The Missouri Small Business Development Center (SBDC) hosted at Missouri Southern State University (MSSU) will be holding several trainings throughout this month. Sign up for one today!
Starting a Small Business: The First Steps
Tuesday, August 16, 2022 | 10:30 am to 11:45 am CDT | Free event
In this workshop, participants will learn about discovering their target markets and gaining a better appreciation of why businesses need to understand their customers. Participants will also learn about registering their business with the federal, state, and local agencies. They will also learn the basics of understanding cash flow projections and various funding alternatives as well as their importance.
To learn more about this free, virtual webinar, click here.
Wellness for Business Part Three: Growing Your Employee Wellness Program
Tuesday, August 23, 2022 | 7:00 am to 10:00 am CDT | Costs covered by Freeman Health System
During this session, participants will hear from Lori Scott Dreiling, Pittsburg State University HR Director and forming HR Director for Modine Manufacturing Company, who received the Missouri Worksite Wellness Gold Award in 2019. Lori will discuss her experience with worksite wellness and then join a panel of local businesses that have implemented wellness programs.
The Wellness Panel includes:
- Lori Scott Dreiling, Pittsburg State University’s HR Director and former HR Director for Modine Manufacturing. They received a Missouri Worksite Wellness Gold Award in 2019.
- Suzan Morang, City of Joplin Health Department’s Community Health Planner/Educator. They received a Missouri Worksite Wellness Silver Award in 2021.
- Chelsey Davenport, Neosho School District’s Wellness Liaison. They received a Missouri Worksite Wellness Platinum Award in 2021.
- Jacob Fauvergue, Arvest VP Commercial Banker
- Michael Sanders, Freeman Health System’s Controller and Healthy Joplin representative.
The panel will be begin at 8:00 am at the Freeman Health System Business Center Conference Room. Virtual attendance is available via Zoom. Attendance fees are covered by Freeman Health System.
Learn more and register to attend in person here.
Keep Your Business Safe from Cybersecurity Threats
The current Russian invasion of Ukraine has caused anxiety, financial impacts, and political actions around the globe. Loss of life and property have been confined to Ukraine so far, but the impacts are being felt around the world economically and logistically in companies large and small.
In addition to the economic impact in the U.S., there is a high level of concern regarding cyberattacks. State-sponsored attacks on Ukraine are being used to disrupt everything from utilities to banking and communications. The tools being used to cause these disruptions are not always under the full control of the attacker. Many of the threats being released on Ukraine are capable of making their way around the world via the internet. It is also a distinct possibility that the U.S. and its allies could see an increase in targeted cyberattacks should Russia decide to retaliate against those countries imposing sanctions.
The cybersecurity community is taking this threat seriously and we would ask the small business community to do the same. There is a real possibility that any small business could become the victim of a cyberattack either directly or indirectly. To minimize the risk, small business owners should, at minimum, do the following:
- Be more diligent about checking for unusual activity or performance issues on your devices and networks. This should include website traffic monitoring.
- Make a plan to incorporate regular backups if you have not done so already.
- Test a recent backup to make sure it works.
- Check anti-virus and all software, including website plugins, for needed updates and patches.
- Incorporate a firewall or security monitoring software in your website and online store.
- Use a password manager with complex passphrases (16+ with random numbers, letters, and symbols)
- Use multifactor authentication.
- Turn on or incorporate virtual private networks (VPN) when online.
- Familiarize yourself with your website/online store providers’ data breach policy to full understand who is responsible for reporting any breaches that may incur as well as who is liable in the event your site becomes infected.
While it cannot be guaranteed that you will not be impacted by a cyberattack, you can dramatically reduce your chances of becoming a victim and substantially increase the speed of your recovery by following the above steps.
Should you need more details or resources to assist with preparations, please contact your local SBDC offices and learn more about America’s SBDC cybersecurity resources here.
Looking for something different?
Webinars are being offered by all Missouri SBDC centers located across the state. Check out our events page to find more training that fits your business needs.
Visit the Missouri SBDC website, sbdc.missouri.edu, for more about their centers and training offerings.
Summer Hours
The Missouri SBDC at MSSU is currently observing summer hours. Office hours will be Monday through Thursday from 7:00 am to 5:00 pm. The office will be closed on Fridays.
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