If your employees are working from home, either temporarily, in a hybrid capacity, or full-time, chances are you don’t control their internet provider, or their network speed and quality. Like anyone else, your employees are going to experience outages. How you handle these difficulties can be seen as a sign of the strength of your business’ leadership. Part three of Schooley Mitchell’s three part series. Last week, we explored the disaster recovery plans and how to mitigate risk – especially in the case of internet outages. This week, in third and final installment of Schooley Mitchell’s series on internet outages,

No matter how excellent your provider is, things can always go wrong. If an accident, disaster, or cyber event compromises your internet infrastructure, and thus your ability to operate, make sure you have a plan in place. Part two of Schooley Mitchell’s three part series. Last week, we explored the internet crash that happened because of cloud company Fastly on June 8th, 2021, impacting many big-name businesses. This week, in the second installment of Schooley Mitchell’s three-part series on internet outages, how they affect your business, and what you can do to minimize the damages, we look at disaster recovery

On June 8th, 2021, several major websites from some of the world’s biggest companies went offline for about an hour. The outage, linked back to cloud company Fastly, has since shined a light on a critical weakness of global internet infrastructure. A Three-part Blog Series by Schooley Mitchell. In the first of Schooley Mitchell’s three-part series on internet outages, how they affect your business, and what you can do to minimize the damages, we look at what happened on June 8th, and what it shows us about our dependency on telecom services. So, what happens when the internet goes out?

If the last year has seen your company shift to work from home, you might have found the need for a new or improved internet server to help your business thrive remotely. If your current provider isn’t doing the trick, or for whatever reason, you’re in need of new solutions, it’s essential to prioritize a server that will give you the best connectivity 24/7.   What is a server?   An internet or web server is a combination of software and, in some cases, hardware that helps with necessary parts of running your business online; such as maintaining your website, supporting your

Opening a new business is an exciting and proud moment for every new entrepreneur. You’ve probably put a lot of consideration into a financial plan that accounts for the expense of the services or products you offer, and how to eventually become profitable. However, even the operating expenses you think you’ve fully accounted for may come with unexpected costs.   Here are some expenses to consider, and some advice for how to best tackle them.   Billing Errors  In our experience, it is not uncommon to find errors in a business’ telecommunications bills. That’s just your phone and internet services. With all

Just like everything else, merchant services have changed over the course of the pandemic. Your business may be trying to navigate contactless payment options or accepting orders over ecommerce platforms, like Instagram. No matter the situation, it’s important that you protect your business against the risks associated with online payments, so you can focus on optimizing your use of this developing technology.   Social distancing has really changed the ecommerce landscape. Some businesses find themselves relying on person-to-person, or P2P, payment apps to make transactions online. PayPal, for example, saw an increase of usership from 325 million to 375 million active

From working and studying at home to an increase in online shopping, we, as a global community, have never used the internet more. Unfortunately, this has exposed some serious weaknesses in the strength of our networks.   Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, internet inequity was a pressing issue in North America. Connection to high speed broadband internet has been tied to better health, education, and financial prosperity. In a global crisis where isolation is part of the solution, this is more relevant than ever.   In the past year, some analytics report a 50 percent increase in internet usage, just in the

The mental image of a field full of solar panels or wind turbines might illicit a sense of optimism and forward thinking. Yet, it’s harder to imagine how this technology might have any connection to your business. With a larger than ever focus on green energy, many businesses are taking a step towards introducing solar power as an energy alternative.   Solar energy continues to experience growth as an industry in 2021, making the technology more accessible than ever before to new and established businesses. Solar business owners are using platforms like YouTube, and other social medias, to market their services

Many sellers and retailers are finding themselves increasingly in need of small package shipping solutions. With hundreds of couriers, and the ecommerce industry booming, you may find yourself wondering how to make the most bang for your buck.   There are lots of options on the market, and many shippers means many options, rates, and speeds. Here is some advice to help optimize your shipping costs and find the right provider for your business.   Be specific about your shipping needs.   Before you even consider the different services providers have to offer you, you must know what it is that you

   As the saying goes: “It’s not what you know—it’s who you know.” Every entrepreneur or business owner knows the power of a strong professional network. The right connections can offer access to exciting new opportunities, help to grow your company, introduce you to new leads, and so much more. A strong network is essential to take your business to the next level. Now that we’ve been through 2020 without in-person networking, social networking tools, such as LinkedIn, have become an incredibly effective way to meet new people and build mutually beneficial relationships virtually. It is especially beneficial if you