Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger Brittany Kirk, Client Manager at Gibson. We hope you enjoy Brittany’s wisdom and perspective!

Expectations are all around us. They live in our offices, homes, churches, and even within our very selves. They can push us along the path by helping us to achieve our goals, provide a sense of accountability, and keep us moving. But what happens when other people’s expectations of us don’t match our goals, dreams, or values? What happens when we let other’s expectations dictate our choices?

Unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), or drones, can be useful and powerful tools for organizations. But this futuristic technology does come with its risks—crashes, injuries, and potentially liability for invasion of privacy. So before you use a drone, consider the risks involved and how to manage them.

Your risk management strategy should include safe operating procedures and adherence to local, state, and federal regulations. In particular, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) released new UAS regulations. So when you’re ready to take flight, make sure you’re following these rules!

Disasters can happen to any business at any time. From severe weather and catastrophic events to power outages, gas leaks, and data breaches - disasters are diverse. Is your business prepared to respond?

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger, Erin Cressy, President & CEO of Cressy Consulting. We hope you enjoy Erin’s wisdom and perspective.

I had to laugh, and breathe a sigh of relief, as I heard these words come out of the mouth of my 7 year old son, Jackson.

Honestly, I was surprised to hear the kid actually had some limits - until he uttered those words I doubted such boundaries existed for Jackson.

Your wedding, or that of your child, is a special day. And it is the result of months of preparation – dress, venue, flowers, cake, and so much more.

That preparation also brings significant costs. The average couple spends $31,213 for their wedding, according to experts at The Knot.

Though we don’t like to think about anything going wrong at a wedding, issues can arise. What happens if the limo driver fails to appear and you have to rebook with another company at exorbitant rates? What if the bridal salon loses or damages the dress? Or what if your reception hall declares bankruptcy a few weeks before the big day?

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger Tara Lunardi, Lt Col, USAF. We hope you enjoy Tara’s wisdom and perspective.

There I was…deploying to Iraq to lead a joint service team of counterintelligence operators, tactical security members, analysts, and linguists. When my boots left the puddle jumper and hit the dirt runway I was greeted by my team…all guys. For the 12 Army infantry soldiers on my team, I was the first female with whom they’d ever served, let alone followed in combat.

Ransomware is on the rise. And it is serious threat to businesses. Has your organization taken action to prevent ransomware from attacking?

Ransomware is a type of malware that infects a computer and blocks access to the files until a ransom is paid. It may even threaten permanent destruction of the information unless you pay.

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger Scott Franko, President of Franko Design Concepts and Consulting. We hope you enjoy Scott’s wisdom and perspective.

I once called for an unscheduled staff meeting, with all hands on deck, to deal with an issue that was becoming rampant and out of control. The fault of course wasn't mine, but the blame was. My leaders were allowing the messy way we were serving customers, and those managers were my responsibility. I needed to call a timeout and bring the entire team together in order to see the problems and address them. It would be time for teaching the managers as well.

When you think of disaster recovery and business continuity planning, do you think about the size of your business and whether or not it’s worth the time to create a comprehensive plan? Let’s answer this question with a question from none other than the great Yoda: “Judge me by my size do you?” If you recall the impetus to this question, Luke Skywalker had just failed at raising his X-Wing from the Dagobah Swamp because it was too big, or so he thought.

Students and teachers spend most of their school day in classrooms. And thanks to hardworking and creative teachers, these rooms are transformed into welcoming educational environments. They can bring life to an otherwise bland space with decorations and inspire students with innovative lesson plans.