Or your marriage
They say lightning doesn’t strike twice.
Apparently “they” have never owned two small businesses, a commercial building, and a dishwasher that decided to audition for Poseidon.
Almost exactly one year ago, our commercial building’s roof blew off in a freak storm, flooding our cute little ice cream shop. This year? The coffee shop’s dishwasher decided it was time for its own water feature. The result: ruined flooring, rotted subfloor, and two business owners (aka me and my husband) who have very different communication styles under stress.
Here’s the truth — I like to keep a good attitude, but sometimes things are just hard. You can be grateful and gutted at the same time. We can be two things at once.
If you ever find yourself knee-deep in literal or metaphorical flood water, here are five things that might help:
1. Pause Before You React
The moment disaster strikes, your brain goes into fight-or-flight mode.
My personal preference is “fix-it-now” mode… which sometimes results in unnecessary snapping, overpromising timelines, or making a call I’ll regret.
If possible, take 10 minutes (or a whole evening) before making big decisions. Emergencies feel urgent — but most things can wait just long enough for you to gather your thoughts.
2. Assign Clear Roles
When you own a business with your spouse (or anyone you’re close to), stressful moments have a way of blurring boundaries.
We’ve learned it’s easier if we divide and conquer:
- One person handles external communication (customers, vendors, social media updates)
- The other tackles internal logistics (insurance claims, repairs, ordering equipment)
No crossing over unless invited. Keeps the peace and the progress.
3. Call in Reinforcements
Whether it’s friends, family, your team, or your most loyal customers, don’t be afraid to ask for help. People actually want to support you — they just need to know how.
And pro tip: the help doesn’t always have to be physical labor. Sometimes what you need most is someone bringing you a hot meal, running an errand or buying a gift card.
4. Keep Customers in the Loop (and Keep It Real)
Bad news spreads faster than the truth. If you’re closed, customers are going to speculate — so give them the facts.
Share updates, post photos if you feel comfortable, and let people see the human side of your business. This builds trust and often inspires extra support during your comeback.
5. Find a Way to Laugh (Eventually)
In the moment, you might not feel like joking about the disaster. But eventually, humor is what turns a painful memory into a story you can actually tell without crying.
By the next morning, we’d rebranded the place as “Latte Lagoon.” Not funny at the time, but now it’s how I tell the story without crying into my cappuccino.
The Bottom Line:
Owning a business is not for the faint of heart. You’ll have incredible highs and gut-punch lows — sometimes within the same week. But if you can pause, divide roles, lean on your people, communicate honestly, and eventually find the funny, you can get through just about anything.
And who knows… maybe next year’s disaster will be a little less soggy.
