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MARCH 2021
Empowering Small Practices to Deliver the Best Care
IT
HEAD IN THE SAND OR EYES ON THE PRIZE? AN OPTIMISTIC FUTURE
Of course, part of that optimism is recognizing that some of those changes are here to stay. That was a big part of our own annual strategy meeting this year: figuring out what things people will want to keep after all of this is over. Remote visits — even for medical appointments — are just one of many adopted practices that might be easier (and more efficient) than the way we were doing things before, and you’ll do yourself a favor by embracing, not fighting, those things that stick around. The best way to figure out what’s here for good is to check with your client base. Customers, patients, and consumers will determine with their dollar, and with their time, what is here for the long run. But you can save some time by asking your own base and listening to their replies. That’s something that has been reinforced again and again over the past 12 months, at least for us: The best way to do business is always centered around the needs, desires, and challenges of your customers. We’ve seen our biggest successes when we help our clients grow, and we’ve had some of our biggest setbacks when we didn’t pay close attention to what was actually going on in their lives and businesses. And as important as tracking data and combing through statistics may be, sometimes the best answer is really to just ask your clients what they want. It’d be easy to give up on growth in a time like this and many have. I understand the temptation to say, “If we’re just hanging on, we’re doing all right.” And for some people — for some businesses — that will be true. But we took an honest look at how we were doing, and I have to say that AZCOMP has entered 2021 with bigger eyes
W hat’s your plan for 2021? That’s a question everyone seems to be asking, all the more so because of how 2020 went for many … and because 2021 isn’t going as smoothly as many would like. Will you be able to execute your goals for the year? Are you already off track and overwhelmed? March is a great time to take a deep breath, hold it, and then let it out — while we remember the lessons of last year. Because no matter what, change is hard. But it’s not as hard as we feared it would be. Right now, many of us are living unimaginably different lives than we were a year ago. Maybe you are working from home, downsized your office space, or had to find new ways to keep your team employed. But we’ve come out of all of that positive — not the false positivity of the man with his head in the sand but the true optimism of people who have weathered the changes and know that they can stay on top.
than ever. That’s a surprising thing to admit but an exciting place to be in all of this. Could you be saying the same thing? I think that with the right brand of optimism and the confidence to embrace change, the answer might surprise you, as well
–Jana Flewellen
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A 2021 TO-DO LIST
Get Ready!
We’ve all set goals for ourselves this year, and you are probably trying to figure out what you can do better. But what about your business technology? If you don’t have any business tech resolutions, it’s not too late! 1. VOIP PHONES This stands for Voice Over IP Phone System. With it, your business will be able to make calls using the internet rather than a phone line. It will save money, has lots of features, and will help prepare for disaster. It is great for remote! 2. NEXT-GEN FIREWALL Security is on everyone’s minds. With this, your business can cut risks in half and maintain a stable VPN. And we can set it up for you, no headache required! If you have expensive or costly equipment hooked up to the internet, this isn’t optional. 3. SECURITY AWARENESS TRAINING This is always critical. Do your people know what to watch for? Maybe they just need a little refresher. Don’t let phishing and sketchy emails put your business at risk.
4. MANAGED IT This is how you get the best IT service possible, and everybody wants that! We provide you with the support you need. Say goodbye to paying hourly for IT and hello to your new MSP (Managed Service Provider). 5. UPDATED TECH This can be the year for a reboot. Upgrade that dated equipment and give yourself a new feel. Have old equipment that hasn’t been accessed in forever? Let us take a look at the equipment so you can put it to good use! 6. CLOUD COMPUTING SERVICES 2021 means it is time to move to the cloud. Let’s take on that on-site server and start exploring these options. When disaster strikes, don’t let your business be caught on the tarmac. It’s much better to be up in the air! What sounds good to you? Pick one or more of these important tasks and get to work. It’s never too late to make those 2021 tech resolutions! Call our direct support line: 480-730-3055 Create a support ticket via email: ITHelp@AZComp.com Learn more about how to get unlimited computer and networking support at AZComp.com/it. DOWNLOAD OUR FREE REPORT NEED NETWORKING OR COMPUTER HELP?
SPOTLIGHT ON MINDI BAWDEN
If you’re an accounting specialist, it’s possible that you might end up working in any one of a
variety of companies. But for Arizona native Mindi Bawden, there isn’t another place like AZCOMP. “My husband worked here before me, and I’d meet people at company parties and get to know them. It was obvious that this was a place I wanted to work — I’d corner Jana and hear about how awesome her job was!”
Protect Your Data What every small business owner must know about protecting & preserving their
“What every small-business owner must know about protecting and preserving their company’s critical data and computer systems!” covers the essential information you need to know to keep your network safe. If you aren’t up to date on the latest in security, then your network will be at risk.
company’s critical data & computer systems!
We’re glad that she ended up here, as well. A self-described perfectionist, Mindi’s attention to detail works to our benefit. She’s also never afraid to ask questions “because that’s how you learn!” she says. Family time usually means camping or even skating. “My husband is a skater from childhood, and the kids are, too.” Mindi prefers to watch unless there’s a snowboard involved! “I love to do that.”
If you depend on your computer network to run your business, this is one report you DON’T want to skip!
This report is available for free at AZComp.com/protect. Download it today to ensure your computer systems are as secure as possible. With this report, you will have peace of mind and can spend time enjoying the start of the new year without worrying about the safety of your network and data.
Who’s next? Check in to see!
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Let’s get this out of the way: Retro has always been cool. The only thing that changes is what era is considered “retro.” Marshall has cleverly avoided that debate by being a constant presence onstage from the early days of rock ‘n’ roll to the modern era. Their new Marshall Acton II Bluetooth speaker calls to mind those shows of old, but under the hood this amp is nothing but modern. Modeled after classic vintage Marshall amps, the Acton II is small enough for a bedroom, but can still bring the party to the whole house. This comes at a cost, of course: Unlike many Bluetooth speakers, the Acton II uses a wall plug. Still, it will be a one-stop shop for the listening needs of many. Easy to sync with your phone through Bluetooth 5.0 compatibility, this amp can also go old-school via the 3.5mm port (like a larger guitar amp), meaning you can hook up your turntable just as easily. BACK IN BLACK WITH THE MARSHALL ACTON II Tiny Speaker Reminiscent of Rock History
A HOMING BEACON FOR BACTERIA?
An unfortunate fact of modern life is the widespread familiarity with E. coli, bacteria that cause medium-to-severe foodborne illness in almost anyone who ingests it. In the past five years, multiple outbreaks have rocked the country and scandalized well-known brands like Chipotle. E. coli can go undetected and spread throughout food distribution networks with ease, which means it’s hard to find the source — or grasp the extent — of any outbreak until lots of people are already sick. How Aanika Biosciences Is Helping Track E. Coli Outbreaks
The “what era is vintage?” debate is a fun one, and with the Acton II, Marshall has provided their own perfect answer.
We’re getting lucky in 2021 because John Warrillow — author of “Built to Sell” and “The Automatic Customer” — just published his newest business book in January. Titled “The Art of Selling Your Business,” Warrillow (who also hosts “Built to Sell Radio”), completes his advocacy for monetizing companies in a specific way. Why monetize? As a smart woman once put it, “If an entrepreneur can’t take an extended leave from their business without things falling apart, they don’t have a business — they’ve just created a job for themselves.” And as Warrillow himself would say, being able to sell your business means that you’ve actually built a self-sustaining company, and that should be one of your goals as an entrepreneur. Warrillow Ends Trilogy with “The Art of Selling Your Business” AZCOMP LEADERSHIP LIBRARY
Biotech startup Aanika Biosciences aims to change all of that.
Focusing on the 2018 outbreaks that impacted hundreds and crippled a child, Aanika’s three co-founders realized that these E. coli flare-ups were worse than past ones. In one example, the bacteria hitchhiked on romaine lettuce from one area where it was either packaged alone or chopped up and bagged with other leafy greens before being sold under many different brand names. How do you trace a single piece of salad? That was Aanika’s dilemma. Their solution is an elegant one. Aanika takes a benevolent microbe (like the ones in your yogurt) that’s easy to modify for individualization. They render it inert, change the genome a bit, and add it to the water used to rinse down salads. Each farm would get a “signature” version of that microbe, so when they spray their harvested crops it tags the leafy greens as theirs, without affecting the greens in any way. Down the line, if someone gets sick from eating a salad, the government can quickly analyze the greens and find the ones that have E. coli on them. Then they look for the microbe tagging that particular green, scan its genetic sequence, and immediately know which farm that particular version of the microbe belongs to. We’re looking forward to what Aanika Biosciences comes up with next. After all, E. coli doesn’t just exist in salad, but in other foods as well. Watch this startup with interest!
But some people don’t just want to monetize. Some people want to actually sell , and it is those people who will benefit most from the book. Whether you built the company with that intent, or at least that option, or you’re being forced to sell out at the end of the quarter, you need to read “The Art of Selling Your Business.” Even if you never plan to sell, it won’t hurt to be prepared for that possibility. You won’t want to miss out on this one — and if you dig it, check out Warrilow’s two other books as well.
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2500 S. Power Rd., Ste. 117 Mesa, AZ 85209 i nside this issu e Head in the Sand or Eyes on the Prize? PAGE 1 A 2021 To-Do List AZCOMP Employee Spotlight PAGE 2 Aanika’s Bacteria ‘Homing Beacon’ Acton II: New Amp, Vintage Style AZCOMP Leadership Library PAGE 3 All About Those Mittens PAGE 4
By Liz ALL ABOUT THOSE MITTENS
The story behind those mittens … You know the ones! The number of memes that were generated after the inauguration specifically targeting Bernie Sanders won the internet for me on Jan. 20 (among other wins, of course!).
Jen Ellis is a teacher in Vermont, and she mentioned that folks have already tried reaching out to her about ordering mittens. She said, “People have been contacting me thinking that they can get mittens, and actually, they can’t. I don’t have much of a mitten business anymore because it really wasn’t worth it. I mostly just make them as gifts.” One thing I thought was very sweet in this article is when she mentioned a potential mitten business: “I can see that if I wanted to drop everything and pursue that path, I could do it, but who knows how long that would last? The path that I’m already on brings me a tremendous amount of joy, and I think that’s the greatest symbol of success, right? This little blip of fame is sweet, and it’ll pass, and then my regular life will just be what it already is, which is kind of nice.” It is really nice to feel the excitement from Jen in this article, knowing that even just one kind gesture got her to the steps of the inauguration. She was really “Caring About the One!” In 2021, I’m totally ready for a world where the craziest thing that happens is Bernie Sanders wearing some bulky wool mittens that the internet loves.
But more importantly, the sweet story behind those famous, bulky mittens is one to treasure.
When Bernie lost the race to Hillary in 2016, Jen Ellis, a resident of Essex Junction, Vermont, sent Bernie hand-sewn upcycled mittens. It was a gesture of kindness to say “I appreciate what you are doing, and I hope you run again.” Jen mentioned to SLATE.com that she was floored when she saw the cameras zoom in on Bernie, and her Gmail started to crash with the many emails she received about this viral image.
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