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Tag: Data & Recovery

  • How to Build a Cyber-Resilient Company | Entrepreneur

    How to Build a Cyber-Resilient Company | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    As businesses enter a new digital era marked by rapid innovation and interconnectedness, cybersecurity ceases to be an add-on and has transformed into a critical necessity. The digitization of business operations has amplified efficiency and accessibility, but it has also increased vulnerability to a wide range of cyber threats. With the evolution and escalation of these threats, the concept of cyber resilience has become more salient than ever.

    Cyber resilience refers to the ability of an organization to persistently deliver expected outcomes in the face of adverse cyber events. It’s not only about preventing cyber attacks but also how your company responds and recovers when these incidents inevitably strike. Building a cyber-resilient company is a journey that involves thorough risk identification, development of a comprehensive cybersecurity strategy, implementation of proactive and reactive defenses, and thorough training of your team. Each of these steps deserves careful attention and consideration.

    Related: Combating Cyber Crime: Your Company Needs To Be Resilient

    Risk assessment

    Every journey towards cyber resilience begins with risk assessment. It sets the foundation for your strategy by helping you understand your current status, exposing vulnerabilities and defining the potential implications of varying cyber threats. In a nutshell, a risk assessment consists of identifying your valuable assets that could be potential targets, such as hardware, software, data, networks and personnel.

    Next, you need to pinpoint the threats that these assets might encounter and the vulnerabilities that could be exploited. Then, these risks must be evaluated and prioritized based on their severity. This step is iterative and should be repeated frequently to account for new assets, emerging threats and detected vulnerabilities.

    Develop and maintain a cybersecurity strategy

    Having grasped potential risks, your next move is crafting a holistic cybersecurity strategy that mitigates them. Your strategy should kick off with a gap analysis, which juxtaposes your current cybersecurity measures against the desired state. Here, you’re essentially comparing your existing practices with industry standards or frameworks such as NIST or ISO 27001 to identify any gaps.

    Following the gap analysis is a thorough risk analysis, diving deeper into each risk identified during the risk assessment. This allows you to comprehend the nature of each risk better and informs the appropriate response measures. Additionally, as part of your strategy, you need to formulate a backup and recovery plan. Regular backups are instrumental in recovering data lost or compromised during a cyber incident. This plan should delineate what data should be backed up, how frequently it should be backed up and the process of data recovery during emergencies.

    A robust cybersecurity strategy also includes an incident response plan, which outlines your organization’s response in the face of a cybersecurity incident. It should cover who does what, the escalation procedures, communication strategies and steps for analyzing and learning from the incident. Lastly, conducting regular cybersecurity audits is essential to gauge the effectiveness of your security measures, identify weaknesses in your defense and inform necessary improvements.

    Implement proactive cybersecurity measures

    A robust cybersecurity strategy must be proactive, constantly identifying and addressing threats before they materialize. This involves staying updated with the latest cybersecurity threats and trends, which allows you to anticipate potential risks and enhance your defenses accordingly. Regular updates and patching of your systems and applications can prevent security vulnerabilities from being exploited.

    Implementing strong access controls is also crucial. Ensure employees only have access to the data they need to perform their roles to limit the potential damage in case of a compromised account. Additionally, employing Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) adds an extra layer of security by requiring additional credentials beyond just a password.

    Related: Why Startups Should Consider A Cyber Resilience Strategy

    Implement reactive technical defenses

    Despite your best proactive measures, some cyber threats will infiltrate your defenses. Reactive defenses, such as firewalls and antivirus software, help to minimize damage when these incidents occur. Firewalls monitor and control incoming and outgoing network traffic based on predetermined security rules, forming the first line of defense against cyber threats. Antivirus software complements firewalls by detecting, preventing and removing malicious software.

    Intrusion Detection and Prevention Systems (IDS/IPS) monitor your network for suspicious activities and potential threats, alerting you to a potential attack and, in some cases, taking action to mitigate the threat. Encryption is another valuable reactive measure that involves making your sensitive data unreadable to anyone without the appropriate decryption key, thus protecting it even if it falls into the wrong hands. Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) systems provide real-time analysis and reporting of security alerts generated by applications and network hardware. They help detect incidents early and respond promptly.

    Employee training

    Human factors are often the most vulnerable link in an organization’s cybersecurity defenses. Aware of this, cyber criminals tend to target employees with tactics like phishing. As such, thorough employee training is a vital part of building a cyber-resilient company. Employees should be made aware of their role in maintaining cybersecurity through regular awareness training, which covers common threats, safe online practices and the importance of security protocols.

    Depending on their roles, some employees may require specific cybersecurity skills, such as understanding how to use security tools, identifying and responding to specific threats or handling sensitive data securely. Regularly conducting simulated attacks, such as phishing drills, can help employees understand what a real attack might look like and how they should respond.

    Cyber threats are always evolving, and as such, your training should promote continuous learning and stay updated with the latest threats and defenses. Building a cyber-resilient company is a journey rather than a destination. It requires continuous effort, learning and adaptation. However, the payoff is immense: Not only does it protect your organization from devastating cyber attacks, but it can also confer a competitive edge. In an increasingly connected world, customers, partners and investors highly value organizations that take cybersecurity seriously.

    Related: Cybercriminals Aren’t Just Attacking Your Software — They’re Coming for Your Employees. Level Up Your Company’s Cybersecurity With These 4 Steps.

    In summary, cyber resilience is the ability to maintain your business operations despite adverse cyber events. It involves a rigorous risk assessment, crafting a comprehensive cybersecurity strategy, implementing both proactive and reactive measures and training your employees. By fostering a culture of cybersecurity across all levels, businesses can not only shield themselves from potential threats but also establish a level of trust with their customers, assured that their sensitive data is in safe hands. In a world where data breaches are becoming increasingly commonplace, building a cyber-resilient company is an investment in your company’s long-term sustainability and success.

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    Jim Koohyar Biniyaz

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  • How Generative AI Can Help Your Company Build Better Software | Entrepreneur

    How Generative AI Can Help Your Company Build Better Software | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    One of the challenges of building software systems and algorithms is that oftentimes you don’t have the real-world data you need to actually test before you go into production or before customers start using it. It’s all too common to design a product interface or algorithm on paper, only to discover that once put into production with real data, the look of the output isn’t what you expected. GPTs like OpenAI’s GPT-4 and Anthropic’s Claude can be a game changer in these instances.

    We ran into this issue at Nomad Data while building a new product, Data Relationship Manager, which is similar to a CRM for data. The product helps firms keep track of their data vendors, datasets, purchases, interactions, meetings, tests and more. After we had a working version of the application, we realized it was a challenge to visualize what the screens would actually look like in a real-world setting. We had no actual user data, and most screens sat empty. This was a challenge from a UI validation standpoint and also made it a challenge to demo the product. We pondered where we could get a meaningful amount of test data when we realized that generative AI was the obvious solution.

    Generative AI allowed us to do something that hadn’t been previously possible — generate all the usage data we needed. New generative AI models do an incredible job with text. The key is to give them the context about what you need created.

    Nomad’s product is used by a variety of different user types across business functions. They all perform specific activities. We needed to generate data to simulate a multitude of user types using our product to get their jobs done. These activities range in time and need to happen in a logical order. We accomplished this in a few steps.

    Related: I Got a First Look at OpenAI’s GPT-4. Here’s How It’s Going to Revolutionize Industries Worldwide — Even More Than ChatGPT.

    Step 1: We needed to give the GPT models a general introduction to what we were trying to accomplish

    You are a system that is designed to generate useful testing data for a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) product. Here are the steps:

    First, you will make up a fictitious management consulting firm with a need for data to use on client projects ranging from market sizing to competitive analysis to pricing studies. Make up a very specific storyline of what specific data they are looking for and why across a number of projects.

    Second, make up 10 users that work in this company. Assign random job roles and titles based on the definitions below.

    Step 2: We needed to explain to GPT what the different user types spend their time doing so it could construct a realistic set of events

    Here is an example of one such user type we teach it about in the prompt:

    Data Sourcer: The employee who searches for data after receiving a request from a consultant.

    Role: A data sourcer specializes in finding and gathering relevant data based on what consultants ask them for in response to a consulting project. They search for data vendors, initiate communication with them, ensure data quality and accuracy meet the project requirements, coordinate with the consultant and then ultimately pass the vendor off to procurement if the consultant agrees to purchase. They log all early engagements with a data vendor such as that they filled out a contact form, exchanged an email, had a meeting, received test data, ran a data test or initiated a purchase discussion with their internal procurement people.

    Job Titles: Data Sourcer, Data Researcher, Data Acquisition Specialist

    We ultimately taught it about five different roles but could have just as easily done this for dozens.

    Related: Why Entrepreneurs Should Embrace Generative AI

    Step 3: We need to explain what we need the model to do with this information

    This company is logging their activities around data vendors that they work and evaluate into our CRM to keep track of everything that has happened. Any work they do with the data or data vendor is logged so that their colleagues are aware of what is happening surrounding a data vendor and its products.

    Create a set of activities between two years ago and today for each, to tell a story/dialogue of how these users communicate and work with the data from specific vendors. Create activities for between five and 10 people for each data vendor. Each user is to create three to five activities for each data vendor they are working with.

    Make sure there are activities that mention experiences actually using the data. How well did it work? Was there missing data? Was it a problem?

    The output should be in a CSV format. Each row should be in the format:

    Date (mm/dd/YYYY), User Full Name, Data Vendor Name, Data Vendor ID, Activity Text

    Examples:

    9/10/2021, Sarah Chang, AI Global Insights, Sent an introductory email to AI Global Insights expressing the need for AI market data.

    9/15/2021, Lisa Martin, SSC, Discussed SSC’s requirements with Sarah Chang and shared a high-level overview of AI Global Insights’ data capabilities.

    9/16/2021, Michael Johnson, TechIntel, Requested a subset of AI industry data from TechIntel for preliminary analysis.

    Step 4: Test, tweak and test more

    After we ran this, we noticed areas where we needed to be more specific. Within less than an hour, GPT-4 was producing highly realistic test data:

    “06/24/2021,” “Emma Smith,” “AgriDataCorp,” “Reached out to AgriDataCorp for initial discussion on South American organic farming data needs.”

    “06/28/2021,” “John Davis,” “AgriDataCorp,” “Received AgriDataCorp’s data product catalogue. Initiated discussions on cost and licensing agreement.”

    “06/30/2021,” “Alice Williams,” “AgriDataCorp,” “Received initial data sample from AgriDataCorp. Started cleaning and integration with our system.”

    We were quickly able to generate an endless amount of test data —something that would have been either incredibly expensive or time-consuming only a few months ago.

    Whether it’s producing better products or algorithms, using GPT-powered models to generate test and demo data is a must. In seconds, you can breathe life into an empty product demo. You can just as easily see what your products will look like in the hands of real users and companies.

    Related: How AI Will Transform Software Development

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    Brad Schneider

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  • Former Employees Confess to Seeking Revenge on Their Former Employers | Entrepreneur

    Former Employees Confess to Seeking Revenge on Their Former Employers | Entrepreneur

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    Revenge is a dish best served…via cyberspace?

    It is according to research from PasswordManager.com, which surveyed 1,000 U.S. workers who had access to company passwords at their previous jobs — and found that 10% used those passwords to disrupt company activities after they left.

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    Amanda Breen

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  • How to Stop Online Marketplaces From Robbing Your Brand | Entrepreneur

    How to Stop Online Marketplaces From Robbing Your Brand | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Marketplaces have become extremely influential in ecommerce over the past three years. Major market players such as Amazon, Alibaba and JD attract millions of users, facilitating massive transactions across a wide range of product categories.

    They also generate a wealth of data on consumer behavior, preferences and trends. This strong market position gives them an advantage and the ability to charge unreasonably high commissions, basically robbing brands.

    The rise of marketplaces

    The journey of marketplaces goes back to the early days of the Internet when platforms such as eBay and Amazon pioneered the concept of online commerce. Founded in 1994 as an online bookstore, Amazon has evolved into a comprehensive marketplace offering a wide range of goods. eBay, launched a year later, popularized the concept of consumer-to-consumer online auctions. China’s JD.com and Alibaba also burst onto the market in the late 20th century.

    With the growth of ecommerce, niche and vertical platforms began to flourish. They focused on specific industries or product categories. A prime example is Etsy, a marketplace for handmade and vintage goods founded in 2005. And as technology has evolved, so have the capabilities of marketplaces. The introduction of secure payment systems, improved search algorithms and user-friendly interfaces have provided a new level of convenience, trust, and efficiency in online shopping.

    However, it wasn’t until after the pandemic that marketplaces took off. The year 2020 was a stellar time for them and e-commerce in general. Online platforms have become critical for brands to reach a broader customer base. In 2021, a whopping 42% of all online purchases were made through marketplaces. The convenience of shopping from home, the ability to compare prices and read customer reviews, and the seamless transaction process for customers have contributed to the rapid growth of online platforms. And in 2022, almost two-thirds of consumers said they were happy to be able to order everything they needed through one merchant.

    By 2027, third-party marketplaces will become the world’s largest and fastest-growing retail channel, accounting for nearly two-thirds of online sales. Amazon, Alibaba, Pinduoduo and JD.com are expected to generate $4.3 trillion in global sales, up from $2.5 trillion today. Experts say that the most successful retailers, both now and in the future, will operate third-party marketplaces, and consumer brands must align with them to flourish in this new retail environment.

    Although the concept of marketplaces itself is beneficial, including for brands, the strong position of online platforms has allowed them to dictate their terms to sellers and vendors and practically rob them.

    Related: 7 Revenue-Killing Mistakes for Ecommerce Retailers

    How online platforms make money on brands

    In the early days of marketplaces, when they needed to attract new suppliers to basically unknown platforms, contract conditions for vendors and commissions for sellers were usually based on a small percentage of the transaction amount. As marketplaces expanded and diversified, they introduced tiered commission structures to incentivize sellers with high sales volume. Those who achieved such volumes or met specific performance criteria could qualify for lower commissions, which offered a potential savings advantage.

    With time, marketplaces expanded their revenue streams by introducing additional services. They included premium placement in search results, featured listings, advertising options, and other services such as fulfillment, delivery, and marketing support. With these, marketplaces generate additional revenue while allowing merchants to increase their visibility. The problem is that though online platforms aim to increase the effectiveness of services and tools offered to sellers, their main goal is still to earn more by raising the penetration of those products, not optimizing sales for specific brands.

    As a result, Amazon, for example, now gets more than 50% of sellers’ revenue on average, compared to 40 percent five years ago. Sellers are paying more because Amazon has increased fulfillment fees, making advertising costs inevitable. The typical Amazon seller pays 15% per transaction, 20-35% for order fulfillment, and up to 15% for advertising and promotions. The cost of Fulfillment by Amazon, when Amazon stores, picks, packs, and ships orders, has been steadily rising, and there are few success stories of operating outside of this model. Advertising is optional, but it takes up most of the screen with the best conversions, so sellers inevitably have to buy Amazon advertising services to get noticed.

    The company has even been sued recently. According to the claim, Amazon penalizes sellers for failing to set the optimal price for their products by demoting them in search results and disqualifying products from the “Buy Box” feature, a white box on the right side of the Amazon product detail page, where clients can add goods for purchase to their cart.

    The power of AI

    With the growing influence of artificial intelligence, companies can now leverage AI to expand their presence, optimize operations and ultimately generate more revenue. We estimate that the global retail AI market will be worth about $350 billion by 2032 as more companies realize the benefits of neural networks and take advantage of them.

    Marketplaces already use AI-based tools that provide valuable insights into consumer behavior, campaign performance, and keyword search. Their main goal is to increase sales, and algorithms help them calculate which sellers’ products are worth promoting to maximize overall revenue. Online platforms analyze customer buying behavior, items in the shopping cart and the most viewed items to make recommendations, predicting what each client is likely to buy.

    Brands, too, can use AI to get to the top of marketplace search and increase the share of sales in their categories at the expense of internal marketplace traffic. However, sellers cannot access marketplace AI models. Platforms keep information about their developments secret and notify merchants of updates only when they occur. In Amazon’s case, Amazon Vendor Service can be used to access some of the AI functionality, but it increases the cost of doing business. At the same time, the service itself remains a black box. It means that brands cannot use platforms’ AI to promote their products. It also means they need third-party solutions to do so. What exactly would such AI solutions offer them?

    Related: How to Leverage the Power of ChatGPT and AI to Boost Your Shopify Store’s Success

    1. Intelligent and dynamic pricing

    AI solutions enable brands to implement intelligent pricing strategies. By analyzing market data, competitor pricing, and customer demand patterns, AI can determine optimal price points for products. Dynamic pricing allows sellers to adjust prices in real time based on factors such as supply and demand fluctuations, competitor activities, and customer behavior. This ensures that sellers remain competitive and maximize their revenue potential on marketplaces. Our experience shows that using AI to determine pricing allows sellers to recover up to 6% of previously lost margins.

    2. Intelligent adjustment for performance bids

    Leading marketplaces usually use real-time bidding (RTB) systems allowing advertisers to bid to show their ads to buyers. For example, on Amazon sellers bid on keywords, and the one with the highest bid and the best-targeted keywords usually wins. In other words, the winning bidding strategy is when the buyer’s search query matches the seller’s target keywords.

    With real-time data and advanced optimization techniques, businesses can ensure that their ad spend is used efficiently. AI algorithms can continuously recalculate billions of possible combinations of bids and amounts of budget, campaigns and segments, helping to rebound 20% of previously lost ROIC, based on our experience. Amazon, Alibaba, and JD already use such algorithms for in-house performance marketing.

    3. Efficient inventory management

    AI can optimize inventory management processes for sellers and vendors operating on online marketplaces. By analyzing historical sales data, algorithms can forecast shipments and sales by warehouse and SKU with granularity to organic and promotional sales and high accuracy, identify peak selling periods, and optimize inventory levels. This helps brands avoid out-of-stock or dead-stock situations, reducing storage costs and ensuring a seamless supply chain. Additionally, AI can automate inventory replenishment and order fulfillment processes, streamlining operations and minimizing human error.

    Related: 4 Ways to Use AI to Enhance the Customer Experience

    AI vs. People

    AI has enormous potential for sellers and vendors on marketplaces. By using AI to learn about customers, adjust rates, optimize pricing and manage inventory, brands can improve their competitive advantage, drive sales and increase overall profitability on online platforms.

    AI models also allow brands to save on time and resources of in-house teams and agencies, which, in our experience, companies typically hire to get their products to the top of marketplace storefronts. Сonsider, a medium-sized company from the food industry. Typically, a marketplace team (the one working to distribute products through online platforms most efficiently) includes an e-commerce leader, a manager, a designer, and a marketer. In addition, the company may hire an outside contractor to help its internal team.

    Nevertheless, these people are forced to engage in routine operations instead of using their time to solve strategic problems. With AI, teams can focus not on playing cat and mouse but on developing strategy and launching innovations, while algorithms will help implement them around the clock and in the most efficient way.

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    Pavel Podkorytov

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  • Get 10TB of Cloud Storage for Less Than $100 During Our Answer to Prime Day | Entrepreneur

    Get 10TB of Cloud Storage for Less Than $100 During Our Answer to Prime Day | Entrepreneur

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    Disclosure: Our goal is to feature products and services that we think you’ll find interesting and useful. If you purchase them, Entrepreneur may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our commerce partners.

    If you’re among the 28% of Americans working a hybrid remote and in-office schedule, according to Forbes, you likely know the struggles of hunting down important files. From carting around thumb drives to figuring out which cloud storage option you placed something in, it can take up a lot of time out of your busy day.

    Degoo Premium sets out to change that, offering a convenient solution with an ample lifetime 10TB backup plan that should store your important files forever. And during our version of Prime Day, Deal Days, you can score it a major discount — $97.97 — with no coupon code required. But you’ll need to act fast, as this deal only runs through July 14.

    Degoo Premium offers a convenient space to save your files for a low, one-time price that gets you a generous 10TB of cloud storage. That means you’ll have enough room to put all your business files in one spot, easily accessible from the office or your home workspace. And it all stays super safe and secure thanks to their 256-bit AES encryption.

    You can upload your files from any device, and as they’re uploaded on Degoo, they’re duplicated to give you extra peace of mind. Automatic file change detection keeps your information up to date, and there are even AI-powered features that let you find your best photos or files, which is helpful if you use some of the 10TB for personal storage. Need to send someone a file? It’s also super easy to send them a link with Degoo.

    Get a lifetime 10TB of cloud storage plan from Degoo Premium for just $97.97 (reg. $1,080), no coupon code required, now through July 14 at 11:59 p.m. PT, during our version of Prime Day.

    Prices subject to change.

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    Entrepreneur Store

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  • How to Protect Yourself Through Data Security | Entrepreneur

    How to Protect Yourself Through Data Security | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Data masking is a security and data privacy technique that obscures or anonymizes specific data elements within a database, application, or file. Its primary purpose is to protect sensitive information, such as personally identifiable information, protected health information, and financial data, from unauthorized access.

    Related: 3 Reasons Why Privacy Matters to Your Business, Your Brand and Your Future

    Why is data security important in healthcare in particular? For one, healthcare organizations collect and store extremely sensitive patient information. In the wrong hands, it can be used for identity theft, fraud, and other malicious purposes. Its importance is only increasing, too: According to a report by the Ponemon Institute, 89% of healthcare organizations experienced cyberattacks — 43 on average — between 2021 and 2022.

    Effective data security precautions

    Healthcare organizations should implement comprehensive security measures, data privacy protocols, and risk management strategies to address these data security issues. This includes doing regular security risk assessments, implementing encryption and access controls, conducting regular training for employees, and ensuring compliance with data privacy regulations. By prioritizing data security, healthcare organizations can safeguard patient data and maintain trust with their patients.

    Protecting patient privacy with data masking

    Data masking is useful for resolving data security issues in healthcare. Essentially, data masking creates a duplicate of a database and replaces sensitive data with fictitious data that preserves the data’s structure and format. For instance, a financial institution may use data masking to safeguard its customers’ social security numbers or account numbers while enabling the testing and development of new applications with a production-like dataset. Credit card numbers, social security numbers, and names can all be masked to protect sensitive information without compromising the dataset’s integrity.

    Data masking is crucial when third-party vendors or offshore teams handle sensitive data:

    Companies can use it to ensure regulatory compliance without denying developers, analysts and testers the ability to work with real-time datasets. We all know by now that data privacy and security are necessary to protect sensitive information from unauthorized access, theft, or misuse. The consequences of failing to protect data can be severe; it could result easily in financial loss, legal liability, reputational damage, and loss of customer trust.

    Related: 3 Simple Ways to Be More Self-Aware as an Entrepreneur

    How to prevent security breaches in healthcare

    Data masking’s ability to reduce the risk of data breaches and theft by limiting access to sensitive information is arguably what makes it most useful.

    Even if an attacker gains unauthorized access to a masked dataset, the information is useless without the means to de-identify the data. Now that you know why data security is important in healthcare, follow these five steps to start using it:

    1. Identify sensitive data

    Begin by identifying your most sensitive data. Scan all available resources and implement appropriate security measures to protect the data. When you know what data is on your servers and equipment, you can better protect it with cutting-edge techniques. This could mean using data masking or encryption to safeguard sensitive information.

    2. Do your research

    It’s essential to stay informed about the latest security threats and trends by regularly reviewing industry news and participating in relevant training and conferences. This can help you stay ahead of potential vulnerabilities and emerging threats. By proactively staying in the know, you will maximize your data protection.

    3. Verify, don’t trust

    Implement strong access controls and permissions for your data to ensure that only authorized users can view or modify it. This can involve setting up multifactor authentication and limiting user access based on job function or seniority. Because zero-trust architecture is necessary to fully protect all business systems and data, it’s now standard across all government systems.

    4. Continuously audit your systems

    Security and data privacy is not a one-and-done deal. It requires constant vigilance. Regularly audit your systems and data to identify and address any vulnerabilities or weaknesses in your security protocols. This includes conducting security assessments, penetration testing, and vulnerability scans to identify and remediate security risks.

    5. Find the right solution

    When implementing data masking, it’s important to carefully evaluate and select a solution that meets your organization’s needs, budget, and compliance requirements.

    Consider factors such as ease of use, scalability, and data integrity when choosing a data masking tool. If the solution isn’t personalized to you, it could cause more problems than it resolves.

    6. Apply masking when copying data to lower environments

    Development and testing teams needing access to production-like data should leverage masking to ensure no sensitive data makes it into lower environments. This enables them to freely leverage that data without risking data breaches or compliance violations.

    Data masking is an important technique that protects sensitive data in various applications. It uses fake data to conceal real data from unauthorized users. When facing modern cyber threats, data masking is foundational to protecting your business data.

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    ReadWrite.com

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  • Protect Your Business with This Three-Year VPN Subscription, Only $29.99 | Entrepreneur

    Protect Your Business with This Three-Year VPN Subscription, Only $29.99 | Entrepreneur

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    Disclosure: Our goal is to feature products and services that we think you’ll find interesting and useful. If you purchase them, Entrepreneur may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our commerce partners.

    Cybercrime isn’t just for the Fortune 500 businesses. According to a 2022 article by Alliant Cybersecurity, more than 50% of cybercrime is directed at small businesses. Whether you’re an established business or the sole employee of your own startup, keeping your data safe may need to be a priority you act on quickly. If you want to maintain your privacy even on public Wi-Fi, get UltraVPN. This Secure VPN Proxy has a three-year subscription on sale for $29.99, and it even comes with a free 30-day antivirus.

    UltraVPN could be a valuable tool for the ongoing cybersecurity of your business. This easy-to-use VPN offers fast speeds on a reliable server network spanning 100+ global locations. Connect to any of 1,000+ servers and enjoy high-speed access with few geographical restrictions to blocked content and streaming, no buffering, and keeping safe on public and private WiFi.

    UltraVPN can maintain multiple simultaneous connections so that you can connect up to 10 Mac, PC, iOS, and Android devices. While browsing, your data is locked behind military-grade AES-256 encryption, and UltraVPN comes with a kill switch that disconnects your device from the internet if it loses VPN connection. That way, no data is exposed while your VPN is down. If anything malicious gets through, the free 30-day antivirus may help you eliminate it.

    Even if your business is still young, you may want to invest in robust cybersecurity software.

    Get a three-year subscription to UltraVPN Secure USA VPN Proxy and 30-day antivirus protection for $29.99 (reg. $239).

    Prices subject to change.

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    Entrepreneur Store

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  • Save Over $100 Off This Top-Rated VPN for a Limited Time | Entrepreneur

    Save Over $100 Off This Top-Rated VPN for a Limited Time | Entrepreneur

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    Disclosure: Our goal is to feature products and services that we think you’ll find interesting and useful. If you purchase them, Entrepreneur may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our commerce partners.

    Cybersecurity is of paramount importance in industry today for good reason. Many companies use corporate VPNs as a base level of security but don’t think that because your organization is small, you can worry less about cybersecurity. According to CyberTalk.org, 46% of all cyber breaches target companies with fewer than 1,000 employees. And in the world of hybrid work, when more people than WiFiare working on public Wi-Fi regularly, it’s imperative to protect your browsing.

    A Windscribe VPN Pro Plan is a great base layer of security, and we’re offering a Flash Sale price that’s discounted through June 20.

    Windscribe has earned 4 stars out of 5 from PCWorld and Tech Radar and a 4.4-star rating on G2. More than just a VPN, Windscribe offers a desktop application and browser extension that work together to protect your online privacy, unblock websites, remove ads, and improve your everyday browsing experience. It offers an AES-256 cipher with SHA512 auth and a 4096-bit RSA key and can generate OpenVPN, IKEv2, and WireGuard® configurations for all your devices.

    With an extensive network of servers in more than 69 countries and no identifying logs, you can browse anonymously and bypass geo-restrictions anywhere in the world. The desktop app also offers a firewall, a secure hotspot, and a proxy gateway for extra security when you’re getWiFi on public WiFi. With the browser extension, you can block ads and trucks that follow you around the web, track and delete cookies you collect while browsing, and use split personality to reduce the chance of basic fingerprinting as you jump to different sites.

    Windscribe also gives you unrestricted and private access to entertainment, news sites, and blocked content in over 69 countries.

    Through June 20 at 11:59 p.m. PT, you can get a three-year subscription to the Windscribe VPN Pro Plan for just $79.97 (reg. $207) — the best price on the web.

    Prices are subject to change.

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    Entrepreneur Store

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  • Enjoy 10TB of Cloud Storage With This Secure, Convenient Service for Only $69.97 | Entrepreneur

    Enjoy 10TB of Cloud Storage With This Secure, Convenient Service for Only $69.97 | Entrepreneur

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    Disclosure: Our goal is to feature products and services that we think you’ll find interesting and useful. If you purchase them, Entrepreneur may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our commerce partners.

    According to TechRadar, around 73% of smartphone owners use their device for work purposes. But what about when you then check in on your laptop and desktop? Technology has certainly made things seamless, but when it comes to keeping track of which device holds certain important files, things can get complicated. If you’ve been looking for a cloud storage solution that simplifies things, Prism Drive Secure Cloud Storage can help.

    With Prism Drive Secure Cloud Storage, you’ll be able to save any type of file from any type of device and then access it anywhere as needed. That means that screenshot you took on your smartphone will be easily accessible from your work computer in the morning, and vice versa. And during the Flash Sale, you can score a generous 10TB lifetime subscription for just one low price — the best price on the web, $69.97 — now through June 20. No coupon code is required.

    From freeing up space on your smartphone, computer, or tablet, or simply making it easier to grab files in a pinch, there are numerous ways Prism Drive Secure Cloud Storage makes your digital life easier. It keeps all of your important files in one secure spot, so you can easily access, share, or preview them conveniently.

    Any file format will upload — from XLS to PPT to JPEG — and there are easy-to-use drag-and-drop features that allow for uploading, selecting, and moving files and folders as you go. Shareable links can be given to coworkers or friends for simple sharing, and if you accidentally delete something files are stored and recoverable from the trash folder for 30 days.

    Real-life users love the ease Prism Drive Secure Cloud Storage brings to their life. “Highly recommend. I recommended your service to all my co-workers, it’s really user friendly. Keep up the good work!” User Romy shared. And Amir raved, “Easy to download and use. I bought 2TB for one year and this will help keep all my data safe in one location and give me the easy access I need to use it.”

    Get a 10TB lifetime subscription to Prism Drive Secure Cloud Storage for the best price online, just $69.97, now through June 20.

    Prices subject to change.

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  • Take Your Office Anywhere with This 1TB External Hard Drive | Entrepreneur

    Take Your Office Anywhere with This 1TB External Hard Drive | Entrepreneur

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    Whether you’re traveling for business this summer or you’re planning to spend more time working from home or from other places that aren’t the office, you still want to make sure you can have all of your files securely on hand. Cloud storage is one option, but an even better option is an external hard drive. This 1TB Portable External Hard Drive can meet all of your storage needs and it’s 21% off now.

    This hard drive has 1TB of storage capacity, which is significantly more than most standard cloud storage programs. You’d have to pay a monthly subscription to get close to this amount of cloud storage, making this hard drive a lot more bang for your buck.

    The drive is crafted with a sturdy metal design and USB 3.0 tech for ultra-fast data transfer speeds. You don’t need an external power supply or to install any additional software to use it; just pack it up, connect to your computer or other device, and start moving data. That’s the convenience of plug-and-play tech. It’s ultra-compact and lightweight so it fits easily in your bag. Plus, the design is heat-resistant!

    This versatile hard drive works well with Windows and Mac devices and is fully ready to be integrated into your everyday workflow. With the 1TB capacity, you can free practically entire laptops full of data, keeping your digital life secure, backed up, and easily accessible in one place. It’s enough storage to last you a lifetime.

    Upgrade your mobile storage solution on a budget.

    Grab this 1TB Portable External Hard Drive for 21% off $63 at just $49.97 now.

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  • Get 13 Advanced Excel Courses for Just $50 | Entrepreneur

    Get 13 Advanced Excel Courses for Just $50 | Entrepreneur

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    Every entrepreneur should know Microsoft Excel, and most probably think they have a pretty good handle on the world’s premier spreadsheet software. But there’s a good chance you’re not even scratching the surface of what Excel can do. If you’re not automating repetitive tasks and using Excel for immersive data analytics and business intelligence, you could be doing more. Get an advanced Excel education in The Complete Excel, VBA, and Data Science Certification Training Bundle.

    This bundle includes 13 courses from Mammoth Interactive (4.2/5-star instructor rating), the educational vehicle of instructor John Bura. Bura is a serial entrepreneur with a focus in game development, having contributed to 40 commercial games. He uses Excel to manage his business, and he can help you do the same.

    After a brief introduction to Excel, Bura takes you on a deep dive into some of the coolest things that Excel can do. You’ll learn how to automate simple tasks like Google searches or menu navigations using tools like Selenium, Python OpenPyXL, and Excel’s built-in VBA. From there, you’ll explore machine learning algorithms in Excel, and learn how to use Excel for data science and financial analysis. There are courses designed to help you analyze the stock market, visualize financial data, and use Excel functions to draw better data insights. You’ll also get an introduction to PivotTables and Amazon Honeycode.

    You could be doing more with Excel. This 13-course bundle will show you what you’re missing out on.

    For a limited time, you can get this Excel, VBA, and Data Science Certification Training Bundle on sale for just $49.99 (reg. $429).

    Prices subject to change.

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  • Get Lifetime Access to More Than 90 Cybersecurity Courses | Entrepreneur

    Get Lifetime Access to More Than 90 Cybersecurity Courses | Entrepreneur

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    Cybersecurity is top-of-mind for most businesses these days, but not all can afford to give it the proper attention in the budget — especially solopreneurs and very small businesses. Rather than enlist an entire cybersecurity team, however, you can learn the skills you need to protect your business online. With an InfoSec4TC Platinum Membership, you’ll get lifetime access to more than 90 courses designed to give you a modern cybersecurity education that will keep your business safe from hackers and snoops.

    InfoSec4TC has earned a 4.4/5-star instructor rating and boasts one of the highest certification passing rates among online training providers. Through their self-paced certification courses, you can train to earn certifications in GSEC, CISSP, CISA, CISM, and many more internationally recognized IT certifications. InfoSec4TC gives you access to the latest exam questions and course materials to help you pass each exam on your first try.

    With access to all new and future courses, all social media groups, and even a free career consulting and planning session, your Platinum Membership will ensure your cybersecurity skills always stay on the cutting edge. From ethical hacking and network security to implementing secure enterprise systems, you’ll develop a comprehensive skill set that will come in handy not just in protecting your business, but in giving you a strong foundation to move into a lucrative new career should you choose. After all, every business could use some cybersecurity help these days, and InfoSec4TC will make sure that your skills always keep up with demand.

    Protect your business from cybersecurity threats both present and future.

    Get a lifetime InfoSec4TC Platinum Membership for 75% off $280 at just $69.99 for a limited time.

    Prices subject to change.

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  • How to Harness Data for the Underserved Market | Entrepreneur

    How to Harness Data for the Underserved Market | Entrepreneur

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    Simply knowing who’s included in our most underserved populations can be a challenge that makes public sector outreach nearly impossible. To overcome these obstacles and better serve consumers, we must first identify the underserved and their needs. Public agencies can use two powerful tools to help reach the most vulnerable: credit and alternative data.

    Defining underserved populations

    The first thing agencies must do is understand what an underserved population is. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has a good definition specific to healthcare: individuals who have experienced healthcare disparities. Healthcare disparities can manifest due to a lack of available services, difficulty accessing care and limited knowledge about navigating the healthcare system or finding providers. Agencies looking to define underserved populations can adapt this definition to their specific fields.

    The Federal Reserve also has a good working definition: people who don’t have access to a bank. This lens is handy because a lack of access to essential banking functions is a significant barrier to receiving other public services. Without a bank account, options to cash checks are limited and often come with additional hurdles like stricter controls, timing requirements, increased fees and more. Those without a bank account also can’t receive direct-deposit benefits or savings interest rates that could help them get ahead. Identifying the unbanked or underbanked first is an excellent way to use data to find and reach more individuals likely underserved by public benefits.

    Research shows underserved populations regularly fit into specific demographic groups. These groups include the unemployed and elderly, veterans, disabled persons, those living below the poverty line and those residing in rural areas. Through a combination of factors, these groups are at the highest risk of needing government benefits while often participating in assistance programs at lower rates.

    Related: Leverage the Power of Data to Boost Your Sales — and Your Customer Connections

    Out-of-reach insights

    As it stands, government agencies could better understand who uses their services. A lack of comprehensive understanding is partly due to outdated privacy laws and red tape; until recently, government websites weren’t allowed to collect cookies on their visitors. Of course, there’s a fine line between privacy protection practices and using data to reach underserved populations better. Still, many government agencies can be more effective in using the data they have at their disposal. Crucial insights may remain out of reach for agencies that struggle to analyze the reams of data that can exist across systems.

    Public sector executives must meet this pervading problem with a viable solution. Veterans are one significantly underserved group — often because states don’t have access to a robust database covering their veteran populations. However, they’re only one of the groups often overlooked by public agencies. And while many agencies are getting better at using digital tools and data analytics, there’s still work to be done. Improving outreach is one way to close this gap, and we can do so through the judicious use of good data.

    Related: Using Data Analytics Will Transform Your Business. Here’s How.

    Data unlocks doors

    The private sector is good at leveraging data to identify and reach its customers. Most brands and companies know the demographic data of their typical consumers — and they’re experts at turning that knowledge into profits. Data can reveal where a company’s target market lives, how it responds to advertising and other key behaviors that better enable retailer outreach. Public sector agencies can operate in the same way.

    For example, take the bus system in Montgomery County, Maryland. The county’s Department of Transportation redesigned its bus system to introduce the Flash. That redesign happened because the agency looked at its proprietary data behind its typical user. Before the redesign, bus riders often had to make multiple transfers, adding inconvenience to their lives.

    The Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) reviewed whom this problem impacted, the peak times it affected them, and how the city utilized the busing system. Then, it created new routes, resulting in significantly improved and efficient customer experiences. Innovations like these are precisely what other public sector agencies need to embrace to serve constituents more effectively.

    Related: Redefining Customer Engagement in a World Where Data Privacy Reigns

    Taking action

    Good data is essential to determine the best way to connect with consumers. But how exactly do busy public sector leaders begin implementing a more robust data analytics strategy? External data is readily available through many public sources. Companies like credit reporting agencies have access to a plethora of information on underserved populations. They can help pinpoint the most vulnerable audiences — who they are and what they need — to maximize the good a new outreach program can do.

    Internal usage data may also be key to determining the highest area of need. Public transit is an excellent example: Adding a bus route in an affluent suburb may not be as important as expanding or optimizing routes in a high-density metropolitan area because most suburban people have cars. Agencies will only discover information like this by leveraging data.

    Analytics are particularly valuable when they inform the best strategy to reach those in need. Not all methods work for all audiences; one group may be best reached via email, another may be more open to television ads, and yet another may be most receptive to telephonic outreach. Analytics can provide valuable insights that keep agencies from wasting resources on dead-ends or unnecessary services.

    Quality service begins with informed outreach

    Public services are intended to help the people who need them most. But to meet the mark, we must first know their needs. Improving the customer experience begins with a solid outreach strategy guided by both external and internal data and analytics.

    Modern tools can help us close the gap in need, enhancing the quality of life for the most vulnerable and elevating our society. Data is the engine powering the train toward that goal.

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    Scott Straub

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  • This Father’s Day, Give the Gift of No More Low Storage Warnings | Entrepreneur

    This Father’s Day, Give the Gift of No More Low Storage Warnings | Entrepreneur

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    Business owners need a significant amount of cloud storage these days; computer hard drives just aren’t big enough to contain the entirety of our files, documents, photos, and more. Whether Dad has an archaic paper filing system or he’s been taking tons of photos of the grandkids, cloud storage is a great gift for Father’s Day.

    And while there are many cloud storage options out there, Koofr Cloud Storage offers some of the best bang for your buck.

    Koofr is an intuitive, private solution that makes it easy to connect all existing cloud storage accounts (Dropbox, Google Drive, Amazon, and OneDrive) under a single umbrella plan. With Koofr’s 1TB lifetime plan, Dad can access storage through web, mobile, and WebDav, and upload, access, and share files without limits. Koofr also makes it easy to identify and remove duplicate files, rename files in bulk, and even customize link appearance for further organizational clarity.

    Koofr is the only cloud storage service that doesn’t track activity and encrypts files both in rest and in transfer. It’s one of the most secure cloud storage solutions you’ll find and it provides an ample 1TB of seamless, accessible space. That should be more than enough to keep Dad’s files under control.

    Koofr has earned 4.3/5 stars on Trustpilot, and 4.6/5 stars on G2, GetApp, and Capterra. Find out why when you lock in one of the best deals they’ve run for Father’s Day.

    Get a lifetime of 1TB of Koofr Cloud Storage for just $119.97 for a limited time.

    Prices subject to change.

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  • How Data Analytics Can Transform Your Business | Entrepreneur

    How Data Analytics Can Transform Your Business | Entrepreneur

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    The digital age has ushered in a new era where data reigns supreme, providing businesses with valuable insights into customer behavior, market trends and overall business performance. In order to thrive in today’s highly competitive landscape, entrepreneurs must not only recognize the significance of data analytics but also leverage its power to drive their organizations forward.

    At its core, data analytics involves the systematic examination of raw data with the purpose of drawing meaningful conclusions. By embracing this approach, businesses gain the ability to understand their operations at a granular level, make data-driven decisions, accurately predict future trends and ultimately foster growth and profitability. Let us delve deeper into the ways in which data analytics can revolutionize your business.

    Related: Eight Ways Data Analytics Can Revolutionize Your Business

    How data analytics can transform your business

    Enhancing customer experience:

    One of the greatest benefits of data analytics lies in its capacity to help businesses better comprehend their customers. By analyzing various data points, such as purchasing habits, social media interactions and website visits, organizations can create comprehensive profiles that encompass customers’ preferences and behaviors. Armed with this knowledge, businesses can tailor their product offerings, personalize marketing messages and ultimately enhance the overall customer experience. Consequently, this leads to increased customer satisfaction, loyalty and a competitive edge in the market.

    Streamlining operations:

    Data analytics serves as a powerful tool for uncovering inefficiencies within a business’s operations. By examining production data, for example, businesses can identify bottlenecks within their manufacturing processes. Similarly, studying sales data may shed light on underperforming products or regions. Armed with these insights, businesses can take the necessary steps to streamline their operations, reducing waste and enhancing overall efficiency. Ultimately, this results in cost savings and improved productivity, thereby giving businesses a competitive advantage.

    Mitigating risks:

    Inherent to any business endeavor is an element of risk. However, data analytics empowers businesses to anticipate and mitigate potential risks effectively. By closely analyzing data, businesses can identify patterns and trends that may indicate forthcoming issues. This allows organizations to take proactive measures, ranging from real-time detection of fraudulent transactions to predicting future market volatility. By staying one step ahead, businesses can better protect their interests, reduce financial losses and ensure long-term stability.

    Guiding strategic decision-making:

    Data analytics eliminates much of the guesswork associated with decision-making processes. By providing factual insights, it serves as a reliable guide when it comes to making strategic choices. Whether it involves entering new markets, launching innovative products or investing in cutting-edge technology, businesses can rely on data-driven decision-making to reduce uncertainty and increase the likelihood of success. Armed with accurate information, entrepreneurs can make informed choices that align with their long-term objectives.

    Related: Leverage the Power of Data to Boost Your Sales — and Your Customer Connections

    How can you effectively harness the power of data analytics within your business?

    Embrace a data-driven culture:

    To embark on a successful data analytics journey, it is crucial to foster a data-driven culture within your organization. This entails training employees to understand and utilize data in their day-to-day work, encouraging them to base their decisions on concrete data rather than relying solely on intuition.

    Invest in the right tools:

    The market offers a wide array of data analytics tools, catering to various business sizes, industries and specific needs. From robust business intelligence platforms, such as Tableau and Power BI, to advanced machine learning tools, it is essential to carefully select the tools that align with your organization’s unique requirements.

    Hire or outsource expertise:

    Interpreting data and extracting meaningful insights necessitates specific skills. If your organization lacks in-house expertise, consider hiring data analysts or data scientists to fulfill these roles. Alternatively, you may choose to outsource your data analytics needs to specialized firms that possess the necessary knowledge and experience.

    Prioritize data privacy:

    In an era marked by frequent data breaches and privacy scandals, handling data responsibly is of paramount importance. It is crucial for businesses to ensure that their data practices comply with relevant regulations and industry standards. This includes implementing robust data privacy measures to protect sensitive information and maintaining transparency in how customer data is collected, stored and used. By prioritizing data privacy, businesses can build trust with their customers and safeguard their reputations.

    In conclusion, data analytics has the potential to be a game-changer for businesses in today’s information-driven landscape. By harnessing the power of data, organizations can gain valuable insights into customer behavior, optimize their operations, mitigate risks and make informed strategic decisions. However, reaping the benefits of data analytics requires a deliberate and strategic approach.

    It begins with embracing a data-driven culture within the organization, where employees are empowered to utilize data in their decision-making processes. Investing in the right data analytics tools is crucial, as it enables businesses to effectively collect, analyze and interpret data. Depending on the organization’s resources and expertise, hiring data analysts or outsourcing data analytics services may be necessary to extract meaningful insights from the data.

    Furthermore, businesses must prioritize data privacy and ensure compliance with relevant regulations. Protecting customer data and maintaining their trust is essential in the age of increasing privacy concerns. By adopting these practices, businesses can unlock the full potential of data analytics and drive growth, efficiency and innovation.

    Related: Using Data Analytics Will Transform Your Business. Here’s How.

    In today’s digital landscape, data is no longer just a byproduct of business operations. It has evolved into a valuable asset that holds the key to unlocking opportunities and staying ahead of the competition. Embracing data analytics is no longer an option but a necessity for businesses that aim to thrive in this dynamic and data-centric environment.

    So, seize the power of data analytics, and embark on a journey to transform your business. Embrace the insights that data can offer, streamline operations, enhance customer experiences, mitigate risks, and make informed decisions that propel your organization toward success. Remember, in the age of data, the possibilities are endless, and the businesses that effectively leverage data analytics will gain a significant competitive advantage in the marketplace.

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    Aidan Sowa

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  • 7 Deadly Sins of the Self-Employed | Entrepreneur

    7 Deadly Sins of the Self-Employed | Entrepreneur

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    The realm of self-employment presents a tantalizing prospect: the freedom to pursue your passions, set your schedule and be your boss. But it also comes with the responsibility of managing your finances — effectively.

    After meeting with thousands of self-employed professionals over the years, I’ve seen the same seven costly mistakes committed time and time again. And in pursuing your entrepreneurial dreams, it’s essential to be aware of these common pitfalls many self-employed people encounter.

    Whether you’re just starting your self-employment journey or you’ve been rocking the 1099 life for a while, these are the mistakes you must avoid.

    1. Confusing income with profit

    Do not let the allure of high revenue cloud your judgment. Learn the importance of distinguishing between income and profit to accurately assess your business’s health.

    To do this, subtract your total expenses from your total revenue for a given period (usually a month, quarter or year).

    The resulting number is your net profit, which represents the money you have left over after all expenses have been paid. And keep in mind that since you’re self-employed, you also need to factor in your self-employment tax liability payments that should be made quarterly.

    Remember, it’s not just about increasing your top line – it’s about improving your bottom line.

    Related: 5 Reasons Why Employees Prefer Self-Employment, and Why You Should Use This to Your Advantage

    2. Prioritizing short-term gains over long-term success

    While it’s natural to be cautious with spending, it’s essential to strike a balance between short-term gains and long-term success and sustainable and scalable revenue growth often requires investments in your business.

    Explore the concept of profit first and learn how prioritizing profit over expenses can help you build a sustainable business. You must be familiar with the importance of strategic investments, proactive budgeting and scalable revenue growth for long-term financial stability.

    Think of it like the toothpaste theory: When you possess an abundant supply of toothpaste, you tend to use it more liberally. Conversely, when the tube nears depletion, you painstakingly extract every last drop.

    By proactively budgeting and prioritizing profit, you can set your business up for sustainable and scalable growth.

    3. Selling yourself short

    Avoid undervaluing your skills and expertise, as it can hinder your long-term career prospects. Embrace a vision for your business and price your products or services accordingly. Learn the art of building rock-solid relationships, delivering undeniable value and creating a reputation hotter than the newest TikTok dance trend to build a sustainable pipeline.

    Related: Don’t Sell Yourself Short in the Gig Economy

    4. Focusing on metrics that don’t matter

    Shift your focus from vanity metrics to meaningful data that truly impact your business.

    One common mistake is looking only at your profit without factoring in tax liability. If you don’t account for taxes, you may be overestimating your actual profit and underestimating the amount you’ll owe to the government, creating a cash flow problem for your business in the future.

    Spend time defining the metrics that align with your business strategy and goals.

    Related: The 4 Deadly Sins Sabotaging Your Business

    5. Not letting your money make you money

    Inflation is constantly eroding the value of our money, which means that the longer you keep your cash sitting in a bank account, the less it’s worth. So, it’s critical to make your money work for you.

    Try exploring various investment options, such as reinvesting in your business, investing in real estate, stocks, mutual funds, retirement accounts, peer-to-peer lending, and cryptocurrencies. Gain insights into making your money work for you and use compound interest.

    6. Avoiding smart debt

    Debt can be a useful tool when leveraged responsibly.

    One type of debt to consider is short-term debt. This can be useful for covering expenses that come up unexpectedly or for taking advantage of opportunities that require immediate capital.

    Long-term debt, on the other hand, is typically used for larger investments in your business, such as purchasing equipment or expanding your operations. For both types, it’s important to carefully consider the terms and interest rates, as this will impact your bottom line over time.

    It’s also worth considering other types of debt, such as lines of credit. These can be especially useful for businesses with fluctuating cash flow, as they allow you to borrow money when you need it and pay it back when your cash flow improves.

    Related: Self-Employed With No Employees? You Can Still Get a PPP Loan

    7. Ignoring your business’s seasonality

    Understanding your business’s seasonality is crucial to its success. It can help you predict cash flow, inventory needs, and staffing requirements throughout the year. It’s essential to recognize the trends in your business and be prepared for the fluctuations that come with it.

    When you start tracking the seasonality, you’ll learn how to predict cash flow better, be able to forecast inventory needs and plan staffing requirements based on seasonal fluctuations. It also helps avoid unexpected expenses and maintain profitability throughout the year.

    You possess the remarkable ability to shape your future, and by steering clear of these financial sins, you can set yourself up for extraordinary success in self-employment.

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    Shahar Plinner

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  • Don’t Pay Overages or Roaming With Help From This eSIM, Now $160 Off for a Lifetime | Entrepreneur

    Don’t Pay Overages or Roaming With Help From This eSIM, Now $160 Off for a Lifetime | Entrepreneur

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    In 2019, eMarketer estimated that Americans were spending two hours and 55 minutes on their phone daily. Fast forward to 2023, and we are willing to bet that number is not only higher, but for entrepreneurs may even be double.

    If you’re constantly working from your phone, you tend to blow through data quickly. And if you’re sick of paying overage charges or hefty monthly phone plans, Instabridge eSIM is ready to help you enjoy 2GB per month of fast, reliable internet for life. During the Memorial Day Sale, you can save even more than usual with this lifetime plan for just $139.97 — over half off the usual $300 price tag with no coupon code needed. But act fast, this deal is the best on the web and only lasts through May 31.

    With Instabridge eSIM, you can enjoy hassle-free connectivity while you’re on the go. You’ll receive 2GB a month for your device… forever! This deal is based in the U.S., but there are international options as well, so you can stay connected while you travel without pesky roaming charges.

    Curious how it works? It’s super easy to activate the data eSIM in your compatible device and then once you do, you can just sit back and enjoy seamless internet access in more than 190 countries. And if you ever need more data, you don’t have to spend more money. You can get bonus data packages just by watching some ads, helping you stay connected without shelling out the big bucks.

    Real-life users are loving the convenience of Instabridge eSIM. Joseph raved, “This is great as a backup if you run out of data. It was helpful when I needed to get a Lyft, but I used all my data for my standard cell plan.”

    Get a U.S. lifetime plan to Instabridge eSIM for the best price on the web — just $139.97 — during the Memorial Day Sale now through May 31. No coupon code is required.

    Prices subject to change.

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  • This Comprehensive IT Training Course Is Only $69 | Entrepreneur

    This Comprehensive IT Training Course Is Only $69 | Entrepreneur

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    Cybersecurity attacks are not limited to large corporations. According to recent data reported on StrongDM, as many as 45% of all cyber breaches impact businesses with fewer than 1,000 employers, and 61% of small businesses were the targets for these attacks in 2021.

    If you want to train a cybersecurity team in house, give them access to the Complete iCollege 2023 CompTIA Certification Course Super Bundle. This 13-course cybersecurity training course gives users lifetime access to 239 hours of expert instruction to prepare for CompTIA cybersecurity certification, and it only costs $69. That’s the best price online.

    Create an IT team for your business.

    If you want to avoid the cost of outsourcing your IT department, this certification preparation bundle may be a viable solution. This CompTIA prep bundle gives users access to 239 hours of expert instruction on a variety of essential security topics. That includes introductions to penetration testing, cloud computing, and there is even a course on Linux Operations and server management that may help you streamline your remote operations.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ebxge_ldzGM

    One verified buyer, Louis, writes, “CompTIA A+ core 1 and 2 are very instructive, and so I’m at Linux+ and love the presentation and the class notes in PDF format are just what I needed. Love this course.” All course materials are yours for life, and they could be invaluable study tools in anticipation of the difficult certification exams to follow.

    Once your team is trained, they may be equipped to anticipate cyber threats and help you streamline day-to-day tech operations. Having trained server technicians could be just as useful for maintaining productivity.

    Protect your business.

    You may not need to burn through your budget protecting yourself from a threat you could train your team to manage.

    Get the Complete iCollege 2023 CompTIA Certification Course Super Bundle on sale for $69 (reg. $195).

    Prices subject to change.

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  • Tom Hanks Says AI Can Keep Him in Movies Long After Death | Entrepreneur

    Tom Hanks Says AI Can Keep Him in Movies Long After Death | Entrepreneur

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    Even after death, we may not hear the last of Tom Hanks thanks to artificial intelligence.

    The actor believes it’s a “bona fide possibility” that the show will go on long after he’s deceased because AI will immortalize actors on screen through posthumous content.

    “Anybody can now recreate themselves at any age they are by way of AI or deep fake technology,” Hanks said during a May 12 appearance on “The Adam Buxton Podcast” while promoting his debut novel “The Making of Another Major Motion Picture Masterpiece.”

    “I could be hit by a bus tomorrow and that’s it, but my performances can go on and on and on,” he added.

    RELATED: Tom Hanks Surprises Antique Shops With Typewriters: ‘They’re Showing Up On Doorsteps Unannounced’

    Hanks said AI has gotten so sophisticated that, apart from disclaimers, it will get increasingly harder for people to differentiate between “life-like quality” and what’s AI, which presents “an artistic challenge, but also a legal one.”

    However, host Adam Buxton said he thinks the audience “would be able to tell” the difference between the actual actor and an AI-generated rendition of him on account of stylistic choices and human actions that make his performances unique but would get lost on the technology. And while Hanks agreed, he wondered if the audience would mind.

    “Without a doubt, people will be able to tell, but the question is, will they care?” he said. “There are some people that won’t care, that won’t make that delineation.”

    Hanks added that there are larger discussions taking place legally to protect the likeness of actors under intellectual property, but that an AI version of himself wouldn’t be too strenuous thanks to his work in animation.

    “The first time we did a movie that had a huge amount of our own data locked in a computer — literally what we looked like — was a movie called ‘The Polar Express,’” he said.

    When it was released in 2004, the animated movie was considered “technologically groundbreaking” for its use of motion capture technology to take his performance from a sound stage to a three-dimensional animation, according to CNN.

    “We saw this coming, we saw that there was going to be this ability in order to take zeros and ones inside a computer and turn it into a face and a character,” he continued. “Now, that has only grown a billionfold since then and we see it everywhere.”

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    Sam Silverman

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  • How Data-Driven Marketing Strategies Help You Achieve Growth | Entrepreneur

    How Data-Driven Marketing Strategies Help You Achieve Growth | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    In the midst of economic turmoil, CEOs and entrepreneurs are focusing on a bright future. Nearly 75% of leaders surveyed during a joint Hello Alice-Mastercard initiative said they planned to grow in 2023. This means business owners nationwide aren’t allowing the heat of inflation to squelch their optimism. However, they can only generate good results with equally good data-driven digital marketing strategies.

    Fortunately, this isn’t a revelation to most leaders. Everyone has heard about the importance of data. Yet, many companies spend less time mapping out a successful, data-backed, growth-centered plan than the average family does when preparing for a vacation. It’s just not enough to choose some data points to measure.

    To see growth — and scalability when your team is ready for it — your business needs to know where it wants to go. When you have a destination in mind, you can reverse-engineer your process to determine which data you need to make your growth dreams a reality. You’re bound to wander off course when you don’t have a destination set in stone. That’s costly but fortunately avoidable.

    To start, you need to do a deep dive to understand what “growth” looks like for your company. Instead of picking metrics based on what you think you should measure or setting up data reports, answer four questions. First, where do you want your business to go in the coming 12 months? Pinpoint specific goals. Second, do you have assets in place that are helping you reach those goals? These could be anything from audiences and offers to channels.

    With these questions answered, evaluate how your existing assets are working. In other words, where are the gaps? Be very honest with what you see, or else you won’t be able to respond to the last question: Is your current plan helping you reach those goals?

    Once you’ve taken this deep dive into your overall sales and marketing objectives and strategies, you can employ data-focused, successful digital marketing measures. Each of these measures will nudge you closer to the growth you want and protect you from preventable roadblocks.

    Related: 3 Steps to Assemble the Right Infrastructure Building Blocks to Successfully Scale Your Business

    1. Set up metrics that are personalized to your stated goals

    You’ll never be confident that you’re moving in the right direction unless you measure the right metrics. One of the biggest errors many leaders make is not testing their metrics or KPIs against their overall growth strategy objectives. Your metrics must have an impact and not just be chosen at random.

    A 2021 Adverity announcement indicated that around one-third of all CMOs don’t trust their marketing data. That is, they’re reluctant to believe the metrics their dashboards show. You can’t afford to be in this position because it hinders your ability to make informed decisions. This is why you need to be choosy and particular when it comes to metrics.

    Run each possible metric that you might measure through an assessment. How will you use the metric? Why will it show whether you’re on or off track? Are there other corresponding metrics that could shed light on the metric?

    Spending time on this kind of upfront evaluation will pay off later. Just be sure that you examine your metrics every few months. You may want to decrease or add data points as you move closer to your goals.

    2. Take a “big picture” approach to your data

    With your metrics in hand, you can start getting data insights. The insights may or may not be valuable, though. Plus, they might not say what you think they’re saying. Believe it or not, sometimes you have to interpret the numbers. This is where stepping back and being able to look at everything from a 35,000-foot view makes sense.

    Our company works with many leaders who, in their eagerness to examine the data, haven’t skimmed it beyond the surface. As a result, they’ve sometimes been surprised when they discover that their data is showing red flags — and that they’ve ignored those red flags.

    For instance, one of our clients was showing high-profit margins via the metrics and assumed the company was on a serious growth trajectory. Just in case, we poked around a few additional data points. What was really happening was that two or three of the client’s customers were very profitable, but about 10 other customers were dropping in profitability.

    The company realized that it had to get to the bottom of why such a high percentage of customers were unprofitable. If their leaders hadn’t been open to the big picture, they could have found themselves without the growth they sought.

    Related: How to Collect Digital Marketing Data in 5 Easy Steps

    3. Include catastrophe management in your data-driven digital marketing strategy

    Catastrophic things can happen to any company. Just ask the countless companies that reported a collective total of 1,802 data breaches or compromises in 2022 per Identity Theft Resource Center. Every time you add a new data entry or endpoint to your workflows, such as a cloud-based software tool, you’re opening the door to being hacked. Nevertheless, you shouldn’t allow fear to shut down your data-driven digital marketing campaigns. Instead, leverage the experience of vendors and partners who’ve seen it all and want to help you avoid being a worst-case scenario.

    You can use certain metrics to help you shed light on the unknown and be proactive. Being able to get real-time data on internal and external security protocols, subscription sign-ons and more can help you avoid heartache and headache. Remember, not all catastrophes come from nefarious places.

    Another client of ours said their product turnover was 90 days. They built a thriving, data-driven digital marketing strategy around that belief. Orders started coming in, and their metrics, including SEO-created online authority, looked amazing. All except one: fulfillment. They were wrong about the 90-day prediction and couldn’t fulfill orders. Their business tanked because they couldn’t support the growth they sought and we achieved.

    Essentially, your job is to unveil buried information so you can grow without faltering. Let others pay the “school of hard knocks” tuition. You have better places to spend your money, like consistently tweaking and honing your digital marketing plan throughout the year.

    Getting bigger and better requires that you identify your baseline objectives and then construct data-driven strategies around them. It’s the healthiest way to keep your business ticking and humming straight toward your goals.

    Related: A Practical Guide to Increasing Startup Success Through Data Analytics

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    Ross Denny

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