We talk quite a bit about preparing for crises – both professionally and personally. We set aside rainy-day funds, develop disaster recovery plans, get insurance. But even the best laid plans can sometimes go awry. *Looks back pointedly at the past two years.* While we don’t have control over what life brings us, we can control how we react when adversity rears its head. As small businesses, the ability to quickly adapt to changing circumstances can mean the difference between sinking or swimming when disaster strikes. And few things can help differentiate small businesses’ resiliency and abil ..read more

A new year is a great time to reflect on the past 12 months and create goals for the year ahead. This is especially important for small businesses, which have been so dramatically affected by the pandemic. As with many disruptive events, the pandemic has provided many lessons for small businesses to pull from. We’ve narrowed it down to five resolutions small businesses should consider as you take on 2022. 1. Accelerate Innovation Whenever Possible As COVID upended operations and sent companies of all sizes and all industries into chaos, it also revealed that innovation doesn’t always require a ..read more

I admit it, I’m a podcast fanatic. If it’s about true crime, current affairs, or comedy, chances are, I’ve had a listen. But there is a podcast content gap. Our team saw a need for discussions around IT resources and expertise for the small business audience. And thus, our podcast “Small Business, Big Solutions” was born – streaming now on the Cisco Podcast Network.   In each episode, we explore top-of-mind topics covering everything related to small business, from technology to company culture, and more! We bring in Cisco partners to discuss common SMB technology needs and how to ad ..read more

Small businesses around the globe are increasingly looking for faster, simpler, and more cost-effective ways to buy technology. In our last blog, we shared the benefits and risks of new routes to market and focused particularly on the ease of purchasing online. With this, comes a risk of purchasing inferior quality or even counterfeit goods. Cisco Brand Protection has initiated a dedicated, broad-based effort to identify and take down fraudulent sites and false advertisements around the globe. Cisco’s Global Brand Protection group includes an amazing squad of investigators and engineers who ac ..read more

Just when small businesses weathered the storm that was COVID, they’re now facing down supply chain challenges and inflation rates that are sure throw a Grinch in anyone’s holiday season. But there’s a bright light on the horizon as we go into the holiday season. You’ve likely heard about with Black Friday and Cyber Monday. But there’s a spending holiday that we at Cisco are a bit more fond of – #SmallBusinessSaturday. This Saturday, November 27, when it’s time to make your holiday list and check it twice, head to your local small businesses to help make those wishes come true. #SmallBusinessS ..read more

Small businesses make up 99% of the world’s business population, yet women-led start-ups received only 2.3% of Venture Capital funding in 2020, according to Harvard Business Review. This is particularly concerning in today’s business landscape, where much of the economy’s recovery rests upon small business’ own return to growth. Cisco at Web Summit 2021: Powering a More Inclusive Future for All At Cisco, our company purpose is to power an inclusive future for all. Ensuring equitable access to opportunities for all is in our DNA and so naturally, we want to be part of solving this problem. This ..read more

Call it entrepreneurial agility or being nimble. From the 600 small businesses we questioned for the Global Workforce Survey, almost 85 percent of respondents reported plans to adopt a “Work from Anywhere” policy. Not only have small businesses embraced the new market for cloud services and solutions, they are also leveraging the opportunity of Hybrid Work to complete their digital transformation. So, turn on the VPN, log in to your collaboration platform and make it secure. Unfortunately, simplifying the small business digitization conversation down to the technology only throws a veil over o ..read more

Small business owners have a lot on their minds. Trusting that their technology investments are reliable and work properly shouldn’t be one of them. Small business budgets are tight, especially now, during the pandemic recovery. Since they must keep track of every dollar spent—and ensure that they get the anticipated bang for their buck—it’s understandable that they might be swayed by a seemingly lower-cost version of a Cisco product that they found online. Why pay for a smart switch from a trusted partner when another site offers it for a fraction of the price? Unfortunately, counterfeit, pir ..read more

Growing up near Mount Tamalpais, aka The Sleeping Lady, aka Mount Tam, I would occasionally challenge myself with a ride up the mountain and over to Stinson Beach, armed with only water and a patch kit in case of a flat tire. It didn’t matter that the “real” road cyclists who seemed to be enjoying their ride effortlessly despite the steep roads and curves would routinely pass me by. It didn’t matter. Just being out there on a bike was the reward. Biking has never been more in vogue. Many of us bored out of our minds during the pandemic took up bicycling as a hobby that created a veritable cycl ..read more

For any parent who has children in the California public school systems, news reports about the progress (or lack thereof) the state had been making in returning kids back to schools were beyond depressing.  Some reports showed that California ranked dead last in the country in reopening schools for in-person education, a huge issue given that the 200 largest school districts are in this state.  Another report indicated that less than half of California’s 6.2 million K-12 students have even the option of in-person schooling. It’s a frustrating situation for parents who have dealt wit ..read more