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SEPTEMBER 2017
Empowering Small Practices To Deliver The Best Care
IT
POSITIVE FOCUS Why Mindset Matters in Work and Life
In our July issue, we talked about our fifth core value: We Chase Mavericks. Here at AZCOMP, that means seeing challenges as opportunities. I won’t go over the full background of this value since that would be retreading water, but let me give you a refresher. “Chasing Mavericks” is a movie about surfer Jay Moriarty. He saw his neighbor carving the huge Maverick waves in Half Moon Bay, California. Jay determines that the insane challenge of these waves won’t deter him, they’ll only spur him on to further success. That, in short, is why we like to say that we chase Mavericks. Now that we have that review out of the way, I want to tell you about how we prepare our staff to chase Mavericks. Looking at challenges as a chance for success requires a positive mindset. If you can raise a person’s current level of positivity, then that person’s brain performs better. When you’re feeling negative or stressed, you simply cannot achieve as much. So, how do we cultivate positivity? One way is by beginning every meeting with team members sharing a “positive focus.” We go around the room and everyone tells us something in their lives they’re feeling good about. It might be resolving a difficult issue for a client, it might be their son hitting a home run in Little League, or it might be the killer recipe they nailed the night before for dinner. Everyone sharing something positive from their lives at the start of the meeting makes the entire session radiate with positive energy.
they become a lot easier to overcome. Negativity only creates reticence. Positivity makes the impossible doable.
I recently heard a speech by psychologist Shawn Achor that reinforced just how important positivity is in creating great results. His talk is called “The Happy Secret to Better Work,” and it focuses on the advantages of staying positive, which include improved productivity, cognition, and overall performance. “If we can find a way of becoming positive in the present,” Achor says, “then our brains work even more successfully.” According to Achor’s studies, external factors have a much smaller impact on happiness and positivity than the way you view the world. “We not only need to work happy,” he notes, “we need to work on being happy.” Now, nobody can be relentlessly upbeat. I struggle with feelings of frustration and stress from time to time myself. If I can take a step back, refocus on the positive, and begin to see those frustrations as an opportunity for improvement, I often tackle a tough challenge with renewed energy. that big waves are what brought you to the ocean in the first place? Here at AZCOMP, we chase Mavericks, and you can bet that the biggest challenge is the one we most look forward to. - Benson Bashford When you see a huge wave coming toward the shore, will you get scared, beat yourself, and head for dry land? Or will you remember
Challenges and problems are a part of work. We all face obstacles. If we face these difficulties head on — if we chase Mavericks —
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Obviously, you won’t be able to monitor all of you child’s internet activities. Luckily, there is a wealth of content filtering software to ensure that they don’t stumble upon a page they shouldn’t, either accidentally or on purpose. Content filtering limits access to sites that you don’t want your kids on. Some content filtering can be done through search engines, but it’s easy for a tech-savvy child to reverse those settings. More comprehensive content filtering software, like ContentWatch Net Nanny 7 or Symantec Norton Family Premier, will do a better job of keeping kids safe. Content filtering isn’t just a resource for parents. It can also be invaluable for businesses trying to keep their employees on task at work. Don’t want your staff spending hours on Facebook or looking up other jobs on Indeed? Install filtering software, and you can be sure they won’t surf the day away. KEEP YOUR KIDS SAFE ONLINE Internet Tips for Parents
If you have kids, you know that they are spending more and more of their lives online. Whether it be for school or fun, screentime is a fact of life for children today. The internet is a robust educational resource, but it can also be a scary place. You want your children to be safe online the same way you want them to be safe at a local playground. Here are some tips for protecting your kids from digital dangers. Before your kids go online, it’s important to teach them proper behavior. Children should be instructed to never supply personal information over the internet and to not sign up for any services without supervision. During their first few excursions on the internet, you should be their copilot. Supervision is crucial for establishing safe and appropriate behaviors. SPOTLIGHT ON JOSH ‘JAY’ KRISTAL When Josh Kristal arrived at AZCOMP, he knew he’d be taking on a new
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challenge. What he didn’t know was that he’d also take on a new name: Jay. “On my first day,” Jay remembers, “there was another employee named Josh, who also had the last initial K. I didn’t want to be ‘Josh K. number 2’, so I adopted the name Jay.” Jay came to AZCOMP with previous experience at Google, and he’s been going strong here for three years. “What I love most
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DOWNLOAD OUR FREE REPORT “What Every Small-Business Owner Must Know About PROTECTING & PRESERVING Their Company’s Critical Data and Computer Systems” This report is available for free at azcomp.com/ protectyourdatareport . Download it today to ensure that your computer systems are as secure as possible.
about AZCOMP,” Jay states, “are the company culture and values. AZCOMP is a company where people always do the right thing, and that’s a rare quality.” On the weekends, Jay spends his time hiking, camping, and exploring nature. He’s a self-described “outdoors guy,” always taking advantage of the Arizona landscape. “I have a little truck that I love to take off-roading,” he notes. “I’m definitely not an expert, but I think of myself as a weekend warrior.” Jay brings that same adventurous spirit to AZCOMP every day!
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NINTENDO FLIPS THE SCRIPT The Switch Is Off to a Great Start
6 STEPS FOR PROTECTING YOUR SYSTEMS AND DATA Keep Your Network Safe You cannot insulate your computer systems against every possible emergency or problem. You can, however, avoid most issues with a little proactive monitoring and maintenance. If you follow these six steps from AZCOMP’s data protection report, you’ll greatly reduce the risk of a computer emergency. Step 1: Back Up Your Files Every Day at a Minimum This is a simple process, and it will save you a world of hassle in the event that any of your files are compromised. Backups should be done automatically, at least every 24 hours. Step 2: Ensure Your Backups Actually Work You should routinely check your backup system to make sure it is working properly. It is not uncommon for certain types of backups to fail. If you wait for an emergency to find out if your backup system is reliable or not, then it is likely too late, and you will have lost your data. Step 3: Keep at Least One Set of Backups Off-Site Not all computer issues are the result of technical malfunctions or cyberattacks. If you experience a natural disaster or theft that physically disrupts your system, you’ll have no way of regaining your lost information. Keep an external hard drive with your most important files in a safe place, away from the office, and you’ll avoid this fate. Or, subscribe to a service that backs up your system to the cloud. Step 4: Be Certain That Your Antivirus Software Is Always On and Up-to-Date Everyone knows the havoc a virus can wreak on your network. Antivirus software is necessary to prevent these attacks, but only if you keep it on. New virus threats are identified all the time, so you should update your antivirus software whenever you’re prompted to do so. Step 5: Set Up a Firewall Small businesses too often assume that because they are “small,” nobody is going to waste their time hacking them. This fallacy can leave you vulnerable to the most basic attacks. A robust and modern firewall is your first line of defense against outside threats. Step 6: Install Security Patches As Soon As They Are Released Your operating system, like Windows 10 for example, releases security updates almost weekly, called a security patch. If you don’t install these updates, then your system is vulnerable. Many other software manufacturers do the same. Be sure you install these critical updates as soon as they are released. To get more details on all of these suggestions, and to view more critical tips on how to protect your network and data, download the full report at azcomp.com/protectyourdatareport .
After the incredible success of the Wii, Nintendo has spent a few years in the console wilderness. The Wii U suffered from poor branding at its launch — many consumers were unaware it was even a new console — and it never gained a significant market share against the higher-powered offerings from rivals Sony and Microsoft. Nintendo abandoned chasing the performance crown long ago, instead relying
on innovative ideas and their consistently incredible games. With the Wii U, this approach flopped spectacularly. This year, Nintendo righted the ship with the release of the Switch, one of 2017’s hottest- selling tech products. From its initial announcement, the Switch captivated long-term fans and curious onlookers alike. A console-handheld hybrid, the Switch is the first gaming system to work equally well on TVs or on its portable screen. The controllers snap onto the sides of the screen, making toting the Switch around easy. The three-hour battery life isn’t going to blow anyone’s doors off, but it’s enough for a short plane trip. Perhaps more important than any of its tech specs, however, is the fact that the Switch launched with a new Zelda game. “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild” was immediately hailed as one of the greatest games in recent years, and it has sent consumers running to their nearest retailer. Switch units are still hard to come by months after release, and sales will surely spike during the holiday shopping season. If you or a family member want the Switch, you should jump at any chance to purchase one. Another thing Nintendo is known for is keeping in-demand items in short supply. As fans would say, it’s just Nintendo being Nintendo.
TRIVIA Who wants to win a $25 Amazon gift card?
Here is the trivia question of the month. The first person to call in and give us the correct answer wins the gift card!
Summer is winding down and so is blockbuster season. Can you name the highest-grossing movie of all time, adjusted for inflation?
First person to call Neili at 888-358-2667 will win the gift card!
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2500 S. Power Rd, Ste 117 Mesa, AZ 85209 i nside this issu e
Positive Focus PAGE 1 Keep Your Kids Safe Online PAGE 2 Spotlight on Josh ‘Jay’ Kristal PAGE 2 Need Networking or Computer Help? PAGE 2 6 Steps for Protecting Your Systems and Data PAGE 3 Nintendo’s Latest Console Hit PAGE 3 How BuzzFeed Became a Media Giant PAGE 4
HOW BUZZFEED BECAME A MEDIA GIANT
When Jonah Peretti founded BuzzFeed in 2006, he didn’t expect it to one day become a media giant. After starting The Huffington Post alongside Arianna Huffington, Ken Lerer, and Andrew Breitbart a year earlier, Peretti viewed BuzzFeed as more of an experiment than a content farm. “BuzzFeed started as a lab,” Peretti remembers, “where we could play with ideas.” Peretti became curious about the potential of sharable content years earlier, when an email correspondence between him and Nike went viral among his friends and colleagues at MIT. “It opened up my eyes to the possibility of the fact that media was shifting,” he states, “so that if people thought something was worth passing on or sharing, you could reach millions of people.” Of course, BuzzFeed didn’t become one of the world’s 200 most visited websites overnight. After securing $3.5 million in funding in June 2008, BuzzFeed focused on growth. They found their initial foothold by treating internet formats like gifs, memes, and lists as equals to traditional long-form posts. Another huge step forward
occurred in 2010, when BuzzFeed produced its first batch of sponsored content, paving the way for the native advertising boom of today. As it grew, BuzzFeed consciously devoted resources to creating a journalistic arm in addition to its focus on viral content. They opened up offices in Los Angeles and the United Kingdom, and then they stumbled upon the quiz format for which they are now most known. These quizzes are BuzzFeed in microcosm: fun, irreverent, and eminently sharable. As of 2017, BuzzFeed has reached over 200 million unique users a month, making it one of the most popular content sites on the internet. If you work in an office or log on to Facebook, you’ve no doubt seen their content on the screens and pages of your co- workers and friends. Not bad for a company that grew from the seed of one goofy email chain.
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