Saturday, March 15, 2008

How Do Your Back-ups Compare To Mine?

I recently did an informal poll of business owners, asking them about their data back-ups. Sadly, most failed to have adequate protection in place and only one scored an A+.

What really alarmed me is that almost all of them knew of someone who had suffered because of a computer crash without adequate back-ups and still hadn’t taken measures to protect themselves.

Now There's No Excuse To Fall Victim To Data Disaster

With a small investment of time and money, you can be well on your way to having a robust back-up solution that covers you for the most common back-up/recovery scenarios:
Deleted a file that you need to recover
Hard drive crashed
Building destroyed

This article explains what I do to handle all three scenarios. (There are other perfectly valid ways to do back-ups and some of them better suited than mine for specific back-up needs, but this approach I’m sharing is suitable for most small businesses.)

After years of experimentation and research, I’ve finally settled on a set of tools that I really like. I find them to be: reliable, easy to use, affordable and they will run automatically.

But before we get into the tools, let’s talk about…
What Should I Back-Up?
The simple answer is only back-up your data.

You can’t really restore an operating system or installed programs; you're better off doing a fresh install of them. However, you should keep back-up copies (along with the installation serial numbers) of your operating system and installed programs.

Keep back-ups of your installation disks (along with the installation serial numbers) in a trusted, secure off-site location. Check with your license, but most programs and operating systems that I'm aware of allow you to make back-up copies.

To make backing-up reliable and easy, I suggest the following best practices:
create folders on your computer to organize your content into. This makes it easier to find your files and easier to select them for back-up.

If you have a network, create a centralized filing system and have everyone store their data in the same location.
Be sure to back-up your Email folders.
Keep a list of critical passwords stored off-site in a trusted, secure location.
Recommended Back-up Tools

Over the years, I’ve backed-up to different kinds of media: floppy disks, zip drives, CD’s and DVDs. I don’t any more. It simply became too time consuming and confusing having to manually swap disks, worry if the media was getting too full, buying new media, wondering which back-up set was the right one, etc.

Now I’ve got it really streamlined… Undelete. Sometimes, restoring a deleted file from the recycle bin doesn’t work. In these cases, I use a free software called Recuva.
Hard Drive Crash. I use and recommend SyncBackSE. You can purchase it on-line for about $40 and download. With SyncBackSE, I don't have to spend any time manually copying files...I set-it and forget-it.I use it as my primary local back-up and is my first line of defense in case I can’t retrieve a deleted file or because of a scenario such as data corruption or hard drive crash.I back-up my centrally stored files to a physically separate hard drive. SyncBackSE is set to automatically back-up daily in the middle of the night.
Disaster. In addition to my daily local back-up, I also do a daily off-site back-up. For this, I use an on-line tool called Mozy. For about $4/month (way cheaper than buying storage media), it securely backs-up all of my data to an off-site location.This is my last line of defense in case my local back-up has failed for some reason or some sort of disaster has occurred and I need to start completely over. Like my local back-up, it’s set-up to automatically back-up every night.
The bottom-line is that my back-up tools work silently in the background to give me not just one, but two daily back-ups…one in the office and one off-site. My data is securely protected.

Use your notebook. When we go away on vacation, I use SyncBackSE to make a complete back-up on my notebook and store it off-site in a trusted, secure location. With over 300Gig of disk space now on a notebook, it can easily hold the data. If you do this, I recommend you take precautions to secure your notebook such as having a boot level password and encrypting your data.

With a little time invested and the right tools, having a solid back-up strategy in place to protect your business is easily accomplished.
Where To Get Help
If you have any questions about backing-up your data, I’m happy to share what I do to back-up my data with you. If you feel like you'd like the help of a competent techie to help you, then now is the time to find one. Now, there’s no excuse…Right now—while you’re still reading this article—pull out your day planner and schedule a time to get your back-ups in place.

Helpful links to the back-up tools recommended:
Recuva
Free undelete utility.
SyncBackSE
About $40, buy on-line and download.
Mozy
About $4/month, on-line service. There's also a free version available that let's you back-up up to 2Gig of data.
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Two gerat speakers at Barrie's Southshore Community Centre

Two great talks at the March 27th ‘Lets Get Connected event’.

Sue Croft, Star PerformanceBuild Your Professional Confidence! Although many business owners and entrepreneurs appear to be out-going and at ease with others, statistics show that many of us are ‘closet introverts’, and that we often dislike and feel insecure in the daily interactions necessary to be successful. Discover the key elements to feel more at ease and effective, both in your business as well as in your life.

Learn how increased confidence can affect our relationships with self & others, decision making, effective communication, and our ability to deal with conflicts or difficult customers. Gain powerful strategies to change your habits, enhance your goals and become energized in all that you do!

Scott Gingrich, Piggybank TechnologyAuthour of 'Build A Business Not A Job' it is all about 'Next Level Thinking"The Gravity Operated Business Who else wants to tap into the 7 Gravity Multipliers and take their Business to the Next Level?

These practical, memorable tactics will make the "doing" of business easier and the success of business more certain.

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Help Support '94 Girls Barrie Soccer Team

Help Support ’94 Girls Barrie Soccer Team

The Barrie Spirit ’94 Girls Soccer team will be traveling to Florida in July ’08 to participate in the Disney International Tournament. As you can imagine, a tournament such as this one carries huge costs.

We ask you to please help support our team with our online auction. Starting on Monday, March 10 until midnight Wednesday, March 19, 2008, log onto our team website http://www.sport.ca/team/index.php?team=1216 , click onto to the Auction icon, and proceed to the Document section of the site, where you will find more then 30 items to bid on.

Items up for bid include: Raptors Tickets, Colts Box Seats, Lenny Kravitz Concerts Tickets, Mind To Muscle Training Sessions, and much more!!!

More items will be added to the site, so please check back frequently! The bids will be updated on a nightly basis. Successful bid payments must be made in cash or cheques payable to the Barrie Soccer Club. All proceeds made from the auction will go to the ’94 Girls Soccer Team.

We thank you in advance for your support in helping us reach our goal as we represent the City of Barrie and our Country in Florida come July!

Yours In Soccer,

The ’94 Soccer Girls

Tell them you found this on Mr. Bob's Blog

What's Facebook all About

What's Facebook All About Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Location:Barrie Public Library Angus Ross Room

Fee: No Charge Time: 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. Angus Ross Room - Space is limited to 50 participants

Do you wonder what your kids are doing on Facebook or MySpace?

Have you thought about registering yourself on Facebook, but are unsure whether it's safe to do so or how to get started?

Do you want to know about Wikis, Blogs, Flickr, IM?

What on earth is Social Networking?

This session will help you to get a good idea of how kids and adults are using the Internet to communicate in a whole new way, and how they can do it

Tell Anne Dorsey your found this on Mr. Bob's Blog.

Friday evening networking event

Join us and network with fellow business owners, all are welcome

It's time for Business Connections once again, so let's get together for a night of fun and friendly people. This is your opportunity to make new "Connections" or renew old ones with a little fun mixed in . As a reminder, Business Connections is held on the 2nd Friday of each month with a different venue chosen each month - suggestions for venues are always welcome.

WHEN: Friday, March 14th from 5:30 p.m. until ??
WHERE: At or near the bar area of the venue
PLACE: Down the Road Irish Pub
LOCATION: 650 Big Bay Point Road

We'll see you there!

We look forward to seeing everyone on the 14th. If you are unable to make it to this one we will make sure to keep you informed of the next one. If you would like to be taken off the distribution list please e-mail me. Tell Dave you found this on Mr. Bob's Network.

Yours truly,

Dave


Dave Taylor
Account Manager
Business Development Bank of Canada
151 Ferris Lane, Suite 301
Barrie, Ontario L4M 4Y6

Monday, March 10, 2008

A Stranger in a Strange Land

A Stranger in a Strange Land
By Ryan LeClaire

Moving to a new city is intimidating enough. Now multiply that by 10 and that’s how I felt when I moved to Barrie after leaving my job to become self-employed. I was confident that I was good enough at what I do to make a good living at it, but I had no idea where to start.

As I went from networking function to small business meeting to entrepreneurial workshop I kept hearing about someone called “Mr. Bob.” Finally, I met him at an event and asked what exactly he does.

“My passion is working with business owners and getting them to have that light bulb come on,” he said. “My mission is to show that people are so much more in life than they seem when they stand up and describe themselves to a room of strangers.”

He went on to explain that too many small businesses spend big dollars on TV or radio ads that try to catch everyone. He said he meets with business owners as a consultant to help them find their specific niche-market and helps them to attack it with less expensive marketing techniques.

He told me the story of a realtor who came to him to help her stand out. In their first meeting he asked what separates her from everyone else. She pondered the question and responded it was because she offered great customer service – which, unfortunately, is what everyone in her field boasts.

“She made the same mistake that 99% of all the other realtors make. She only talked about what she does. They all use the same words, it’s just different ways of massaging it,” said Mr. Bob.

Mr. Bob worked with her and discovered that she is passionate about animals. She has since established herself as the pet-friendly realtor, who specializes in helping your pets adjust to your new home. There’s the light bulb.

We also talked about Mr. Bob’s Network. Simply put, his network is the google for Barrie’s businesses. “It’s a library of what people are offering,” said Bob. His network lists and organizes Barrie’s best and brightest businesses and helps them interact with each other.

I also spoke with Marshall Driver, a member of Mr. Bob’s network. His business doesn’t have a website, just a listing on Mr. Bob’s Network. He’s seen over 2500 hits in 2 years, which he said is a nice return on investment.

“I haven’t had to pay someone to build it. I just go in and I change what I want to change. Whenever I want to change it. It’s really good that way because it’s very interactive.”

I guess you could call Mr. Bob a business coach and a consultant who draws a map to help you find your customers. No matter what you call him, I’ve asked Mr. Bob to help me ignite my own light bulb and you can look for my listing at www.mrbob.ca.

Tell Mr. Bob you found this on Mr, Bob's Blog.

Friday, March 7, 2008

Alliston District Chamber of Commerce News - March 7th

Join us Thursday, March 27th for the ADCC’s Annual General Meeting and Gala Dinner at Silver Brooke Golf Club. With Special Guest Speaker Steve Hopkinson, cocktails and dinner, this AGM will be anevent you won’t want to miss! Tickets are just $35.00. Please contact the Chamber Office to purchase your ticket: 705.435.7921. Click Here http://www.jldigitaldesign.ca/adcc/Mar7/AGM_GalaDinner.pdf for all of the Info!

Swing into the Golf Season this Spring at Silver Brooke's Open house on Sunday March 30th.
Click Here http://www.jldigitaldesign.ca/adcc/Mar7/open%20house%20poster.jpg for further details. For Directions and Contact info visit www.silverbrooke.com .

Please Click Here http://www.jldigitaldesign.ca/adcc/Mar7/Mar%2015-08%20advertisement.doc for Mrs. Smith's Ingredients specials in effect until Friday 15 Mar 08.


For anyone interested in greater exposure, increased sales and powerful networking tools, please visit Mr. Bob's Network at www.mrbob.ca to see what he can do for you.

Nottawasaga Futures is co-hosting an event along with the Ontario Cooperative Association:
Cooperative Development Toolkit Workshop on Monday 31 Mar 08 from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Gibson Centre. Please Click Here http://www.jldigitaldesign.ca/adcc/Mar7/Alliston%20workshop.pdf for details and registration information.

CONTACT is pleased to announce our unique Legacy Courtyard Campaign http://www.jldigitaldesign.ca/adcc/Mar7/CONTACT_2.pdf to help raise funds for the
expansion and enhancement of our services and the development of our new facility, Community Service Centre South Simcoe. Opening in August 2008, CONTACT's Community Service Centre South Simcoe will be located in a new 11,200 square feet building at Town Square II, Alliston. Please Click Here http://www.jldigitaldesign.ca/adcc/Mar7/CONTACT_1.pdf for further information, including an order form http://www.jldigitaldesign.ca/adcc/Mar7/CONTACT_3.pdf for anyone interested in purchasing a personalized Heritage Stone to be placed in the courtyard of the new building.


The Ontario Chamber of Commerce has identified some key messages pertaining to the recent federal budget. Please Click Here http://www.jldigitaldesign.ca/adcc/Mar7/Ont%20COC%20comments%20on%20Budget.doc for their comments. For information on their recent activities and other business news visit the OCC web-site at: www.occ.on.ca
As well, we receive regular updates from the International Chamber of Commerce. Anyone interested in seeing what their activities are may visit their web-site at www.iccwbo.org .

Click Here http://www.jldigitaldesign.ca/adcc/Mar7/chamber1-10-07.pdf to learn about the advantages of the Chambers of Commerce Group Insurance Plan.
Additional information can be obtained from: Johanne Levesque of Silver Insurance at (905) 936-4374.

The Cookstown Chamber of Commerce has announced the dates for their 25th Annual Wing Ding event to take place on June 7th and 8th, 2008. Click Here http://www.jldigitaldesign.ca/adcc/Mar7/WingDing.doc for "regular" vendors as well as for "food" vendors. Please select the appropriate application and/or provide them to others who might be
interested. Remember: the number of food vendors is limited and all booths are on a first-come, first-served basis. Please contact Deirdre Fitzgerald at 705-458-4492 or bernie.deirdre@rogers.com for further information. The Cookstown Chamber chair of the event is Laurie at 705-458-9212 or glen.munroe@sympatico.ca .






This year’s Relay For Life fund raising event in support of Cancer research will be held June 13-14
at the 8th Ave. Youth Centre, Alliston. We are currently looking for teams, sponsors, prize donations
and luminary purchases! Be a part of this great event! Please email the committee at
RelayForLifeAlliston@gmail.com or visit us on Facebook by Clicking Here http://www.facebook.com/pages/2008-Relay-for-Life-Alliston-Ontario/7956567774 .


Give the Gift of Blood. Please Click Here http://www.jldigitaldesign.ca/adcc/Mar7/2008%20March%20Alliston.doc for details of the upcoming Blood Donor Clinic in Alliston.
Your participation would be greatly appreciated.


The first "I Believe" Ski Day in support of the Simcoe-Muskoka Regional Cancer Centre is being held
this coming Monday March 10, 2008 at the Heights of Horseshoe Valley (Horseshoe Valley) from
8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. There is no admission fee but donations are being accepted. Please
Click Here http://www.jldigitaldesign.ca/adcc/Mar7/The%20I%20Believe%20Ski%20Day.doc for further information.

Click Here http://www.jldigitaldesign.ca/adcc/Mar7/Tourism%20Performance%20Dec%202007.pdf for the Tourism Performance update for Ontario, reporting on December 2007 results.
This update will also be posted on the research website, along with a number of supporting tables.
Go to www.research.tourism.gov.on.ca .

The Ontario Rural Council is holding a conference from 18-20 Mar 08 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel,
Ottawa Ontario. For all details please Click Here http://www.jldigitaldesign.ca/adcc/Mar7/The%20Ont%20Rural%20Council%20Conference.doc or visit their web-site at: www.torc.on.ca


For a schedule of business networking events taking place in Simcoe County and the Huronia
district, please Click Here http://www.jldigitaldesign.ca/adcc/Mar7/BOCMaterials.doc and/or visit www.biznetworknews.com