Most small business owners believe they could recover from a disaster, yet the vast majority have set aside no plan for one.
Last August, Natasha Broxton, CEO and founder of Select Auto Parts & Sales, was already carrying the weight of a flood that had hit her business in Milwaukee. Then came a snow emergency and power outage in March that brought revenue to a standstill. A few weeks later, severe wind and rain knocked out power again. For Broxton, the repeated disruptions exposed a hard truth many small business owners face: Resilience is tested not in a single catastrophic event, but through a succession of interruptions that drain time and revenue.
With each new emergency, Broxton realized she was missing a key piece of any strong business: a plan for navigating unexpected disasters. Using the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s preparedness checklist, she identified the gap and took action before the next disruption hit.
Confidence is not a plan
Most small business owners are optimistic about their ability to recover from a disruption, but research by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation and Verizon suggests many underestimate how long recovery can take and whether they have the funds to sustain operations during a temporary closure. In fact, 80% of small businesses do not have a disaster budget.
That gap between confidence and true readiness leaves businesses vulnerable. Among small business leaders negatively affected by a disaster or major disruption, 53% said it took more than three months to resume normal operations. For a small business, that can mean lost revenue, payroll strain, supplier delays, and prolonged uncertainty.
Where to start
Preparedness is not just about believing a business can recover; it is about having a plan for when recovery takes longer than expected. Small businesses need continuity plans that identify essential operations, outline employee and customer communications, protect records, address supplier disruptions, and prioritize the steps required to reopen.
From January to June 2026, the United States faced 12 major natural disasters that each caused more than $1 billion in damage, totaling more than $31.9 billion. For small businesses operating on tight margins, even a small, localized disruption can become a significant financial challenge if they are forced to recover without a plan, cash reserves, or timely support.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Readiness for Resiliency program helps small businesses turn confidence into real preparation. Created with support from founding sponsor FedEx, premier sponsor Verizon, and corporate partners Fiserv and MetLife, the program’s checklist helps small businesses return to operations as quickly as possible while reducing pressure during a crisis. Businesses that complete the checklist and register for the program may also be eligible for a $5,000 recovery grant if a qualifying disaster affects their area.
As Broxton’s experience shows, resilience is not measured by optimism alone, but by the practical steps a business owner takes before disruption strikes to protect what they have worked so hard to build.
