INDIANAPOLIS – Having a contingency plan may not be at the top of some small business owners' to-do list as they go about their day-to-day grind, but not having one could prove disastrous. The $822 million FORUM CU is among those advising members who own businesses to have a “safety net” for a myriad of scenarios. Through its CUSO, FORUM 1st Planning & Trust Services, members are advised to “bulletproof” their business by developing a disaster recovery plan; a business continuation plan; and a strategic business succession plan. “In the next five years, 39% of small businesses will experience a change in leadership due to retirement or the semi-retirement of an owner,” said Steven Boltz, FORUM 1st trust officer, citing industry data. “Interestingly, fewer than one of every three family businesses survives a second generation with only about 10% surviving to the third generation.” With those statistics, credit unions that offer business services might see an opportunity to cross-sell trust services. “One thing many owners forget is to develop contingency plans for threats to their business operations”, Boltz said. “Entrepreneurs spend unlimited energy and time just keeping a business on track, but it is also important for every business to have a Plan B.”