Small Business Agility and The Power of &
Disclaimer: I was compensated by AT&T for this sponsored blog post but all thoughts and opinions are my own.
Today's businesses have to be able to do it all. They have to engage customers and provide unique, personalized experiences. They must be willing to collaborate both within and outside of their own circles. Above all, businesses should be able to connect with anyone anywhere, no matter what kind of devices they (and their customers) use.
At the same time, businesses need to protect themselves from external threats. Security used to mean installing an alarm system or a camera above the door, but now the ultimate threat is a potential cyber attack. So while startups communicate over high-speed connections, they have to be wary of those who could possibly be lurking on their networks, grabbing at "private" information as it passes through the web.
Of course, there are tools that help startups achieve all these things. As serial entrepreneurs, we're constantly testing programs and apps that help those on our team communicate with one another—right now, we're trying Slack, ToDoist, and Trello. We use Dropbox to safely store information via the cloud, and Sucuri to protect our websites from hackers. Most importantly, however, we work to keep our businesses agile.
AT&T's "Power of &" campaign knows business agility best. Everyone has their own definition of business agility, but "Power of &" frames it as a way in which businesses can "do it all." With "Power of &," businesses can be open and secure, here and everywhere, flexible and reliable, and remote and collaborative all at once. For us, agility is our capacity to be immediately adaptable. It is the ability to have efficient systems in place which will always enable us to respond to inevitable waves. It's a requirement when working within our companies that our staff and contractors understand that if something isn't going as we've planned, we make rapid adjustments. We always look for staff that share our flexibility and problem solving abilities. Everyone needs to appreciate the importance of making the right decisions at the right time. This has been crucial for the success and growth of our companies.
Agility is an integral part of how we run our businesses. As a result, I’ll be speaking as an AT&T Small Business Influencer at the company’s first “Meeting of the Minds” Small Business Roundtable with Bill Rancic in Chicago. Here we’ll discuss business agility and adaptability for demand over great food, networking, and professional development. Other attending influencers include Anita Campbell and Susan Solovic.
To maintain agility, some startups use Internet of things (IoT) devices to track customers’ preferences and provide individualized service experiences. Others use comprehensive security dashboards to monitor the safety of their servers in case of a cyber attack. Still more send well-timed ad campaigns to customers’ mobile devices—because businesses aren’t the only ones who are constantly trying to be everywhere at once. These intuitive solutions, provided by AT&T, help companies be exactly what they need to be: agile.
This day and age requires businesses big and small to stay on their toes. Entrepreneurs interested in staying up-to-date on the latest business strategies can read AT&T’s “Power of &” solutions and real stories for inspiration. Articles on business agility, customer satisfaction, cyber protection, and more can be found on the “Power of &” website, also. Whether you’re a brick-and-mortar entrepreneur or the owner of an online startup, you’ll find invaluable information through the “Power of &.”
Those who are struggling to stay connected have an equally great opportunity at their fingertips. In partnership with AT&T, we’re giving away one Microsoft Lumia 950 smartphone. The Lumia 950 is the perfect device for the busy professional or multitasker. It helps to increase productivity and ease of reading with the new Microsoft Edge Internet browser, which allows you to save and organize reads for convenient access later on. This smartphone is a great complement to your PC—and it’ll help you further engage employees, customers, and clients on the go. The giveaway is open to US residents ages 18 and over, and does not include shipping to PO boxes. It ends June 30th, at 11:59 PM PST, so hurry and enter below!
To learn more about business agility and flexible optimization, visit AT&T’s small business website and immerse yourself in the “Power of &.”
Disclaimer: I was compensated by AT&T for this sponsored blog post but all thoughts and opinions are my own.
You can receive a total of 3 entries right away, with the option to receive 2 additional entries per day by coming back to this page and using the "tweet this giveaway" entry daily until the giveaway ends!
