Watching the oil spill on TV reminds me of the helpless feeling I got when my son cut his arm badly and I couldn’t get the bleeding to stop. A trip to the hospital eventually got the blood to stop — I wish it was that easy for the people of the Gulf coast.

On April 20, BP was busy evolving its brand to “Beyond Petroleum” and sending billions of dollars into the pockets of its shareholders. Forty days later they are one of the most hated companies in the world.

What’s the equivalent of a deep water oil rig explosion in your business?

In the new articles I’ve selected for you this week (see below), you’ll find a collection of disaster-proofing ideas intended to protect your business from nosey competitors, disloyal employees and predatory acquirers:

Celebrity entrepreneurs hunt for businesses

~ published May 31,2010 The Globe and Mail

The other day I flew home beside an entrepreneur I’ll call Gary. After learning that I write about selling businesses, Gary was quick to share his horror story about selling his company to a large organization.

It turns out Gary got his start by producing a single event for IT consultants. He used the success of that first event to parlay his enterprise into a series of four event properties profitably generating close to $5 million in annual revenue. Gary’s success caught the attention of the CEO and founder of a much larger conference company. »more

Will unfaithful employees drown in your moat?

~ published The Globe and Mail June 1, 2010

I have a friend who recently made partner at a big law firm. He fits the mould of a successful lawyer: smart, hard-working and willing to wine-and-dine clients into the wee hours to win business.

He joined his firm after law school and worked 100-hour weeks for the first seven years. His schedule was hard on his first marriage, which ended in divorce. While his personal relationships suffered, his career thrived as his partners continually recognized his dedication to the firm and alluded to his candidacy for partnership. »more

Company secrets are at risk when you sell

~ published The Globe and Mail June 2, 2010

he secret is protected beneath layers of security in a non-descript bank vault deep in the suburbs of Atlanta.

Legend has it only two living people know the formula, which is so precious they are not allowed to travel on the same plane. Coca-Cola will go to any length to protect its recipe.  »more