2008 - Time for Resolutions
It is 2008, and time for some e-business resolutions. 2007 was a great year for e-business and some changes for eBusiness Connections. In August, Christina Baumgartner left us to move to Kelowna and start her own Web Design business, Baum Communications, and we had the pleasure of having Allan Antonio, a business student from SFU, work with us for the fall semester. Allan has agreed to continue at eBC, on a part-time basis every Tuesday.
2007 saw Microsoft launch its new operating system, Vista, to mixed reviews. It also witnessed Apple computers gaining market share and the price of computer hardware, regardless of manufacturer, decrease significantly – much to the joy of small business owners everywhere. Social networking has become main-stream and, increasingly, the business community is realizing that it has ceased to be an option to have an online presence, but a necessity if they wish to remain competitive.
It is with this in mind that I’m announcing my 5 e-business resolutions for 2008.
#1) I resolve to back-up crucial data on all my computers. Further, I plan on using a brand new online backup service that I’ve discovered that is set to launch early in 2008. Online backup is the ultimate defense of my personal information and business data (records, invoices, customer lists, tax receipts etc) against theft of my computer, hardware failure, fire, flood, and viruses.
#2) I resolve to purchase, install, and use an accounting software package to help me efficiently run my own small business. I’m constantly procrastinating when it comes to the “business side” of my business, so I plan on using some excellent technology to make my life simpler.
#3) I plan on working online more. Now, those that know me will be shaking their heads, wondering if I plan on “surfing” while I’m asleep, but hear me out… I plan on using the time I am online much more efficiently and productively. For instance, 3 – 4 times per week I’m reading news and blog articles from on average 45 – 50 different sources. Maintaining bookmarks for all those sites was getting out of hand until I began using Netvibes, a free online service to help me organize all my information sources.
#4) I resolve to use more than one search engine (I have used Google exclusively, until now). Each search engine works a little differently and so the results of a search term will not be the same if you use Google, and say Yahoo. Loyalty is one thing, getting the best information in the quickest way possible is another.
#5) I resolve to listen more. It may be an old cliché but you do have twice as many ears as you do mouths. I don’t mean that I’ll talk less, if you’ve spent any time with me in person you’ll know that I’m a windbag, but I resolve to listen to my family, my friends, my clients , and my gut instinct much more than I did last year. As Dr Steven Covey, the author of 7 Habits of Highly Effective People wrote, “seek first to understand, then be understood”.
Wishing you all a very effective and profitable 2008,
Andy Latter
