Starting a new business is an adventure brimming with potential and promise. It's also a labyrinth of decisions, not least of which is the tech infrastructure you need to launch and grow. The right tech tools can mean the difference between floundering and flourishing.
A Strong Backbone - Communication and Collaboration Tools
Efficient communication and collaboration are essential for any successful enterprise. Fortunately, many tech tools exist to streamline these critical areas.
- Office for Every Occasion - A great option for small businesses is Microsoft 365. Microsoft 365 ensures your team has access to the most up-to-date suite of productivity tools - Word, Excel, Outlook, etc. - as well as a platform to enable real-time collaboration, essential for remote teams and those on the go.
- Break Barriers with Video Conferencing - video conferencing has great value, both for internal meetings and client interaction. And the above mentioned 365 includes Teams, bridging the distance between team members and clients.
The Cloud for Clarity and Consistency
Cloud services offer exceptional convenience and efficiency, enabling organizations to spin up quickly without eating up huge chunks of start-up capital.
- Access Anywhere Using Cloud Storage - by using cloud storage platforms such as OneDrive and SharePoint, your whole team can operate from the same set of documents anywhere.
- Keep It Professional - making sure your email addresses use "@yourbusinessname.com" instead of "business@free-email.com" adds a touch of professionalism and is a good branding move, providing great ROI for not a lot of cost or effort!
Lock Your Digital Doors - Proper Cybersecurity Measures
If you're relying on just about anything computerized, cyber threats are a critical concern, and your budding business needs robust defenses to protect against a host of digital threats.
- Arm Yourself with All the Security - make sure you're not skimping on resources or effort as being proactive in this space is much preferred to the alternative - install AV and EDR on your endpoints, implement multi-factor authentication on your accounts, build your network with professional grade equipment, and use secure DNS - this is a good place to get help from the pros because you don't know what you don't know
- Master Your Passwords with a Password Manager - password managers create and store complex, unique passwords for every account, ensuring that your credentials are strong without creating more headaches for users
- Put Your Important Accounts In Lockdown - make sure all of your accounts are set to the exact amount of access needed and not a drop more. Setup privileged accounts with options like rotating passwords and conditional access so they can only be used from approved locations.
Keep It Fresh - Up-to-Date Computers and Software
Outdated hardware and software could lead to inefficiencies and security vulnerabilities. Ensure your team is equipped with tools that can support their work effectively.
- Invest in Quality Devices - make sure your org is using professional grade equipment or else you might end up dumping extra resources into bringing things up to everything setup right, negating any desired savings from buying cheaper
- Stay Up to Date - updates include a number of important elements - enhancing functionality, patching holes in security, adding new security options, fixing bugs, and improving performance
Building Your Tech Toolbox
Launching a new business is both thrilling and challenging. By taking the right approach from the outset you'll be giving your newfound enterprise a sturdy platform to build on. Think of these tools not as expenses, but as investments to tackle all the challenges and successes ahead!