Wainhouse Research and a recognized expert on the collaboration services market and Phil Montero, CEO of Montero Consulting, Founder of YouCanWorkFromAnywhere.com, and the spearhead of the remote work movement for more than a decade.

You will be able to participate in this live discussion through interactive questions and answers with our industry experts – all from the comfort of your desktop.

Click here to register today!

I’m looking forward to a great discussion. I’m also excited to see what the Bloomberg news studio looks like – it should be lots of fun! I hope you’ll join us and be sure to submit some questions.

If you can’t catch it live I will be posting the video here at The Anywhere Office after the event.

Like this Post? Check Out These...

1. Video Conferencing Breaks Out of the Boardroom – Watch it On-Demand Video conferencing has changed.  What was once a very costly...
2. Tokbox – A great free tool for video conferencing and video email Whether you are collaborating with team members across distance or...
3. Choosing the Right Technology for Your Virtual Team or Virtual Office [VIDEO] A question I’m asked by many entrepreneurs, small business owners,...

Whether you are a large corporation, small business, or solo professional there is a lot you can do to lighten your ecological footprint. When you reduce the need to travel and take advantage of technology to collaborate from anywhere you keep tons of carbon emissions from polluting the world.  A shift to printing less and using more digital documents saves untold numbers of trees.

By taking The Anywhere Office® approach you’ll save money, be more productive, and be more green. So this Earth Day make a commitment to make even a small adjustment to the way you work to do your part.

You can start by downloading The Anywhere Office Toolbox – our free eBook contains information and links to technology, services, and other resources we find of benefit to mobile workers, virtual teams and supporting virtual offices and distributed work.

You’ll find tools for gaining remote access to your documents or computer, holding web meetings and conferences, sending and receiving digital faxes, sending video email and holding video conferences, dealing with time-zones, and marketing your business online.

These are all free or affordable solutions with free trials – so there is no excuse!  Incorporate some of these tools today and make your business more green.

Unchain yourself from the office; work where and when you want.

Like this Post? Check Out These...

1. Choosing the Right Technology for Your Virtual Team or Virtual Office [VIDEO] A question I’m asked by many entrepreneurs, small business owners,...
2. It’s Strategies and Tools That Make Remote Team Collaboration Work Although many people feel remote collaboration is all about technology...
3. Tips and Strategies for Working Virtually (2 Part Video Interview) I had the pleasure of being interviewed via Skype recently...

Work Unchained: The Competitive Edge
of the Anywhere Office®
Thursday, April 29 at 11 AM (PDT) / 2 PM (EDT)

Business as usual no longer involves working in a traditional workplace at set hours. Today’s workforce is more mobile than ever, and every day more people are working from virtual offices, client sites, home offices, coffee shops, airports, hotels, and any number of remote workplaces. Companies that take an ad-hoc approach to this work-style struggle, while those with a strategic, planned approach reap the benefit and flexibility of distributed work.

I partnered with Citrix (makers of GoToMyPC) to deliver this free Webinar. Learn how to evaluate your own organization’s workflow to strategically turn your ordinary office into The Anywhere Office®.

Attend to learn:

• Why workshifting provides a critical competitive edge
• Common mistakes to avoid when enabling a mobile workforce
• Best practices for evaluating your organization before implementing a workshifting strategy
• And more…

Click here to reserve your complimentary seat

I’m looking forward to the presentation and I hope you’ll join us!

Like this Post? Check Out These...

1. Work Unchained: Free Webinar Replay, Whitepaper, and Blog Post Work happens everywhere – virtual offices, client sites, home offices,...
2. Show #9: Work Unchained – Work where and when you want with a virtual office This week we explain the concept of a virtual office...
3. TAO Podcast (Mobile Work Tip) – Free Conference Calls In this Mobile Work Tip Phil talks about using free...

Find Their Comfort Zone

The biggest stumbling block is getting your team comfortable with the new software or service and truly understanding the benefits it provides.

In short, why would it make my life or job easier?

Far too few companies provide training on these technologies – so you and your colleagues are forced to figure it out as you go along or after a very brief tutorial. This sink-or-swim mentality causes many of these powerful tools to go untouched and impedes productivity.

The secret to turn this all around is simple . . . play!

The Power of Play

Play is a non-threatening way to remove stress from learning and encourage exploration of the features of new technology. Create some type of project for your team that’s fun and everyone will be excited about using the new tool.

Want your team to start using SharePoint or some other type of web-based discussion board or collaboration space? Why not setup a place where they can share recipes, bios, and information about their hobbies and families?

Want them to use WebEx or some other meeting service? Create time to have a regular virtual water cooler where they can share photos, create a poll about which books or movies are their favorites, or pass control of the desktop around to write a story together (with each person typing their paragraph into Word) or give a tour of favorite useful websites.

Play Let’s People Succeed and Fail – Safely

Let’s face it, no one wants to explore using a new technology or tool with the pressure of a project deadline; or the possibility of looking foolish in front of peers and co-workers if you are not using it correctly. I’m extremely comfortable with technology, always have been, and I attribute that mostly to the fact that I play with it and explore it’s features before trying to use it for something important.

When trying to learn Sony Vegas for video editing I didn’t create some critical video for my business website – instead I took some family footage and created something fun to share with friends. When looking to learn more about desktop publishing I didn’t immediately create a company newsletter – I created a mock CD cover for my band.

The only limit is your imagination!

Ask the people on your team, they may have some great ideas for fun projects. This is extremely useful for virtual teams: using a fun, playful approach to learning new technology not only leads to greater technology adoption and increased productivity, but also encourages informal communication and team building, which in turn increases trust and accountability.

It’s not just about choosing the right tool – it’s how you thoughtfully apply it. So find ways for your team to play with the tools you want them to adopt and you’ll be amazed at how quickly they find new ways to apply them to their work process and teamwork.

Have you used “play” in your work environment? Post a comment below and tell us about it!

(Thanks to Webex for featuring this as a Guest Post on their Ideas in Motion blog.  I highly recommend this blog where they share ideas and tips for innovation and working smarter)

Like this Post? Check Out These...

1. Choosing the Right Technology for Your Virtual Team or Virtual Office [VIDEO] A question I’m asked by many entrepreneurs, small business owners,...
2. Instant Messaging – Essential business tool or time waster? I have long felt that Instant Messaging (IM) is an...
3. Using Technology for a Lean, Green, Virtual Team It’s no surprise that telecommuting, workshifting, or virtual work -...

But how do you choose? I have devised a workflow analysis we call the ICC Approach as it looks at your needs in 3 key areas – Information, Communication, and Collaboration.  In this short video I walk you through this analysis and help provide questions to guide your thinking when evaluating mobile work technology.

Give it a view and share your comments below to let me know your thoughts and experiences!

Like this Post? Check Out These...

1. Using Technology for a Lean, Green, Virtual Team It’s no surprise that telecommuting, workshifting, or virtual work -...
2. Video Conferencing Breaks Out of the Boardroom – Watch it On-Demand Video conferencing has changed.  What was once a very costly...
3. Tips and Strategies for Working Virtually (2 Part Video Interview) I had the pleasure of being interviewed via Skype recently...