The problem is not minor: it means facing crises without tools, without a plan, and with a high probability of losing everything. The Director of Financial Education at Banamex, Juan Luis Ordaz, pointed out that in the world of entrepreneurship, the word 'investment' is associated with buying machinery, opening a new branch, or improving the product offering. This is a very low percentage for the level of exposure that exists in the country; insurance does not prevent a disaster, but it prevents it from becoming a financial crisis. By directing investments towards environmental, social, and governance criteria, your business will have access to green financing, sustainable bonds, and credits for renewable energies, which will help make the company more competitive.
Key points to consider In Mexico, micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) represent the productive heart of the economy. Their success depends not only on daily effort but also on their ability to anticipate risks and adapt to an increasingly uncertain environment. However, there is a strategic approach that is often overlooked: prevention as an investment. 'Today, more than 50% of micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) have a low level of resilience, and less than 16% have a dedicated area for risk management.' A recent example is Hurricane Otis in 2023, which left thousands of micro and small businesses with millions of dollars in damages, turning the disaster into an unexpected debt. He emphasized that prevention must be understood as a strategic investment: according to the guide developed by the Private Sector Alliance for Resilient Societies in the Face of Disasters (ARISE), the College of Mexico, and Banamex, for every dollar invested in risk management, between 2 and 19 dollars in benefits can be generated.
5 smart tips for investing To invest in your business or small company intelligently, the Director of Financial Education at Banamex recommends: 1. Know and evaluate your risks: identify the phenomena that could affect your business and anticipate them. 2. Prepare the ground to avoid losses: invest in proper signage, staff training, property maintenance, emergency protocols, and backup of critical information; all are low costs compared to the impact of losing inventory, facilities, or days of operation. 3. Build your emergency fund, that is, a 'liquidity cushion' designed so that the business can survive without temporary income or in an adverse scenario. 4. Review and consider insurance: only 17% of MSMEs have some type of disaster insurance. In practice, this means that the majority faces the effects of natural phenomena, operational failures, or unexpected crises alone and without sufficient tools,' he warned. The data confirms it: during the pandemic, more than one million MSMEs closed permanently after facing drops in income, interruptions in supply chains, and lack of access to financing, according to Inegi. The Banamex specialist indicated that risks are not theoretical. Phenomena such as earthquakes, storms, or hurricanes can cause inventory losses, infrastructure damage, temporary closures, and even the end of a business's operations. The numbers warn that more than half of MSMEs in Mexico operate with low resilience or without the ability to overcome difficult times. Without prevention, your business is exposed and could go bankrupt at any moment.
