Letter from the Editor
My New Year ’ s Challenge : Make A Call
Konrad Martin Co-Founder and President , Tech Advisors
Why do you put a seat belt on when you get in a car ? Why do you turn around and check that your kids are buckled up ? Because you know it will save your lives . You don ’ t wake up in the morning expecting to get in a car accident , but you still buckle up on the off chance something terrible happens . We know that if we get in a serious accident , we can ’ t say , “ I was going to put my seat belt on .” It ’ s too late — there ’ s a sense of urgency because you understand what ’ s at stake if you don ’ t buckle up when the worst happens .
A lot of business owners don ’ t think compliance is as necessary as a seat belt , as essential as putting food on the table or processing payroll on time . But car accidents don ’ t discriminate . They can happen to anyone , anytime . We know that , so we buckle up . Why don ’ t we treat cybersecurity like that ? Maybe it ’ s because we don ’ t often see the aftermath of a cyber-attack on a small business like we can see an SUV transformed into a twist of metal around a telephone pole after an accident . We tend to hear only about huge companies getting hacked , but 43 % of small businesses are hacked every year . You aren ’ t too small to get hacked — you ’ re just too small to be on the news .
Even if you understand the risk of cyber-attacks , you may hesitate to make changes because , well , it ’ s a pain in the ass . Implementing the policies , portals , and training needed to become compliant and secure means more money and time . Here ’ s the thing : It ’ s not as big a grizzly bear as you think .
Sure , it can be a pain in the ass , but if you hire the right local managed services provider ( MSP ) or managed services security provider ( MSSP ), they will relieve a lot of that pain for you . We ’ ll never waste your time selling what you merely want . We sell our clients what they need — there ’ s a big difference . You need to talk to someone who understands your angst , your business , and what you are up against if you don ’ t comply with today ’ s compliance and security requirements . They will do the heavy lifting , like figuring out precisely what compliance standards to meet , whether you are subject to SEC , HIPAA , or something else . We design a basic game plan for our clients to ensure their security and compliance boxes are checked . We create a client-facing portal to stay in touch and even help clients roll out new policies so they don ’ t have to , and we regularly run checks to ensure our clients ’ security “ machine ” is always working .
At the end of the day , it sucks that you have to add security and compliance to your list of responsibilities . You ’ ve done nothing wrong — it ’ s what criminals are doing . They are getting smarter and bolder , as this issue of “ Today ’ s Cybersecurity ” discusses . There are hurdles , but keeping your business compliant and your employees and clients safe is not a high cost relative to the loss .
This new year , I challenge you to make a call to a local MSP or MSSP . Get the ball rolling to find someone who can protect you and understand what ’ s out there . There will be costs , but you are better off taking those steps and preparing . All you have to do right now is make the call ; let your MSP or MSSP do the heavy lifting to get your business secure and buckled up .
Sincerely ,
Konrad Martin
Co-Founder and President , Tech Advisors
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