Kim Lindros

Today’s robust economy is generating terrific revenues for all types of businesses, with small business optimism at a near record high as of May 2018. But seizing upon opportunities in a booming economy means facing the struggles and challenges that are part of small business growth.

Co-working companies are proving to be an ideal office niche for freelancers, remote groups and small businesses. These well-lit, aesthetically pleasing spaces are popping up all over, and they’re often filled to capacity.

The notion of the long, daily commute to work is over, at least for 20 to 25% of us. That’s the percentage of the workforce that chooses to telework at some frequency, according to GlobalWorkplaceAnalytics.com. Today’s employees are increasingly setting down roots outside of the company office, all while remaining engaged and productive.

With the booming U.S. economy, confidence is rising for medium-size businesses. In fact, about 84% of business owners expect to perform better in 2018 than in 2017, according to a study by Dun & Bradstreet and Pepperdine Graziadio Business School.
However, growth often requires more employees, more equipment and more IT staff to support it all. But growth doesn’t always result in higher IT budgets, at least initially, leaving companies facing a budget crunch and/or an IT skills gap.

Small businesses are indeed the heart and soul of the economy, accounting for 99.7% of all employer firms in the U.S. Although running a small business is challenging, achieving success and growth is highly rewarding and benefits both you and your employees.
To help you meet your goals, employees need reliable tools. Old or poorly functioning computers and mobile devices, out-of-date software and slow Internet service are barriers to productivity.

Running a small business is a lot of work. Finding a way to streamline business processes will lighten the load. The good news is you don’t have to spend a bundle on specialized software that helps you manage and improve your business – you might already have access to business apps that provide the features you need.

Cyber threats can affect anyone in a company, so cybersecurity shouldn’t be one group’s responsibility. To reduce the risk of cyber threats, all employees must contribute to the company’s overall safety. Security awareness sets the foundation for making everyone cyber-aware.

Many security breaches occur due to stolen employee login credentials. Employees often use weak passwords, like “password” or “123456,” that other users can easily guess. With the rise of cybercrime targeting small businesses, your organization should be using two-step verification to prevent these potential hacks.

Considering a career in virtual or augmented reality? If you've got the technical chops and a desire to work on cutting-edge technology, you could be making a great choice.

Image Credit: Halfpoint/Shutterstock

An accounting or finance certification on your resume is impressive, to say the least. But it's also required for many positions and may lend more credibility to your career efforts.
Accounting and finance jobs are in demand year after year.

Do you have the skills and certifications to help you get ahead? One of the hottest career sectors today is digital marketing.

The right certifications can help you get ahead in your industry. These five are a great place to start.

This course is intended for anyone who wants to better understand how to successfully integrate hyperconverged infrastructure into your hybrid cloud strategy. In three lessons, we’ll discuss how hyperconverged infrastructure (HCI) integrates into a cloud strategy, requirements for strategic success, and how agencies can improve mission velocity using operational best practices.

Oxygen monitors. Smart beds. Wearable glucometers. Electronic pill dispensers with notifications. Healthcare providers face growing pressure to keep up with the latest technologies, for good reason. The use of mobile technology and connected devices in healthcare reduces time spent on routine tasks, reduces errors and offers higher quality care.

Today, many businesses use a “multi-cloud” strategy, in which they contract with several public cloud providers to run all kinds of workloads as well as a variety of applications. A single tool lets you manage all of them with ease.