Why Buying from a “One-Bullet Vendor” Can Cost Your Business More Than You Think

When it’s time to invest in new technology, most business leaders start the same way. They search for the best internet provider. The best phone system. The best cybersecurity company. The best cloud solution. The problem isn’t that they’re asking the wrong questions; The problem is that they’re often asking them one technology at a time.   That’s exactly how …

Why Your Business Doesn’t Need More Technology Vendors—It Needs a Technology Quarterback

If you’re like most small to medium-sized businesses, your technology didn’t become complicated overnight. It happened one decision at a time. Maybe your internet provider recommended a phone system. Your cybersecurity company sold you endpoint protection. Your copier vendor started offering IT services. Your software company suggested cloud backups. Someone else sold you surveillance cameras. Another company manages Microsoft 365. …

What Should an Ohio Credit Union Look for When Choosing an IT Partner?

“Rusty, how do I know if we’re picking the right IT company?” I’ve been asked that question more times than I can count. Usually it’s after a board meeting. Sometimes it’s over a cup of coffee. And almost every time, it’s from someone who isn’t an IT expert—but suddenly finds themselves responsible for making one of the biggest technology decisions …

How Much Should Managed IT Cost for an Ohio Credit Union?

A few years ago, I sat in a boardroom with the leadership team of an Ohio credit union. The conversation wasn’t about technology—not at first. It was about trust. The CEO looked around the room and asked a simple question. “Are we spending too much on IT…or not enough?” The room got quiet. The CFO was trying to finalize next …

Building a Wide Area Network That Keeps Your Business Running—No Matter What

If you’ve been following along, you’ve built this the right way: Part 1: Your physical infrastructure—what everything runs on Part 2: Your server strategy—where your data lives Part 3: Your cyber security—how you protect it Part 4: Your communication platform—how you connect with customers Now we get to the piece that ties it all together. Your Wide Area Network (WAN)—your …

How Ohio Credit Unions Should Evaluate Their WAN Bandwidth

For Ohio credit unions, seamless technology isn’t just a performance metric—it’s a promise of trust. Your members depend on you for access to their money, their mortgages, and their peace of mind. That’s why evaluating your wide area network (WAN) bandwidth isn’t just an IT chore—it’s a business continuity decision that touches every member who walks through your doors or …

Top Tech Acceleration Technologies for 2022

Organizations have had to make several overnight adjustments to stay afloat over the last few years. If you’re like most businesses, you may have needed solutions to support remote work and collaboration. But are those tools pointing you in the right direction towards your long-term goals and vision? Two years into the pandemic, many businesses are starting to evaluate whether …

Co-Managed IT: A Flexible Partnership With IT Professionals

It’s hard to see how investing in your company’s IT services would be as incentivizing as other investments that might deliver a more tangible ROI. However, ensuring that your IT department has a competent team that’s up-to-date on the latest cyber security knowledge and has access to the latest software to allow them to do their jobs well is a …

Anatomy of a Business – Aligned IT Roadmap

Aligned IT Roadmap Given the growing impact of technology on today’s business operations and processes, IT leadership must have a clear path that is closely aligned with the organization’s long-term strategic goals. While developing this IT roadmap has never been more important, it’s often a challenge for IT teams to step out of the day-to-day mandates and look at IT …