IT Starts with Strategy

    Learn how technology can maximize your business with a comprehensive IT strategy and support plan.

    Ryan Stickel

    Blog Feature

    Business Strategy

    By: Ryan Stickel
    October 13th, 2022

    So, your company is looking for a managed IT partner and has decided to do business with Innovative. That’s awesome! There’s one issue, though; our solutions seem a little too fancy compared to what you’re looking for and thus, more expensive. There’s got to be a cheaper solution available, right? Technically, there are probably cheaper solutions out there, but we might not offer them. That answer might feel a little harsh, but there’s a reason we sell what we sell, and it’s not because we want you to empty your wallet.

    Blog Feature

    Printers & Copiers

    By: Ryan Stickel
    October 7th, 2022

    Let’s face it – printing can be very wasteful. Do you realize how much money you’re losing from paper and toner that's just getting thrown away? The trial and error of printing lends itself to this. I think we’re all tired of shredding documents because they didn’t print the way we wanted them to. The whole process is just a hassle. There’s a dropdown list of printer names that all look the same. Which printer is closest to you? Are the settings configured to what you need? It can all feel like a big guessing game.

    Blog Feature

    Cybersecurity | Threat Prevention

    By: Ryan Stickel
    October 4th, 2022

    It’s another week at Innovative, and I’m continuing to learn the ins and outs of a managed service provider. That feeling of being on a different planet is slowly starting to fade away. Am I an expert yet? Absolutely not. But hey, it’s progress. My most recent learning experience came in the form of a training session on cybersecurity packages. This stuff can be pretty daunting when you first dive into it. EDR, SOC/SIEM, MFA – what does any of this mean?

    Blog Feature

    Business Strategy | Life at Innovative

    By: Ryan Stickel
    September 26th, 2022

    Exciting news! We’re expanding our service area to Washington D.C. and the surrounding metro area!

    Blog Feature

    Cybersecurity | Threat Prevention

    By: Ryan Stickel
    September 20th, 2022

    It has never been more critical to create a secure password. Cyber attackers are always looking to steal passwords so they can access our information and harm our business. According to the Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report, 81% of hacking-related breaches occur due to compromised passwords. Don’t become a statistic. It’s on us to make it difficult for them. A strong password is a simple yet essential way to protect your accounts and your business. You can take several steps to create the most secure password possible. It can be tricky dealing with character counts, punctuation and password length. The list of requirements seems to go on and on. Let’s walk through it and explain how you can protect yourself.

    Blog Feature

    Technology Strategy | Phone and Voice Communication

    By: Ryan Stickel
    September 15th, 2022

    My first week at Innovative brought many challenges someone might usually deal with when starting a new job. There were lots of new names and faces to learn, as well as the ins and outs of an entire company. On top of all this, I joined a managed IT services company without any background in technology. Being in such a different environment, everything I encountered was a learning experience. With every meeting and demonstration, I was gaining new information. One of the demonstrations I had the chance to sit in on was for Avaya Cloud Office (ACO). ACO is a hosted phone system that provides communication services to businesses, including Innovative. This made it especially relevant to me because it's a service I'll use at work regularly. The demonstration was hosted by Innovative's CIO Tyler Snyder, who did a great job explaining how many features ACO offers and how these features can change the way an office uses its phones. In this blog, I'll go over some of those features that will be crucial to our clients, my colleagues and me.