What to do when your business melts down?

Some ski resorts in Europe closed down. No snow. Even the artificial melts down - it's not freezing even during the nights.

The borderline to win or loose seems to be 1,700 meters altitude. The high-flying business gets a whole new meaning in the Alps now.

The skiing hungry visitors just move up the hill, abandoning the grassy slopes beneath. And your business, if it happens to be there. According to The University of Grenoble, ~50% of 169 ski resorts closed since 1951 in France did so because of lack of snow.

The changes in weather imply unprecedented challenges for those who depend on favourable conditions.

My friends in Switzerland have an apartment in private ski resort, bought by individual investor some years ago. One lucky winter and he was in black figures. These days he opened just one ski-lift however.

You may have a financial plan, a marketing plan, a sound operating model - but you cannot count on mother nature any more.

The only way out, besides _that_ way out, is to adapt. I envision three strategies for those who don't want to slide down the muddy slope:

1/ Adopt to just a three-season business model, abandoning the winter, and restructure the operation and cost base accordingly.

2/ Come up with non-skiing activities as a diversification in case the snow makes no show. If it does- well, then just happily switch on the chairlifts.

3/ Stop looking up the sky and praying for snowfall for good. Set up an alternative non-skiing model, just like in the previous scenario, but focus just on that.

Each scenario has its benefits, but also pitfalls. Which one would you pick up? Or do you see any other alternatives? Reach out and let me know your thoughts!