Business
Foolproof Steps to Help Your Business Bounce Back from a Major Setback
Foolproof Steps to Help Your Business Bounce Back from a Major Setback
By Michael Deane – Contributing Writer for Inland Empire Business Journal
According to a study by the U.S. Small Business Administration, about half of small businesses cease operation within 5 years. Entrepreneurship is an unpredictable journey. No matter how hard you work, you can expect to encounter a few setbacks.
It can be a major flaw in the manufacturing process, the loss of a big client, or a great economic disturbance such as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. What you do to deal with setbacks is what will define you as an entrepreneur.
So, to find success, first you need to push past the disappointment. Here are a few steps you can take to help your business recover from a major setback.
Stay Calm and Acknowledge the Problem
To help your business prevail, you need to keep a cool head. Usually, our first instinct is to panic when something goes wrong.
But, when you have employees that look to you for leadership and direction, it is even more important to keep a cool head. If you take the next steps calmly, your odds of success will increase.
If the setback is caused by a business mistake, it is key to own up to it. You will only make matters worse if you let your pride get in the way or if you go into denial. You should take responsibility, and you should also avoid blaming others or yourself for the setback.
Put The Problem Into Perspective
Don’t allow yourself to go into “the sky is falling” mode and start blowing problems out of proportion. Not every setback you encounter will put you in a grave situation.
In the grand scheme of things, how significant is the predicament? Is it a legal issue? Is it a brand image problem caused by product flow?
Is it a financial issue caused by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic? If so, take a moment to realize how many people are going through the same situation and find out if your government is offering any COVID support you can take advantage of.
Before you jump into crisis mode, try to evaluate the impact of the setback.
Put Effort Into Determining What Went Wrong
Before you can fix the problem, you need to determine what caused the setback. This requires objective evaluation.
Did your team fail to do enough market research? Was it because your customer service reps didn’t know how to handle the situation? Was it due to unclear language in your agreement with a client?
To ensure it doesn’t happen again, start laying out what you can change. For instance, if your contact center cannot handle increased call volumes caused by the lockdown, you may find a call deflection bot to be the best solution.
You may need to enlist the help of a professional or a company that specializes in certain business disciplines, such as PR, HR, taxes, finances, law, etc. When you determine the cause of the setback, you need to come up with a clear plan for what you need to do differently.
Reach Out to Trusted Advisors
When the going gets tough, don’t hesitate to ask others for advice and help. No matter the setback, you don’t have to deal with it alone. Look for a trusted advisor who can offer you some support, insight, and guidance.
You can connect with a business coach or a mentor, such as a SCORE mentor. You can also look for a business owner who has experienced a similar problem.
Whatever difficulties you are facing as a business owner, you can rest assured that there’s a seasoned entrepreneur out there who has suffered through the same setback. Talk through your problems with someone who knows what it takes to overcome such issues.
Embrace It as a Learning Moment
Setbacks in business may benefit you in the long run—as devastating as they might be. Consider the wise words of Malcolm Forbes, “Failure is success if we learn from it.” To improve your business, you need to look beyond the dismay.
Embrace the experience as a learning moment. For instance, the loss of an important customer may lead to a new customer loyalty program that will improve customer retention.
If the setback is caused by a bad hiring choice, it may lead you to realize that you need to improve your candidate vetting process.
Reset Your Vision
A setback is a comma, not a period. You can easily get off track when you are going at a rapid speed.
When a slowdown occurs, it is a great time to re-evaluate your vision and revisit your mission statement. The setback gives you that coma, the pause you can use to achieve this.
Why did you start your business? What do you want to accomplish moving forward? Business owners change and grow, and so do markets.
The problem is, their businesses often run on old ideas. This is a great chance to determine what you want to achieve long-term.
Celebrate Small Wins
Create small wins for yourself. This will help you regain momentum. But, don’t attach the win to the results of your actions. The steps you take are a win in themselves.
Non-judgement is the best way to face difficulties in business. It’s easy to get emotionally-tied to your entrepreneurial journey.
But you can prevent this if you avoid thinking of setbacks as failing or losing. You will emerge even stronger if you take advantage of the downtime.
Michael is a contributing writer for the Inland Empire Business Journal. He has been working in marketing for almost a decade and has worked with a huge range of clients, which has made him knowledgeable on many different subjects. He has recently rediscovered a passion for writing and hopes to make it a daily habit. You can read more of Michael’s work at Qeedle.
Riverside’s Phenix Technology Leads with Inclusion, Empowering the Disabled Community Through Workforce Training and Employer Education
Written by Logan Rosselli, IEBJ Content Contributor
In the heart of Riverside, off of Chicago Avenue, a small, but mighty team has been quietly manufacturing life-saving equipment for firefighters across the world for over 50 years. Phenix Technology Inc. is an internationally recognized fire helmet manufacturer who builds their products from start to finish right here in the Inland Empire. For their great products, they’ve received numerous awards such as the Greater Riverside Chamber of Commerce’s 2025 Innovator of the Year, a 2016 “E” for Exports award from the U.S. Department of Commerce, a finalist position in the “Coolest Thing Made in California” competition and more. However, their most recent accolade doesn’t involve their products at all.
In 2024, Phenix founded the ground breaking “Opportunity for All” program to provide disabled community members with the opportunity to access career education, hands-on experience and employment opportunities through an 11 week training cohort. In this program, neurodivergent individuals wanting to find stable employment learn about standard hiring practices, writing a resume, effective interviewing and professional attire while getting on-the-job training with a partnered employer in the community. It has helped dozens of disabled community members to find a new sense of independence and achieve their full potential while helping local employers find dependable employees who bring a unique perspective to the workplace.
It’s for this program that the National Association of Workforce Development Boards (NAWB), a representative of over 570 workforce development boards across the United States, honored Phenix with the prestigious W.O. Lawton Business Leadership Award in late March.
“While we take tremendous pride in the products we make, we also believe we have a mission to create a better world through developing opportunities,” said Angel Sanchez, CEO of Phenix Technology in a statement released in early April. “Opportunity for All has helped prove that individuals who have historically been excluded from the workforce don’t just contribute — they elevate organizations. We are honored to receive this national award and grateful to the partners who have helped us make this vision a reality.”
CEO Angel Sanchez Jr. accepts the NAWB Award
Though “Opportunity for All” is certainly the cornerstone program for the company, Phenix’s leadership team was not satisfied to leave their mission there. Thus, in 2024, the company founded its nonprofit arm, Phenix Gateway to offer more programs and advocacy to the community. Through Phenix Gateway, the company offers workforce development workshops for individuals who don’t need the full scale of the “Opportunity for All” program, but want to improve a specific skill like resume writing or workplace social skills.
However, Phenix knows that preparing disabled people for the workforce is only one end of the equation; the workforce also has to be prepared to accept the unique skills, perspectives and challenges of the disabled community. For this reason, Phenix Gateway offers employer training workshops as well as educational materials available to businesses and the community. Training programs cover a lot of ground, ranging from assistance with optimizing interviews for people with neurodevelopmental disorders to creating sensory-friendly environments in the workplace.
In Riverside, these programs have had a huge impact on the local community. As of March 2025, Phenix’s Opportunity for All program has had over two dozen participants and 44% found stable employment through or after the program. Their one-off workforce development workshops have seen over 200 participants learn new skills and help them find employment and the nonprofit currently partners with close to 90 businesses to assist them in their endeavor to create a more inclusive workforce.
Phenix Gateway staff helps a program participant with his skills
For businesses or community members interested in learning how they can support or participate in these programs, Phenix encourages them to reach out by email to info@phenixgateway.org and to attend their First Annual Gala: Rising Together, A Phenix Gateway Celebration, on Thursday, May 15th. Tickets for this event are available at phenixgateway.org.
Empowering Economic Growth: CALED Conference Set to Unite Industry Leaders in Ontario
CALED’s ‘Growing Local Economies from the Ground Up’ Conference is being held in Ontario at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Ontario Airport on May 7-9. This event is co-hosted by the City of Ontario and San Bernardino County, with Jennifer McLain Hiramoto, CALED’s Chair of the Board and Derek Armstrong respectively representing their city and county as Co-Chairs of the event.
With over 950 members and 45 years of empowering economic developers, CALED is the largest economic development association in the country and the annual conference is the number one place to meet and connect with the boots-on-the -ground, decision makers in our communities.
The conference will include a pre-conference teaching tour, ‘Building & Paying for Development Projects’ on May 6th and then begin in full on May 7th, with a welcome session and breakouts. Overall, there will be four general assembly sessions and 18 breakout sessions, which will delve into local economic development practices and innovative tools.
In addition to compelling content, the conference will have numerous opportunities to connect with community leaders and valued peers through networking receptions, the culinary crawl, and new this year, the Tournament of Champions, where conference attendees will navigate a gauntlet of games to win the grand prize on the evening of Thursday, May 8th.
To learn more about the conference and register, visit the CALED website at www.caled.org.
Business
Strengthening Community Connections: Our Exciting New Partnership with Toyota Arena, Ontario Convention Center, and GOCAL
Contributed Content | By Chris Venhoff, Senior Vice President and Inland Empire Market Leader for Consumer and Business Banking at U.S. Bank
As the Inland Empire market leader for U.S. Bank, I’m thrilled to share some exciting news: we are proud to be the Official Bank Partner of Toyota Arena and Ontario Convention Center. This partnership represents a reflection of our deep commitment to the Inland Empire and our dedication to fostering a vibrant, thriving community.
At U.S. Bank, we believe that strong partnerships drive meaningful progress. Toyota Arena and Ontario Convention Center are at the heart of the region’s culture and economy, bringing people together for world-class entertainment, business conventions, and community events. By joining forces, we’re not only expanding our presence but also creating opportunities to engage with residents, businesses, and organizations in ways that make a lasting impact.
Through our sponsorship, we’ll support concerts, sporting events, and conventions that showcase the diversity and energy of the Inland Empire. But this is only the beginning. As our partnership evolves, we’ll work closely with Toyota Arena, Ontario Convention Center, and GOCAL to introduce community-focused programs, including financial literacy workshops and charitable giving initiatives.
This partnership is designed to bring added value to the people we serve. For our customers, we’re introducing the U.S. Bank Fast Pass Lanes, providing priority access at Toyota Arena events. Special offers, exclusive event experiences, and tailored financial solutions for businesses operating in the region are just a few of the many perks we’re excited to roll out.
Our employees are at the core of our success, and this partnership allows us to recognize their dedication. Through exclusive access to events, corporate hospitality opportunities, and community volunteer programs, our team will have new ways to engage with and celebrate the community they serve.
The Inland Empire is a dynamic, fast-growing region, and we’re committed to supporting its continued success. By investing in Toyota Arena and Ontario Convention Center, we’re helping to create and sustain jobs while driving local business growth. These venues bring in visitors, revenue, and visibility, strengthening the region’s economy.
This collaboration is about more than just sponsorship—it’s about making a difference. By working together, we can elevate not just these venues but the entire Inland Empire. At U.S. Bank, we’re committed to being a partner in progress, supporting our customers, businesses, and communities every step of the way.
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