The Zombie Apocalypse and lessons in failure

“Sometimes you have to do something ugly so that something beautiful can grow.”
― Cedric Nye

Bear with me today, I'm taking a huge leap to make a few big points.

First of all, I'm not big into the whole idea of this zombie apocalypse phase.  I'm not a doomsday prepper,  I'm not a soothsayer.  I'm not Will Smith or Woody Harrelson.  I'm a business owner who understands preparing for when things go south.  The truth is, my business anti-fail plan is more thorough than my SHTF plan.  But I have a feeling that we can learn a thing or two from the other side.

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Let's start with some established rules of zombie survival (according to Zombieland) and swing them into business.  

Rule #1 : Cardio.  

Why is good cardiovascular health important in business?  Well that's obvious.  We've all read dozens of articles about the hazards of sitting too long at work.  So let's take this a little further - how does this impact your anti-failure plan?  Did you know that one of the contributing factors to burn-out is poor health?  Including a fitness plan and good diet are key to your survival in business so that you can keep on keepin' on.

Rule #2: The Double Tap.  

This idea can incorporate into business on so many levels.  First, the double tap may relate to editing your documents.  You write; then you edit.  Double tap.  Second, it may mean closing a deal.  You make the initial contact; then you ask for the sell.  Double tap.  And in our anti-failure plan, third, learn everything,  Get a mentor; then go to a seminar.  Double tap.

Rule #10: Don't Swing Low.  

When you're working on building a business, the last thing you want to do is swing low.  I'm not talking about taking things low and slow, I'm talking about your expectations.  One reason entrepreneurs succeed is because we just don't give up.  We swing high and swing for the fences every single at bat.  Yes, some ideas take time to develop, and some ideas just don't pan out, but our success isn't because our first business worked; it's because or third or fifth or twentieth idea stuck.  Tenacity is the key.

The last rule of the zombie apocalypse that we need to remember in business is:

Rule #22: When In Doubt, Know Your Way Out.  

This is highly contradictory; some entrepreneurs believe that if you have an out plan, that you're not 100% invested in your business.  I disagree; knowing where that line of failure is can be key.  If you know when your idea is failing and you pull the plug, you can save reputation, especially with investors.  Driving a train on an incomplete track will lead to failure.  Have an out plan; know what failure means; push that line if you have to, but stop if it's broken.  Failure doesn't mean failure; it means that you need to rework your thinking and planning for the next big idea.

Obviously, I cannot cover enough advice about failure plans in a blog post; especially because I was amazed at how many other of Zombieland's rules fit in business: #8 Get a Kick-Ass Partner, #16 Opportunity Knocks, #19 Break It Up, #20 It's a Marathon, Not a Sprint, Unless it's a Sprint, Then Sprint, #21 Avoid Strip Clubs, #29 The Buddy System, #32 Enjoy the Little Things, and lastly #33 Swiss Army Knife.  Maybe someday I'll cover more rules of the zombie apocalypse in business, or you can leave your Zombieland survival rule in the comments!  Take time to develop your own zombie apocalypse plan anti-fail plan for business, and let me know if you find some creative rules to follow.

Nicole
The Restless Entrepreneur