I have been lucky to have been a director for businesses that moved from a 9 to 5 operation to one that was effectively 24 by 7, i.e. ‘always open’ – these were software development and support based companies). Also I have worked with owner managers who have stumbled into this growth scenario, and paid...
Category: Fractional IT Director
What to do when #hiring employees for your #hightech business?
It is very fascinating analysing the differing cultures that are created within ‘high tech’ companies, as most of a company’s culture flows from the attitudes of the founders of the business. But company’s culture is a living, changing concept that is controlled by these employees from the MD down to the “worker bees”. I believe...
62 Insane Facts about Bitcoin – Infographic
Let me start by saying that even though my background is in IT and the majority of my business life has been building and supporting systems in the financial industry, my knowledge of the facts about BITCOIN and the associated technology was very limited until the middle of last year. Its birth came out of...
What to do when #hiring employees for your #hightech business?
It is very fascinating analysing the differing cultures that are created within ‘high tech’ companies, as most of a company’s culture flows from the attitudes of the founders of the business. But company’s culture is a living, changing concept that is controlled by these employees from the MD down to the “worker bees”. I believe...
Build an online business from the ground up – the beginning
Let me tell you a little about myself and where I am today. I am an Information Technology veteran of over 30 years, starting at the programmer level, working my way up to being head of IT for several serious international financial services companies here in London UK. More recently I have been an adviser...
9 Questions to Ask before Hiring Your 1st Employee into Your Tech Business
You have started your business, everything is going very well, and you now need help to continue to grow and are thinking of hiring your first employees. Great, but stop to ask yourself these questions before rushing in. Could an independent self-employed freelancer or contractor be more cost effective? Rather than making a full time...
Using WordPress to Build Your Business Website
When you have decided to have your own website, e.g. for personal reasons, to build a business or just to get experience building a website, you have to make three decisions: Choose a free or paid platform. Select a specific website hosting platform with templates and add-ons. Pick a hosting company, and build your own...
Developing your systems to stay open 24 by 7 (pt 2)
When growing to a 24 by 7 operation many IT and operational systems needs to change. There is a tipping point at which the cost of switching from outsourced staff to an employee based team is relatively negligible, but the operational benefits are significant. It is at this point that you need to look at...
Developing your systems to stay open 24 x 7 (pt 1)
I have been lucky to have been a director for businesses that moved from a 9 to 5 operation to one that was effectively 24 by 7, i.e. ‘always open’ – these were software development and support based companies). Also I have worked with owner managers who have stumbled into this growth scenario, and paid...
Disaster What Disaster Pt 3 – Business Continuity?
This is part 3 (and the final blog for now) to present some practical, simple and straight forward approaches which will not stop disasters but should allow you to cope and your business to survive and continue. Remember more than 40% of businesses never reopen following a disaster and of the remaining companies; at least...
What Disaster Pt 2 – Do Some Planning Now!
A few blog entries ago I promised to present some practical and straight forward approaches to address this. I hope to show how some inexpensive and readily available technologies which will not stop all disasters but should allow you to cope and your business to survive. By developing a disaster preparedness plan and implementing technologies...
Disaster, What Disaster?
Over the past weeks it was reported on the TV news report, a newspaper or internet site announces another natural disaster, flood, storm, or power outages which have devastated towns in the UK, leaving countless homes and businesses in dire straits. Or you heard that your own business internet line is down or mobile phone...