Yaneek Page | Reinventing your business model for climate survival

The Atlantic hurricane season officially ends on November 30. That gives us just under 200 days before the next one begins.

The countdown has already started, not just on calendar, but on the clock for Jamaican entrepreneurs and MSMEs. It should now be clear that we can’t afford to rebuild the same way we did before Hurricane Melissa, as it will cost us dearly.

At this juncture, treating disasters like an anomaly is negligence in the face of our climate crisis exposure. We must change how we earn, where we sell, what we store, who we depend on, and how we recover, together.

Hurricane Melissa will be etched in our history as one of Jamaica’s worst disasters this century, with sustained winds over 180 miles per hour, gusts nearing 200 mph, entire coastal towns under water, and hundreds of homes and businesses decimated.

Yet the devastation didn’t end when the eye of the storm passed over Westmoreland and St Elizabeth. Weeks later, we are bordering on a humanitarian crisis in the west. There are tragic reports of post-Melissa deaths, and lack of access to food, clean water, electricity, and medical care in the days following the storm.

As if it has not been hard enough, the painful truth is that we barely have time to grieve our losses and process this trauma because we could already be on countdown to the next disaster – if recent climate trends persist.

And, what if the eye of the next storm passes from east to west, encompassing the length and breadth of Jamaica with the fiercest winds, as did the infamous Hurricane Gilbert? We would all be exposed! It’s a scenario we can’t just wish or pray away. It’s also the concern of the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery, which ominously classifies Jamaica as the third most exposed country in the world to multiple natural hazards, and notes that 96 per cent of GDP and the population are at risk from two or more perils.

Being No. 3 in the world is beyond worrisome. In fact, the prime minister disclosed early estimates that Melissa’s rampage will cost approximately 40 per cent of GDP. These are staggering numbers.

Business redesign

To transform our business models, we must confront another tough truth: there is no such thing as a ‘natural disaster’. International frameworks recognise only disaster, risk, and vulnerability. This is because nature may trigger an event, but human choices determine its impact. And that necessitates shifting from hurricane preparation to building business models for a realm of constant risk.

Financial resilience, a main concern, starts with liquidity and extends to income diversification. We must explore the world as our market because we can’t depend solely on local customers.

A business that earns even 20 per cent of its income offshore nearly doubles its shock resistance. Jamaica’s population is just 2.8 million, but our diaspora exceeds two million, which is a considerable starting point for market diversification.

Even with new markets, cash reserves are needed to boost financial resilience. We already see high double-digit interest rate loans being offered in the aftermath of Melissa, which is hardly a concession for rebuilding. Businesses will need to set aside a percentage of monthly sales toward a resilience reserve to fund payroll, materials and equipment, restock inventory, or reopen faster after disruption.

Beyond diversification, here are 10 other fundamentals as you reinvent your business model:

• Invest in backups: a small solar setup, water tank, or inverter can keep your business running when the grid fails;

• Strengthen supply chains: source locally where possible but maintain alternative regional suppliers for key inputs;

• Know your risks: assess your location, roof strength, and flood exposure, and plan around them;

• Rethink your offer: add essential goods and services people need during and after crises;

• Go digital: even WhatsApp and mobile payments can keep you operational when physical access breaks down;

• Build community: recovery is faster when businesses collaborate and share resources;

• Engage the diaspora: treat overseas networks as customers and partners, not just remitters;

• Build redundancy: resilient operations are designed to bend, not break, meaning redundancy such as two suppliers for every critical input, two communication channels, customer access points, etc;

• Spread risk: don’t keep all your goods or data in one place. Partner with others or use shared storage to reduce exposure; and

• Map vulnerabilities: check electricity, Wi-fi, phone service, logistics. If refrigeration is vital, secure generator access or create/join a cooperative storage hub.

Collaborative recovery

We don’t have to reinvent the wheel. After Typhoon Haiyan, Filipino businesses that shared infrastructure restarted 30 per cent faster. Jamaica can do the same.

Our MSME sector will struggle to stand alone. We need shared systems, like co-owned solar power grids, pooled logistics, group insurance and regional resilience funds. Policymakers will also need to look to global best practices to develop a ‘small business resilience index’ that measures readiness and guides investment. At this stage, data must drive recovery, not guesswork.

While digital systems failed during Hurricane Melissa because of power and telecoms service lines being down, I have colleagues who operate cloud-based businesses and have satellite-based Wi-fi, enabling them to bounce back already. Especially those who serve clients overseas.

Finally, resilience is also human. After October 28, thousands of Jamaicans lost income overnight. Going forward, we will need payroll flexibility, cross-trained staff, and significant support for mental health – including leaders across the board. Burned-out teams and talent will struggle to execute the best recovery plan.

The next hurricane season begins June 1, 2026, and hope is not a strategy.

One love!

Yaneek Page is the programme lead for Market Entry USA, and a certified trainer in entrepreneurship.yaneek.page@gmail.com