Small and Medium Business IT Podcast Series
Small Business, Big Solutions Podcast Series
Addressing the needs, challenges and opportunities arising for small businesses everywhere.
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About the Series
“Small Business, Big Solutions,” is a podcast series that provides resources and expertise for small and medium business owners, IT managers, executives, and partners. Each episode we explore how the right technology can help drive business success across all industries, especially during a time of accelerated change. We’re often joined by Cisco partners to discuss common SMB technology needs and slay misconceptions about security, collaboration, cloud, and other IT solutions.
Stop, Collaborate and Listen
It's been said that work is no longer somewhere you go, but something you do. Which means whether they're at the office or working from home, your team members have what they need to stay connected. But when everyone is collaborating from everywhere, how do you create the most human hybrid work experience possible that will stand the test of time? To answer this, I am joined today by Kristyn Hogan, Vice President of Global Collaboration Partner Sales here at Cisco.
What Can Hybrid Do for You?
Hybrid work is here, and it is not going away. But is your business ready for it? With more ways to work than ever, businesses are having to account for the new role of the office, and the rise of the homeworker, making their techstack truly the new workplace. Andrew Gilman, CMO of NWN Carousel, a Cisco partner, joins the podcast to talk through what they’re seeing with hybrid work, what organizations are missing, and how businesses are evolving their technology investments to improve employee and customer experience.
Harmonizing Hybrid Work
Hybrid work means something different to every business. What used to be a small percentage of the workforce working remotely has turned into a majority of employees being remote in some capacity. Whether they are in an office, coffee shop, or an airport, it’s important that everyone has the same experience on your network. And with employees all over, it’s important to make sure your remote and on-premise experiences are equal. Dan Kelcher of IP Fabric, a Cisco customer, joins the podcast to talk through their hybrid work experiences, the stressors remote work can put on an organization, and the importance of secure connections for all users.
Cybersecurity – The Forgotten SMB Tech Solution
The data that SMBs protect is just as critical as that of the largest organizations. Oftentimes, these businesses have an extremely lean or even no IT department, so they are left without the proper security to protect their customers' valued information. Because of this, they become low-hanging fruit for hackers. Mike Storm, a Distinguished Engineer at Cisco, joins the podcast to talk about the security issues that SMBs face and simple solutions they can incorporate to protect their valued information.
Staying the Course in a Sea of Change
The only constant in life is change. If you’re a business owner, you’re likely facing change fatigue due to the past two years. One way small businesses in particular have adapted is by adopting new technology solutions. These new solutions have helped teams connect, secure, and collaborate like never before.
In this episode, we chat with Damian Young, founder and CEO of Cisco Partner Procellis, and Beth Taylor, Managed Service Program Manager with Procellis, as they talk us through working with customers to find the right mix of technology for their needs and supporting them throughout the purchase and implementation cycle. They share the lessons they’ve learned and some of the best practices that have helped shape the solutions they deliver to their small business customers. It’s a discussion you don’t want to miss.
It’s Time to Ditch the Desk Phone
Even before the pandemic, the mobile office was becoming pervasive. But once March 2020 hit, the ability to work remotely kept many small businesses – well – in business. Cutting the cord on a typical desk phone setup has led to an evolution in hardware and software for the small business. In particular, moving to cloud-based calling that follows the user wherever work takes them has delivered a number of benefits for small business owners and users alike.
Join us for a discussion with Cisco partner Bullfrog Group as we talk through the death of the desk phone, including eight reasons why a company should transition from on-prem calling to a cloud-based solution. It’s a call you’ll want to answer.
Lessons from the Time of COVID
In part two of a look at business continuity for small businesses, our friends at CDW revisit us to take a look back at the shift to remote work in early 2020 and assess where we are today. What did small businesses do right when the world screeched to a halt, and how were they already prepared for success? Where are there areas for improvement? What are the top takeaways for small business owners and IT managers? And how can small businesses build on their success as we continue in this world of hybrid work environments?
Ensuring Business Continuity During Workplace Interruption
The sudden shift to remote work we all experienced in early 2020 greatly affected small businesses. Listen to the first episode in our two-part discussion with Cisco partner CDW as we talk about the initial hurdles, highlight what small businesses did well, and chat through success stories. We also discuss opportunities to ensure that teams remain productive and engaged moving into our future hybrid work environments, in part one of our two-part series.