Small Business and Freelancer Crises¶

When a small business or independent freelancer encounters a sudden cash flow freeze, merchant account lock, customer injury claim, or server ransomware breach, immediate structured action protects business assets, legal standing, and personal liability.

Select a guide below for step-by-step emergency procedures.

Small Business Emergency Guides¶

• Vendor Non-Payment and Cash Flow Freeze: Emergency demand letters, mechanics liens, invoice factoring, and preserving payroll during revenue halts.
• Merchant Account Freeze and Chargeback Fraud: Reversing Stripe, PayPal, or merchant processor holds, fighting fraudulent chargebacks, and setting up backup processing.
• Workplace Customer Injury and Liability: On-site injury documentation, commercial general liability insurance notification, and surveillance footage preservation.
• Business Ransomware and Server Breach: Isolating corporate networks, reporting to CISA or the FBI IC3, notifying affected customers under data breach laws, and insurance claims.

Core Business Crisis Rules¶

1. Document All Financial Transactions: Retain copies of signed contracts, scope of work approvals, invoices, delivery receipts, and written communications.
2. Notify Insurers Promptly: Contact your commercial insurance broker or general liability provider immediately upon learning of a potential lawsuit, injury, or server breach.
3. Separate Business and Personal Finances: Never mix personal funds with business accounts during a cash flow emergency, which preserves corporate veil liability protections.