Use your military training to adapt and overcome Mother Nature.
 

When I tell people that Source One Distributors is located in South Florida, I always hear something like, "Man, how’s another day in paradise?" And although Wellington, Fla., usually is akin to paradiase at 70 degrees and breezy most of the time, after three major hurricanes (Frances, Jean, and Wilma) and countless tropical storms in the first three years of our company’s inception, I’m still not quite sure how to answer that question. However, one thing I am quite sure of is that every company, regardless of its size, product or service, needs a contingency plan to contend with the increasingly volatile weather patterns and natural disasters of the 21st century. The military taught us how to prepare for the worst, then adapt and overcome. Those same lessons can be applied to the world of business.

Source One supplies tactical and safety gear to law enforcement agencies and the federal government, including U.S. troops. In our line of work with the federal government, our best and bravest are on the line – failure is not an option. To illustrate the importance of contingency plans, I’ve broken down one of our most difficult times at Source One: Hurricane Wilma.

The Problem

According to the National Hurricane Center, Hurricane Wilma caused more than $20 billion in damage, making it one of the costliest storms in U.S. history. Winds reaching 120 mph caused massive evacuations, mandatory business and school closings, loss of power for extended periods of time and significant damage to critical infrastructure such as power and water systems all over the state.

Hurricane Wilma hit Source One the week before delivery was set to begin on our largest prime contract to date (Marine Corps Side SAPI Integration Project). This was an urgent and compelling requirement providing essential ballistic protection for Marines in Iraq, and SYSCOM was under intense pressure and scrutiny to deliver on time.

The Solution

Based on previous hurricane experience, my staff and I had developed a contingency plan that included:

• Contacting strategic partners for assistance and resources.

• Securing a satellite phone to facilitate communications with customers and vendors.

• Acquiring multiple generators to power necessary equipment at the integration and manufacturing facilities for the project.

• Notifying local law enforcement of the situation and the urgent contract we were working on in support of our war fighters (the sheriff’s office advised Source One daily where we could locate fuel to power the generators).

• Leveraging relationships to get necessary supplies and manufacturing materials into South Florida when freight companies had temporarily halted shipments.

• Taking care of the Source One family and community by donating thousands of dollars worth of equipment to local law enforcement agencies to help facilitate the repairs to South Florida after the storm.

• Enabling a "family specific" satellite phone to ensure that lines of communication were continually open between Source One employees and their loved ones at all times.

If Source One would have been behind schedule on the deliveries, our business credibility would have been critically and irreparably damaged (there were public hearings on Capitol Hill regarding the contract at that time). However, Source One did not falter and in fact came out of the situation garnering an enormous amount of social capital and a professional level of respect that we have retained to this day. The most fulfilling aspect of the entire situation came to us a few months later when we received word that the very technology we had helped develop and deliver (The Side-SAPI plate) had helped save the life of one of my brothers – once a Marine, always a Marine.

Contingency plans are essential to everyday business practices. They give your employees a sense of comfort and allow you to assess and respond to emergency situations calmly and rationally. Contingency plans enable your organization to not only meet, but to exceed expectations in times of crises. If you are prepared, you can separate yourself from the pack.

Mark Llano is NaVOBA’s 2009 Vetrepreneur of the Year. The five-year Marine Corps veteran is founder and CEO of Source One Distributors Inc., a Wellington, Fla.-based distributor of safety and tactical gear that employs 19 people and generates revenue of more than $40 million annually.

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