When Was Your Last Business Check-Up?

The Latest from FMA President Ed Youdell

Note: At the time that this article was written, I was facing my own personal health issue. While I’m happy to share that I have received the all clear from my doctors, the words shared with you all below resonate more today than when I first penned them. 

The disruptions to daily life brought by the Pandemic have had significant effects on both Americans’ mental and physical well-being, and like many people, one unfortunate disruption was the change in ease to arrange appointments with my doctor.

I am not alone in facing this challenge as according to a 2021 TIME/Harris Poll, 78% of its survey respondents confirmed they had delayed at least one medical service and 27% had delayed their annual check-up. The American Heart Association released research that discloses that blood pressure in U.S. adults has risen because of the pandemic and an American Psychological Association survey conducted in 2021 disclosed that 42% of U.S. adults reported undesirable weight gain from the start of the pandemic with an average gain of 29lbs.

Most everyone agrees on the importance of taking care of oneself, and with so many of the metal fabrication industry’s job shops being driven forward by dynamic entrepreneurs, we need to keep our best and brightest in top form.

In speaking to many of FMA’s members, I know that our industry is growing and producing at a high level.

Keeping ourselves healthy and up-to-date with our personal medical care is important. And just like when going through our own personal health assessments, we want to know that our businesses will not just withstand the next stress, but be able to continue to thrive after.

It is always a sound practice to review a plan and structure that will support your company and family should an unseen event alter your participation in the business and I am sure many of you do this regularly. What goes into the plan includes many variables such as a talent and leadership assessment, a review of business and personal insurance coverages or perhaps you have developed intellectual property that needs trademark protection.

It is a delicate balance that sometimes can require removing yourself from the day-to-day environment to ensure that this prosperous path is in place. It can seem counterintuitive when so much focus is on the bottom line for that day or week, but it gives us the reassurance that sunny days will continue to be ahead.

Taking the time to develop this plan now is important and will serve to provide structure and support rather than when your team is working through a flood of emotions. Being proactive in this only reinforces that they are able to continue management and operations when times get tough.

In order for this entire metal fabrication industry to remain on a strong trajectory, it is important to care for the many assets that are vital to the growth and sustainability of your business, not least of which is you.