Brian Gagnon

#Tech evangelist, Advisor | Investor #startup junkie. #entrepreneur Driver of all things fast. Founder | Co-host @datamyths | Tweets are mine

[Brian Gagnon @BriVirtual]

On the work life balance side of the puzzle, at the beginning of the year I decided to make one of my biggest investments in a long time. Nope it wasn’t some AI powered, blockchained, totally zero party, world saving startup from Sand Hill Road or coming…https://t.co/AN7q4BQOTi

[Brian Gagnon @BriVirtual]

Simple management hack:

Try to give 3 pieces of "positive" feedback for every one of "negative" feedback.

Nobody wants to feel like they are failing...

And everyone wants to hear about the good stuff they are doing.

By showing our people that we se…https://t.co/6zgDX4pV0I

[Brian Gagnon @BriVirtual]

"Use your fear, it can take you to the place where you store your courage."

These are the words of Amelia Earhart, who was the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic...

So often, we view fear as a bad thing. It's uncomfortable, and we want to remo…https://t.co/MbbG4xzMPo

[Brian Gagnon @BriVirtual]

Someone is always watching.

Whether it's a junior teammate...

Your spouse...

Your kids...

Your customer(s)...

Your board...

Integrity is worth it's weight in gold many times over.

It always has been, and it always will be.

[Brian Gagnon @BriVirtual]

Eventually, the good guys (and girls) win.

Don't get distracted by those who are operating without integrity, who seem to be getting ahead...

It's only a matter of time.

[Brian Gagnon @BriVirtual]

Give grace.

Nobody is perfect 100% of the time.

While, of course, consistent low performance must be addressed…

Many leaders fail to realize that unmerited grace after a mistake can spark unbelievable levels of effort and loyalty.

[Brian Gagnon @BriVirtual]

When our people see us saying one thing and doing another...

99% of the time, they will follow our actions.

As leaders, we've got to walk the talk.

There is no other way to make the talk stick.

[Brian Gagnon @BriVirtual]

IT Basics for Business: How Resilient is Your Business? https://t.co/H7NpRrFpyJ via @YouTube #it #tech #dr

[Brian Gagnon @BriVirtual]

When a prospective tech vendor shows you a TCO/ROI document...

And it projects $396,784 of business value, simply by implementing their technology...

Challenge these projections.

How did they arrive at these numbers?

What other customers have seen t…https://t.co/dYPnvDNYT5

[Brian Gagnon @BriVirtual]

Many small businesses believe themselves to be "off the radar" of hackers, due to their size.

This is actually not the case.

While some uber-focused hacks are reserved for the giants...

Many hacks leverage automation, and therefore, don't discriminat…https://t.co/mGel6bnvdd

[Brian Gagnon @BriVirtual]

@CelebrityCruise got a lil webpage issue guys. :). But please call me to action! #oopsies

[Brian Gagnon @BriVirtual]

The right path is often the hardest one...

But, this doesn't make it less right.

[Brian Gagnon @BriVirtual]

"Talent" is a misunderstood word.

9 times out of 10...it simply means: "spent a lot of time doing something."

Nobody is great at anything the first time they do it.

Believing this often leads to giving up, or never trying at all.

[Brian Gagnon @BriVirtual]

Second chances are great...

Except when it comes to honesty from a vendor.

Whether it's covering up a mistake, gouging you on a part price, sharing your confidential information with a competitor...

Follow your gut. But don't be afraid to cut ties ove…https://t.co/2hNqSUPKee

[Brian Gagnon @BriVirtual]

We are growing fast and looking to grow our team with great technical members ready and willing to expand their skills. Are you that person or do you know someone that is amazing and ready to grow with us? Message me for a quick conversation to learn mo…https://t.co/bKGBE1aImZ

[Brian Gagnon @BriVirtual]

If it feels wrong...it almost always is.

As leaders, gut feel is rarely off.

[Brian Gagnon @BriVirtual]

The best security investment, by far, is training your people on the "human error points" in your business.

Accoding to an IBM study, roughly 90% (!!) of hacks are made possibe by human error.

[Brian Gagnon @BriVirtual]

Very few people who stick at something for 20+ years don't end up being successful at it.

Patience matters.

[Brian Gagnon @BriVirtual]

It's tempting to "wait" to spend on cybersecurity until you've personally experienced the pain of ransomware, and it's consequences.

As someone who lives and breathes small business IT, my advice is "don't."

Far too many leaders are completely underes…https://t.co/h9kitaoJWY

[Brian Gagnon @BriVirtual]

Risk management is an underrated business skill.

The best sign someone has it?

They aren't surprised by unfortunate (often "sudden") circumstances.

It's very interesting in this choppy climate to see how many executives and teams are getting caught…https://t.co/kf8lUYKHvj