May 2011
In this issue:► 7 Reasons Small Businesses
Switch to Cloud Solutions
► Career Survival Tips for the
“Wherever” Worker
► Ways to Protect Your
Private Information
► PowerPoint Slidefest
► Business Continuity Tip
► Quote of the Month
► Just for Laughs
| | | Business Continuity Tip | | Safety is KeyA disaster can strike at any time. You and your coworkers should know what to grab and where to go if an emergency happens. Does your company have an emergency plan in place? Ask around, and if no plan is in place, help create one. Employee safety should be THE top priority when disaster strikes. When an emergency happens it is important for employees to react quickly and with purpose. Knowledge and practice are paramount.Click here for employee safety tips from Ready.gov. | | Just for Laughs | | | Quote of the Month |
“Choose to focus on
not what has happened
but what we can do.”-Ellen Pompeo
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Please share this newsletter with anyone who might be interested | | 7 Reasons Small Businesses Switch to Cloud Based Software
used with permission from the Microsoft Small Business CenterSmall business owners often have big dreams. Whether that dream is to keep your business small or to grow it into a big business, you want your business to run as smoothly as possible – every step of the way. You might start your business as a sole proprietor with just a laptop and a few software programs. As your business grows and adds employees, you have to start thinking about security, backup, remote access, and coordination of effort. One of the reasons small businesses switch to cloud-based software is to reap the benefits of big business infrastructure, without having to implement and manage it directly. Until recently, your software and servers almost always resided in your office, where they would be administered by your IT staff. This type of deployment is referred to as “on premise.” In the last several years, “cloud based” software has become more popular. Cloud based software (also called cloud computing) enables companies to access software and servers located in a secure data center, maintained by the software provider. These free or subscriber-based services are delivered in real time over the Internet. Your Microsoft Hotmail or Live account is an example of cloud-based email. Small businesses are finding the many attributes of cloud computing very attractive. Here are seven reasons why. |
| 5 Career Survival Tips for the “Wherever” Worker
used with permission from the Microsoft Business SiteToday’s office worker isn’t always found in the office. Even if you’re not in sales, you may do a significant amount of work at a customer site, from conference hotels, or at home. Studies have shown that this kind of work flexibility leads to a more satisfying work life, a more fulfilling career and (usually) a more productive employee. However, being away from your co-workers can have its drawbacks as the corporate jungle brings out the competitive beast in some people. Perhaps it’s human nature to assume that an employee who isn’t in the office isn’t actually working, or to use it as an opportunity to get a leg up on a team member. But even if your physical office seems blessedly free of corporate politics, don’t let “out of sight, out of mind” be the epitaph on the headstone of your career. Here are five tips to help you survive and thrive in your career without being chained to a desk. |
| 5 Sure-Fire Ways to Protect your Private Information
used with permission from the HP Small Business SiteLast year, the reputation of online security took yet another major hit when over 200,000 users of Gawker Media websites — including those users who log in via Twitter — had their usernames and passwords hacked and distributed across the web. This massive data breach just goes to show that, while data security remains a major concern for Internet users the world over, protecting your business’s confidential information is more than just a worry, it’s vital to survival.With that in mind, here are five sure-fire ways to keep your professional information under digital lock and key — whether you’re online or off. |
| | Watch the historical videos and avoid PowerPoint presentation pitfalls. Roll out the red carpet. The first-ever PowerPoint awards festival is here. Visit the site, watch the videosand learn how to avoid common presentation blunders. Then, take a look at the tips and tricks section for help making your next presentation more impressive—and effective. |
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