November is the time of year when I travel down to Florida for a large annual IT conference. Not only is it nice to work in an area that’s 10 to 20 degrees warmer, it’s also a great time to meet and reconnect with my peers in the IT industry.

Especially as a small business owner, finding a way to keep your finger on the pulse of your industry is vital to staying current with the marketplace. I have been fortunate to form working relationships with some dynamic IT professionals throughout the country, and learn from their experiences – bad and good!

In addition to networking with a couple thousand of my peers at this conference, we’re also provided with training by some of the top leaders in the industry. The most difficult part is deciding which sessions to attend when so many of the topics interest me and would be beneficial for our business.

Whether it’s attending a conference, enrolling in a course at your community college, or just joining a LinkedIn group, I encourage you to stay in touch with your industry. It will help you grow your business and provide a higher level of service to your customers.

Thanks for your business and make it a great day!

Warm Regards,

The crisp weather of autumn brings colorful leaves falling from the trees – The leaves of change. It’s amazing to me how just a few short months ago, these same trees were lush and green… And I enjoyed seeing them too.

My mind started to wander as I watched the leaves fall, and I began to see the parallels between the leaves and business. Big corporations are very different from the small- and medium-sized businesses of many of our customers, but there’s no denying they have their similarities and are definitely intertwined. When you speak to many people, it’s very common to find they’ve held positions in both types of businesses.

It’s about enjoying the differences, appreciating the value of each, and growing from our experience in both areas. I appreciate the beauty of the full green trees, but also enjoy the colorful splendor as the leaves begin to fall. Each stage is unique and valuable in its own way. Both are a part of the life cycle of nature, the same way our society operates with small and large businesses, needing both to maintain the balance.

Thanks for your business and make it a great day!

Warm Regards,

After December’s newsletter went out, many of our readers expressed interest with positive feedback related to the “Keeping Workplaces and Workstations Clean” article. You guys are interested and want to know more!

Many of you have seen me pull out the wire ties and go to town on tidying up the wires that keep your computers and network running. I am big on organization of network equipment because it helps to keep your workplace organized and clean. It also helps with reliability and troubleshooting. If you don’t have to battle a big mess of wires, you are more likely to clean the area on a regular basis and there is a less likely chance for a wire to accidently fall out and cause a problem that could have been avoided.

We were excited to hear your feedback and are happy to know this newsletter is helpful for you and your business. Please keep the suggestions coming and always feel free to let us know what you think.

Thanks for your business and make it a great day!
Warm Regards,

Happy New Year! I hope everyone enjoyed their time with loved ones and all (or most) of your holiday wishes were granted. I’m happy to tell you that my holiday season was definitely one to remember and will be celebrated for years to come: Not only did I work up the nerve to ask my lovely lady for her hand in marriage – She said YES!!!

Needless to say, this past holiday was particularly exciting for me. I have to admit it‘s comforting to get back into a regular schedule again and hit the ground running this month. I am grateful for the extra time with loved ones each year, however I look forward to the energy that comes with the beginning of a new year. I find it helps give me the momentum to complete current opportunities and reach for new ones.

As the year unfolds, I hope you find the renewed energy to make that push to take yourself and your business to that next level – you can do it and if there is anything we can do to help you get there, please let us know.

Thanks for your business and make it a great day!

Warm Regards,

We are happy to announce our one and only Pete has tied the knot! (See happy photo below) As I listened to the happy couple say their vows, committing to support each other, it reminded me to think of all of the people that support all of us throughout our lives.

Perhaps you are fortunate to have a loving family… A wife or husband, kids, parents, and siblings. These are the people that have stood by you through thick and thin, supporting all of your successful endeavors and maybe even a couple of failures.

This is also a great time of year to remember the other individuals who offer their support in a more subtle way… The co-worker that always listens when you rave about your grandkids, the administrative assistant that ensures you never miss a meeting, or the employee that always shows up on time every Monday morning with a smile!

The group of people WE want to thank is YOU – our customer. You have helped shape and grow our business into a place we enjoy working in every day and we truly appreciate your support.

Happy Holidays to you and your families and make it a great day!

Warm Regards,

For those of you who work in an office, you probably spend more waking hours with your coworkers, than you do with your families at home. One of the best things you can do for yourself is to find things in common with the people you work with and make your time together more enjoyable.

At ETB, we’ve discovered all of us enjoy great food… Cooking and eating it! We typically take a couple of hours each month to step back, relax, and make a great meal at the office. We pick a theme, everyone brings in a favorite dish, and we have a cookout for lunch. You would be surprised at what a common bond and a grill can do for team building. Bon appétit!

We thank you for your business and support. Make it a great day!

Warm Regards,