Is Your Data Worth Stealing?
Espionage, government computer hackings, lost laptops, email scams – these are just a few examples of potential security breaches that could affect the livelihood of your business.
This week, the Greater Miami Chamber’s Technology Committee hosted a discussion focused on the implications that a data security breach could easily have on you and your business.
Don’t think your business has anything worth stealing? Think again.
- Do you process credit card transactions?
- Do you manage patient medical records?
- Do you own intellectual property?
- Do you file your employees’ social security numbers?
If so, your data is worth stealing.
It may sound cliché, but you are as secure as your weakest link. And take heed, your weakest link will be exploited. There is nothing like ensuring you are 100% secure, and not having an IT security assessment performed or having the right technology in place is like driving a car without breakes. Sooner or later, it’s likely that you’re going to crash. So why take the risk?
In today’s technologically advanced environment, the risks to your clients, your reputation, and your wallet increase every day. I urge you to get educated and informed. The best thing you can do is find out where your business and data are most vulnerable. Then, take the necessary steps to ensure you’re protected.
Jorge Rey, Greater Miami Chamber Technology Committee Task Force Co-Chair
Director of Information Security
Kaufman, Rossin & Co.
Jorge Rey can be reached at jrey@kaufmanrossin.com
Understanding Health Care Reform for Small Businesses
What does the Affordable Care Act mean for small businesses and how it will affect them?
Last week, the Chamber hosted an informational session to help Florida small business owners and self-employed entrepreneurs understand this new healthcare law. Among several items, attendees learned that small business owners can get a tax credit to cover up to 35 percent of their health insurance costs.
In case you missed it, event panelists also outlined the provisions of the Federal healthcare reform legislation that passed in 2010 and will roll out over the next several years:
- Jeff Ritter from Barry University provided a year-by-year timeline of the Act and advised businesses to work closely with HR and benefits experts and other advisors. He suggested that businesses should consider elements of the Act in their strategic planning and involve employees in the process.
- Jessica Stone of Small Business Majority, a Washington-based organization, covered the impact of healthcare costs on Florida businesses and outlined the State Healthcare Exchanges, which are planned to start in 2014.
- Cherene Deems of the IRS discussed the nuts and bolts of the tax credit and detailed the qualifications, such as numbers of employees and average salaries. Businesses with 25 or fewer employees with an average wage of less than $50,000 would qualify.
- Althea Harris of the Small Business Administration outlined the resources available through her agency to help small businesses determine whether they qualify for the tax credit and the best options for their employees.
- Laura Goodhue of Florida Chain wrapped up the presentations with information of how the insurance exchanges would work in Florida as well as other features of the Act.
Presentation materials may be found online at the Chamber’s Healthcare Committee webpage under “Information You Can Use.”
Christopher Dudley, Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce Healthcare Committee Chair
Principal
Advancement Associates
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NOTE: Stay tuned for the Healthcare Committee’s next event, “Staying out of Trouble: Compliance Strategies for Healthcare Providers,” on Thursday, December 8. Click here for details.
Power of Chamber Connections
Networking is powerful for connecting with others. It enables you to get results you never could have gotten on your own. We discover that what I have works better because I joined forces with you.
Isabelle Pike and I connected through the Greater Miami Chamber. She’s with South Florida Urban Ministries (SFLUM) and she joined the Nonprofit Business Committee a year ago, which I chair. She seemed like a great addition to the Committee and soon announced her organization’s upcoming drive to feed six thousand families on Thanksgiving Day.
“Six thousand families?” I thought. “They should be a good source for finding the most needy of families.” You see my family runs a small foundation that provides help to families in need during the holidays. We formed it in honor of our grandparents, who were extremely generous with the poor. We want to pass along their legacy of giving to our children.
When I asked Isabelle for help, her team snapped into action. They introduced us to several families and enrolled us in a program they run that matches the gifts we made to their families dollar for dollar. They quickly connected us with families in need and doubled our giving power.
Through the Chamber of all places, I connected with a faith-based organization with a passion for helping families become financially self-sustaining. We had a match.
I’m now a strong SFLUM supporter and new board member committed to using my connections and resources, many made possible to me by the Chamber, to further this fabulous cause.
Jorge Lázaro Díaz, Greater Miami Chamber Nonprofit Committee Chair
Director of Operations, Advanced Data Solutions
Terremark Worldwide, Inc.
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NOTE: The Chamber’s Nonprofit Committee is hosting a networking event tomorrow evening, Wednesday, November 16 to help nonprofits connect with individuals and for profits in order to work better for our community. If it worked for me, it can work for you, too.
