BUSINESS: Twelve ways to stay safe, positive, motivated, and secure while operating your 21st century business
AGN.News Team
March 8, 2024
WASHINGTON (AGN.News) – 21st century economic competitiveness requires a multitude of motivated business owners. Local business owners are included in this group of motivated business owners. To stay motivated, require owners to remain vigilant in the face of every new security concern.
We’re constantly reminded of the cascade of security-related issues that comes from being in business. These issues relate to securing company email, phones, and addressing negative energy coming your way everyday.
We asked several security experts to provide our team with issues and solutions to emerging security threats facing business owners. The following security issues and solutions that we received from their responses.
These are the following twelve ways to stay safe, positive, motivated, and secure:
Eight ways to stay motivated
1. Create a big goal and try to reach that goal. Aim high, shoot for the stars, and reward yourself for your accomplishments.
2. Start with small steps and gradually work your way to bigger and better business goals.
3. Learn new skills. Never be afraid to learn more ways to do something. Never be afraid to ask for help.
4. Practice gratitude… always acknowledge the benefits you acquire from those in your orbit. There is never a problem with being thankful. Gratefulness is always appreciated by others. Make “Thank You” part of your everyday conversation.
5. Reward yourself for accomplished goals. Find a way to reward yourself for a job well done. Spend some quality time with yourself.
6. Surround yourself with motivate people. These motivated people will energize you as you move forward. If your “friends” are not supporting, encouraging, or inspiring you – consider leaving them behind you.
7. Take time off from work. Don’t think it’s improper to sit back and relax. Remember, the job will be there tomorrow. Get the energy to complete the job by resting your mind and body. Include a day of “Fun” in your life – you’ll be glad you did.
8. Stay positive! That means avoid energy-draining people and situations. Engaging with negative people zaps your energy, the energy you will need to complete the job. Stay positive, avoid negativity and negative-minded people.
Four ways to prioritize company security
1. Never click on links in email or text messages if you can’t verify who sent them. Eliminate the ‘Auto download’ feature for images in text messages. Verify the origin of all QR codes (Quick Response codes) prior to use – scammers are now using those trusted ‘black square’ QR codes to access your devices.
2. Never answer an incoming phone call unless you are positive it came from someone you know, trust, and expect. If in doubt, let them leave a voicemail and proceed with caution when your phone rings.
3. Don’t answer security-related questions such as social security numbers or banking information over the phone. Never give your Debit or Credit card number over the phone – you may be recorded. Criminals are using artificial intelligence (AI) to mimic voices, so be sure the person calling is, in fact, the person you know.
Sometimes, you can ask a question to verify the caller. For example, what’s the name of your brother who lives in New York or Seattle? If they don’t have a brother – the scammer would not know how to answer. Stay alert, always!
4. Scan QR Codes – scammers are now using fake QR codes to steal personal information. Before you click, pause, THINK, and then proceed.
Be alert, vigilant, safe, and secure
Everyone must stay alert to emerging dangers. Security must be a priority in the face of ongoing threats – online and offline. Therefore, protection from, or resilience against potential harm or coercion can no longer be a secondary thought – it must be a primary thought all of the time. Criminals are all around us, all of the time, even next door.
One ongoing threat facing local businesses and owners is related to personal security. The rise of armed robbery and retail theft, also known as shoplifting, by groups of thieves is a clear and present danger to the mental and physical well-being of retail store owners and their staff.
Company and personal security
Today, organized groups of thieves are targeting the intellectual property of businesses. You may ask, what is intellectual property?
Intellectual property is a category of property that includes intangible creations of the human intellect. This is a type of property that a person creates with their own mind like patents, copyrights, trademarks, and trade secrets.
These types of intangible creations can have an outsize value over a tangible object. These types of properties are being targeted by thieves because they are mostly digital properties. Domain names, websites, mobile apps, and the codes used to create these types of intellectual properties are now in the crosshairs of competitors.
Any accounts containing intellectual properties should have a high level of security. Use very strong passwords and two-factor applications to access. Avoid storing 2FA codes on your mobile devices. Hackers will access your phone to gain access to 2FA codes.
Property security is a must-have
Home and office spaces are locations that are most vulnerable for business owners. Store burglaries are on the rise. Home, auto, and office burglaries are increasing. Auto thefts are on the rise nationwide. Use every form of security available to secure you space.
Cellphones, laptop computers, desktop computers, and pads are favorites for intellectual property thieves, not only for the physical device, but the information or data contained there-in. Always know where your devices are and protect them.
Thieves use sophisticated technology to find and steal your data from these devices. Some business owners have reported an alarming trend. Thieves are stealing devices and selling them to buyers who want your data. Stay alert! Stay safe!
Contacts, banking data, passwords, images, and email accounts are among the most favored areas for thieves to access on your devices. Stay alert and use strong passwords – protect your devices, home, and business property from all unauthorize individuals, even fellow employees. Secure those devices!
Finally, another area every business owner must give attention to is the name of your business, the online domain name of your business.
There are those who will attempt to destroy your website to secure your domain name for themselves because thieves know when the website goes down many owners cannot afford to have it replaced and will not renew the domain name.
The domain name (For example: www.yourname.com) has value, especially if you’ve been in business for many years. Imagine how much home.com, house.com, or food.com is worth to thieves.
Therefore, like major companies, you must protect your brand – use a reputable domain name registrar to provide registry services for your company. Never give out the username or password to your domain account to anyone. Stay Safe! Stay Alert!
We’ve covered twelve ways to stay safe, motivated, and secure while operating your 21st century business. However, these are not the only areas of concern for business owners. Upcoming articles will focus on other security vulnerabilities and how to address them.
#GoldOverBlack
#TheAlphabetCompany
COVID-19 PREVENTION
STOP THE SPREAD! GET VACCINATED!
VACCINES ARE AVAILABLE FOR FREE!
Everyone is being urged by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC.gov) to get vaccinated, wear masks, practice social distancing, and wash hands as a way to cut down on the transmission rate.
For more information on local responses to the novel coronavirus also called … COVID-19, contact your local healthcare provider, visit coronavirus.gov or visit cdc.gov for the United States response to the coronavirus.
News you can use! Enjoy the best of news from your community by Alphabet Global News.
Disclaimer: This post does not represent the views or viewpoint of the owner of AlpLocal.com, AGN News or its representatives or reporters. Any content which references any person, entity or group with similar names, descriptions, or business interest in any geographical location or similar businesses is merely a coincidence and not directed at said business. AGN News is compiled from submissions by contributors or other sources.
