This week I focused on Notion and completing the available courses, ranging from Beginner to Advanced. Next week, I’ll be tackling the Administration course, which will allow me to confidently initialize, customize, and fully support Notion for business use cases. I truly believe this is an amazing tool for teams of any size — I’ve personally found it incredibly valuable, even for my very small team.

Notion enables you to create a centralized hub for your entire business. You can set up dedicated sections for independent teams, keeping documentation, workflows, and resources organized in one place. With plenty of automation options, managing company operations becomes much easier.

For example, your company’s main page could highlight key goals and link to HR resources containing policies for sick leave and holidays. Your project management team could have a workspace for tracking ongoing projects through databases, while your accounting team connects to those same databases to manage cash flow and invoices. Each team can work independently while sharing key information where it matters most.

This setup is ideal for larger businesses with multiple teams, but there’s still huge potential for smaller operations. You can design custom forms, templates, and workflows to maintain consistency and structure. These can be used for onboarding new staff or clients, and even for creating public-facing pages — such as changelogs, project updates, or help centers.

Another powerful feature is building a ticket management system, giving team leads instant visibility into workloads and potential blockers. Notion’s built-in AI integrations are also impressive — detailed, context-aware agents that can search across your documents (including meeting minutes) and assist with day-to-day admin tasks. The new Meetings feature, which records and transcribes sessions, looks particularly promising, though I haven’t tested it yet.

I think Notion is an incredible tool for new and growing businesses alike. It provides a unified, structured document repository with templated resources that simplify operations and boost productivity. By replacing multiple scattered tools, it helps ensure information isn’t lost and automations drive efficiency.

I’m genuinely excited to start offering my services to help businesses transition to — or begin using — Notion as a productivity powerhouse. With the right setup, it can truly unlock innovation and help teams operate above their competitors.

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I jumped back into Figma after a long break, and wow—it’s changed a lot. So many new features and options. I started creating a brochure/pamphlet to use when I begin approaching businesses and networking in person. I’m also planning to learn how to make my own QR codes to make sharing my site and contact info quick and easy.

I’m still working through Notion Academy, completing more courses, and hoping to finish one or two by the end of the week. I’ve been pleasantly surprised by how good the courses are—they’ve really helped me stay motivated and on task.

My biggest challenge lately has been figuring out where to start with networking and growth. I’ve been researching communities like Fresh Networking and was recently recommended BNI. This week, I’m planning to explore these options further and hopefully book an event to meet other small business owners and like-minded people.

On another note, Microsoft has offered refunds for Copilot 365, which was more or less pushed on users last year. I think this is a big win for individuals and businesses that felt forced into early AI adoption. It’s great to see strong consumer protection in Australia taking action against these kinds of practices.

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Exploring Tools to Improve Business Automation and IT Support

This week I’ve been focused on discovering better ways to automate and streamline business processes.

I’ve spent time learning Notion and completing their official online training. The platform offers a lot of potential — from automating business workflows to acting as a central knowledge hub. With more experience, I aim to start offering Notion Admin support to help clients organize and connect their systems more effectively.

I also trialed Atera’s cloud software this month. Its client management and ticketing tools are impressive and simple to use, but integration with Microsoft Intune and 365 still seems limited compared to alternatives like Syncro.

On the development side, I explored Google AppSheet to create quick prototypes, including a warranty tracking app and a fuel/service monitoring tool. It’s fast to build with, though you run into some design limits as the apps grow.

I briefly reviewed Make, Zapier, and Microsoft Power Apps. While Power Apps offers strong integration potential, its interface feels harder to use effectively.

Finally, based on feedback, I’m exploring a new service offering — an onboarding and cybersecurity package for small to medium businesses. The goal is to simplify IT setup and help clients stay secure without adding extra complexity.

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What’s Driving the Shift
Many small businesses lack the budget or bandwidth to maintain a full in-house IT team. By partnering with an MSP, a business accesses expert IT services—including 24/7 monitoring, cloud management, cybersecurity, and help-desk support—without hiring full-time staff.
Fixed-fee models also replace unpredictable costs tied to hardware failures or staffing issues.
The escalating threat environment further motivates outsourcing: small firms often struggle to implement strong cybersecurity internally.

Key Benefits for Small Businesses

• Cost Predictability & Efficiency: MSPs let businesses move from capital expenditure (buying hardware, hiring staff) to an operational expenditure model.
• Access to Expertise & Technology: Small firms gain access to specialists in cybersecurity, cloud and network management.
• Improved Security & Compliance: MSPs deliver multi-layered protection, proactive monitoring, backups and disaster recovery.
• Scalability & Flexibility: As business needs change, services can scale up or down without large infrastructure investments.
• Reduced Downtime, Greater Productivity: Proactive monitoring and rapid response reduce disruptions and free business staff to focus on core tasks.

What To Consider When Choosing an MSP
Small businesses should evaluate:

• Whether the MSP understands their business size, sector and budget constraints.
• The clarity of service-level agreements (SLAs) and how monitoring/response are defined.
• The MSP’s capability in cybersecurity and compliance relevant to their region or industry.
• Flexibility in services (can they scale or adjust as the business grows).
• Local support / presence vs purely remote; communication responsiveness matters.

Conclusion
For small businesses today the IT landscape is complex, fast-moving and risky. By partnering with an MSP, they can offload much of the technical burden, gain advanced capabilities and focus on their core operations. The decision isn’t simply “should we outsource IT?” but rather “how do we make IT a strategic enabler rather than a cost burden?”

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Utilizing Data Analytics in Managed Services

Data analytics is becoming increasingly important for Managed Service Providers (MSPs) to make informed decisions and improve service delivery. This post discusses how MSPs can harness data analytics to enhance their operations and client services.

Importance of Data Analytics

By analyzing data, MSPs can identify trends, optimize resource allocation, and predict client needs. This proactive approach not only improves service quality but also strengthens client relationships.

Tools for Data Analytics

• Business Intelligence Software: Tools like Tableau help visualize data insights.
• Customer Relationship Management (CRM): Solutions like Salesforce provide valuable client data.

“Data is the new oil; it’s valuable and must be refined.”

Leveraging Automation Tools in Managed Services

Automation is transforming the way Managed Service Providers (MSPs) operate. By utilizing automation tools, MSPs can streamline their processes, reduce operational costs, and improve service delivery. In this post, we will highlight some of the top automation tools that MSPs should consider.

Benefits of Automation

Automation allows MSPs to handle repetitive tasks efficiently, freeing up time for more strategic initiatives. It also minimizes human error, ensuring that tasks are completed accurately and consistently.

Recommended Automation Tools

• Remote Monitoring and Management (RMM): Tools like ConnectWise Automate help MSPs monitor client systems remotely.
• Professional Services Automation (PSA): Solutions like Autotask streamline project management and billing.
• Backup and Disaster Recovery: Tools like Veeam ensure data is backed up and recoverable.

Facilitating Remote Work for Clients

The shift to remote work has created new opportunities for Managed Service Providers (MSPs) to support their clients. In this article, we will explore effective remote work solutions that MSPs can offer to help businesses adapt to this new normal.

Key Remote Work Solutions

• Virtual Private Networks (VPNs): Ensures secure connections for remote employees.
• Collaboration Tools: Platforms like Microsoft Teams and Slack facilitate communication.
• Cloud Storage Solutions: Services like Google Drive allow for easy file sharing and access.

“Remote work is here to stay, and MSPs must adapt to support it.”

Understanding Cloud Solutions for MSPs

Managed Service Providers (MSPs) are increasingly turning to cloud solutions to enhance their service offerings. Cloud computing allows MSPs to provide scalable, flexible, and cost-effective services to their clients. In this post, we will explore the various cloud solutions available to MSPs and how they can leverage these technologies to improve their business.

Benefits of Cloud Solutions

One of the primary benefits of cloud solutions is the ability to scale resources according to demand. This means that MSPs can offer their clients the flexibility to adjust their services without the need for significant upfront investments in hardware. Additionally, cloud solutions often come with enhanced security features, ensuring that client data is protected.

“The cloud is not just a technology; it’s a new way of doing business.”

Types of Cloud Services

• Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS): Provides virtualized computing resources over the internet.
• Platform as a Service (PaaS): Offers hardware and software tools over the internet.
• Software as a Service (SaaS): Delivers software applications over the internet on a subscription basis.

Enhancing Cybersecurity for Managed Service Providers

As cyber threats continue to evolve, Managed Service Providers (MSPs) must adopt robust cybersecurity strategies to protect their clients. This article discusses essential cybersecurity measures that MSPs can implement to safeguard sensitive data and maintain client trust.

Key Cybersecurity Measures

1. Regular Security Audits: Conducting frequent security assessments helps identify vulnerabilities.
2. Employee Training: Educating staff about cybersecurity best practices is crucial.
3. Data Encryption: Encrypting sensitive data ensures that it remains secure even if breached.

“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”

Conclusion

By implementing these strategies, MSPs can significantly reduce the risk of cyber incidents and enhance their service offerings.