My business is a bold idea: what if, instead of being at the mercy of events, we shape our own futures? What if, instead of soliciting donations for disaster relief, we proactively invest in building sustainable livelihoods? What if the poorest and most vulnerable people, whether in New Orleans Ninth Ward or Haiti, no longer risk years of social and economic development gains with each weather forecast? What if, instead of waiting for aid to trickle down (very little of it does), we become empowered, purchasing commercial insurance and participating in the marketplace as our better risk practices are reflected in our commercial opportunities? That is my passion. It began in Zurich, Switzerland where I was a senior executive of the Swiss Reinsurance Company. I advised global corporations in respect of risk management and business continuity, experience that proved critical when I returned to the U.S. and started my own business in 1999. Two years later, that business experienced one of the worst disasters in U.S. history. Thanks to my unusual background, that business had a very different outcome than that of our peers. Since then, I volunteer my spare time, even earning recognition from the Hurricane Recovery Director of the American Red Cross, to help small businesses prepare for and recover from disaster. But this passion requires more than part-time volunteer work. I want every small business to be resilient and so my passion is brought to life in my business, my second social enterprise, Prisere LLC.

Problem

Small business constitute most employment in the world, support local non-profits and form the pillar of the tax base. And yet they are remarkably vulnerable to disasters. According to the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency, 40% of small businesses fail to re-open following a major disaster. And this alarming figure does not take account of everyday disasters, such as computer crashes, network security breaches, human errors, power outages and the like.

Solution

This solution offers risk reduction protocols and seeks to translate them into improved risk (insurance and other contingent capital) pricing for an immediate benefit - even if disaster never strikes.

Example

We train the trainers to build resilient business practices, offer social media to engage and share best practices and work with large enterprises to fortify the small business component of their supply chains.

Marketplace

We complement, rather than compete against, what others offer. For example, the Red Cross focuses on safety training for households. We focus on data backup, insurance literacy, etc.