Michael Levitt's Blog, page 34

Keep Your Business Safe With These Top Tips

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Without a doubt, people suffer on a regular basis as a result of illegal activity. Any security compromise can have crippling consequences, both in terms of practicality and financial consequences. This can be a particularly difficult situation for businesses.

As we all know, failure to prepare is the same as preparing to fail. Preventative measures are much easier than dealing with a problem once it has happened.  It is vital to take proactive measures to raise the overall degree of security. Don't let your business become a sitting target for criminals. 

Fortunately, protecting your firm does not have to be difficult. In this post, we look at some of the ways to keep your business safe.

Carefully destroy paperwork and documents

Lots of business operations are now done digitally. Despite this, paper copies of sensitive files are still commonplace. In offices all over the world, you will still find filing cabinets and folders full of information, that, should it get into the wrong hands could be very problematic

Make it a habit to shred your paper copies on a regular basis. In the same way, make secure document destruction a business norm and enforce it. All it takes is one mishandled file to create a major headache for everyone.

Be strict with passwords

Passwords are the key to gaining access to your systems. Having a password that is of inadequate quality is equivalent to leaving the front door of your home unsecured. It is almost as if you are inviting trouble. Any hacker that knows their stuff will be able to easily get through a simple password.

Businesses should make it mandatory for employees to use strong passwords that are updated on a regular basis.

Another good idea is to use several authentication factors. When a user enters an initial password, a phone message is sent to them, which contains a secondary code. The computer can only be accessed when this code has been entered.

Keep your cyber security measures updated

The biggest threats to business these days are online.

The widespread use of computers, as well as the reliance on them for commercial activities, is not without its downsides. It makes them more vulnerable to cyberattacks from hackers and malicious software.

When computers fail, the entire business function may be brought to a halt as a result. There are significant cost ramifications to any downtime. The expense of dealing with a hack or malware assault might be extremely high as well.

All things considered, the most rational course of action is to exercise caution when it comes to cybersecurity. It is essential to invest in high-quality antivirus and antimalware software. In the same way, backing up all data to the cloud or to alternate servers decreases the likelihood of data loss.

Conclusion

There are numerous modern obstacles that come with living in a modern environment. Businesses, in particular, are feeling the effects. Cybercrime is now on par with a physical break-in at a company's headquarters in terms of threat level!

Fortunately, there are steps you may do to protect yourself from these threats. Hopefully, this article has presented you with a few excellent suggestions for achieving just that.

The business + burnout workplace culture advisors at Breakfast Leadership aim to prevent employee burnout while addressing your business’s needs and concerns. Call (619) 751-0677 to learn more about how we can help!

How To Improve Your Businesses Finances & Cash Flow

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Whether you are starting your own business or have been in operation for several years, good money management is essential if you want to succeed. Despite this, it's estimated that 82% of businesses do not have good money-management plans in place - which can result in a range of different troubles further down the line. In fact, failure to properly manage your finances and cash flow will likely result in company closure - no matter how promising your initial business model may seem.

With that in mind, here are some top tips that you can use to improve your business finances and cash flow. 

Use software to your advantage. One of the hardest tasks associated with a healthy cash flow is keeping track of payments, invoices, and receipts. In fact, this is an area of financial management where mistakes are made frequently - but it does not have to be this way. For example, you could use payment optimization software to automate these payments, making it much easier for you to keep on top of your invoices. This software can also save you a great deal of money as it will give you a chance to capitalize on your savings and increase your ROI. Using the right software is also a great way to improve your business efficiency. 

Keep your debts in check. From time to time, you may encounter debts when it comes to running your business, especially during tough economic times.  For example, you may have taken out a small loan to kickstart your company. However, managing small business debt is essential if you want to give your business longevity and ensure that your finances are in check. As a result, you should keep strict records of any outstanding debts and create an effective (yet manageable) repayment plan. 

Reach out to investors. While a lot of the funds you funnel into your business will come from your own pocket, this does not always have to be the case. For example, by learning how to approach investors and win them over, you’ll be able to secure funding that takes your business to new heights. For example, this could help you turn from a business that operates solely online to one with a physical store or office space. 

Make it easy for your customers to pay you. One of the easiest ways to improve your cash flow is by ensuring it's easy for your customers to pay you. For example, you should provide them with plenty of payment methods to choose one that suits their needs best. For example, you may want to accept online payments through sites such as paypal, in addition to more traditional methods such as cash and card. Diversifying payment options is also a great way to make running your small business easier. 

Keep thorough financial records. This step is perhaps the most important in ensuring that your business remains financially healthy, as your records can be used to identify any financial mistakes you may be making before it is too late for you to rectify them. Additionally, keeping thorough records is essential for tax planning and can be used to back up your claims when approaching investors, as you’ll have quantifiable evidence to back up your claims that your business is worth the investment. Again, there is plenty of free software you can use to manage your finances and keep thorough records - which means you simply need to input the data. However, you should ensure that you keep multiple different copies of your records in case the worst happens (and you accidentally delete/lose everything). 

Hire an accountant. If maths wasn’t your best subject at school, or you find money management and budgeting difficult, then the best thing you can do for your business is bring in an accountant. This does not always mean hiring a new member of staff, as accounts can also be outsourced. Either way, an accountant can help you stay on track and help you put plans in place to secure a better financial future for your brand. Additionally, they’ll be able to identify mistakes you are making and stop them in their tracks. This can save you thousands upon thousands of pounds, giving your business the long life it deserves. To put it simply, an accountant is an invaluable asset to any business. 

Have a separate bank account for your business. While this step may seem like an obvious maneuver, you’d be surprised that many small businesses owners do not set up a separate bank account for their business. However, this makes it near impossible to distinguish their personal funds from their business ones, which can only lead to trouble further down the line. As such, you should set up a separate bank account for your business sooner rather than later. 

The business + burnout workplace culture advisors at Breakfast Leadership aim to prevent employee burnout while addressing your business’s needs and concerns. Call (619) 751-0677 to learn more about how we can help!

5 Important Tips for Increasing Collaboration at Work

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Collaboration can be crucial to idea creation and a positive work environment, but sometimes it doesn’t come naturally. Thankfully, if you haven’t done much team-building in the past, there are plenty of things you can do to increase connection at the office. Here are five ways to make collaboration an essential value at your company.

1. Create the Right Culture

Recently, statistics showed that 65% of employees feel less linked to their coworkers. This can cause meager job satisfaction in addition to making the company culture disconnected rather than synergistic. To turn this around, brainstorm a new vision for your office and pick leaders to focus on and instill collaboration in the office. When new employees are hired, make sure collaborative skills and processes are emphasized immediately. Do team-building exercises and increase office social events to allow coworkers to get to know one another under less pressure. Above all, focus on positive thinking, which enables team members to perform better and support long-term goals. 

2. Increase Team Projects

If you want people to work together, assigning team projects is a great place to start. Especially after you’ve incorporated some team-building exercises, employees will feel more connected and ready to tackle a common goal efficiently. When they have an end goal in mind, they can use collaborative tools and goal setting to reach the destination quickly and competently together. For example, you can organize your project with a process map which defines goals and successes and puts tasks in order. To prepare teams for this work, consider increasing your company’s training so they are adequately prepared.

3. Enhance Communication

Communication is the key to any collaborative project, ensuring that everyone understands their role and how much progress has been made. Collaboration will prevent unnecessary task overlap while providing motivation when team members see the progress that is being made. To keep interactions optimistic, use positive body language. Maintaining eye contact and a strong, upright posture will show that you are confident and open. Keeping your arms at your side reinforces this effect.

4. Embrace Creativity

Creativity can be a significant side effect of group projects, but it can also be a goal. Companies that embrace creative thinking attract great staff and generally have more uplifting attitudes. 78% of college-educated workers over the age of 25 wish they had more creative skills, so having an innovative culture will be very attractive to candidates. One of the best ways to foster imaginative thought is by focusing on a growth mindset. A growth mindset helps people focus on improvement through challenge, making teams more resilient and more open to new solutions. Focusing on positive self-talk is a very valuable part of this, so make sure team leaders are ready to plant these seeds in the minds of their co-workers.

5. Track Results

After implementing these strategies, measure results to see what is working and what isn’t. Looking at metrics like sales increases is important, but also assess less clear-cut factors like employee satisfaction. Getting an overall picture of how effective group projects have been for the company will show you how much they have helped and what still needs to be examined.

By following some of the tips above, you will be on your way to a happier, more productive office culture. Don’t be discouraged if the office currently feels disjointed. You can turn it around with a clear vision and a constructive plan more quickly than you think.

The business + burnout workplace culture advisors at Breakfast Leadership aim to prevent employee burnout while addressing your business’s needs and concerns. Call (619) 751-0677 to learn more about how we can help!

Little things to keep your team happy

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Keeping your team happy is important to maintaining a productive and positive work environment. However, it can be difficult to know what to do to keep your team content. Here're some tips for creating a happy and positive work environment.

Reward hard work and team success

Everyone likes to be rewarded for a job that's done well. Recognizing your team members will encourage them to work hard and provide great results, which is why it's important to give them praise and incentives for their good work. Make sure that the rewards are commensurate with their efforts. 

A large bonus, such as a trip or a special event, is a great reward for someone who worked extremely hard and over-performed on their project. For an employee who consistently meets or slightly exceeds their goals, you might want to give them a gift card for a meal at a local restaurant as a token of your appreciation. 

Communicate with your team

It's important to communicate with your team members about what they should be working on and how well they are doing. This will keep them up to date on what you expect of them, as well as how they are performing. 

If there's a problem with performance or goals being met, let the person know so that it can be resolved. 

By keeping your team up to date on what is going on, they will have the information that they need and you will be able to achieve your goals more efficiently.

Pay for the little things

If your company is doing well, you should be willing to pay for those "extras" that will make people happy. After all, it’s not that expensive to get some good whole bean coffee for everyone to use. Or some other snacks and beverages to have around the office kitchen. It’s little things like this that will show your team that you appreciate them and are willing to go out of your way for their happiness.

Get to know them 

The best way to keep your team happy is to get to know them on a personal level. Get to know their preferences, hobbies, and interests so that you can do something special for them during the holidays or at least congratulate them when they meet certain milestones in life (marriage, birth of first child). 

If you take the time to get to know your employees, you will be rewarded with higher productivity and overall happiness in the workplace.

Organize social activities

If your company is smaller, try to organize social activities outside of work. This will help employees connect on a more personal level, and it will give them some downtime where they can relax and have fun.

The important thing to remember is that you are all working towards the same goal. If everyone collaborates, then there should be no problems, and everyone can be happy.

Conclusion

Keeping employees happy is important to the success of any company. As you can see, many simple things can be done to keep employees on their toes and reward them for their hard work. Implementing some or all of these strategies will ensure that your team members are productive, satisfied, and most importantly - happy!

How to provide your employees with peace of mind

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When it comes to the workplace, one of the most important things is for employees to feel at ease. This can be difficult when there are constant changes or when the company is going through tough times. However, with a few adjustments, you can give your employees the peace of mind they need to focus on their work. In this blog post, we'll explore some ways you can achieve this. Keep reading to learn more!

Reassure them about their job security.

An easy way to give your employees peace of mind is by assuring them about their job security. Investing resources in their development can be a great way to show them how valuable they are to the company. It can help to reassure that they are a vital resource to the company and their job is important.

Reassuring them of their value and that their job is important to the company can provide serious peace of mind. Invest in your employees and in turn they will invest in you.

Provide employee benefits.

Another option is to provide your employees with benefits that give them peace of mind. For example, some companies will offer extended health and dental coverage. They may even offer employee assistance programs for things such as counseling or financial advice. If you can help alleviate your employees' worries about their future, then they will feel better. Just be sure not to overwhelm them with too many benefits!

Things like insurance are important to consider, although every employee is different. Some may need to find life insurance without medical exam, in which case it’s best to try and accommodate their needs as best you can. 

Create a safe work environment.

A safe work environment is the third way to give your employees peace of mind. This includes making sure they are comfortable at their jobs, which can include things like having appropriate equipment or using security measures to make them feel secure. 

For example, you could give them access cards for their buildings so that they do not have to worry about being locked out. At other places, such as a warehouse or construction site, you could provide appropriate safety equipment and train them on how to use it. By doing this, you can give your employees the peace of mind they need to do their best work.

Provide time for time off.

Finally, employees will appreciate time off to recuperate. You could offer paid holidays or vacations, or even time to go on short trips. This is a great way for employees to feel rejuvenated and ready to come back to work. 

Even if they are feeling stressed out by their job, they will be able to take the break they need to recuperate. This way, they will feel more at ease when they return to work.

With these tips in mind, you should be able to make your employees feel more secure and at ease in their jobs. By doing so, they will be more likely to perform well and help your company grow! Be sure to implement them as soon as you can. 

The 5 Most Important Things a Safe Work Environment Needs

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Nowadays, company and employee safety are bigger than ever. With the Great Resignation that’s currently happening, it has left employers to realize that job security is only a fraction of what employees are wanting. Employees are also wanting, and deserving physical safety and mental safety. It’s important for business owners to always look into making improvements. So these are some ways to achieve that.

A Safe, Well-Lit Office Space with Ventilated Rooms

The office space should be safe, well-lit, and well-ventilated. Due to the current pandemic that everyone is facing, well-ventilated rooms are very crucial. It may also help to keep a window open as well from time to time.

People in the Organisation that Protect Employees from Harassment & Violence

There are many people in the organisation that protect employees from harassment and violence. They are not just managers or executives, they are also HR personnel, and they come from all levels of the organisation. The most important thing is to make sure that employees know who these people are and how to contact them. 

It is also important for these people to have a clear understanding of what constitutes harassment or violence, and what their responsibilities are when it comes to protecting employees from it. Employees need to know that they’re going to be safe if a fellow coworker or superior tries to do anything to them.

A Security System Put into Place

While you’re working on your foot traffic, you shouldn’t forget about physical security. There are a number of reasons why your business should consider some type of security system such as access control. Not only are you wanting to ensure that your business itself can be safe from intruders, but your employees as well. This is something that your business is going to need. Make sure you create a solid layer of security and protection so everyone knows that they’re physically safe.

A Support System for People Who Suffer from Mental Health Challenges in the Workplace

Mental health in the workplace still gets looked over. It’s unfortunately still a taboo topic for many in work culture. This is something that needs to end. Everyone has mental health and some people are going to face challenges. Whether this is due to personal conflicts, work, or medical reasons, employees with mental health challenges need to be recognized. Let employees take a mental health day, let employees take a break if something traumatic has happened to them. They’re human just like you.

Training for Employees on Discrimination and Harassment Policies

It is important to make sure that employees are aware of the company's policies on harassment and discrimination. It is also important to make sure that they know how to report an incident if they witness one. The training should include a clear definition of what constitutes harassment, what constitutes discrimination, and what the company will do in response. Employees should be made aware of the consequences for violating these policies. Training should also highlight resources available for employees who want to take action against harassment or discrimination.

Starting Your Own Business? 10 Important Things To Remember

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Starting your own business can be an exciting and rewarding experience, but it’s also important to remember a few key things. Here are ten important things to remember when starting your own business:

1. Do your research.

Before you launch your business, it’s important to do your research and make sure you understand the industry you’re entering. This includes understanding the competition, the potential customer base, and what kind of products or services you’ll be offering.

2. Have a solid business plan.

A business plan is essential for any new business, and it should include a detailed description of your business, your marketing strategy, your financial projections, and more.

3. Invest in your business.

In order to make your business a success, you need to invest in it. This includes investing in equipment, trademarks, logos, marketing, and employee training. You can get more info from this source.

4. Network with other entrepreneurs.

Networking with other entrepreneurs can be a great way to learn from their experiences and get advice on starting and running your own business. Experience is the best teacher, so be sure to learn as much as you can.

5. Create a brand identity.

A strong brand identity can help your business stand out from the competition and attract customers. You are your brand’s most important asset, so make sure you put a lot of thought into creating a brand that represents your company well.

6. Choose the right location.

When starting a business, it’s important to choose the right location. The location should be easy to access, and it should also be in an area that’s conducive to your type of business. If you are starting an online business, for example, you’ll want to choose a location with a high-speed internet connection.

7. Optimize your website for search engines.

If you want your business to be successful, it’s important to make sure your website is optimized for search engines. This will help you attract more visitors to your site. SEO is a complex process, so you may want to hire an SEO specialist to help you with this.

8. Use social media to promote your business.

Social media is a great way to promote your business and reach a wider audience. You can use social media to share your latest products and services, and you can also use it to build relationships with potential customers.

9. Keep your finances in order.

When starting a business, it’s important to keep your finances in order. This means creating a budget and sticking to it, tracking your expenses, and setting aside money for taxes.

10. Stay motivated and don’t give up.

Starting a business is not easy, and there will be times when you feel like giving up. But it’s important to stay motivated and keep pushing forward. With hard work and dedication, you can make your business a success.

There you have it!

These are just a few of the things you need to remember when starting your own business. For more detailed information, be sure to consult a business advisor or online resources like this one. With hard work and dedication, you can make your business a success!

4 Reasons Why You Need To Optimize Your Marketing Strategy

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Marketing is one of the most important aspects of any business. It is the process of creating awareness and generating interest in a product or service. If done correctly, marketing can help you achieve incredible success. However, if it's not done well, you will struggle to attract customers and generate sales. So let's discuss four reasons why you need to optimize your marketing strategy.

1) To Reach More Customers

If you want to reach more customers, you need to have a well-optimized marketing strategy. Traditional marketing methods are no longer as effective as they used to be. In order to reach your target audience, you need to utilize digital marketing techniques such as search engine optimization (SEO), content marketing, and social media marketing. By optimizing your website for search engines, you can ensure that your site appears higher up in the search results. This will make it more visible to potential customers and help you to generate more traffic.

2) To Save You Money

By optimizing your marketing strategy, you can target your audience more effectively and reduce the amount of wasted advertising dollars. When your marketing is optimized correctly, you can achieve a higher return on investment (ROI) on your campaigns, which means you'll get more bang for your buck. In addition, by reducing the amount of money you spend on marketing, you'll have more funds available to invest in other areas of your business. This could include expanding your team, increasing product development, or investing in new technology. Bottom line: Optimizing your marketing strategy can help you save money and grow your business!

3) To Stay Ahead Of The Competition

As technology evolves and new platforms emerge, it is essential that you keep up with the latest trends and changes in order to reach your target audience. If you don't update your marketing strategy, you could quickly fall behind and lose market share to your competitors. Staying current with the latest marketing trends allows you to reach more people and helps you create a better overall user experience for your customers. Additionally, being an early adopter of new marketing platforms can give you a competitive advantage.

4) To Help You Stand Out

If you have a well-optimized strategy, your target audience will be able to find you more efficiently when they are searching for solutions to their problems. This means that you will be able to reach more people and grow your business faster. Additionally, if you can rank highly on search engine results pages, you will build trust and credibility with your target audience. Take the time to review your marketing strategy regularly and make changes where necessary.

Final Thoughts

In order to optimize your marketing strategy, you need to know who your target audience is and what their needs are. You also need to understand how your competitors are reaching their target audiences and find ways to differentiate yourself from them. By following these tips, you can optimize your marketing strategy and take your business to the next level!

The Best Ways To Show Employees You Care

 
You can risk losing your employees to other businesses if you fail to demonstrate appreciation to them. You need to spread the love to retain top talent. Consider these best ways to show employees you care for some creative ways to give back to your staff.

Help When They Need Help

One of the best ways to show that you value your employees’ work is to ask what they need then give it to them. You’ll learn a lot about how to run your company more efficiently.

In recent years, the concept of the “servant leader” has taken hold in the business world, and for a good reason. It works. When business owners adopt the role of servant to their employees’ and their customers’ needs, businesses thrive.

“Servant leaders” assist with work and personal tasks. For example, if a staff member struggles to find a place to live, partner with local realtors and service agencies to help them find affordable housing. A gesture like that will show that you value your employees as people instead of just workers.

Stay Humble

Nobody wants to work for an executive with a superiority complex. Instead of making your employees carry your luggage, pick up your laundry, or make your lunch reservations, provide concierge services that would do those things for your employees. This will relieve stress and make it easier for staffers to focus on their jobs while at work.

Support Employee Growth

Lack of opportunity for promotion or learning new job skills is frustrating, even for the most loyal employees. Offer employees training, courses, mentorships, and tuition support for their educational initiatives.

Whenever possible, reward performance by promoting from within. Don’t let your employees stay stuck in the same role for years. Instead, you can retain your top talent by helping them advance. If you lose someone because they got a higher-level job elsewhere, celebrate their career advancement and your company’s role in making it possible.

Have Their Backs

Standing up for employees builds loyalty. If customers harass or intimidate your workers or make false accusations against them, side with your employees. That will show that your employees are worth more to you than retaining a troublesome customer.

Show Generosity

Use holidays, company anniversaries, or changing seasons to celebrate your employees. For example, consider using branded promotional items for spring. Create seasonally appropriate gift bundles of useful company swag that they’d be proud to walk around town using, carrying, or wearing.

There are many more ways to show employees you care. The more your employees feel valued, the longer and harder they’ll want to work.

How You Can Use Communication Tools To Run Your Business

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The digital age has altered the way businesses conduct their operations. As a result, many enterprises have shifted their operations to cloud-based apps, leveraging the power of the Internet to better their operations and expand their capabilities. As a result, cloud-based applications are becoming increasingly popular.

The Internet has also altered the way businesses connect. Collaboration has exploded as a result of this tool. In addition, the rate of information transmission has increased exponentially, thanks to internet service providers such as OCCOM. As a result, communities are more closely linked to one another than they have ever been.

It is fascinating to see how businesses have harnessed the power of the Internet to maximize their communication capabilities. We will describe how you can take advantage of such capabilities in this post.

Intranet

Several organizations have set up corporate intranets. Internal networks are built to offer the organization a centralized communication and knowledge source. Employees can come to this area to discover SOPs, drawings and schematics, announcements, and contact information for any department or employee in the company, regardless of where the offices are located in the organization.

The number of emails sent and received by corporations is often overwhelming. Different managers will forward the identical email you sent out to the entire organization to their respective divisions to guarantee that it is received. Alternatively, they will send it out with some additional remarks attached if they choose. Because of this, staff emails tend to become buried in their inboxes, where they go unnoticed. Consequently, data may be misplaced as a result. Internal networks can serve as a virtual library of knowledge for employees who need to do their jobs.

Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP)

Once upon a time, voice communication over the telephone was limited to landlines alone. However, because of VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) technology, the Internet is increasingly becoming the preferred mode of communication for both voice and video calls. In addition, long-distance calls to other countries are nearly immediate because of faster connection speeds than those available on landlines.

Many more are discovering that upgrading might be advantageous in both speed and cost. You can transform existing communication networks into internet systems through SIP trunking. 

Cloud software

Applications hosted in the cloud are becoming increasingly popular among businesses for their collaboration capabilities. Because many of these technologies operate in real-time, employees in one area of the country, or one section of the world, can work on a project while another employee working on the same project hundreds of miles away is doing the same thing. They work quickly and accurately, allowing everyone involved in the project to see the results of their efforts. They can then communicate about the changes and thoughts using the built-in communication feature or another program if they desire.

The Internet has evolved into a formidable tool that businesses utilize to improve their communications and operations. From cloud-based applications to SIP, there is something for everyone. Even though many companies have cut back on their phone lines, the connection expands in the workplace. It brings people from different backgrounds together to work towards a shared objective. It allows users to access information much more quickly than was previously feasible, resulting in a rise in productivity and functional efficiency.