Micro Tech's online newsletter for August 2018
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August 2018
Back-to-School REFLECTING ON THE WAY EDUCATION HAS CHANGED
A s the kids get ready to head back to school and my oldest starts to pack up for her move to the BSU dorms, I’ve been doing a little thinking about my own school days, way back when. I actually enjoyed school growing up; between seeing all my friends every day, learning new things, and getting the chance to participate in all kinds of athletics, it was a routine I fell into easily. But it’s interesting to look around at my own kids’ school lives and the things my wife deals with as a teacher at Eagle High these days and realize how much everything has changed. I’m pretty sure high school was a little easier for us growing up. Maybe not so much in terms of the actual material — I had plenty of classes that challenged me — but in the way that grades and school now seem to determine these kids’ entire life paths. As college has gotten more and more expensive and degrees have become more abundant in the workplace, the paradigm has steadily shifted, the pressure increasing. The expectation is for kids to come out of school with all kinds of AP classes, straight A’s, and an insane list of extracurriculars — a 4.0 GPA isn’t even good enough. My wife deals with this often. Today’s online access of student’s grades enables (and demands) parents to be in constant contact with the teachers. “Some kids just aren’t A students,” my wife says, “and that’s fine! But for some parents or other organizations, that’s just not good enough — they won’t rest until their kid is at 100 percent across the board.” Of course, it’s good to be concerned about how well your children are doing in school — I certainly am — but you need to be realistic and not bear down on them until they burn out. With this in mind, it was refreshing for my wife when she went to orientation at BSU with our oldest and discovered that, for certain parts of the program — including the grades portal — parents just aren’t allowed access. It’s an atmosphere of heightened accountability, where students are really treated like the adults they are. I think my daughter will really thrive. She’s excited, and we’re excited for her.
It’s funny to see how each of the kids approaches school completely differently. My oldest has always been pretty self-sufficient and hardworking. When she comes up against an obstacle, she studies her way out of it. My middle daughter, however, struggles a little more with the traditional school paradigm. She’s passionate about certain aspects but finds it hard to tie everything together. But she’s learning more and more strategies as she gets older. And then there’s my youngest, my son, who has absolutely no trouble with school at all, to the point that he often doesn’t even bother applying himself. I think we bust his chops the most, just because I know what he’s capable of. He may be one of those kids that would benefit from the hypercompetitive school atmosphere as he moves up. All in all, I think we’re all ready for the back-to-school season. The kids might complain a little (except for my oldest, who is itching to get out of the house, of course), but I’m guessing that they enjoy those familiar routines just like I did growing up, even if they won’t admit it. Whatever happens, it’s always just exciting to see them grow and learn as people, discovering just who it is they want to be.
–Randy Amorebieta
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Why Small Businesses Are Cybercriminals’ No. 1 Target And What You Can Do to Protect Yourself
Back up your data. A large majority of data breaches today come in the form of ransomware, which locks users out of everything on a company’s network. Hackers then threaten to delete the data forever unless the company forks over thousands of dollars. But if you have all of your files automatically backed up to an alternate location (that can’t be accessed on your ordinary network), you can skip paying the ransom, let the criminals wipe your system, and make it through the crisis unscathed. Train your employees. It’s easy to imagine a team of evil geniuses typing at lightspeed to try to penetrate your business’s defenses, but 60 percent of the time, it’s a simple mistake by one of your employees that leaves the company wide open to attack. To combat this, you need to ensure that every single one of your employees is on board with strong cybersecurity practices. That means building a comprehensive cybersecurity policy that all members of your team must sign (including provisions such as password strength requirements) and supplying extensive training on the biggest digital threats. Use firewall, antivirus, and encryption software. Firewalls, which are usually included with your operating system, block unauthorized access to your network. Antivirus software serves as a watchdog, sniffing out malware and spyware before they become a problem. And encryption ensures that the data on your system is unreadable to anyone who doesn’t have the encryption key. All three of these powerful protections are inexpensive, user-friendly, and essential tools for businesses of all sizes seeking to stave off cybercriminals.
Today’s small businesses are woefully unprepared for digital threats. Cybercrime is at an all-time high in 2018, and yet a frightening number of small-business owners assume that their organization is too small to ever warrant the attention of hackers. From the perspective of cybercriminals, most small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs) represent the low- hanging fruit of the digital world: a modest pile of cash guarded by outdated or easily circumvented barriers. That’s why 71 percent of cyberattacks are directed at SMBs, according to Verizon’s annual Data Breach Investigations Report, and a huge number of those strikes actually succeed. If you’re hoping to protect the business that you’ve built from the ground up, it’s important to be vigilant. Here are three steps you can take right now to drastically improve your chances at scaring off the wolves at your digital door:
Our Clients Say It Best
“MicroTech has been our go-to IT company for over 15 years. They have addressed all of our IT needs, whether it is the purchase of new hardware or repairing our email and software problems and issues. Their response time has been on-point; when you are having computer issues, you need someone now, not the next day, and they have always been there to help us within hours of our problem. I would recommend them to any business, small or large. Their staff is prompt, courteous, and, most of all, knowledgeable about all
computer issues and problems. They are up-to-date on all the new products and operating systems out there and help us to run our office efficiently. I would consider them the best IT company in the Treasure Valley.” –Aline G. “Our law firm has used MicroTech for all our IT needs for many years. I couldn’t be happier with their performance and response time. I highly recommend them!” –Tracey P.
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IT Planning on a Shoestring Budget
IT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE A HEADACHE
Continued growth and greater revenue are what make small- and mid- size businesses tick. And today, information technology (IT) is playing an increasingly critical role in scalability and success. By optimizing processes and workflows, automating menial tasks, and tightening security, an effective IT partnership can secure the longevity of a business for years to come. However, we understand that it’s not easy for any business — especially smaller ones with tighter budgets — to proactively set aside the dollars for IT solutions. But here are three tips that will demystify the process and help you determine what you need. 1. Consider putting an IT plan in place with an IT expert that will save you time and money in the long run. An outside IT partner can ensure that your IT architecture aligns precisely with your business’s
needs. The right professional will work with you to equip your team with the tools they need to succeed and be competitive within your industry — all while keeping well within your budget. They’ll fulfill your every requirement, all without the cash layout and management of a dedicated employee. 2. Evaluate your current IT assets, and set a predetermined replacement/update schedule for all essential digital equipment so you can allocate the necessary funds. Equipment becomes outdated faster than ever these days, and that’s without any of it unexpectedly breaking. Setting aside the money you need well in advance of, say, your ancient server suddenly conking out, will save you a lot of headaches later on. 3. Be consistent with your IT budget planning. However you choose to create your IT budget and decide how it fits within the rest of your business operations, be sure it is consistent. Unless measurable in the same fashion year after year, it will be almost impossible to pinpoint trends that point to either success or failure and adjust accordingly. IT budgeting can be an overwhelming process, but it doesn’t have to be. Call the experts at MicroTech Systems at (208) 345-0054 today and let us work side by side to determine your needs — without breaking the bank.
Chana Masala
Have a Laugh!
Ingredients
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1 onion, chopped 1 garlic clove, sliced
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1 28-ounce can peeled whole tomatoes, crushed 1 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed Salt and pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, peeled and chopped 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 teaspoon curry powder
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Chopped cilantro, for garnish
Directions
1. Over medium heat, cook onion, garlic, ginger, olive oil, and curry powder for 8–10 minutes, until onion is soft. 2. Add chickpeas and can of tomatoes with juice. Simmer 25–30 minutes.
3. Season with salt and pepper. Serve over rice and top with cilantro.
Inspired by Bon Appetit magazine
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Inside
Randy’s Kids Go Back to School
3 Easy Cybersecurity Steps for Small Businesses
Our Clients Say It Best
IT Planning on a Shoestring Budget
Chana Masala
Jay Abraham’s Simple Guide to Success
THE PROFOUND SIMPLICITY OF
‘Getting Everything You Can Out of All You’ve Got’
Jay Abraham’s “Getting Everything You Can Out of All You’ve Got” is one of those evergreen business books every entrepreneur should pick up at some point. Rather than latch on to fleeting business trends or the gimmicks of the early dot-com era, Abraham, a business coach who has spent his entire career solving problems and fixing companies, re-examines the basics of business. By returning to and interrogating the building blocks of growth, he is able to deliver the sort of timeless wisdommost business authors only dream of being able to capture. What makes “Getting Everything You Can” stand out is the simplicity of the ideas it presents. In fact, Abraham’s central thesis is that our
and international brands alike is his practical, methodical approach, which shines through in this book. You won’t find banal platitudes or sweeping summations within these pages. Instead, Abraham uses direct, approachable language to outline clear, actionable steps to get you to “recognize the income- and success-increasing connections that are all around you.” With this workmanlike approach, “Getting Everything You Can” breaks down success in business into its component processes: attracting new clients, increasing the average size per sale of a client, and boosting client retention. These three aspects of success, according to Abraham, hinge on your ability to leverage a “unique selling proposition,” or USP. Put bluntly, a USP stems from the aspects of your business that make it stand out from the competition — what you bring to the table that others can’t. Identifying a USP sounds like a simple-enough concept, but as Abraham explains, business owners are often blind to the real value of their company. Seeing what truly makes your brand unique requires looking at old problems in new ways and fundamentally shifting your perspective on the basics of running a business. Finding solutions hidden in plain sight is no easy task, but “Getting Everything You Can Out of All You’ve Got” is committed to getting you there.
tendency to overlook or dismiss the mundane, everyday aspects of our business is what keeps us from seeing its real value. As Abraham puts it, “You are surrounded by simple, obvious solutions that can dramatically increase your income, power, influence, and success.” Finding those solutions is what “Getting Everything You Can” is all about. What makes Abraham so successful as a business coach for small companies
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