How to Protect Your Small Business From the Heartbleed Bug

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The Heartbleed Internet security bug has a scary name, but how does it affect you as a small business owner?

Here’s what you should know about Heartbleed — and what you can do to protect yourself and your business.

1. What is Heartbleed?

Engineers at Google discovered the the flaw and announced it to the world on April 7 — the same day a fix became available. About 17 percent of all secure websites were affected by the bug, according to internet services company Netcraft. Other estimates found that two-thirds of all websites were at risk when the bug was first discovered.

You no doubt know that entering sensitive information into a non-encrypted website is a bad idea. If the URL doesn’t begin with “https,” the page isn’t encrypted and hackers could potentially steal your information.

Software installed on a server encrypts the data so it can’t be intercepted. One of those programs is OpenSSL, which is is widely used by businesses all over the world, including giants like Google, Yahoo, and Amazon Web Services.

A Google engineer found a vulnerability that allowed a piece of code to be attached to a routine message sent to a server. This malicious code could give hackers access to the encryption keys allowing the data to be unscrambled. In other words, the server could be tricked into giving up the unlock code to sensitive data.

2. Is it a virus?

Heartbleed is not a virus. It is a security hole specific to the OpenSSL software. It’s not being replicated as a virus would, so you don’t have to worry about infecting your customers or your customers infecting you.

Read more from Intuit Small Business

Marrying Marketing and Architecture

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Marketing your small business isn’t simply a matter of promotion- it’s also a method of connecting with your consumers in a meaningful way and forging a relationship with them. One method of reaching out to your target demographic is to utilize the literal brick and mortar of your business. By fostering a connection between your architecture and your marketing, you can make a place for yourself in the local landscape in terms of business and culture.

Promoting a Local Identity

Many business owners undervalue what their company can do for their city. Not only do they sustain the economy, but their successes also reflect in the city’s overall wellbeing. 

One method of incorporating your city into your marketing is to make a splash in a storefront by hiring local artists to provide a mural or sculpture to draw attention (and admiration).  If you’re lucky enough to work in a building with a long history and architectural interest, consider partnering with a local historical society to give tours and campaign for city-wide preservation of historic sites. This will support a local cause, educate denizens of your city, and also get potential customers through your doors.

In a more direct sense, if you’ve got a distinctive arch or piece of architectural grandeur on your building or in your business’s primary location, incorporate it into your branding materials or logo. It gives customers a sense of context within your area and signifies that your company identifies itself with the city. 

Visual Branding

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10 Critical Things to Look for in a Small Business Bookkeeper

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If you run a business and are looking for a bookkeeping solution, it’s important to start by understanding the who, what, when, where and how of your ideal scenario. (What is ideal for you may not be ideal for a different business type.)

Below, I’ve outlined 10 of the most important areas to consider when comparing bookkeepers so that you will be able to weigh the pros and cons of each.

Experience

Experience comes in many shapes and sizes. You may think that if you have a small business, the experience you need from a bookkeeper can be “small” as well. There is nothing further from the truth. You need as much experience as you can afford, because great bookkeeping and accounting is instrumental in growing your business and maximizing your profits.

Experience does not always equal good fit, either. Someone who has worked for 20 years as a part-time bookkeeper for a landscaping company, although “experienced,” may not have the depth and breadth you need for an early stage startup company. When you start looking for your solution, make sure you create a wish list of level, depth, and type of experience you need.

Education

The person that is doing your bookkeeping should have had some level of formal business and accounting education. A business degree by itself does not qualify someone to be a great bookkeeper. Make sure the education level of your solution matches the needs of your business — today and in the future.

Read more from Fox Business

5 Reasons To Use A Virtual Phone System With Your Small Business

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Take a look at the advantages VPX system has in store for any size of business.

Technology since its evolution has always been developing. It has provided various useful products to society through its ever rotating wheels. It won’t be an exaggeration, if it said that current era is almost entirely dependent upon this aspect. Consequently, the world is getting advanced day by day. Things have been completely transformed when compared with their earlier forms. More than a requirement it is now mandatory to move ahead with the latest available techniques to meet and tackle the on going challenges.

Business is one of the most important factors for economical growth. Thanks to one more useful aspect provided by technology-the internet, which has presented an elaborative platform for businesses whether of any kind or size to prosper from locally to globally.  In fact there are many companies who have done well in online marketing industry and have achieved their targets successfully. Well, one of the astounding effect of technology for all sorts of business whether start up or established is the Virtual PBX, a type of phone used for making business decisions.

In general virtual means any mode of operation which is handled through internet. These are configured as the voice over IP systems. It is due to their advantageous features and specifications through which they are making their places gradually in every business, thereby replacing the traditional phone calling procedures. Moreover people have now shifted to the use of mobiles and gadgets. In such a case, these devices have a great scope in coming future. And believe it; this system is extremely lucrative and cost effective when compared with the traditional process. Well, for this reason, a major part of business communications is carried out through computers, cell phones and web. 

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Business Bank Accounts: 6 Mistakes Small Businesses Make

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If you're ready to get serious about your small business, you'll want to open a business bank account to manage your finances. However, with so many options available to business customers, it can be confusing to set up a new account. Small business experts shared some of the common mistakes business newbies make with their commercial accounts, and how you can avoid doing the same when opening your own.

Incorrect or missing information at account setup

New small business owners and entrepreneurs frequently make the mistake of bringing the wrong paperwork to the account-opening appointment. Each bank or credit union may have different requirements, so when you book the appointment, ask the banking officer exactly what you'll need to bring to the meeting.

"Don't worry about assembling a great deal of business documents," said David Bakke, small business specialist at personal finance website Money Crashers. "In most cases, all you need is your social number, a tax ID and other general information."

Small business owners also frequently make the mistake of using the wrong tax ID to open the account, said Michael Rozbruch, founder of Michael Rozbruch's Tax & Business Solutions Academy.

"They open it under their social security number, when they should open it up under their Federal Employer Identification Number," he said.

Not having a designated business account

Thinking about running your new business from your existing personal checking or saving account? This could be a big mistake, because it's difficult to track business finances when they're combined with household finances.

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