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On one level, we're still recovering from something of epic proportions with COVID. The world has had cases of deadly influenza before, in addition to plagues and such. Even so, the speed with which the coronavirus spread across the world has no precedent, with never-before-seen impact on small business.

So without any warning, you may have been having your best year ever, and the next month was your worst month ever. With no end in sight. Now your business may be recovering well, or still struggling for survival.

I don't need to recount all the COVID upheavals and lessons, but I want to point something out: if the only challenges small businesses faced were COVID or macroeconomic events, there might not be a need for this book. But there are so many other major challenges—which I call seismic events—that you also have to contend with. How many of these have happened to you?

 One or more big-box stores moved into town, and they slashed prices. In some cases, they can sell a product for less than you pay for the same product, wholesale.

 Amazon now sells just about everything, and there too it's almost impossible to match some of the prices. You know that in some cases your product is superior to the no-name item someone may buy on Amazon, but it's hard for customers to know the difference.

 When Washington, DC gets into a trade war with some country, the prices of raw materials can skyrocket. You sometimes see those roller-coaster prices in what you must buy.

 On a local level, one or more major employers downsized big time, or closed altogether, sending shockwaves throughout the community.

 Whether you have a 100 percent online business or yours is in a physical storefront, you're up against a bunch of competitors who are undercutting your prices or otherwise taking market share.

It's never been easy to start and run a business, but just one of these seismic events can put you out of business, never mind being in a situation where you're dealing with more than one.

I've written this book with these factors in mind. We're going to discuss several ways to counteract these pressures.