Game of Thrones fans across the world have spent years marveling at Jon Snow’s dedication to his all-important wall. While business lessons are probably few and far between in Game of Thrones, his dedication to keeping his country safe is one that any company should take on board. You might not need a physical brick wall outside your office, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still use a wall of some kind to keep your company safe.
Virus and spyware protection services like those offered by Charles are a first port of call for any company that wants to keep their data and customers safe. And, once you put managed security services like these in place, you can bet that a firewall will soon follow.
Unlike Jon Snow’s physical wall, Wikipedia describes a firewall as ‘…a network security system that monitors and controls incoming and outgoing network traffic based on predetermined security rules.’ But, what exactly can a security measure like this do for your company?
Your first line of defense
The GOT wall is the first line of defense in case of attack, and your business network firewall is no different. Viruses or malware on a business computer can have a catastrophic impact on your company’s operations and reputation. In fact, malicious malware that steals customer information could cripple your company altogether. In a sense, a firewall works as a shield against attacks like these. Whether you put one in place or trust a managed security service to do it for you, this is a way to improve security with little real effort on your part.
A way to stop anyone getting in (or out)
Like any good wall, a firewall provides a solid support to stop things getting either in or out of your company network. Strong firewalls will inspect the flow of traffic both ways, monitoring and blocking viruses as and when they arise. A firewall can also prevent unauthorized websites to ensure no unwanted pages find their way into your office. As well as keeping your company safe, then, a well-installed firewall can keep distractions like social media and personal browsing well clear of your work environment, and can make for increased productivity all around.
A safe place from which to spot trouble
Our GOT favorites continually patrol their wall for any sign of trouble, and this is yet another benefit that a firewall can bring to you. Far from just blocking viruses as they arise, a firewall can work wonders for foreseeing and even warning you of coming trouble. For instance, any firewall will log potential intrusions or unauthorized activity, thus allowing you to check out possible problems before they arise. By foreguessing and blocking malicious applications, your firewall can even do a pretty good job at its own patrol out of office hours.
For these reasons and more, a firewall is vital for security in any business setting. As a company owner, you should, therefore, go forth and be the watcher on the firewall.
https://www.strategydriven.com/wp-content/uploads/pasted-image-0-5.png7001050StrategyDrivenhttps://www.strategydriven.com/wp-content/uploads/SDELogo5-300x70-300x70.pngStrategyDriven2019-09-20 16:00:102019-09-21 00:18:17Winter Is Coming, So Protect Your Business With Its Very Own (Fire)Wall
It is no surprise to anyone in the world of business that marketing is such a hugely important thing to consider. If the marketing is right, then the business itself is going to be a success, whereas if it is not right, you can’t really tell what is going to happen at all. But knowing that and actually perfecting the art of marketing are two very different things. There might be many occasions in your business’ life when you need a little help with your marketing, and that is something that most people will find, so you are absolutely not alone. But it is good to know for sure when you need that help, so that you can seek it out in time and make the most of it. In this post, we’ll look at a few of the clearest signs that you might need some help with your marketing.
Your Products Aren’t Selling
One of the surest signs that you might need to consult a marketing agency is that you just aren’t shifting any products. There can often be dips in sales, and that can be the result of a number of different things, but you need to make sure that you are aware of when it is due to poor marketing. Even if that is not the reason, you will find that improving your marketing is going to make a huge difference to how many products you sell, and for that reason it is absolutely worth looking into anyway. If you feel that you could be selling more, take a look at your marketing and see whether you might need any help with it.
Your Brand Is Unclear
As a business, you need to have a strong brand which people can immediately recognize and relate to. This is central to keeping your business in line with what you want to achieve, and it is one of the things that you are going to want to keep an eye on throughout your business. However, if you have come to realize that your brand is actually relatively unclear, then you might find that it is necessary to step back and allow some marketing experts to take a look at it. If they can improve your brand in any way, you are bound to find that this will improve your marketing generally, and the performance of your business.
You Don’t Have The Time
Marketing wlel takes time, and if you just know that you don’t have the time, then that is one of the things that you are going to need to think about too. That is a time when you are going to benefit hugely from giving your marketing over to the professionals, so make sure that you bear that in mind when that crops up. By giving the work to them, you can keep your eyes on the prize in other places, and hopefully it will all come together in a business that is functioning much more accurately and expertly.
https://www.strategydriven.com/wp-content/uploads/pexels-photo-1493371.jpeg333500StrategyDrivenhttps://www.strategydriven.com/wp-content/uploads/SDELogo5-300x70-300x70.pngStrategyDriven2019-09-20 11:00:472019-09-20 23:58:22Do You Need Help With Your Marketing?
Knowing when and how to take your business to the next level is an important skill for any business owner, whether you own a startup or a nationally recognised company. If you’re successful in your current market but feel like you need more of a challenge, expanding nationally or internationally needs careful strategy planning. Put your business through these top tips to get it expansion ready.
Set attainable goals for your business. Make sure these goals are specific and measurable, such as taking on five new accounts by the end of the financial year, or increasing revenue by $1million in the next six months. Goals you can measure can be tracked so you know if you’re on track to meet target or if you’ll need to push harder to reach them. Set out a plan. How will you get from your current position to the goal?
Can your company manage the growth? Do you have the capacity to manage the planned growth? Can you afford it? Do you have enough staff or will you need to bring in more? Can your suppliers meet a higher demand? Is your office large enough to cope with more staff? Make sure the answer to all these questions is yes before you start to grow.
Do you have the right management in place? You need someone at the reins who is ambitious, driven and capable of taking your business into a larger market. Like Tully Rinckey, consider bringing in a new CEO or other management who can help you to grow. Look for people with experience in growing business who can advise and steer the ship successfully.
Don’t be afraid to adjust the plans. You’ll inevitably learn more as your business grows. The industry may change, or the market may shift direction. Be ready to respond and adjust targets and plans to get there if you need to. There’s no point in sticking hard to a goal that is no longer relevant. It’s important to be flexible.
Be realistic about your company. Are you already established in your field and working successfully? If not, don’t try to grow too early. Focus instead on becoming an established recognised name at your level. Growing too fast won’t help you at all. Is there a demand for what you do? You can’t grow if there’s not enough demand for your business. Some businesses just work better small, and that doesn’t mean you’ve failed.
Does your company owe money? Debt can snowball easily, so before concentrating on expansion try to clear or pay down as much debt as you can. A fresh slate will make growth much easier. A debt snowball method can help you to cut down your debts easily.
Are you already growing? If you’re experiencing steady growth each year, with an increase in demand for your business, this is an excellent sign that it’s time to take things up a notch. Expand with more staff to take on a higher demand for your work and keep things profitable. If you’re not growing, it’s probably not the right time to expand.
https://www.strategydriven.com/wp-content/uploads/globe-3383088_1280.jpg8531280StrategyDrivenhttps://www.strategydriven.com/wp-content/uploads/SDELogo5-300x70-300x70.pngStrategyDriven2019-09-19 12:00:462020-03-26 20:55:21Seven Ways To Prepare Your Business For Expansion
Unified communications are a hot topic at the moment among businesses, with a unified communications strategy having the potential to offer huge savings and impressive increases in efficiency if it is done right. To be sure that you choose the right unified communications strategy for your business, read on for our list of key considerations.
How many platforms are currently used in your office?
In your office it is likely that work messages are currently sent between staff on several different communication platforms in the mix of different chats, group messages, and inboxes. In this environment it is easy for important information to be missed or lost, and it can take a long time for messages asking for clarification from upper management to reach the top for a decision. Using a system such as Unified Communications by Gamma you can ensure that all internal communications go through one easy to trace system. This will allow for a vast simplification of the flow of information.
Consider the potential for telecommuting and better video conferencing
A large advantage of a unified communications system which should be considered to the fullest is the ability to revolutionise telecommuting. Telecommuting is another way of saying work done from home and can apply to a huge range of work done in Britain today, especially on the administrative side of the job. In the 2015 PGI Global Telework Survey, an incredible 79% of knowledge workers globally reported being able to work from home at least one day a week. The result of this was a massive saving in money and time for the relevant workers, as well as a reduction in health issues caused by travelling through highly polluted air.
However, in Britain the number of telecommuters is far lower than the global average, even though, with a powerful services-led economy, Britain is one of the countries that could most benefit from a radical rethink of the role of telecommuters. It would also offer massive environmental benefits. Investing in a powerful unified communications network can make a big difference in allowing workers the freedom to produce their best work with a lower level of stress.
If you are able to get an effective level of telecommuting going, you may be able to consider rethinking your whole approach to office space, allowing you to reduce the amount of office space you pay to use and heat without getting any use for. If you have a high level of telecommuting with a pool of employees who are not all in at the same time there is the potential to have a suite of office spaces for hotdesking them in rotations when they are in the office. This can represent a massive saving on office space.
Find the right product set for your unique needs
Each company has different requirements, but different bundles are available. Whether you only need phone communications and data in the office, or want them for any company issued device, or want a single integrated system which transfers documents and sends messages and memos, there will be a unified communications solution for you.
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If you are operating a start-up, you may face problems with managing the cash flow of your business efficiently and may have to rely on working capital loans. Working capital loans are not utilized for long periods or the purchase of noncurrent assets due to their short repayment period. Instead, they pay for the operational costs of a business and is a good indicator of the short-term health of the business. Every industry goes through a period where the revenues plummet and affect the amount of working capital available.
In an ideal scenario, you might be able to increase your working capital by generating more revenue, but this is not possible at all times. Instead, businesses operating on a small scale rely on loans to satisfy their capital deficiency. The following working capital loans mentioned below are being used by small businesses in 2019 to stabilize their cashflows.
1. OnDeck:
OnDeck offers working capital loans to borrowers with a minimum credit score of 680 with rates around 9%. The repayment period is relatively long around 36 months, and customers can borrow up to $100,000. It also offers a line of credit which has a repayment period from 6 months till one year. You can apply for OnDeck online with the application taking less than ten minutes to be completed. To qualify for OnDeck, you must have a credit score of at least 600 and must have a business history of one year. Although the requirement of $100,000 is not ideal for start-ups, most small businesses can meet this requirement.
While OnDeck generally has positive revenues on the website due to the easy financial process and excellent customer relations, it does charge an origination fee of up to 5%. Along with that, even if you repay your loan early, the interest rate will remain the same for the entire term of the loan.
2. LoanBuilder:
LoanBuilder is another working capital loan for small businesses that have been in operation for at least nine months. The repayment terms are from 13 weeks to 52 weeks, and you can borrow up to $500,000. This provides flexibility to the borrowers since they do not need to worry about immediate payment. LoanBuilder offers single fixed free loan pricing on working capital loans. However, you do not benefit from paying the loan early since the interest rate remains the same. You have the option to choose the repayment term, although long term options come with additional fees. In order to qualify for LoanBuilder, you must have a credit score of at least 550 and above with gross revenue of at least $42,000. Apart from that, your business must be located within the United States and does not have a history of filing for bankruptcy. The perception about LoanBuilder is generally positive and is praised for its quick process and efficient response. Customers who left negative reviews said the pricing was too expensive.
3. BlueVine:
A BlueVine loan is suitable for businesses that have unpaid invoices within 90 days. BlueVine offers a loan of up to $5 million with weekly rates of 0.25%. There are no origination fees attached to BlueVine, and you do not have to apply for it again. This differs from other types of loans as it does not have any termination fees either. To qualify for a BlueVine, you must have a credit score of at least 550 and a gross revenue of $100,000. You can apply for it online with the application requiring less than 10 minutes to be filled. Although BlueVine offers the highest funding amount, your business must invoice other government businesses to qualify. If you do not invoice B2B customers, then the working capital loan would not work for your business. BlueVine generally has good reviews from customers who were impressed by its services and customer support team. Critical reviews usually came from those customers who were denied financing.
4. Funding Circle:
Funding Circle is an outstanding working capital loan for businesses needing medium-term loans with low rates and monthly payments. Although it does not have a minimum credit requirement, you need a score of at least 620 to qualify. You can borrow up to $500,000 for rates as low as 5%. The interest rates are determined during the underwriting process and generally depend on the repayment terms. The qualification terms are more stringent compared to other loans because your business is funded by a variety of investors. Some of the requirements consist of a credit score of at least 620 and an annual gross income of $120,000. Your business also should have been active for at least two years. You can apply for Funding Circle loans online, and the application gets processed in ten days. The reviews of Funding Circle are generally positive since people appreciate an easy process and transparent fees. People who criticize it do it due to its documentation process.
5. National Funding:
National Funding is suitable for those customers who have a poor credit rating. This is because you can borrow up to $250,000 with no credit score requirement. Although you can borrow a large amount, the interest rates are high compared to other available loans. The best option is to contact National Funding for a customized quote. The qualification requirements are almost negligible with no credit requirement, and you must be doing business for at least one year. Your monthly credit card transactions should be over $3000. The reviews for National Funding are mixed with customers praising its quick process but criticizing its high-interest rates.
Conclusion
For a growing business, having enough working loans is critical for its daily operations. According to online reviews, the following are the top loans available in 2019 for small businesses to capitalize on. Based on the analysis, OnDeck is generally suitable for small businesses since its terms are customer friendly. However, those customers with poor credit ratings can utilize national funding to get working capital for their business.
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Business Programs
Winter Is Coming, So Protect Your Business With Its Very Own (Fire)Wall
/in Risk Management/by StrategyDrivenGame of Thrones fans across the world have spent years marveling at Jon Snow’s dedication to his all-important wall. While business lessons are probably few and far between in Game of Thrones, his dedication to keeping his country safe is one that any company should take on board. You might not need a physical brick wall outside your office, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still use a wall of some kind to keep your company safe.
Virus and spyware protection services like those offered by Charles are a first port of call for any company that wants to keep their data and customers safe. And, once you put managed security services like these in place, you can bet that a firewall will soon follow.
Unlike Jon Snow’s physical wall, Wikipedia describes a firewall as ‘…a network security system that monitors and controls incoming and outgoing network traffic based on predetermined security rules.’ But, what exactly can a security measure like this do for your company?
Your first line of defense
The GOT wall is the first line of defense in case of attack, and your business network firewall is no different. Viruses or malware on a business computer can have a catastrophic impact on your company’s operations and reputation. In fact, malicious malware that steals customer information could cripple your company altogether. In a sense, a firewall works as a shield against attacks like these. Whether you put one in place or trust a managed security service to do it for you, this is a way to improve security with little real effort on your part.
A way to stop anyone getting in (or out)
Like any good wall, a firewall provides a solid support to stop things getting either in or out of your company network. Strong firewalls will inspect the flow of traffic both ways, monitoring and blocking viruses as and when they arise. A firewall can also prevent unauthorized websites to ensure no unwanted pages find their way into your office. As well as keeping your company safe, then, a well-installed firewall can keep distractions like social media and personal browsing well clear of your work environment, and can make for increased productivity all around.
Our GOT favorites continually patrol their wall for any sign of trouble, and this is yet another benefit that a firewall can bring to you. Far from just blocking viruses as they arise, a firewall can work wonders for foreseeing and even warning you of coming trouble. For instance, any firewall will log potential intrusions or unauthorized activity, thus allowing you to check out possible problems before they arise. By foreguessing and blocking malicious applications, your firewall can even do a pretty good job at its own patrol out of office hours.
For these reasons and more, a firewall is vital for security in any business setting. As a company owner, you should, therefore, go forth and be the watcher on the firewall.
Do You Need Help With Your Marketing?
/in Marketing & Sales/by StrategyDrivenYour Products Aren’t Selling
One of the surest signs that you might need to consult a marketing agency is that you just aren’t shifting any products. There can often be dips in sales, and that can be the result of a number of different things, but you need to make sure that you are aware of when it is due to poor marketing. Even if that is not the reason, you will find that improving your marketing is going to make a huge difference to how many products you sell, and for that reason it is absolutely worth looking into anyway. If you feel that you could be selling more, take a look at your marketing and see whether you might need any help with it.
As a business, you need to have a strong brand which people can immediately recognize and relate to. This is central to keeping your business in line with what you want to achieve, and it is one of the things that you are going to want to keep an eye on throughout your business. However, if you have come to realize that your brand is actually relatively unclear, then you might find that it is necessary to step back and allow some marketing experts to take a look at it. If they can improve your brand in any way, you are bound to find that this will improve your marketing generally, and the performance of your business.
You Don’t Have The Time
Marketing wlel takes time, and if you just know that you don’t have the time, then that is one of the things that you are going to need to think about too. That is a time when you are going to benefit hugely from giving your marketing over to the professionals, so make sure that you bear that in mind when that crops up. By giving the work to them, you can keep your eyes on the prize in other places, and hopefully it will all come together in a business that is functioning much more accurately and expertly.
Seven Ways To Prepare Your Business For Expansion
/in Managing Your Business/by StrategyDrivenKey considerations when building your unified communications strategy
/in Business Communications/by StrategyDrivenHow many platforms are currently used in your office?
In your office it is likely that work messages are currently sent between staff on several different communication platforms in the mix of different chats, group messages, and inboxes. In this environment it is easy for important information to be missed or lost, and it can take a long time for messages asking for clarification from upper management to reach the top for a decision. Using a system such as Unified Communications by Gamma you can ensure that all internal communications go through one easy to trace system. This will allow for a vast simplification of the flow of information.
Consider the potential for telecommuting and better video conferencing
A large advantage of a unified communications system which should be considered to the fullest is the ability to revolutionise telecommuting. Telecommuting is another way of saying work done from home and can apply to a huge range of work done in Britain today, especially on the administrative side of the job. In the 2015 PGI Global Telework Survey, an incredible 79% of knowledge workers globally reported being able to work from home at least one day a week. The result of this was a massive saving in money and time for the relevant workers, as well as a reduction in health issues caused by travelling through highly polluted air.
However, in Britain the number of telecommuters is far lower than the global average, even though, with a powerful services-led economy, Britain is one of the countries that could most benefit from a radical rethink of the role of telecommuters. It would also offer massive environmental benefits. Investing in a powerful unified communications network can make a big difference in allowing workers the freedom to produce their best work with a lower level of stress.
If you are able to get an effective level of telecommuting going, you may be able to consider rethinking your whole approach to office space, allowing you to reduce the amount of office space you pay to use and heat without getting any use for. If you have a high level of telecommuting with a pool of employees who are not all in at the same time there is the potential to have a suite of office spaces for hotdesking them in rotations when they are in the office. This can represent a massive saving on office space.
Find the right product set for your unique needs
Each company has different requirements, but different bundles are available. Whether you only need phone communications and data in the office, or want them for any company issued device, or want a single integrated system which transfers documents and sends messages and memos, there will be a unified communications solution for you.
What are the Best Working Capital Loan Options in 2019?
/in Managing Your Finances/by StrategyDrivenIn an ideal scenario, you might be able to increase your working capital by generating more revenue, but this is not possible at all times. Instead, businesses operating on a small scale rely on loans to satisfy their capital deficiency. The following working capital loans mentioned below are being used by small businesses in 2019 to stabilize their cashflows.
1. OnDeck:
OnDeck offers working capital loans to borrowers with a minimum credit score of 680 with rates around 9%. The repayment period is relatively long around 36 months, and customers can borrow up to $100,000. It also offers a line of credit which has a repayment period from 6 months till one year. You can apply for OnDeck online with the application taking less than ten minutes to be completed. To qualify for OnDeck, you must have a credit score of at least 600 and must have a business history of one year. Although the requirement of $100,000 is not ideal for start-ups, most small businesses can meet this requirement.
While OnDeck generally has positive revenues on the website due to the easy financial process and excellent customer relations, it does charge an origination fee of up to 5%. Along with that, even if you repay your loan early, the interest rate will remain the same for the entire term of the loan.
2. LoanBuilder:
LoanBuilder is another working capital loan for small businesses that have been in operation for at least nine months. The repayment terms are from 13 weeks to 52 weeks, and you can borrow up to $500,000. This provides flexibility to the borrowers since they do not need to worry about immediate payment. LoanBuilder offers single fixed free loan pricing on working capital loans. However, you do not benefit from paying the loan early since the interest rate remains the same. You have the option to choose the repayment term, although long term options come with additional fees. In order to qualify for LoanBuilder, you must have a credit score of at least 550 and above with gross revenue of at least $42,000. Apart from that, your business must be located within the United States and does not have a history of filing for bankruptcy. The perception about LoanBuilder is generally positive and is praised for its quick process and efficient response. Customers who left negative reviews said the pricing was too expensive.
3. BlueVine:
A BlueVine loan is suitable for businesses that have unpaid invoices within 90 days. BlueVine offers a loan of up to $5 million with weekly rates of 0.25%. There are no origination fees attached to BlueVine, and you do not have to apply for it again. This differs from other types of loans as it does not have any termination fees either. To qualify for a BlueVine, you must have a credit score of at least 550 and a gross revenue of $100,000. You can apply for it online with the application requiring less than 10 minutes to be filled. Although BlueVine offers the highest funding amount, your business must invoice other government businesses to qualify. If you do not invoice B2B customers, then the working capital loan would not work for your business. BlueVine generally has good reviews from customers who were impressed by its services and customer support team. Critical reviews usually came from those customers who were denied financing.
4. Funding Circle:
Funding Circle is an outstanding working capital loan for businesses needing medium-term loans with low rates and monthly payments. Although it does not have a minimum credit requirement, you need a score of at least 620 to qualify. You can borrow up to $500,000 for rates as low as 5%. The interest rates are determined during the underwriting process and generally depend on the repayment terms. The qualification terms are more stringent compared to other loans because your business is funded by a variety of investors. Some of the requirements consist of a credit score of at least 620 and an annual gross income of $120,000. Your business also should have been active for at least two years. You can apply for Funding Circle loans online, and the application gets processed in ten days. The reviews of Funding Circle are generally positive since people appreciate an easy process and transparent fees. People who criticize it do it due to its documentation process.
5. National Funding:
National Funding is suitable for those customers who have a poor credit rating. This is because you can borrow up to $250,000 with no credit score requirement. Although you can borrow a large amount, the interest rates are high compared to other available loans. The best option is to contact National Funding for a customized quote. The qualification requirements are almost negligible with no credit requirement, and you must be doing business for at least one year. Your monthly credit card transactions should be over $3000. The reviews for National Funding are mixed with customers praising its quick process but criticizing its high-interest rates.
Conclusion
For a growing business, having enough working loans is critical for its daily operations. According to online reviews, the following are the top loans available in 2019 for small businesses to capitalize on. Based on the analysis, OnDeck is generally suitable for small businesses since its terms are customer friendly. However, those customers with poor credit ratings can utilize national funding to get working capital for their business.