In today's rapidly evolving digital landscape, where data breaches and cyberattacks have become distressingly commonplace, it has become paramount to protect our online accounts and digital identities. While passwords provide a basic level of security, they are no longer sufficient to ward off determined hackers. Enter two-factor authentication (2FA), one-time passwords (OTP), and robust backup strategies, three powerful tools that significantly enhance your online security. In this article, we will delve into the importance of utilizing 2FA, OTP, and implementing backup strategies to fortify your digital presence.
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Starting a business can be an exciting and rewarding experience, but there are many things you need to consider before you can get started. One of the most important things to do is to obtain an Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). An EIN is a unique nine-digit number assigned to your business, and it's necessary for tax purposes. In this article, we'll discuss why you need an EIN for your business and how to apply for one.
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Big companies have benefited from softwares that talk to each other, and data analysis that only companies their size can afford. The other 30+ million small businesses in America are stuck between paper files, email, and rudimentary software systems. Typical businesses, whether large or small, are found to require, on average, ten different software applications just to run their day-to-day business. These softwares range from CRM (Customer Relationship Management) to accounting & financials, product and inventory management, human resources, supply chain management, and so much more. Unfortunately, not all small businesses can afford all of these various products, at least not when first starting out. Even then, paying for all of these products can be expensive. Not only do you have to pay for the products themselves, but you also have to pay for support, training, and so on. In the end, it just isn't feasible to benefit from all the products needed to run your business efficiently and effectively. In fact, it is for this very reason that many small businesses opt for running their business from pen and paper. So, what is a small business to do?
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Staying competitive, especially in hyper-active markets, can be challenging. There are lots of moving components that need constant and continuous nurturing. Keeping track of customers, their contact information, where they are in your sales cycle, and next steps with them are among those components. Luckily, there are tools, such as CRM, that can make a small business owner's life a little easier when it comes to keeping track of their customers.
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Automation is a powerful tool that can help small businesses streamline their operations, reduce costs, and improve efficiency. By using technology to automate repetitive tasks, small business owners can free up time and resources to focus on more important activities, such as growing their business and serving their customers.
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Artificial intelligence (AI) is a rapidly evolving technology that is transforming industries around the world. Small businesses are no exception – they too can benefit from the power of AI in a number of ways. In this article, we'll explore some of the key ways that small businesses can use AI to improve their operations, increase efficiency, and stay competitive in an increasingly digital world.
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In this era of all-things-technology, it's uncommon to find someone that doesn't carry a smart phone or a typical cellphone at the very least. Even though
cellphones are convenient, portable, and work in most places, there are times and places where cell signals are weak or completely non-existent. While most smart phones support WiFi calling, this too has its limitations and drawbacks. For example, the use of cellphones in the workplace can be prohibitive, even if used over WiFi networks. This is because employees typically don't like using their personal cellphones for work purposes, and employers typically don't provide their employees with cellphones reserved for work-only purposes. But, most employers do have desktop/land-line/analog phones in their facilities, offices, conference rooms, and the like. In fact, even the smallest business can have a two, three, or even more telephones, but providing service to these phones can be expensive. That's why at Lucus Labs we decided to take advantage of VoIP (Voice Over IP) technologies that drastically reduce the costs for small businesses to operate an extensive (or even the simplest) telephone system.
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Imagine you have a bucket you use to transport water for your village. Your village is small, so you can do with just one bucket. Over time your village begins to grow, requiring you to carry more water. Unfortunately, your bucket has a finite storage capacity, leaving you to get another bucket in order to carry more water. To help balance the load, you evenly distribute the water 50/50 between the two buckets. As your village continues to grow, you need more buckets. And, again, you distribute the water evenly between them.
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Starting and growing a small business can be daunting. Aside from figuring 
out what to sell and who to sell it to, there's all the day-to-day dilemmas to deal with too. You have to decide where you want to launch and run your business, how much square footage you'll need, who you'll hire as employees, what your marketing material will look like, what your letterhead will look like, and even what kind of toilet paper to stock in your restroom. Once you've gotten beyond all of that, and after you actually have customers in queue, you then have to figure out how to literally get paid from those customers.
Every day, companies (and individuals) around the world become victims of cyber attacks. The majority of attacks that take place are completely automated. Hackers find and share exploits that can be sought out by bots that scour the Internet looking for unpatched and vulnerable systems. In many cases, attacks happen by bots simply attempting brute force attacks which involves repeatedly trying a list of possible username & password combinations until it finds a pair that works. This attack can be easily mitigated by using strong passwords. Other attacks can be prevented by keeping your systems up to date. Otherwise, hackers are also made aware of newly discovered vulnerabilities, and write bots that seek out systems that have yet to be updated. So, make sure you apply all security patches as soon as they become available. Recently, I had the honor of speaking with Dave Brereton, the founder and owner of Wisconsin Merchant Services, LLC., where he shared insights into his experiences as an entrepreneur and what it takes to successfully start and run a small business. Graciously, Dave agreed to have our conversation recorded and transcribed as it's a great real-world example that others can relate to and learn from as they set out to build small businesses of their own. You can learn more about Wisconsin Merchant Services, LLC by visiting https://wisconsinmerchantservices.com Running a business can be a challenging endeavor. When you're a small business, it can actually feel very daunting. You just want to get out there and provide great products and/or services to your customers and get paid. But, it's never that simple. One of our core competencies at Lucus Labs is the Internet of Things, or simply "IoT" for short. According to Wikipedia, the Internet of Things "describes the network of physical objects, so known as, 'things' - that are embedded with sensors, software, and other technologies that is used for the purpose of connecting and exchanging data with other devices and systems over the Internet." In case you haven't noticed, the world has changed dramatically over the last 18 months. Due to COVID-19, we have seen so many companies, large and small, come and go. Most could have been amazing. But due to the pandemic, they never really got the chance they deserved. In fact, some had to close their doors before they even really got started, and that breaks our hearts. Staying connected with your customers is key to building a successful company. But, how do you stay connected when there is a pandemic and people are expected to stay home? If nothing else, the COVID-19 pandemic taught us the need for remote communication via video conferencing is higher today more than ever. It also taught us that not all video conferencing offerings are built the same. Launching and growing a business can be daunting. In their early days, companies struggle to "keep the lights on" because their entire focus is on finding customers and making them successful; this by itself comes with its own challenges and consumes a tremendous amount of energy. Having to worry about their technology stack is typically not at the top of an early stage company’s priority list, even though it is indeed a priority whether they realize it or not. Ask any business founder and they will tell you starting and growing a business is difficult. Every corner provides obstacles for one to overcome, and many of those obstacles begin with the very software you choose to manage your business.
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Business Owner Interview with Wisconsin Merchant Services, LLC.
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Symbient™ Opta™ - Affordable All-In-One Artificial Intelligence Powered ERP, CRM, and CMS
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Symbient™ Spine™ - Enterprise Service Bus (ESB) With Built-In Rules Engine
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Lucus Labs Pay It Forward Program
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Video Conferencing Made Simple
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Choosing the Right Technology Partner
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Choosing the Right Software for Your Business