The Entrepreneur's Bible: Business at its Best

Too Little Too Late

Password protection; a seemingly double edge sword.

Passwords protect access to a myriad of personal accounts, banking information, files, credit cards, the ATM,  your cell phone; yet the frustration of tracking separate passwords proves exhausting and time consuming. I freely admit my propensity towards defaulting to the same password for every account and access I need, and historically created  something I knew well like the year of my birth and my initials, or, my grandfather’s name followed by the year I graduated from high school.  If you find yourself defaulting to the same approach; please don’t.

Before you find yourself echoing the sentiments of many who learned “too little too late”, i.e. those victims of identity theft; review the following best practices for password protection and organization.

1. Create strong passwords. Experts recommend passwords should be at least twelve characters long and contain a mix of upper case letters, lower case letters, numbers and symbols

Password’s should not contain real words or names.

2. Consider using a password manager. There are a wide variety of online password manager applications which allow you to view your passwords from anywhere you have access to the internet.  Online password managers allow you to have a multitude of passwords, protected in an encrypted environment, accessible by a “master password.” Here are a few to applications to check out:

RoboForm

LastPass

Use your search engine and query “password manager reviews” to explore other applications and  find the best solution for you.

3. Investigate a flash drive solution. I.e., an encrypted application on a flash drive.  Keep in mind, the flash drive must be carried with you :

https://www.ironkey.com/personal

RoboForm offers software to install on your flash drive

Look for additional information regarding password creation by searching “what makes a strong password” in your favorite search engine, or the following links may prove helpful as well:

http:/www.hackingpasswords.net/

http://www.identity-theft-awareness.com/password-protection.html

 

About the author: Tracy Parks is CEO of Simplicated, LLC, Productivity Consultant, trainer and speaker.

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Keep Things Exciting

While routines are nice and provide a certain level of comfort, they also can become monotonous.  If every Wednesday is pasta night at your house, it may seem like a good plan at first.  You know that halfway through the work week you will enjoy a filling dinner of carbs.  However, after several weeks of this, it becomes boring, and you begin to dread pasta night.  Not again. . .

Writing a corporate blog can begin to have that feel.  You look at the calendar and realize, “Oh no!  It’s Tuesday, which means it is time to create a post.”

When you begin to feel this way toward writing on your corporate blog, it is time to consider a change.  The point of your blog is to engage your readers and build better relationships.  However, if you are entering into your writing with a “get this done” attitude, it will come across in your writing.

So, how can you keep things exciting?  There are a few simple changes you can make to spark some interest:

  • Try a new format.  Write your blog post as a bulleted list of suggestions.  Include a poll for your readers.
  • Write the article on a different day of the week.  Publish on Fridays as an end of the week recap.  Schedule the post for Monday as an intro the week.
  • Add a guest writer once a month.  Find someone within your company whose writing you like and ask him or her to submit a column.  It is amazing what a week off can do to reignite your writing.

If your interest in your corporate blog has dissipated, give one of these strategies a try.  Do you have some ideas for keeping your blog exciting?  Please post your suggestions in the comments.

About the author: Michele Pesula Kuegler is founder and CEO of Wasabi Media Group.

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Reach for the Stars to Achieve Your Best

Almost everyone has in their heart that special project or job they want in place but is seemingly unattainable.  Reach for that distant star by working backwards, creating a list of major milestones to be accomplished until you are at the present day.  Next, answer these questions:

Of all the milestones…

– which appeal to you most?

– which are the easiest to implement?

– for which are you willing to self-educate or get help?

– will you take a calculated risk?

– are you willing to admit something didn’t work correctly and try again?

– are you willing to not give up?

– are you ready to keep reinventing yourself?

Success means making a commitment to education and self-improvement.  Sometimes hurtful remarks need to be ignored.  Quitting is not an option while reinvention is a requirement.

“Anne” shared she had the opportunity to interview under the title of Vice President.  She was somewhat hesitant to proceed, due to her younger age, although the title greatly appealed to her.  Helping her to review her background, I reminded her of the industry awards she won, the campaigns she created and led, the presentations she provided and the public speaking platforms she enjoyed.  Anne was then reminded that people in their 20’s create innovative start-ups receiving huge sums of money from investors, and that age is not a factor.  It only is such if we allow it to be.  Anne proudly announced she will proceed full steam ahead.

When it comes to reaching for a star, popular thought should be ignored. Instead, examine what is of importance to you.  Remain true to your principles.  Make time to deeply contemplate what you do and do not want for future work or clientele.

By maintaining the long-term vision and milestones, you will always have a working plan in place to be followed.  A sure-footed and realistic approach each day will help you reach that distant star.  Others will watch in amazement believing that for you it was always a Smooth Sale!

 

About the author: Elinor Stutz is the author of two books, one for improving business sales techniques and the other for improving interviewing skills: Nice Girls DO Get the Sale: Relationship Building That Gets Results, and, HIRED! How to Use Sales Techniques to Sell Yourself On Interviews.

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Finally, Getting Your Reading Done!

Don’t you just marvel at people who talk about the books they read and what they learned? You think, “Good for them, they’ve got time to read. . . but I don’t.” Yes, time is certainly a factor but what’s one of the best ways to make time? Make a commitment to others and meet regularly. In other words, create a business book club!

Being a member of a business book club is the easiest, most fun way to get you to read while infusing your brain with usable information. It’s also a great way to network with like-minded people. (You can also adapt this information for starting a casual book club with your friends.) Setting this up is easy if you follow these simple parameters:

•  Ideal Size: 10-12 like-minded people (knowing that only 8-10 will probably make it on a regular basis)

•  Meeting Frequency: Once a month at the same time (i.e. 1st Friday of the month)

•  Suggested Meeting Length: 30-60 minutes – maybe a breakfast meeting would work?

•  Location: A quiet and private location – restaurant back room, someone’s home, an empty office

•  Fees: Just the cost of the books (and food if in a restaurant)

•  Refreshments: optional, pot-luck or bring-your-own

At your first meeting, decide what types of books you want to read. Create a 12 month reading list with one book a month (or two months if life dictates). Then talk about ground rules to include the responsibilities of members such as reading the book(!), attending meetings, absentee policy, judgment-free participation guidelines, guests, etc.

If you prefer to make this a business magazine reading group, go for it! There’s a lot of great current information disseminated in magazines with much to talk about. Just make sure everyone in the group have similar interests and want to read the same publications.

Every meeting should have a designated facilitator who reminds members of the upcoming meeting, leads the discussion, monitors start and stop times, and encourages dialogue from all participants. The facilitator can stay the same or rotate among the members.

That’s it! As you continue to meet, go with what works and abandon things that don’t. As a result, you will be more interested in reading, more interesting to talk to and more well-informed!

 

About the author: Abby Marks Beale is America’s #1 Speed Reading Expert. She has taught speed reading for the past 25 years and is the author of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Speed Reading and 10 Days to Faster Reading.  She is also the creator of Rev It Up Reading, the online speed reading course. Please visit www.RevItUpReading.com for more.

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