We live in a digital world.

​Imagine…

  • Losing all your client and working files
  • Having no access to software that allows you to do your work
  • Working from a tiny phone and/or tablet

As a business owner, not having access to your computer could cripple your business and bring on a lot of stress.  This is not a good place to be.​

Unfortunately, a friend of mine is currently in this situation. She has not had access to her computer in a week, and she has no idea how long it will take for her to be back to normal again.  She is teaching an online course through her phone. I, too, have personally experienced this, and trust me, losing some of my prized files made me cry.

Sometimes it’s just computer or parts failure, and other times it could be a malicious virus.  You cannot fully eliminate these things from happening.  The best you can do is to put together a backup plan to minimize the effect on you and your business.

Here are some tips:

1. Create a backup strategy

There are many backup strategies available.  The right one for you will depend on how many files you have, the size of the files (raw photos and video can get quite large), and how critical the files are for you.  A backup can be as simple as copying your files and software onto an external disk or as complicated as a scheduled online backup to a 3rd party site.

Here are some things to consider:

  • Do not back up onto the same system or drive.  If you lose your system, then you also lose your backup copy.
  • Have your backup at a physically different site (either another location or the cloud).  If you lose your office in a fire or to theft, then your data is safe somewhere else.
  • Create a regular schedule for the backup.  If you backup weekly, are you OK if you have to restore and lose up to 1 week’s worth of data?

My backup strategy also includes having a spare laptop. If my computer is down, I can continue to work. I point my laptop to my backup files, and I am back in business!

2. Have virus protection software on your computer

There are many nasty people out there with nothing better to do than to cause you grief with viruses and hold your data hostage.  I lost 3 days of my life to an unknown virus.  We had to rebuild my computer and restore my files.

You should invest in proper virus protection software for your computer and ensure the software is kept up to date to catch the latest and greatest bugs out there.

3. Hire a reliable computer support person

For many, what I have described above is overwhelming, and the big question is how to get started?

I admit I don’t do this on my own.  My time is better spent on building and growing my business. I have someone on my team whose primary role is to handle my technology needs.  They help me with creating the strategy, and if something goes wrong, they fix it.

The key to everything is to find someone knowledgeable about technology and can provide reliable service. They will be a critical member of your team and worth every penny (or nickel) you spend on them.  I will also add a disclaimer that some of my clients have received poor technical support in the past. It’s important to get referrals or references before hiring someone.

If you need help looking for resources in the technology area, contact us, and we can make some referrals.