A lot is written about working “on” your business, rather than “in” your business. I totally agree, but you must also come to grips with the reality of being able to achieve such independence. For most small businesses, the owner is the engine that makes things happen. Obviously, the size of your business plays a role in this reality. Smaller contractors tend to drive the day-to-day and large contractors suffer strategy loss without the owner. Throw in the fact that most owners are driven, confident, self-made individuals who act like they are invincible and the problem multiplies.
Many years ago, one of my consulting customers took over the business minutes before the owner was being wheeled into life-threatening surgery. Even though the owner had been sick for a few months, no plans or discussions regarding the worst-case scenario took place. While business continuation has no guarantees, there are certain things contractors can do to improve the odds of their business surviving if they’re out for an extended period of time.