October 09, 2025

The Wake-Up Call Every Business Owner Needs: How to Prepare Your Business for the Unexpected (Even When You Think You Can't) with Erin Pelicano

33 minutes

What would happen to your business if you couldn't work for a month? What if your social media got hacked tomorrow? What if a business partner suddenly passed away?

These aren't comfortable questions, but they're the ones Erin Pelicano wishes she'd asked herself before 2020. That's when, in the middle of a global pandemic with three kids in virtual school, she was diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer at just 43 years old. With no family history and a clean bill of health, Erin's world turned upside down. Her full-time job became survival, and her jewelry business had to run on part-time energy.

In this powerful conversation, Erin shares her journey from health crisis to business resilience advocate. She opens up about what it's really like to fight for your life while trying to keep your business alive, and why most small business owners are dangerously unprepared for unexpected disruptions. Whether it's a medical emergency, a cybersecurity breach, or a rogue customer trying to take you down online, Erin's mission is clear: help small business owners build resilient systems so they can weather any storm. This episode will change how you think about protecting the business you've poured your heart into.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

[05:19] From engineering to jewelry entrepreneur: How Erin built a thriving fine jewelry brand, only to have everything turn upside down in 2020
[07:30] The diagnosis that changed everything: Stage 3 colon cancer at 43 with no family history and why young people are increasingly at risk
[12:06] The business question that keeps entrepreneurs up at night: What happens if YOU can't work, and why most of us have no answer
[16:32] The insurance most small business owners don't have: Why disability and key man insurance could save your business when crisis strikes
[20:32] Are you prepared for a cyber attack? The systems you need in place before (and after) a hacking or social media breach happens
[28:40] The Venture Project unveiled: Erin's 3-part framework to build resilience (Prepare & Plan, Know Your Adapt Zone, Evolve Strategically)

Here are the resources mentioned in the show:

Follow @theventurepro on Instagram
The Venture Project
Holiday Sales on Repeat Workshop
The Jewelry Sales Accelerator

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By Tracy Matthews

4.9

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