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MAY 2021
The Big Debate About the Amorebieta Household Do You Believe in Ghosts?
Allegedly, my house has a ghost.
and see a ghost at night, and while her siblings entertain the thought, they are not nearly as sold on the idea that a ghost happens to be living in Lukenna’s room. Recently, our son moved into the famed ghost room. A while back, our eldest, Kennedi, moved out for college, so Lukenna took over her room, and our son took Lukenna’s room. (It’s a classic game of musical rooms that I’m sure all parents and siblings can relate to.) Out of curiosity, I asked my son if Lukenna’s claims held any weight, and for as much of a skeptic as he can be, my son did admit that something weird was going on in that bedroom. His concern was much lower than Lukenna’s, and I’m not sure he’s ready to call it a ghost. But he did put some weight behind these crazy stories Lukenna has been telling us for years. We also recently learned that another ghost may be in the house. My wife and I managed to escape for a weekend getaway in March, and Lukenna, who has since moved out, stayed at our house while we were gone. Like most kids would do, she slept in our bed while we were away, and after that first night, she had quite the story for us. Lukenna claims to have seen the ghost in our room! Curiously, I have never seen this ghost, and my only theory is that maybe I’m just enough of a jerk that the ghost doesn’t want to come around. Lukenna seemed to agree when I questioned her about our bedroom ghost. I suppose there’s nothing wrong with Lukenna’s deep belief that our house is haunted. And while nothing she says is going to convince me that our 20-year-old house, which has no recorded deaths in it, is being habited by the spirit of someone with unfinished business, it’s pretty fun to muse about the strange happenings she reports. I guess I can’t think of any reason to stick around after my death someday and haunt this home, but according to Lukenna, the spirits in our home have a lot to do. And that makes for some pretty good stories — even if I don’t believe them.
Since May has another one of those goofy holidays — National Paranormal Day on May 3 — I thought I would introduce my readers to our infamous “ghost.” Now, to preface this, I don’t believe in ghosts. I’m not sure if I’m jaded or “too experienced,” but I believe all spooky or weird coincidences can be explained away. Of course, I partook in all the usual coming-of-age hype about ouija boards or local scary stories. But other than the occasional bout of déjà vu or the odd scary movie when I was younger, I’ve never experienced anything remotely paranormal. (I don’t care for scary movies these days, either.) Yet, my middle daughter, Lukenna, is convinced there is a ghost in our house, and it happens to reside in her old bedroom. For years, Lukenna has been telling us about the lights going on and off in her old room, objects moving, and doors closing. She’s convinced she can hear, feel
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Connecting Your Employees to Your Mission MAKING YOUR PASSIONS THEIR PASSIONS
SPEAK PASSIONATELY ABOUT IT. While you want the mission itself to be exciting, even the most intriguing of mission statements will be DOA if your delivery doesn’t convey your excitement. Humans are emotional creatures, so connecting with your employees emotionally in regard to your mission is just as important as the mission itself. MAKE IT PERSONAL. While you might think tying your personal story to the company’s mission seems narcissistic, the truth is that your team wants to hear your story. People like stories, and if you can convey yours with honesty and humility, no one will think you’re an egoist.
Your business might be doing well, but if your workforce doesn’t feel any sort of personal connection to your business’s mission, that could prevent lasting success. You want to boost employee morale and make them happy about their work. To reinvigorate your employees’ passion for your business’s mission, try a few of these tips. WALK THE TALK. Patagonia CEO Yvon Chouinard decided to make his products out of organic cotton after he saw how industrially grown cotton was hurting the environment. It cost more to do that, but he stuck to Patagonia’s mission of creating environmentally friendly products. If you’re not willing to sacrifice for your mission, then it’s not your mission — and your employees will know it.
RE-WORK IT. If your mission doesn’t seem to be inspiring passion in your workforce, then maybe it’s time to tweak it a little bit. Whether you’re just starting in business or have had the same mission statement for 10 years, a new mission lived out, made clear, and made personal by you can spark a newfound appreciation for your business among your employees.
MAKE IT CLEAR. Make sure everyone at your company knows exactly what your mission is. Only when employees have a clear understanding of the goal can they actually abide by it. If your mission statement can be interpreted in multiple ways, clarify it throughout all levels of your business.
CELEBRATE!
See What Our Customers Are Saying
It takes every member of our 5-Star IT Service Team to ensure our clients’ needs are met — and we love to celebrate our team whenever we can! This month, we would like to recognize Jeff Creed , who celebrates a birthday in May,
We went through a couple different IT Solution companies in 2020 trying to find the best fit. MicroTech was so far above the others it wasn’t even comparable. By far the smoothest and best transition and followed through on their promises. – Nathan S. MicroTech is a fantastic company! They are very responsive and professional, and their employees are knowledgeable and helpful. In emergencies, they are there on the spot and have worked tirelessly to get our company up and going again. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend them to any business. Thanks, MicroTech! – Jessica
and Wayne Jondle and Gary Marshall , who celebrate their work anniversaries this month. Be sure to
give these guys well wishes next time you speak to them!
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THE 2 BIGGEST IT MISTAKES SMALL-BUSINESS OWNERS MAKE
MISTAKE NO. 1: POOR SECURITY PROCESSES Technology has evolved, and hackers and scammers have grown right alongside it. You cannot rely on old security practices without increasing your risk of attack. Start with software. Update and monitor your protection software and procedures so you aren’t at the whim of old technology. Then, ensure your business is protected with the right password program. Changing passwords occasionally is important — make it easy for employees to remember, but not so easy that a hacker can find it with a simple Google search or guess. Furthermore, mobile devices have increasingly become more concerning for small-business owners looking to protect client information. Some employees can store passwords on their phone, while others may answer emails on the go. These added entry points make your business more THAI MINCED PORK SALAD Inspired by EatingThaiFood.com
vulnerable to attacks. A mobile device policy can protect against this.
MISTAKE NO. 2: OLD DATA STORAGE SYSTEMS
Relying on a paper filing system leaves your company susceptible to data loss from fires, floods, and human error. You cannot guarantee these items are backed up or properly secured so only those who need to view the documents can do so. And what would happen if that data was in the wrong hands and lost for good? Digital filing systems allow you to encrypt your documents and back up the data to avoid a disaster or hacker from wiping out your information. This is especially important for health care businesses or law firms that handle sensitive data. Our team at MicroTech Systems is ready to help your business avoid these two critical mistakes. Read our blogs online to learn more at MicroTechBoise.com/blog.
As IT professionals, we see many technology mistakes on a regular basis — some that can cost small businesses big money. A 2019 CNBC article found that 43% of online attacks target small businesses, but only 14% of small businesses are prepared to defend their company and prevent an attack that shutters the business. Partnering with an experienced MSP provider like MicroTech Systems is a beneficial first step toward IT success, but if you’re making any of the following IT mistakes, you may be putting your company at risk.
Have a Laugh!
Ingredients
• • • • •
5 tbsp uncooked Thai sticky rice
• • • • •
Juice of 1–2 limes, to taste 4 small shallots, thinly sliced 4 green onions, thinly sliced Cilantro leaves, to taste
1 lb ground pork
1/2 tbsp chili flakes
1/8 tsp sugar
1/2 tbsp fish sauce
Mint leaves, to taste
Directions
1. First, make toasted rice powder: In a frying pan over low heat, dry-roast the rice, stirring continuously until it turns golden brown and smells fragrant, about 15 minutes. 2. Let toasted rice cool, then grind into a coarse powder using a mortar and pestle, blender, or food processor. Set aside. 3. In a medium frying pan over medium-high heat, fry pork, breaking it into small pieces as you go, until fully cooked. 4. Remove from heat and add 1 heaping tbsp of toasted rice powder along with all other ingredients. Stir to combine. 5. Taste and adjust, adding more lime juice and herbs to suit your palate. Serve with rice.
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Inside
The Amorebieta Household Is Haunted — Allegedly
Connecting Your Employees to Your Mission
See What Our Customers Are Saying
Are You Guilty of These 2 Dangerous IT Mistakes?
Thai Minced Pork Salad
Why Customer Stories Are Your Best Marketing Tools
How You Can Use Customer Stories To Make a Killer Marketing Campaign
Stories are one of the oldest forms of communication. For as long as there has been language, people have used words to spin yarns and convey ideas. Today, when it comes to marketing your products, stories emotionally impact your customers in a way that mere facts never could. How do stories do this? According to behavioral economist and author Peter McGraw, memories are built on associations. When you form a habit, routine, or ritual, you’re essentially creating a new set of associations. Using stories, you can show how customers who use your product or service incorporate it into their rituals. If others see that your product has a benefit, they might be compelled to do the same.
are a few tips that might help you curate the stories your customers share and see.
MAKE YOUR CUSTOMERS THE CENTER OF THE STORY.
Many businesses make their product or their brand the hero of the story, but this isn’t the most effective way to grab your customers’ attention through storytelling. Instead, focusing on your customers, their rituals, and the success they’ve achieved can resonate a lot more powerfully. Of course, you’ll want to make it clear how your product helped them achieve success. MEET YOUR CUSTOMERS WHERE THEY ARE. Find a way to get customer feedback on the products and services your business provides. What do they like about your product? How have those products
and services helped them the most? Incorporating this information into your storytelling campaign can also ensure that those stories resonate a lot more with your customers. DITCH THE JARGON. Always remember to keep your stories short, to the point, and accessible. No customer is going to be interested in reading an eight- page white paper or listen to a testimonial that they can’t understand because it’s so full of industry jargon. That’s the beauty of good storytelling — it can impact anyone, transcending industries.
Before sharing testimonials of customers using your products willy-nilly, however, there
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