Inspire - Tips To Grow Your Business, Productivity & Relationships

There are many reasons you might try to impress someone with your positive qualities. Perhaps you want to convince a potential employer you have a good work ethic. Suppose you hope to rent an apartment and want your potential landlord to know you’re responsible. You could be applying to colleges and hope to impress the admissions board with your application.

When you’re preparing an application, you may be asked to include reference letters. Your recommendation letters can make the difference between a successful application and rejection. Let’s explore some characteristics of different types of reference letters, situations where they can be beneficial, and the type of information these letters should include.

What is a personal reference letter?

A personal reference letter is a letter that emphasizes positive characteristics about you. Typically, you provide a resume outlining your experience and a reference letter from your former employer or co-workers when you apply for a new job. Reference letters emphasize positive attributes intended to persuade employers that you’d make a good employee. For example, a former employer could emphasize you’re reliable because you were always punctual and never called in sick.

Your employer could also reference desirable attributes, such as a positive attitude and willingness to learn. Your employer might also reference your technical skills and any special training you have.

Colleagues may supply a letter outlining the personal attributes you displayed when they worked with you. They may emphasize your commitment to your clients and dependability. They may note any accomplishments you have, such as winning employee of the month.

What’s a character reference letter?

A character reference letter is a type of reference letter. You may use character reference letters in multiple situations. Maybe you’re applying for your first job and can’t supply a reference letter from a former employer or colleague. Instead, you could supply a character reference from someone reputable, such as a teacher, school principal, or family friend.

Character reference letters emphasize your positive characteristics. Perhaps your teacher has noted you’re always cheerful and willing to help other students. Long-time family friends may have noted other positive character traits, such as your dedication to learning and good communication skills. People who write character references focus on personal qualities that make you a desirable applicant.

Are there other situations where you may need reference letters?

Landlords enter a business relationship with their tenants. They must collect rent payments. Landlords may also deal with tenants when there are complaints, so landlords favor tenants who have positive personality traits. Tenants who respect others and comply with building rules are less likely to create conflict and cause problems for their neighbors or landlords, which is why you may need a referral letter when you apply to rent a property.

You may also need character reference letters and academic referrals when you apply to postsecondary institutions. Academic institutions use these letters to identify applicants who demonstrate essential values. Academic referral letters can establish essential details about the applicant, increasing their chances of being accepted to the school.

What other type of information should reference letters include?

The person writing a reference letter should identify you as the subject of the letter. They should also provide contact information so the person reviewing the letter can phone or email them to ask any follow-up questions. The letter writer should also provide specific information about how they know you and how long they’ve known you. A personal recommendation letter from someone that’s known you for a decade may carry more weight than a personal recommendation from someone who’s known you for a few months.

A personal reference letter is a powerful tool that can ensure your application is successful. A referral letter can impress a potential employer and help you get a job. Character references may also help you get accepted to a college or get approved to rent a house. You can use personal reference letters written by former employers, work colleagues, classmates, teachers, and others with relevant information about your positive characteristics.

Understanding the cost of managed IT services is crucial to get the best value for money. There are numerous benefits of MSPs for businesses of all sizes, making this a worthwhile investment for your company. Nevertheless, you need a rough estimate of the costs so you can compare providers and see who’s offering the best deal. 

Consequently, what goes into deciding the cost of managed IT services, and how are they usually charged?

MSPs Charge Per Person, Per Month

A lot of businesses don’t realize that MSPs charge on a user/person basis. Effectively, you are billed each month depending on how many people are using the technology in your business. 

Let’s say you have a small business where only five employees are accessing your network and all the technologies available. You will be charged per five people for managed IT services, getting your bill every month. 

The Average Cost Per Person

Bearing the above in mind, what is the average cost of managed IT services per person, per month? Well, it’s largely impossible to provide a totally accurate figure as many things impact the pricing. 

For starters, the extent of the service will play a considerable role. Some businesses only require partially managed IT services, while others will need full managed IT services. Naturally, the partial option will be cheaper as it means you’re only paying for specific services, while the fully managed approach gives you 24/7 support across the board. 

Already, it’s hard to figure an average cost when the services can be different. Furthermore, there are different types of MSPs on the market, with Mature MSPs being the pick of the bunch. These are the companies that have been in business for years and are solely dedicated to providing managed IT services. 

Alongside this, you also have the following:

• Trunk Slammers – usually very small organizations based in the cloud that give the illusion of a mature MSP but lack experience and manpower. 

• Value MSPs – still usually smaller than mature MSPs and typically offer a much more scaled-down service.

• Bolt-On MSPs – big companies that provide something else as the main service but have started adding managed IT services to increase revenue.

All of these different MSPs impact the average price as the smaller and less experienced organizations can offer lower rates. This means the average cost per person can be anywhere between $75 – $300. It also means that it’s hard to compare prices right away as most MSPs guard their pricing. 

Why do MSPs Guard Pricing?

Put simply, they know that the other types of MSPs can offer lower prices, and they also know that the average consumer won’t understand the difference between the level of service. 

Therefore, displaying their prices would make it hard to find clients as people would automatically go for the cheaper options. In reality, a smarter choice is to invest more in a mature MSP for a more experienced service provider with better services. 

How Should You Choose Your MSP?

The golden rule is to consult with MSPs and submit quote requests if they are guarding their prices. This gives you a clear estimate of how much you’ll be charged, making it far easier to compare rates. Also, take into account the company’s experience to be sure you’re getting the best MSP for your business. 

In conclusion, the cost of managed IT services can vary based on numerous factors but is usually given per person, per month. Ideally, you should opt for mature MSPs to get the best services, requesting quotes to compare prices and find the best value for money. 

Most people don’t realize it, but their cabinets can get stained just like anything else. So it’s essential to know how to get stains off of your cabinets and keep them looking new.

Investigate The Stain

The first step is to investigate what kind of stain you have on your cabinets: food, oil, or marker. 

Food Stains:

Food stains should come up relatively easily with cleaning products from the store. 

Oil Stains:

Oil stains might take a bit more elbow grease, depending on how long they’ve been there. 

Marker Stains:

Finally, marker stains are going to be one of the hardest things that you might have to deal with–they’re challenging because while some cleaners will remove marker itself, other types can seep deep into the cabinet and never be entirely removed until you strip the old finish off.

Clear Your Cabinets First

Regardless of what type of stain you’re trying to deal with, clearing out your cabinets is the first step. Once they’ve been thoroughly cleaned, you’ll want to use a cleaner designed for removing stains from cabinets or apply some elbow grease directly with lemon juice or vinegar if it’s not too difficult. 

Possible Home Remedies

Baking Soda & Water Paste: 

Mix baking soda and water, then apply to the stained area. Allow to dry overnight; if there is any remaining stain after the paste has dried, buff off with a clean cloth or sponge.

Dish Soap & Water: 

Apply dish soap directly to the stains using a damp sponge or cloth. Rinse well. Repeat if necessary. Be cautious not to get the soap on any surrounding areas as it may discolor the paint.

Vinegar & Baking Soda Paste: 

Mix equal parts vinegar and baking soda, then apply to the stained area using a damp cloth or sponge. Allow the mixture to sit for five minutes before rinsing off with warm water.

Toothpaste: 

Apply toothpaste to the stain, gently rub it in, then wipe clean with a damp rag. This method is best used on wooden cabinets.

Lemon Juice: 

For wooden cabinets, wipe down the stained area with lemon juice and allow it to sit for five minutes. Then, wipe again with a damp rag. Be mindful when attempting this method, as it may cause surrounding areas to discolor.

If these techniques don’t work, there are commercial cleaners available at most hardware stores.

Future Prevention

You can also take future steps to keep your cabinets clean over time so that they won’t get stained as easily in the future. 

Cleaning them regularly, using coasters underneath anything that might be prone to staining (like hot coffee cups), and always wiping up spills immediately will help to cut down on future staining. 

When you do get a stain on your cabinets, you’ll be able to clean it up quickly and easily without too much problem.

Know When It Is Time To Get an Expert:

While most stains can be removed with some good old-fashioned cleaning and elbow grease, there may come a time when the finish has already been ruined by something like a marker or rusting metal. In these cases, you might need to strip down the cabinet itself before re-finishing them. 

Stripping cabinets requires professional help if done correctly because of hazards involved with chemicals containing hazardous materials–in other words, the fumes are dangerous! 

Even if stripping is necessary for removing stained finishes, it should always be done by a professional who knows what they are doing.

The CMMC is one of the latest cybersecurity compliance frameworks introduced by the government. It was implemented by the Department of Defense (DoD) as a means of regulating and assessing current and potential contractors. The fundamental aim is that contracts are only awarded to contractors that pass the audit and prove that they comply with the cybersecurity regulations outlined by the department.

The purpose of the entire CMMC rollout is to tighten security measures and prevent future cybersecurity attacks from compromising DoD information.

It goes without saying that the CMMC framework is not the first cybersecurity standard of its kind. HIPAA is one of the most well-known security standards used in a specific industry—healthcare—and many of its regulations also deal with digitally protecting information. So how do these two standards compare? Let’s take a look at CMMC by comparing it to HIPAA.

What is HIPAA?

HIPAA is the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, and it is a federal regulation that covers all security requirements pertaining to protected health information. 

Primarily, HIPAA outlines various controls and compliance frameworks that relate to how people must protect the availability, integrity, and confidentiality of data (both paper and digital). It is relevant for healthcare companies, insurers, and any third-party suppliers working within the medical field.

How is CMMC similar to HIPAA?

The two frameworks are similar in how they force contractors within the supply chain to safeguard information. While HIPAA applies to healthcare organizations, it’s also required for relevant insurance companies, accounting firms, and other businesses that may have access to or handle private health information due to working with a healthcare company. CMMC is required for contractors working with the Department of Defense, but it’s also required for their supply chain.

With the CMMC, it’s all about protected controlled unclassified information, while HIPAA focuses on the aforementioned protected health information. 

Both frameworks have systems in place that contractors need to adhere to continue working within the industry. Furthermore, both the CMMC and HIPAA are supported by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), with CMMC related directly to NIST 800-171.

Finally, for business owners in either of these fields, if you’re not intimately familiar with the requirements of these security standards, you’ll likely need to work with security professionals who can help you ensure you’re fully compliant.

How is CMMC different from HIPAA?

Now, while the two share similarities, there are some striking differences. First, CMMC is far more laser-focused on cybersecurity than HIPAA. HIPAA deals with how healthcare professionals manage patient information, including in writing and discussions, while CMMC is set up to solely protect digital assets. It’s also much more detailed and requires DoD contractors to undergo rigorous assessments and reporting to become fully compliant.

To summarize, CMMC and HIPAA do share a few similarities. Mainly, they both provide security frameworks with the key purpose of protecting valuable and private data. The differences are that the protected data isn’t the same. The overall purpose of both frameworks is similar, but the way they’re implemented is different.

Just twenty years ago, the idea of large-scale remote working would have seemed silly. Almost like a sci-fi version of the distant future of work. Now, it’s become common practice for many companies. This is true from the smallest firms to multinational conglomerates. 

With every change, however, new problems arise. The solutions to some of these are already here, in the form of software like Benefits Administration Software and many others. They can all help streamline the management of remote work. There are some solutions that are a bit less widely known, though. 

Remote Management Solutions

Keeping your team productive and focused on the task can be difficult even when you’re in the same building. So, it can be an added hassle when they may not even be in the same country. 

Fortunately, there are ways to deal with this. There’s been a boom in software solutions around this area. There are options out there that could be completely perfect for your problem. Others might cover at least some of the difficulty, depending on the industry. 

Using an overlapping patchwork of software solutions may not seem to be the ideal answer. Remember that it’s likely very temporary, though. This is a new area for most folks, so the ideas are only now beginning to bear fruit. 

Collaboration Over Distances 

We evolved to cope with a world that was immediately audible and visible to us. This includes all the ways in which we learned to collaborate. One person could point at something, and another would respond to the gesture. 

It’s unsurprising, then, that there are some teething problems with the sudden flurry of jobs that require remote collaboration. It requires a new approach from management to enable folks to adjust to the change. 

It is quite an industry-specific concern, but the element that’s basic to all industries is communication. Installing a means of communication that suits your purposes is key. There are many options, from simple messaging platforms to more advanced video monitoring systems. 

Keeping Track

Keeping track of your team is a big one. In the face-to-face world, there are multiple strands of work-related information that you’re constantly monitoring. It can be true without us even being conscious of it. 

With a remote team, this becomes more obvious. You can’t lean back in your chair to see if folks are working, and you can’t walk through the office to see what’s being done. The way around this is to shift to a results model, moving away from start and finish times.

The options here are already plentiful, and there are doubtless others coming down the pipeline right now. It may be that no single existing system will cover all your monitoring needs. In this case, some combination of software options may work really well for now. 

Productivity Concerns

Overall productivity is what work is all about, in the end. In the spatial workplace, there were ways to govern this fact, but these are obsolete in the remote workplace. The way to stay on top of your productivity is to reassess these modes of management. 

Many companies have begun to focus on parceling productivity into a more unitary form. Instead of monitoring how busy people are, you measure only the number of units within a certain duration of time. 

Moving away from a more set and rigid process will allow you to reassess the way you’ve been doing things. You can integrate your systems from the ground up in a totally fresh way. It could mean the start of great things to come. 

Time Zones

There are benefits and drawbacks to having staff across many time zones. The obvious trick is to drag from the drawbacks column to the benefits end. If you install a staggered process, for example, you can turn a clunky problem into a fluid solution. 

If you have a production process you can stagger your process in such a way that it flows. Let the first stage of production is completed in one part of the world where the sun is setting. Then, it can be transferred to the next stage as the sun rises there. 

This way, you visualize your process not simply in departmental terms, but globally instead. In your mind’s eye, you can see the final product being assembled over the entire surface of the earth. Production from one streamlined moment to the next. 

Conclusion

New problems require novel solutions, and this has been true forever. What at first blush may seem problematic can be a major strength if you’re clever about it. With a little creative thinking, you can make your weaknesses into your sharpest tools. 

A big part of this is down to perspective. Reframing a situation and casting it in a new light can allow you to find innovative means to overcome even serious issues. It’s always a good idea to attempt simpler fixes first because simple can often mean elegant too.