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How to control incident problems at a tech startup

responding to incidents at work

The world we live in is modern, and being in a modern time pleasurable. Technology is becoming more reliable and always evolving to make life easier. When using the internet can be tricky due to the fact that it’s not truly safe to use. When there is a cyber attack that occurred, private information will be breached. There are several ways to help control it so it won’t lead to a crisis.

 

Incident Response

When a tech company is established, the company will have a security team. In that security team, there will be few members in that team that will be specializing in handling any potential cyber attack – this is called Incident Response. If there is an attack happening, it needs to immediately be resolved so it won’t escalate to a bigger issue. Collapse systems, data breaching, viruses, worms, and more threats are examples of possible outcomes if it left untreated. The manager or whomever is in charge of the security team will be the overseer and then the person beneath the position will help and assist. Legal actions can happen, but, it all depends on the severity.

 

Six phases

Each tech company should have a plan. The first phase is preparation and this when the training begins and the employees will be able to see what is going on. The second phase is identification and this is when where it is coming from or who is causing it. The third phase is containment and this is when not letting it spread anywhere else and able to restrain it. The fourth phase is the eradication and this is when to ask questions and removing the damaged ones away. The fifth phase is the recovery and the un-damage systems can be still use and restore anything that was affected. The sixth phase is lessons learned and this is when not to repeat it again. This plan will definitely help the tech company won’t have a tarnished reputation.

 

Communication

Communication is essential is ant tech company because it will smooth everything out. “But first you need to know who to communicate with, how to reach them, and how to do it with the least friction and fewest resources possible“. Knowing who can talk to will relieve the stress. When the tech company is being alerted that there is a problem, the authoritative positions will be informed. Once every employee knows what is going on, answering any inquiries from the customers can be easy.

 

The Financial Side

This is when to get important things such as insurance or lawyers. There are ways to help reduce the upfront expense of being prepared while simultaneously reducing the cost. The first important thing is to get cyber insurance early so when it does happen the situation will be covered. When hiring a lawyer, he or she has to be experienced and need to get public relations because the public relations will know how to answer the questions correctly.

Building a tech company from the ground up can be hectic and rewarding. The foundation needs to be solid to run smoothly. Knowingly on how to handle potential downfalls can be a piece of cake.

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Job searching: should you start your own company instead?

running a startup

Working a nine to five and barely getting by? Submitting resumes, but not getting any calls back? Just wanna spend time with your family more? Have you ever thought of starting your own company? Well that’s a practical goal you could make. It all depends if you believe you have what it takes to run your own business. If you are willing to do all the work, take all the responsibility and actually set and complete goals you set. You need self-discipline and be able to work independently as well as manage your financial assets maturely. If you think you got what it takes, you should definitely follow these tips and hints on how to start your own company.

 

Your Niche

To begin with, you need to decide what your niche is. What do you want to sell? Don’t just answer that and jump in, that is a bad idea. You need to decide what you really want to do. Whether you will have repeating customer, and how much effort you want to put into customer service. When I found lamp-working, I knew borosilicate glass was what I wanted to sell.

 

Pricing

Next, let’s talk about pricing. You want to bring a quality product that is affordable to the average customer. If your main clients are middle class working citizens, you definitely don’t want to try to sell them an item that cost an outrageous amount of money. If you are selling cars or something that cost 5 figures or more, you want to make sure your product is quality and will not break as soon as the customer gets home. Owning a small business means caring about everything from your products to your clients.

 

Starting Online

To continue, I wanna tell you how to start an online store. Now that you have your product, ideal customer base and pricing, it’s time to get your stuff up online. The best way to start an online store is to find a domain website, such as Etsy or Big Cartel. You will code your site to the design you find fits your personality the best. After you have your site set up and coded you are going to want to do some marketing. This is where budgeting comes into play. Make sure you have funds for investment, ads cost money. Social media is a great way for free advertising. Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. They all have a giant community of people. As the ads go out and your site fills up with products, you will have sales rolling in in no time.

 

Conclusion

OK, so I am clearly pro small business. I don’t like being anyone’s employee, but that is just my opinion. If you enjoy your nine to five, I totally support it. It’s about what makes you happy. That is the most important thing to remember, always do what makes you happy. If your company is bringing you more stress than pleasure, I think you might need to find something else. You can’t be successful and unhappy at the same time. It’s up to you to decide. Which one are you, employee or entrepreneur?

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What To Consider Before Investing In Tech Startups

startup investing

Most pundits christen it as the ultimate gamble. It is also the fodder for the future. The returns can be ridiculously sweet if you hit it big. I’m talking about technology. Most of the top 10 biggest tech giants are barely 20 years-old. Within that time, they have turned modest investments into billion-dollar conglomerates.

Each of these tech giants will tell you of a very charming story of how they bet on the idea of the future. What most of them will never tell you is the number of similar startups that have since exited the market since they started. Before you activate that gallant mode, here is what you need to consider.

 

Understand the risks

Even experienced venture capitalists don’t have a perfect record. Most of them will be comfortable with anything above 50 percent. It means, for every $100 they invest in startups, $50 would land in a furnace.

Another statistic worth mentioning is that at least nine out of 10 startups close shop within the first five years. Half of those firms go down due to poor business strategy. Technology catches others napping and whitewashes them.

The risks are grievous. Unlike established companies that can shed some of their value then recover, once a startup closes shop, that is the end of the music. It doesn’t matter how much you have invested.

 

Know the law

When it comes to investing in startups, only wealthy people were able to invest. However, since the passing of the JOBS Act, almost anyone can invest. However, you must qualify to do so. The qualification is simple, an annual income of at least $107,000 or a marching bank balance.

At that level, you will qualify to invest $2,200 or 5 percent of your annual salary. As you work your way up the income ladder, you can invest more. To invest, you can invest in companies that SEC and FINRA clear for debt or crowdfunding.

However, an SEC or FINRA clearance is not a guarantee that the startup will succeed. Their role is to ensure that the companies are in legitimate business. You have to do your due diligence before you invest.

 

Get in your industry with your money

It is not mandatory to invest in tech firms targeting your area of expertise. However, experts recommend that you do. Part of suave investment is to interrogate company finances, products, and methods.

If you are a doctor, can you competently interrogate a financial technology product? Maybe not! If an analytics startup tells you they have the most exciting data catalog in the market, you probably should do some research to assure they are telling the truth. But where would you do that research? My point is this: Invest in an area that you have pertinent information and knowledge. It may be a hobby or your spouse who has some connections there. However, it should be something that interests you.

 

Start at the bottom

Be realistic about your chances. Most startups take at least seven years for them to pay out their angel investors. Popular checkouts are IPOs or buy-offs. Startup investments are therefore long-term investments because it takes quite some time to get a payday.

Getting reach quickly is a possibility, but the chances of it happening in the first three years are minimal. Therefore, you will need to spread your risk by investing in several startups.

The best place to start is through crowdfunding initiatives so that you can get the hang of it. You can choose from existing platforms . Some will allow you to invest more money than others do. Some will even offer you guaranteed returns on investments.

As you grow in stature and experience, you can move on to elite levels. Who knows, one day you might become a venture capitalist.

 

Conclusion

Startups investment is for the bold. You have to hope for the best but expect the worst. Invest what you are ready to lose.

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Things to Consider Before Turning Your Great Idea Into a Business

You have great idea you think you can turn into a viable business. That’s awesome! Now you need to get to work in order to make your dream a reality. Turning a great idea into a profitable business requires time, effort, and a willingness to do things the right way.

 

Below are three things you will need to consider in pursuit of your new business venture. Each one is considered a fundamental of business success. As you connect with others capable of helping you succeed, they may suggest a few other things for your consideration. Heed their valuable advice.

 

1. Realistic Market Demand

You may think your great idea is original, and perhaps it is, but don’t just assume. Take some time to do a bit of market research. See if there are other companies out there offering the same product or service you intend to offer. If you’re facing a lot of competition, you might find that turning your great idea into a viable business is more difficult than you originally anticipated.

 

Entrepreneur Magazine recommends a combination of first-person, secondary, and web research. First-person research involves speaking with people over the phone, face-to-face, and online. Make a point of asking the sorts of questions that will allow you to get a feel for what they think about your idea.

 

Secondary research involves looking at already published data from other entrepreneurs. This sort of research involves news articles, research papers, case studies, and the like. It goes hand-in-hand with web research, which consists of scouring the internet for as much information as you can find about your idea.

 

2. Amount and Sources of Funding

The vast majority of small businesses – roughly 80% – survive their first year of operation, according to the Motley Fool. Only half of them make it past five years. Among those that fail, the number one reason is a lack of adequate capital. Simply put, small business owners fail to secure enough funding to get them through the lean years.

 

A general rule for calculating funding is to start by estimating initial startup costs to cover equipment, office supplies, labor, and so forth. This should be followed by estimating the monthly costs of keeping the business going. You’ll need to think about everything from office rental rates to business insurance quotes.

 

Finally, put together a revenue forecast based on a modest expectation of your sales. Run the numbers on all three estimates to determine how much funding you’ll need for one year. Then secure enough funding to make it through at least two years.

 

3. A Well-Developed Business Plan

A business plan is a document that guides you through the early stages of getting started in your new venture. Bankers and investors often require business plans before they will even think about funding a new start up. However, a good plan goes well beyond the confines of funding. It forces you to think through the details of how you plan to establish, grow, and maintain your business.

 

The Small Business Administration (SBA) offers a comprehensive guide for writing business plans. They explain the differences between traditional business plans and lean startup plans, as well as offering examples of both. You would do well to visit the SBA website to take advantage of all the free information they provide.

 

Your great idea deserves a shot at becoming a viable business. But don’t expect overnight success. Taking an idea from concept stage to full operation requires a deliberate, step-by-step process that maximizes opportunities and mitigates risks. Seriously consider the three things explained in this post, then go out and get to work. The success of your business is in your hands.

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