Successful Digital Empires, Social Networking profiles, then you croak it...

Saw a thread on another forum asking help on the best way to future proof his business after he passed away, so his adsense site would still keep making money for his kids. But acknowledged that eventually his credit card would expire, hosting would stop etc.

Although idealistic, it's actually an interesting issue that's getting more complex as technology moves on.

No one wants to think about it, but have you sat down and analyzed your own business? Would it keep running after you've gone, or are you the business, ie like a soletrader/consultant?

If you have a business that could keep going without you, are all your various email accounts, twitter feeds, forum logins, facebook account etc documented? Maybe your laptop/PC logon ID. How about all that stuff thats in your head, hosting information, paypal account...

If you're not a one man band, does any business partner or employee know where to access all the critical information in an emergency?

Can someone step into your shoes and take responsibility for your business, social networking presence and of course customers, or gracefully close down any related accounts to stop any future upset or confusion?

Probably way down on your list of priorities, but I suppose there never will be a good time for this.

I would imagine this could be a good bolt on business for an established will writers or maybe lawyers. Pay a monthly fee, a third party holds all your critical details in a safe, and then takes care of your business as well as any online persona as per your instructions, ie close my facebook account.

Takes any unnecessary stress away from loved ones, and leaves a potentially viable business to flourish unhindered.

No doubt there's someone out there that will store user accounts and release to a nominated relative, but I bet no offers to clear up or close down online persona's.

hmmm, trots off to mock up a business plan... Any one in...

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This was best described to me as a "bus plan", as in, if person X gets hit by a bus, what happens?

With that in mind, I've laid out the procedures for how to access my emails and website and so on. But only in the sketchiest way. Like I haven't actually created form emails and a web page to be put up in case of my death and another in case of emergency hospitalisation, just the details necessary for a trusted person to use their own judgement as to what is required.

It never occurred to me to worry about all the social networking profiles, though.

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