A practical first continuity plan for an owner-led firm
By Mehmood Rajoka3 min readUpdated 2026-07-16
A practical continuity plan identifies critical services, named owners, accessible information, decision routes and a simple exercise schedule so a business can respond without relying on one person’s memory.
Written by Mehmood Rajoka, Founder of Mantle Partners. This is general operational guidance, not legal, tax or financial advice.
Keep the first plan short enough to use
A continuity plan is only useful if the people who need it can find it and act on it. Start with the services the business cannot stop providing, the people responsible for them and the first practical actions if premises, systems or a key person are unavailable.
The Cabinet Office describes business continuity management as a way to manage risk to critical functions and support effective recovery after disruption. That is a better starting point than trying to predict every possible incident.
Include five practical sections
- Priorities: the services, clients and obligations that need attention first.
- People: named owners, deputies and a way to contact them.
- Information: where current client, supplier, financial and operating information can be accessed safely.
- Decisions: authority levels, spend limits and escalation contacts.
- Practice: a short scenario exercise and a date for review.
Test it in normal time
Run a simple exercise: the owner is unavailable for five working days, a key system cannot be used, or a priority client needs an immediate answer. Record what slowed the team down and update the plan. A plan that is practiced becomes part of the operating system rather than a document that waits for a crisis.