How can a business handle various servers and workloads on multiple platforms?” There’s never been an easy answer. The number of platforms that businesses use has skyrocketed and is rapidly evolving. Finding the right platform to consolidate and simplify their environment continues to get more challenging. Join Jaco Voigt and his guest Andrew Green from Morpheus Data | Hybrid-Cloud Management Platform, as they delve into how businesses can bridge the gap across multiple platforms and how to optimise the services you already use.
Jaco Voigt joins forces with industry expert Gerhard Fourie to unravel the state of infrastructure virtualisation. They spill the tea on Hyper-Converged Infrastructure (HCI) vs 'Hyperscale' Cloud, and surf through the ever-changing waves of multi-cloud strategies. Gerhard shares the inside scoop on the vendor landscape, guiding you through the strategic maze of factors to consider when wanting to deploy a virtualised environment.
To protect your business, customers, and data demands more than a cursory glance – it requires a deep dive into the complexities of crafting and assessing Disaster Recovery plans and Business Resilience to navigate the tumultuous waters of uncertainty. Join Jaco Voigt as he chats to Willem Olivier, the Managing Director of Business Resilient Innovations, as they discuss lifelines that can make all the difference in a world where the survival of a company hinges on people, process, and technology.
The Chief Technical Officer (CTO) title is more than a label - it's a pivotal position driving businesses toward success. Join Jaco Voigt as he dives into the dynamic world of CTOs with guest Brendan Haskins from CloudCTO... a luminary in the tech realm since the turn of the millennium, offering invaluable insights into the evolving role of a CTO in fast-moving SMEs. Uncover the essence of CTO responsibilities, and distinctions from CIOs - all while sketching the key CTO priorities in 2024.
Processes—the blueprint for business enhancement. Jaco Voigt talks to Steve Klements, the brain behind Braeven Solutions.
Braeven Solutions has mastered maneuvering through the labyrinth of processes, doing the heavy lifting to sculpt these vital frameworks.
Join them as they unravel the complexities, offering insights into transforming process management into a catalyst for business evolution, and embarking on a journey toward igniting the potential for unparalleled business growth and efficiency.
We all have a preferred means of communication – what is yours? Chat? Text? Email? Social media platform messaging or making a call? Jaco chats to AJ De Kock from Contineo about the quest for expanding historical points of contact for customers with your business – big or small. They look at AI as a driving factor to service and transform the existing social channel environment and engagement your business has with customers. Contact AJ or his team to find out more about the Omni Channel Centre, and how you can extend your business onto various platforms to boost your customer interaction and service offerings. Start your connected customer journey today!
Records Management Systems is just the tip of the iceberg for the critical role they play in fortifying your data fortress.
Picture this... you're gearing up to engage a business, but do you know where to start in hunting down the sources of crucial data? Fear not! Jaco Voigt is joined by Pieter Nienaber, an industry expert in Records Management Systems from Crown Worldwide Group, who reveals the safeguarding breadcrumbs you need to follow to collect, capture, and convert your business data in an ever-changing world. Join them as they bring clarity to the complexities of Records Management Systems, enabling you to empower your business, and master your data destiny.
Jaco Voigt teams up with the insightful Eduan Beetge from Snom Technology GmbH, to delve into the profound and ever-relevant questions you need to be asking. Are IP Handsets still the unsung heroes of the modern workplace, or are they losing relevance? Join them as they dig into the nitty-gritty of these often-overlooked business decisions, exploring the devices that fuel your day-to-day operations, and the very essence of your business communication.
Jaco Voigt sits down with Gio Da Costa from Vodacom to unravel how South Africa connects to the rest of the globe. In a world powered by connectivity, it's no secret that South Africa's cable systems are essential for its people and economy. But what unfolds when these lifelines - undersea cables - suffer a break? Join them as they uncover the ripple effect, and unveil the intricate dance that keeps the nation linked to the world.
Wherever you find technology, you will find threats - and time can be a company's best friend or its biggest enemy in handling these hazards. Fortunately there are measures one can take to reduce these risks. As the latest trend in the cybersecurity world, extended detection and response (XDR) harmonises and automates the data across multiple security layers, extending the range of protection for a network, reducing the risk of a breach. Join Jaco Voigt in an engaging conversation with Ryan Cronje from CorrServe, as they discuss how Unified Threat Management needs to be part of your business' security strategy... and discover how XDR's flexibility can fill in the gaps left by other security measures.
Managed Services Providers (MSP) empower businesses to focus on what matters the most. But with countless options, how do you pinpoint the perfect MSP for your business's unique needs? Join Jaco Voigt as he sits down with Dean Irwin, the Commercial Director of Xpand IT, as they delve headfirst into the art of selecting the ideal MSP for your company. Learn not only how to make the right choice, but also how to identify the pitfalls to steer clear of.
The world's most valuable resource is no longer oil, but data - a resource both valuable and vulnerable. Join Jaco Voigt as he sits down with Nils Gerstle, the Managing Director at Collaboretix. In this episode, they dive deep into the heart of the matter: Datacentres. Uncover the criteria crucial for choosing a provider, sidestep common pitfalls, and craft a robust DC/hosting strategy. Listen to not only comprehend what a Datacentre truly is, but also to gain insights into the detailed factors that make them play a dynamic and vital role in today's business world.
Many organisations still rely on their security teams as 'firefighters' to combat the ever-growing impact of malware and digital attacks, when in reality, they should be actively managing their vulnerabilities before the ‘fire’ breaks out. Don't allow your organisation to lose visibility over what really matters. Jaco Voigt chats to Drystan Govender from CRS, who explains how to gain full control of your vulnerabilities.
Conferences can be a great place to make connections or get new business, and keeping up with them is essential to stay ahead in today’s fast-paced business world. Join Jaco Voigt as he sits down with collaboration technology expert Tiens Lange from Omega Digital. In an engaging conversation, they explore the power of collaboration technology in the modern workplace, and its benefits for businesses of all sizes.
Tarana Wireless is reshaping the landscape of wireless broadband, opening up new possibilities for businesses and communities around South Africa. Nick Ehrke from Tarana Wireless, Inc. joins Jaco Voigt as they explore the pivotal question of whether businesses should integrate wireless connectivity into their overall connectivity strategy. They shed light on the advantages and potential outcomes of embracing wireless solutions. Gain valuable insights that will empower you to make informed decisions about your organisation's connectivity needs in the ever-evolving digital landscape.
Blinds and shutters aren’t just a brilliant window covering solution - they offer a multitude of advantages that go beyond aesthetics. Jaco Voigt sits down with Petrus van der Westhuizen from Focus Blinds & Shutters. For over a decade, Focus Blinds & Shutters has been at the forefront of manufacturing excellence. With factories in Johannesburg and Durban - coupled with agents across the country - their reach extends nationwide... catering to both residential and commercial properties. Tune in to this enlightening episode to gain insights into the craftsmanship, innovation, and dedication behind Focus Blinds & Shutters.
Dive into the labyrinth of South Africa's fibre landscape and unmask its hidden vulnerabilities amidst latency, packet loss, fibre damage, and loadshedding that leaves businesses compromised. Jaco Voigt talks to Ronald Bartels and Kirthesh Sundersingh from Fusion Broadband, as they expose the underbelly of the game-changing power of SD-WAN and shielding businesses from the misconceptions that come with connectivity. Join them as they crack the code and unravel the fate of the intricate world of connectivity!
Step into the world of repairs and reverse logistics, as Jaco Voigt sits down with Mark Robbins, the Managing Director from Robtronics - a leading expert in electronic device repairs and after-sales service. Staying at the forefront of technology and consumer demands, Robtronics continually reinvents itself. As pioneers in mobile device repairs and replacements, they are dedicated to upskilling the country's youth. Their commitment shines through the recent intake of enthusiastic candidates who have embarked on an intensive 12-month Learnership Programme, empowering them to become fully qualified Mobile Phone Repair Technicians. Join us as we uncover the secrets behind Robtronics' success, and their unwavering passion for excellence in mobile device repair.
“Always ON”! Jaco chats to Kallie Carlsen about the relevance of satellite in 2023. Paratus is a satellite network that is super-charged by speed, capacity, power, and a robust infrastructure. Although satellite is costly, the commercial and personal uptake is growing.
Satellite is not a competitor to fibre... it’s a back-up medium for current terrestrial solutions that ensures transactional connectivity by ensuring 100% connection. Listen to learn about new developments in this area of connectivity – it could benefit your business.
In today's digital age, a strong online presence is crucial for a business to thrive. With abundant data at our fingertips, businesses have the opportunity to create highly targeted, effective marketing campaigns that can drive conversions and revenue. Join Jaco Voigt as he engages in a captivating conversation with Aubrey Turner from
Quantumflux about embracing change, leveraging the potential of the digital world, and how to harness the impact of AI and the power of the human touch to bring you strong content and marketing solutions.
The digital world can be a hostile environment to navigate without a safety net. Cybersecurity breaches don’t happen by accident, but neither do secure businesses. Jaco Voigt is joined by Steve Jump from Custodiet, as they discuss the complexities of cyber risk management, and how they learned the hard way to respect the statement, “
There is no SILVER bullet”. Join us for this informative episode and learn how to manage cyber risk in your business effectively - and gain the confidence that you are doing the right thing, at the right time.
Monitoring plays a critical role in the IT landscape of a business, by providing continuous visibility into the performance, availability, and security of its IT infrastructure. With the increasing complexity of modern IT environments, monitoring allows businesses to proactively identify and resolve issues, before they cause significant disruptions or downtime.
Discover the latest insights and best practices for managing IT in businesses as Jaco Voigt talks to Andrew Hewitt-Coleman, the Head of Sales at ITR Technology, about the essential role of monitoring and how it plays a role in a business.
In South Africa, access to quality education is not a given, with only 50% of kids currently enrolled in school. That's where Afrika Tikkun Bambanani comes in, with a mission to ensure that no child is left behind. Through their specialised ECD curriculum, Afrika Tikkun Bambanani is working to standardise education across South Africa and give all learners an equal footing. They're also using technology to make education more accessible and to help teachers improve their quality of instruction. In this episode, Jaco Voigt speaks to Theresa Michael and Tessa Forman about their innovative approach to early childhood education, the importance of inclusivity in teaching, and how their programme is making a difference in the lives of South African children. Join them for a thought-provoking conversation on the future of education in South Africa and beyond.
IoT is transforming the way we live, work, and interact with technology. In this episode, Jaco Voigt explores the fascinating world of the Internet of Things (IoT) with his guests from Ntsika group - Theo and Gerardt.
Join them as they dive into how IoT can be used in your business, and improve your operations to stay ahead of the competition.
5G technology has been one of the hottest topics in the tech world in recent years. But what you might not know is that there's a significant difference between the 5G networks being rolled out by mobile network operators for consumers, and the private 5G being offered by some service providers to businesses. Join Jaco Voigt and his guest - Justin Colyn from Comsol - as they dive into why this fifth-generation technology has garnered so much hype and excitement. They also discuss whether businesses can rely on a single connectivity source for their needs, and what the next two years may look like in this rapidly evolving space.
Jaco Voigt has an eye-opening conversation with Marion Wagner, the Director from Breadline Africa - a charity dedicated to helping people break the cycle of poverty and uplift themselves. Hear about the challenges they face in their mission, the impact they've made on people's lives, and their vision for a future where poverty no longer holds people back. Join us as we explore the incredible work of Breadline Africa, and discover how you can make a difference in the fight against poverty.
Brain Harmonics is like showing your brain a mirror. It teaches your brain how to stand on two balanced legs, instead of the one leg you have been relying on to cope. It may seem difficult to transition to a new way of coping with stress, but Brain Harmonics has proven to be an effective tool to help you create a more balanced life.
Tune into this week's episode of the podcast where Jaco Voigt chats to Kerry Rudman from Brain Harmonics and learn about how they can help you to balance your life.
What Enterprise Cabling decisions should Businesses make now to ensure they are future-proof?
Technology is constantly changing, businesses need to make sure their operations stay up to date. That includes revisiting their cabling decisions to ensure they are equipped beyond the present.
Making the right decision now can save you time, money, and effort in the long run.
Hear from Paul K. and Allan Ridley from CommScope about the future bandwidth requirements that should drive today's cabling decisions with Jaco Voigt.
It's time to get the fundamentals right. Data Storage is the new oil. In today's digital age, data has become the lifeblood of organizations, and a good storage strategy sits at the centre of every successful business.
Join Jaco Voigt as he chats with Morgan Malyon, a data storage expert from Lenovo, as they dive into the world of data storage, unpacking industry best practices and discovering how to get your storage strategy right, so you can stay ahead of the curve in today's digital landscape.
In this episode of Unbundled #Boost, Jaco Voigt delves into the latest innovations and advancements in electrical cars. Our guest, Winstone Jordaan from Gridcars, provides insights on how electrical charging compare to traditional fuel.
We also discuss the importance of ensuring accessibility and convenience for charging stations to help promote the adoption of electric vehicles. Tune in to learn more about the exciting developments for Gridcars and how they are driving towards a sustainable future, one charge at a time.
Creating digital experiences that transform brands isn’t just about bells and whistles.
Jaco Voigt chats to Slyde and Bareile from Nerdware, as they explore how Nerdware is helping companies tackle digital transformation to create experiences that move customers to action, and change the game! Brought to you by Catalytic.
What is the most important feature of a call recording platform? Probably not what you expect.
Join Jaco Voigt as he chats to Matthew Balcomb, the Sales and Marketing Director of @CallCabinet, about their powerful product suite and the business-transforming potential of call recording technology.
With the year 2022 now taking its final steps, it’s time to look back at how Jaco Voigt has demystified technology in the world of business. He reviews the conversations and knowledge learned from all the guests, to take into 2023 – covering the topics of the four pillars to fulfil the gap in your business. Brought to you by Catalytic.
It’s the start of a new year, and what better way for Jaco to kick Unbundled off than with his guests Robert and Sudesh from iStore Business.
As technology advances, so too does the need for businesses to stay ahead of the curve and remain competitive. By taking a forward-looking approach in 2023, one way to accomplish this is by finding the correct end-point solution that will improve productivity.
Join them as they share their unique perspectives on the right end-point solution for businesses, and how it can unlock better performance, and increase productivity – while still providing an optimal user experience over multiple platforms to help businesses achieve success.
An increase in snares found at the Noordhoek wetland is causing the death of hundreds of animals. What is most concerning, is the evidence of struggle and a painful death the animals suffer.
The team of four has only found bones and remains. Snares are indiscriminate, no animal is safe from them.
Karoline Hanks, who manages the non-profit community Project Noordhoeked, talks to Jaco Voigt about the snares in the Noordhoek wetland and the increase in the numbers discovered recently.
Listen to Unbundled Boost to find out what the biggest hurdle is for the team, and how you can get involved in the project to help.
You can also get in contact with the team on Facebook ‘Project Noordhoeked’ and on Instagram @projectnoordhoeked to find out more.
Choosing an IT career can be tricky because there are many possible paths to choose from.
But the good news is if you want to work in the IT industry, there’s never been a better time than now.
Jaco Voigt has a discussion with Natasha Nel a Talent Specialist from Mecer Inter-Ed as they simplify choosing a path and getting started with training in the world of IT.
Whether you’re brand new to the tech world or a seasoned veteran, you’ll find something new to learn from this podcast as to what the most wanted qualifications are at the moment, where to start, and what skill/training is required.
81. The Role of The End User in Email Security
With the ever-changing laws and processes, anxiety and stress can be very overwhelming for many immigrants. For the individuals, the risks on long-term investments and business opportunities in South Africa becomes a reality – which is difficult to grasp.
Prestige Immigration Services are the experts at identifying the correct visa or permit to apply for based on a candidate’s credentials and providing guidance on the entire process, thereby taking away that additional stress from your move to South Africa.
This week, Jaco Voigt chats to Christine Mutsau – Co-Founder & Managing Director of Prestige Immigration Services about her journey in the immigration law space, visa’s, resident permits, and immigration services.
It is terrifying how easy it is to be bait to phishing and malicious email spam.
Deceptive phishing is popular with cybercriminals, as it is far easier to trick someone into clicking a malicious link in a seemingly legitimate phishing email than it is to break through a computer's defences.
Jaco Voigt chats to Co-Founders Warren Baker and Rod Pearce from The Packet Hub about the role of the end user, how they can be involved in the process, and how you can improve your email security.
Listen to Unbundled to have a clear idea of how of how to make your business email more secure.
Find out what happens when J’Something, a multi-award winning South African entertainer, is forced to be indoors. A full night out in town with J’Something’s ‘Artistry’ – his new and upcoming restaurant.
Inspired by the Roots of Africa and located in the heart of Sandton City, J’Something brings a cultural platform to express the classics, where you can experience the best of the culinary, cinematic, theatrical, and musical arts. Jaco Voigt chats to J’Something, as he ventures into this new journey to create a platform to connect people with art and food. Brought to you by Catalytic.
Clickatell, they did it!
A Global Leader in Chat Commerce has paved a way for companies go where their customers are and serve them on chat apps such as SMS, WhatsApp, and Facebook Messenger.
Chat commerce is much more than a chatbot or live chat experience. It entails the full commerce journey from product discovery, placing orders, making payments, tracking deliveries, chatting to a live agent, resolving issues and providing feedback.
Listen to Unbundled as Jaco Voigt chats to Werner Lindemann from Clickatell about how Chat Commerce works and how brands can easily integrate into the chat apps that their customers use and love.
Today Jaco chats to Robyn Kramer from My Abby Range™about her holistic Abyssinian oil beauty range. Exploring how the journey of 18 years in the Wellness industry and seven years developing her passion for a natural organic solution to finding a holy grail for simple and pure beauty products. Robyn’s crucial, non-negotiable point has always been product content – products have to be chemical-free and natural to be included in her My Abby Range™. Her journey to develop her own brand started with the humble beginnings of retail, repping, sales and hard work to formulating a winning beauty range with gorgeous branding and packaging. By eradicating itchy scalps on 90 test participants in Soweto she had found the winning formula that had the real life benefits matching the clinical results! Robyn is committed to extending the My Abby Range™ with baby products in the pipeline.
Today Jaco chats to Ax Xenios from Mustek Limited about the sophistication of cybercrime infiltration and how SA is in the Top 5 hacked countries worldwide. As the support in IT becomes thin and angry rather than lean and mean many businesses using a generalist IT person; without the skillset to protect your data; are exploited by cybercrime. A firewall or anti virus does not always suffice. As threats come into the business via emails, links, ads, websites and staff access data via mobile phones and tablets – all bastion built around email and web security to filter harmful traffic is easily bypassed and infiltrated from within. Does your business have a strategy in play as exfiltration can easily happen? First you are infiltrated and then locked out with more prolific attacks and ransomware . Ax chats about the BlackFog product and suggests getting second and third opinions about your current security solutions. Let a specialist guide you on what can be added (or removed) from your current stack to ensure better protection. What is your business’ strategy on assets, cyber security and exfiltration?
Today Jaco chats to Jaco du Plooy from Eaton South Africa about the Uninterruptable Power Supply (UPS). The harmful aspects of loadshedding are more than just unproductivity and no electricity. Today we discuss power failures, power surges, sags, under and over voltage. To determine what size UPS your home or business needs you need to first establish what power is drawn and the run time duration of support required. As with any technology, UPS capacity is available in different tiers of product. Good news for small businesses and home offices, Eaton now has a cost effective mini UPS that runs off Lithium batteries and could run your Wi-Fi router for up to 4 hours.
Today Jaco chats to Aubrey Turner from Teach me 2 about all things tutoring. A specialised tutoring service that helps find the perfect tutor fit for a Grade 1 scholar or University student (and everything in between). The convenience of home based tutoring with online whiteboards and the opportunity to record your lessons has seen the shift in lessons as almost 80% of tutoring is now done online.
Teach me 2 has a 5 lesson guarantee that ensures you find the best fit tutor for your child’s academic needs. Sometimes it’s about the confidence of the pupil rather than the struggle of the subject content. Virtual tutoring has also embraced the use of international skills from tutors abroad and vice versa. This tutoring platform is not only beneficial to the student being tutored but also offering work experience and extra money to tutors. Doing Matric / Grade 12 this year? Look out for the discounted campaign offering in the next few days.
No need to sweat your assets - Your tech stuff has value.
Today Jaco chats to David Hirsch from TechMarkit about pre owned IT goods. A business started to empower access to computing with pre owned laptops, gaming PCs, smart devices, phones and tablets. With stringent grading, a usage model, a trade-in calculator and warranty options; you can shop with confidence. In the world of technology, credibility is key. Visit TechMarkit’s store in Rosebank mall or shop online. If you have some tech devices cluttering your home, give them a call.
70. Unbundled #Boost - Crypto University
Today Jaco chats to Ulrich Sonn from Frogfoot about connectivity in a Hybrid Work World. The discussion looks at Network Providers determining the smart use of capital outlay and avoiding overbuild of networks. In a strongly monopolized industry the demand for a host of services and bandwidth determines costings, pricing and penetration. As the Hybrid Work World sees greater productivity and a softer social aspect for businesses – technology is the key to all business challenges. There are tradeoffs between connectivity offerings which include speed, contract tenure, service levels and more. It is more than just opex and capex – so to really determine what your connectivity needs are – put yourself into a vacuum and list 3 to 5 things that your business needs to get from getting connected. Once you establish your needs it is easier to find solutions to the different offerings that tick different requirement needs.
Today Jaco chats to Grey Jabesi about the Crypto University he launched. They delve into crypto, blockchain, NFTs, tokens, cryptopedia, and having fun in the metaverse. As younger generations have less bias towards new skills, this revolutionary form of money and money making opportunities - with the help of technology is gaining momentum. Imagine how videos, online conversations and You Tube channels developed into Master classes that led to establishing a crypto university. Grey’s concept of the university is that it is an affordable means to gaining practical knowledge to start making money. As you listen to this conversation it is clear once again that technology can change lives. Is your business nimble and evolved enough to start accepting crypto as payment for products or services?
Today Jaco chats to Pierre Jacobs from Cyberantix about the ruthless reality of cyber crime and what cyber security efforts should support your business. Intrusion prevention systems, like firewalls are insufficient. Your business needs to assess current defensive mechanisms. The threats of fragmented technology stacks, your business’ defensive depth and your appetite for risk are all aspects to consider. It’s about constant implementation, measuring, monitoring and improving your technical and administrative control to prevent cyber crime. Not all EDRs are built equal. The benefits of using a third party that has a system’s engineering approach that can measure effectiveness is optimal. Utopia for a hacker or crime syndicate is a business that does back ups onsite and on the same network they just hacked. A starting point is to “get a view” of your risks – by best practice comparisons, SWAT or GAP analysis. It’s too costly not to do! What is your business cyber security strategy?
Today Jaco chats to Viresh Harduth from Sage about the backbone of our economy – small and medium businesses. The fundamentals of business do not change but the importance of educating yourself as an SME and embracing technology to avoid stagnating is key. Technology is the hat for all small businesses to become medium and large businesses. Maintain focus on your passion and allow solutions from companies like Sage to guide you with automation, bank recons, APIs, compliance, cashflow and business management. Do not try and be resilient to the point of fatigue. Grow beyond the numbers and statistics. As the public, we need to engage SMEs and remember that support is more than just buying local. Share your knowledge and experiences with start-ups and entrepreneurs – educate! Can you imagine the positive economic impact if every SME in SA recruits an extra one or two staff?
Today Jaco chats to Kevin Kent from NZero about the layers of complexity of businesses managing and reducing their carbon footprint. A specific focus on the ominous task of data centres needing to reduce latency even while watching the staggering plumes of diesel bellow out of buildings as another session of load-shedding is endured. The chat is about the stewardship to the community by establishing ESG programmes and starting a mindset shift journey of doing things that we have to do that might not make current financial sense. Learning how to manage the emission scope of our businesses will be easier if we know what needs to be measured. Tracking is key. What impact does your business have on waste, e-waste, water usage and are you holding yourselves accountable to reduce consumption? Do you have carbon management plans to build visions and goals to fill the gaps with discernible actions to reduce your business’ embedded carbon emissions?
Today Jaco chats to Nkateko Mabindisa from Vuyo’s Funerals (a third generation business steeped in history) about the most certain of all uncertainties; funerals. You would think that a funeral service would have made huge profits because of the pandemic; but it was a financial strain with the challenge of new governance like PPE, time frames of 48 hours to handle the deceased’s body and burying people of the premise of a promise to be paid. Traditional culture, rituals and beliefs could no longer be observed which complicated every emotional transaction with the bereaved. During this challenging time technology, resilience and innovation resulted in an application. This lifestyle app allows their clients to pay the monthly premiums, get discounts, savings and benefits for the entire family. It’s no longer just paying about policy. Although Soweto based, as specialists in the field Vuyo’s Funerals have affiliations abroad which will assist with repatriation of the deceased. Vuyo’s Funerals is not only a trusted funeral home but also a registered FSP underwritten and governed by accredited FSPs. If you are a small business owner, give Vuyo’s Funerals a call on 0119838421 about their staff package offerings to ensure that no employees’ death is a burden to those left behind.
Today Jaco chats to Jacques du Preez about the importance of planning and maintenance of a network environment. The risks of downtime increase as businesses skimp on and neglect maintenance. With the global shortage of original equipment from manufactures; lead times are often 55 weeks and more. With a necessary uptake of using pre-loved equipment and “sweating assets” for longer the benefits of using a 3rd party for maintenance starts making sense. As Covid, load-shedding challenges and fuel increases are causing derailed business roadmaps each business’ challenges are unique. Even if your data is in the cloud, your business still needs to understand what your infrastructure comprises of and reap the benefits of stopgaps to ensure the underwriting of ongoing maintenance. These speciality businesses have stock on hand and offer quicker solutions for not only hardware maintenance but ensure redundancy paths on your network and security platforms. Service Level Agreements ensure a service that suites the needs of your specific business to reduce downtime. Avoid being the business that thrives on break-fix maintenance.
Today Jaco has a candid conversation with three dynamic ladies about job expectations, knowing your worth and the reality of studies - a job spec versus the actual new world of work are completely different.
It’s all about flexibility, adaptability and collaboration that ensures you as an employee finding a workspace to learn and grow at; instead of just doing a job. Single defined roles are no longer how you ensure a well rounded skillset to add value to your position.
Today Jaco chats to Sumeeth Singh from VMWare. This conversation is all about traditional IT versus Cloud adoption. This is about the Cloud journey and bringing the Cloud to your business rather than taking your business to the Cloud. Your business’ Cloud solution needs to be fit for purpose. It is no longer about listening to your “IT Guy” and being tech-savvy – you need to partner correctly. You need a cyclic re-evaluation. Be deliberate about the how, what, when and where. There is value in testing the complexities of solution offerings. Do you have the tin-hugger mentality of needing to see the flickering lights of your server? Is your business geared for the fundamental shift? Cloud security and storage solutions are complex; not easy – but so worth it.
An inspirational conversation with Levi Mnguni from Thuto Stationery about making failure a part of your success. “Thuto ke Lesedi” - education is a light. Have you ever thought about stationery being a commodity tool helping you through your life journey? Thuto Stationery is a local specialist manufacturer and distributor of quality driven stationery products. Thuto Stationery was founded with a creative spirit and a focused objective – to offer students, schools, and businesses alike, with a stylish, authentic stationery line that encompasses cultural, individuality and excellence. Have you ever thought about stationery being a commodity tool helping you through your life journey? This humbling story of lack being the inspiration to create a product now available at Makro and Takealot. Visit www.thutostationery.co.za to become a part of this inspirational story.
Today Jaco chats to Bradley Janse van Rensburg from Ultra DC about the importance of a data centre and your server and data being hosted offsite. Is your server room also the storage room, hideaway spot for extended tea breaks and a spot with messy cables for rats to chew on? Data storage is not your core business – so why not leave it to the professionals who ensure redundancy, stability and flexibility? Stop; and consider the value of your stored data – the risk of losing your data due to loadshedding, fire, flooding or theft. It’s non sensical to have premium office space dedicated to something that can be better managed on your behalf. Your data is gold – why not keep it in a safe place? If you have one or one thousand servers – this podcast will clear up a few questions you might have about the importance of a data centre.
Your business is not too small to consider email vulnerability and the threat of credential harvesting. Today Jaco chats to Amit Parbhucharan about how email - the communication tool we all use - can compromise your entire business. Your staff or suppliers are often your business’ weakest link. What is your line of defense? Have you ever considered a passphrase rather than a password? There is a factor of the human layer being a firewall, how secure savvy is your team? You need to be vigilant, it’s is not only ransomware but also redirects, DNS hijacking, sharing personal information, invoice fraud and request of changed bank details that could have your business at risk. Become the responsible party – encrypt your mails, change your passphrase, implement a 2-factor authentication on all applications, update anti malware and check your technical loopholes. Business security is everyone’s responsibility!
An inspirational conversation with Levi Mnguni from Thuto Stationery about making failure a part of your success. “Thuto ke Lesedi” - education is a light. Have you ever thought about stationery being a commodity tool helping you through your life journey? Thuto Stationery is a local specialist manufacturer and distributor of quality driven stationery products. Thuto Stationery was founded with a creative spirit and a focused objective – to offer students, schools, and businesses alike, with a stylish, authentic stationery line that encompasses cultural, individuality and excellence. Have you ever thought about stationery being a commodity tool helping you through your life journey? This humbling story of lack being the inspiration to create a product now available at Makro and Takealot. Visit www.thutostationery.co.za to become a part of this inspirational story.
Today Jaco chats to Craigh Stuart from Endemik about API (Application Programming Interface). This set of code allows data transmission between software intermediaries and allows different applications to talk to each other. As all businesses use it for access into their business resources (the simple password); a whopping 80% of traffic for authentication is actually API based. Access control when all staff are office based was easier but there is now a change of landscape due to workforce distribution which escalates security vulnerabilities. Would you know if a business developer left your employment with bearer authentication tokens; leaving them with keys to your business’ kingdom. Do you know how many APIs you have? How much business data would be exposed if you are hacked? Would you know if you were hacked? Do you have human intervention controlling your APIs? You cannot protect what you cannot see. Listen here to ensure that your APIs are securely managed.
It is time to replace the word “failing” with “learning”. Today Jaco chats to Anja van Beek, a leadership expert and executive coach, about having a growth mindset. When last did you stretch yourself by getting out of your comfort zone to try something for the first time? Did you know that is actually takes 60 days to imbed a habit? As a leader; are you creating a space for staff to thrive? When last did you self reflect and ask for feedback from others? Are you able to reflect rather than defend feedback? By using growth mindset principles Anja helps people and businesses purposefully grow. Listen further to discover what mindset you have and how you can initiate life changes.
We discuss a few more technology acronyms to get your business working smarter. Today Jaco chats to Andy Brauer about EPN (end-point virtualisation). This workstation virtualisation not only has economic benefits but ensures business continuity, flexibility, and storage on demand allocation. What changes are you making to keep your business running in a real time world with the SA challenges of power outages, stolen cables, and outdated servers. What changes you are kicking against? Does your IT partner / department consider your business’ needs or are they merely in a comfort zone they choose not to improve? This EPN technology allows you to have a workstation away from your desk. It’s access to your business; virtually – from any end device, location at any time – into a well managed and protected data centre. Listen to this podcast if you are keen to change and ensure the agility of your business.
What is your business doing to ensure a learner journey in your company? Today Jaco chats to Michael Gullan from G&G Advocacy about skilling – both UP and RE! By creating a culture of learning, individuals will feel safe to engage and embrace learning to close talent gaps and ensure a shift in career trajectory. Turning e-learning into your competitive advantage. The skills shortages of your employees negatively influence your business’ growth; but what drives learning? E-learning is not just about dumping courses and files onto a platform and expect a take up by your staff. G&G are a bespoke consultancy that ensure end to end online and bespoke learning to influence career paths and skills development. Does your business invest in ongoing learning? Are you incentivizing staff to learn and broaden their responsibilities? What motivates your staff to better themselves? Long term planning is often neglected, what are you doing to invest in the future of your staff and business?
Email as a communication platform does not excite anyone, yet everyone uses it. Today Jaco chats to Sam Hutchinson about email fakery, spoofing, imposters, phishing scams and malware. Once again we are reminded that your business’ security should never be an afterthought and no business is too small to be scammed. Criminal engagement in cybercrime using email is on the rise. The discussion today includes how a business loaded incorrect banking details and lost R 100 million and the travel agent that paid an incorrect vendor which meant a school team could not travel - all because an email intercepted the legitimate payment process request. Email was created when the internet was a far safer place, today there are fundamental security flaws. Your company’s email real estate is never static and your email ecosystem requires constant monitoring and updating. How safe is your business, what do you score? Avoid complacency and put your domain safety to the test.
A conversation today for employers and employees about the new behaviours and 15 critical skills to develop to ensure relevance and adding value in the new world of work. Jaco and Dr Eric Albertini of FutureFit discuss decisive leadership and the opportunities of 4IR, rather than the threats. In a BANI (brittle, anxious, non linear and incomprehensible) world filled with volatility and complexities we need to ensure continuous life long learning with a growth mindset that ensures becoming dealers in hope by being adaptable and resilient to change. It’s all about the hard job of soft skills, design thinking and an learning agility. Is your business and employees ready to engage with purpose to spot the opportunities of the future?
53. Digitisation made Practical with Jonathan Osbourne
What is your business printing and scanning, and how secure is that information? Jaco Voigt chats to Jonathan Osbourne from Altron about true digitisation and document solutions. Print suppression is a buzzword, but habit and human nature will always influence workflow integration aspirations. In a world where data security and layers of security for compliance are critical – this podcast looks at solutions for true business and document digitisation. Staff working remotely need secure access to information – are your documents being printed at home and then being dumped as scrap paper to the local school? Let’s begin with looking at the easiest place to start digitising – at THE PRINT.
Today it’s all things C! Clarity, carats, cut and colour. Today Jaco chats to Kate from Bespoke by Kate about diamonds. As a business, Kate will assist in not only gauging and guessing (almost always correctly) a ring size but she will source, design and custom make bespoke jewellery pieces to suite both your style and pocket. They discuss the trend of synthetic diamonds, moissanites and what the current trends in gems to wear are. There is so much to learn about fancies, cushions, facets, certification, claws and more – listen further and learn about why this shining objet d’art is still considered an investment and a girl’s best friend.
51. Cloud Services
52. Unbundled #Boost:
BabyYumYum
Jaco Voigt is joined by Juan Paul from Mustek this week, for an interesting conversation about how Taipei’s water and container shortages, influenced by the pandemic, caused shortages in chip manufacturing. A reminder that synching is not a back-up – and the answer to backing up your data is always a “YES”. The world has seen double digit growth in cloud storage, and it is set to continue on this trend. Are you still physically hugging your server daily, or have you delved into cloud storage with a reminder of compliance, regulation, security and speed being key specifications? The Internet of Everything means more attack surfaces… is your data protected and safely stored?
Jaco Voigt and Amanda Rogaly chat all things #BabyYumYum! A passionate platform for anyone vested in parenting and caregiving, or being an expert in the baby and parenting community. It’s about trusting your gut, being flexible, not being overwhelmed, and having an expert online for virtual advice – with the convenience of online shopping! An added bonus to the incredible online portal and social media pages, is a virtual conference where you can join experts and entrepreneurs for 3 days… in the comfort of your home. Get your tickets and clear your diary for 20, 21 and 22 May. It’s edutainable education for all to enjoy!
49. Cyber Security
50. Unbundled #Boost:
iLeadLAB
“We have a cyber breach – should we not just pay”? Jaco Voigt chats to Rudie from Razrtec, who educates us about the dangers of just shutting down a server which could hide the footprints of the attack. POPIA probed your business about data security – but is it just paper-based, or have you done a real live malware/cyber attack readiness test? You need to be in the know – who has access to your data, and where is your data? Does your business have a good EDR solution? Behavioural analytics happens at the speed of light – do you have a real time dashboard to monitor? How often do you force password changes? There are no guarantees that if you pay for the first set of encryption keys, that you won’t be threatened with distribution of your data in months to come. People and processes are critical… listen to this podcast to see where your business’ loopholes are!
Jaco chats to Dr Asvat from Regent Business School – iLeadLAB. Focusing on the 4th Industrial Revolution, this education platform ensures that business education is accessible, accredited and affordable. Hear about their offering of coding, open-source, robotics and app development as well as design, laser cutting, 3D printing and more.
47. Unbundled #Boost: Dwyka Mining Services (Jamie van Schoor)
48. Unbundled #Boost: Wealth Migrate (Scott Picken)
It’s Deep, it’s Dark, it’s Dirty and it’s Dangerous! When a passion for data becomes a solution to “go where no human or drone can go” – you then have a product that can ‘last the blast’. Jaco Voigt chats to Jamie van Schoor from Dwyka Mining Services about Spot the yellow robotic dog and unlocking the value in African mines with remote sensing, by ensuring safety and efficiency of data delivery.
Wealth protection is always number one! The principles for investing do not change because technology improves. What technology does do, is give the investor the freedom to make choices and empower the 99% of the world to manage wealth like the top 1% of the world. Jaco Voigt chats to Scott Picken from Wealth Migrate about the power of the crowd. The discussion includes goals, platform credibility, investor mindset, and Wealth University. So why not dip your toe into FinTech – but always remember to go into any investment with your eyes open!
45. Unbundled #Boost:MK Method
46. Unified Communication
A techie B2B application that matches individual skills to form teams or just gets that tech stuff done. Andre from MyTechie SA has a tsunami of skills with a distributed workforce to help tackle the jobless growth conundrum. Much of what they do is community and village based, with a pay-off line of ‘We give you the edge because we live there’. Training and skills development is a core focus. To join this techie team you are qualified via a 22 question “oil refinery” process, along with passion and a keen sense of service delivery. You are rated by the customer at every job done – so your last performance is an ongoing scoreboard.
43. Unbundled #Boost:
MK Method
Do you know where all your business’ data is located? Why should your business have different apps for meetings, phone calls, and texting… when you can have one consolidated, secure encrypted app that does it all (and more)? With audio collaboration and app integration, you get to lose the PABX, the desk phone and suddenly you have a “productivity anywhere” work model. Jaco Voigt chats to AJ from Contineo about the evolving functionality of UC – Unified Communication. Learn about whiteboarding, vendor cloud storage, and risks of certain vendor communication spaces.
44. Data Loss
Some strange things happened during lockdown. Previously competitors in the neat freak organisation space, but now best friends with a joint business venture – Jaco Voigt chats to Megan and Kasia from MK Method. MK Method grew from cardboard boxes as demo storage examples, to a niche high-end service of tweaking the homes and offices of busy folk. They make pretty magic by elevating habits and routine with space formation, great design and beautiful products. This force of female fabulousness has seen the start of national franchising, introduction of interior design, a KykNet reality feature, and designing their own product range. You can never be too organised – and sometimes it’s time to just call in the professionals!
41. Unbundled #Boost:
Infinitude
Jaco chats to Jarryd Irvine from Infinitude about how a coach can help you focus on the transformation, rather than the t-shirt. A conversation about cadence, no limits, conditioning, technique and quality programming – while keeping you honest about your goals. Fast before far is also a thing. If you have ever considered tweaking your tri discipline routine, need assistance with overcoming limitations in endurance sport, or looking for guidance mentally to crash the barrier wall – listen to this podcast for a ‘new you’ fitness resolution!
Do you know what your staff are sending, saving, and doing with your company’s data? Do you have a data company policy? This week Jaco Voigt gets ‘tech-wise’ with his guest, Eugene Verster about data protection, data loss and data breaching. All companies should have a form of data management to ensure control of company data. Your data is GOLD, cherish it!
42. Reviewing your Business Technology Needs
Jaco chats to Andre from Salescollab about the value of building trust and selling solutions that are not a quick fix. Who is your technology advisor – Bob at the bar, or are you embracing your technology with a trusted advisor for long-term integration and engagement? Do you know where your solutions are falling short? What is your data journey? Is your current technology solution fit for the future? Technology solutions are like special effects in a movie – they should be so seamless that you just don’t see them. It should never be a discounting game, as you most often will get (or not get) what you pay for!
Managing your business’ security cameras and video footage should never only be a reactive tool. Why not apply software intelligence into your existing hardware infrastructure? The array of video management software applications include proactive identification of unusual behaviour, visual verification for health and safety, counting stock or components, smoke and fire detection and integration with a business point of sale.
40. Unbundled #Boost:
Thought Africa
Disruptive technology in the education space is today’s podcast #BOOST. Jaco Voigt chats to Joel Kaplan from Thought Africa about project-based learning. Taking students aged 7-17 in a new direction of facilitating learning within 12 modules, used as tools to facilitate learning to become creators rather than consumers of technology. Jump onto TikTok and see if you as a parent are Nancy, learn more about NFTs, and Educare. If you are in the vicinity of Johannesburg, visit the SOKO district in Rosebank. Metaverse is inevitable… are you ready to embrace the future of this form of education?
38. Unbundled #Boost:
Simply Maestro
No business is too small to be hacked! This week, Jaco discusses the business imperative – AI’s role in cyber security and the benefits of AI supplementing repeatable actions to help identify vulnerabilities. Social engineering, phishing, vulnerability scans, penetration testing, multi-factor authentication. If any of these words don’t mean something to you in your business, take the time to listen to this podcast, as we establish that the two layer approach of firewalls and antivirus is insufficient to protect your business.
Jaco is joined by a young entrepreneur who passionately states that he found a gap in his “hood” to do apparel printing. The community no longer need to jump in a taxi to the city centre to get their printing done. No job is too big or small for this business owner, who encourages sample printing to help new business owners brand their goods. He is open 24/7 for any last minute end of year jobs, and ready to start 2022 with a bang!
Jaco discusses Digital Marketing with a Creative Director, looking at the user journey and how businesses should navigate the digital space to their marketing benefit. Does your business have a communication strategy with a key message talking to your target market? As a business, have you ever taken the time to avoid the fluffy spin-offs and focus on the pain points, by listening to the feedback and suggestions from your sales force? It’s all about optimisation, budget, and aligning with an agency that has the same values as your business!
Jaco Voigt discusses AI, automating, innovating and embracing the power of technology and data to accelerate your business. It’s important to remember that to understand the future you must understand the past, as it becomes clear in this podcast that what seems futuristic is actually the norm. We invite you to listen to the importance of embracing technology, keeping your business relevant, accelerating workloads, and encouraging discussions to map out your business’ start and end approach to embrace technology.
Jaco chats to Estelle Scott from TownCrowd – a company using disruptive innovation and a cloud based platform to simplify the municipal space that governs property. TownCrowd are advisory and facilitation specialists in the B2B sector, making sense of building controls, zoning, permits, wayleaves, valuations and much more. As an added bonus, TownCrowd are offering a discount benefit to new subscribers – the promo code is in the chat. Estelle also briefly touches on GrowthTopia – a female entrepreneur incubation and partnership programme.
Wondering what joy and practical prettiness bread bags and old Beta/VHS tape can bring to the average shopper? Jaco Voigt and his guest chat about rekindling the old craft of crochet, and how snipping up plastic is helping to feed families in Hout Bay. It is heartwarming to hear how something so easily trashed, has upskilled women in a struggling community. Bag. Rebag. Reuse. Recycle!
Jaco Voigt discusses AI, automating, innovating and embracing the power of technology and data to accelerate your business. It’s important to remember that to understand the future you must understand the past, as it becomes clear in this podcast that what seems futuristic is actually the norm. We invite you to listen to the importance of embracing technology, keeping your business relevant, accelerating workloads, and encouraging discussions to map out your business’ start and end approach to embrace technology.
How often are you in contact with your technology partner? Is there value in the platform offering they invoice you for monthly? Jaco Voigt has a thought-provoking conversation with Jacques Malherbe, about the need for collaboration when acquiring technology due to fragmented value chains. As the procurement process becomes increasingly commoditised, businesses are experiencing the pain of having missing pieces in their technology solution puzzle. The trend is for technology solutions to be myopically bought, for today, rather than having technology partners do value trapping for their business by optimising their value offering by participating in skills and needs analysis of the businesses they supply.
Jaco and his guest discuss smart work and living space management. These emerging trends have been fast tracked and are underpinned by the need to become a less ‘pen and paper’ based society when collecting data to access a facility. The pandemic and PoPi Act have reassigned and evolved roles regarding the way information is collected, verified, processed and stored. Encrypted, safe and verified data is not only the future – but a necessity. Learn more about people flow management, access control via face recognition and hand scanning, and property management which includes security, parking and maintenance management.
Jaco is joined by a data specialist discussing how storage of data has evolved. Although efficiencies are evident and there is a smaller footprint of products and solutions available, so many businesses still err to enterprise class solutions and external hard drive saving. What businesses believe is cost-effective could be the pennywise scenario as power, cooling, holistic managing, back-ups and malfunction are not considered. Once again the new PoPI Act compliance is something to be considered. There is a price vs performance for storage solutions that should always be investigated. When last did you do a deep dive into what data you are storing? This is a journey that every business needs to walk with an expert, as your data is no different to the money in a bank account – store it wisely as you will miss it when it disappears!
Jaco and his guest revisit the importance of business efficiency by managing data and embracing technology. The discussion centres around connectivity being the foundation of a successful business, rather than a grudge purchase. The questions any business needs to keep asking are about the cost of data loss, and protecting what they have. Your ‘IT guy’ is sometimes just a desktop technician, rather than an IT resource – and perhaps it’s critical for your business to get objective advice on the benefits of system integration, cyber security and server virtualisation.
32. Unbundled #Boost:
Yumm Handmade Products
This week Jaco chats to a couple that turned their side hustle into a fully-fledged e-commerce full-time business. It all began when lockdown allowed some extra time to delve into Fran’s passion for organic natural body products. Yumm caters to a spectrum of kids needing bath time fun time, moms that need to relax, and everyone that needs some sensual me-time downtime. The bath and body range includes bath bombs, soaps, shower steamers, body butters and more. Why not go online and get your festive season treats sorted?
One way videos are a thing! Jaco Voigt chats to Jesse Bosch from Interview ME. As a subscription based or month-to-month product, Interview ME is a self-funded startup software platform business. Although focused on the benefits of building interviews and saving time recruiting talent for your business, any industry relying on one way information can make use of this platform. Asking interviewing questions to candidates and allowing them time to build their responses ensures that any recruiter or manager can watch back to back responses at a time suitable to them – without repeating the same questions over and over. With this programme, the candidate comes before the CV where potential can be identified in person rather than in piles of paper. The one way interview permutations are endless – doctors interviewing patients, schools doing student interviews, applications for post graduate programmes and more.
28. Unbundled #Boost:
Solutions Unlimited
This week, Jaco’s guest is a solutions driven businessman who offers bespoke distribution of products and services for education, entertainment and more. It’s still all about connecting people. As a specialist of 20 years in the sound industry, being solutions driven is in Gareth Edwards’ blood. Current industries served by Solutions Unlimited include churches, schools and au pairs teaching online, plus sound and video in restaurants for ambience or live gigs. With Solutions Unlimited’s product offerings including audio recording and streaming equipment, cameras and much more – perhaps you can help #BOOST this business!
There is a reason they say that a picture is worth a thousand words! Get a refreshing look at drones – UAV – Unmanned Aerial Vehicles… a business brought about by two offshore oil rig inspection engineers that wanted to be more home based. These licenced devices are a quick, efficient and cost effective means to add value to a spectrum of business as extended eyes for the likes of maintenance of buildings, project managing sites, security, and safety and risk assessments. Jaco Voigt chats to John Woodman to find out more.
Jaco is joined by Deanne from EDMA Systems as they talk about the digital transformation of people management. This software solution is all about efficiency, sustainability, business improvement and accurately costing employees. What started as an application to manage time sheets has grown into a software solution that not only automates and breaches personnel administration, but assists with onboarding of staff, disciplining staff and ensuring their health and safety. A focus on managing and costing staff that are working remotely or working flexi hours is one of the incredible benefits. In the paper intensive world of HR, this disruptive digital transformation is just what any business needs!
Catalytic CEO and the host of Unbundled, Jaco Voigt, joins The Gareth Cliff Show to make a special announcement about a wonderful opportunity for small businesses.
As a salaried employee, you are selling your time. So what happens when the trade-off becomes time based vs productivity based? Have you ever considered that as our workplace becomes more digitised, micro management via software is what could quantify your output? Working remotely has you comparing yourself only against yourself – how are you faring? Do you have the personality trait, working style and ethic to get that pay increase or promotion? CEO, Jaco speaks to futurist, economist, strategist and trend analyst, Bronwyn Williams.
Jaco, as a conservationist at heart, chats to Dr Sara Andreotti about the importance of changing the “drop the nets to save our beaches” practice, as this is disrupting and killing our marine life. They discuss how the SharkSafe Barrier can ensure skills upliftment, jobs and exporting opportunities – while peacefully co-existing with sharks. With a bottom up approach, the community and holiday goers can encourage safer patrol of our shorelines with new and less invasive inventions.
They say that data is gold, and with this in mind this week’s conversation is all about evolvement and involvement. Businesses (regardless of how small) need to embrace change and ensure that they stay relevant. This discussion looks at ‘SILO-citis’, and the hurdles regarding digital transformation. Has your business created and fully embraced a digital journey for staff and customers alike? Is your business aware of how the buying behaviour of customers has changed? What is the format and accuracy of your data, and how good is your data governance?
Jaco and his guest debate the inner workings of ‘to cloud or not to cloud’. When your core business is not IT you need to leverage technology to ensure digital transformation and business continuity. The considerations are more than just deciding on a public or private cloud-based solution. Points to ponder – has your business considered the pain points of stability issues for the server like cooling, bandwidth and constant power? Do you have SLAs? What would a reason be to move your server(s)? How safe is your data?
CEO Jaco Voigt does a brief overview of what has been covered in previous Unbundled podcasts. He touches on Catalytic being a trusted advisor for all your business’ IT requirements including connectivity, security, surrounded eco-systems, Unified Communication (UC), back-up and restoration of data. In the fast-paced and ever-changing IT space, it is important to remember that your IT solution should support rather than restrict your business, and be mindful that enticing pricing may not serve your business well.
This week, CEO Jaco continues to simplify and unbundle the digital workplace. A Cisco networking specialist joins the discussion to demystify the core IT infrastructure of a business, as well as Cloud networking specifications. How familiar are you with routers, switches, firewalls, overlays… and how are you protecting your business? This discussion again highlights the fact that small businesses are the gateway to bigger enterprise crimes – are you protected?
Technology implementation is a journey and not a brand-buy or a cheap and easy flip of a switch. Are you considering redundancy (failover), back-up and security? This week Jaco chats about businesses needing to take responsibility for their technology implementations by aligning strategies, looking at the business landscape, and long term holistic solutions.
Although the 1 July deadline has been extended, you still need to formalise the process within your business as the PoPi Act is relevant to ALL businesses across the spectrum.
Do you have a PoPi manual? What is your safety net for possible cybercrime? How are you processing and storing private customer information, and who have you appointed as your compliance officer? What training have you given your staff regarding the protection and flow of private customer information?
Jaco and his guest peel back the complex layers of disaster recovery (DR). Recovery of data is not just a spare back-up living on a server. Did you know that there is a difference between recovery and back-up? With multiple users and real time recovery requirements, it becomes key to have a staged process, with a defined process to follow. Are you testing your back-ups to ensure that there is no malware in the files? How frequently is your business doing simulation and testing on recovery files? How many minutes, hours or days will it take to bring your business back up? It’s the dreary stuff that is actually your business’ lifeblood… extra measures are vital in this information age – what are you doing to protect your business continuity?
Does your rack tick all the boxes to ensure optimal data storage? Jaco Voigt and guest Adrian Buddingh discuss the key elements that make up a smart rack and the benefits of these ‘smart components’ to your business. What is the relevance of a smart rack in your IT infrastructure? What should be a concern for a business? Power, redundancy, rack cooling and security are all crucial elements in keeping your business data facility safe and going. From rack security measures like biometrics, to fire hazards and notifications, Jaco demystifies the technology of data smart racks in a server room or data centre facility.
Don’t underestimate the importance of device management… it’s more than just ticking the security box via your business’s trusted IT guy! Hacking happens on all levels – the negligence of small businesses is as serious as enterprises. The security risk increases as more staff work remotely on public and home connectivity. Would you as a business owner know if your staff bypass and breach server protocols? Do you even have device protocols? Remember, ‘prevention is better than cure’… this episode explores the importance of engaging the security of your business by delving into Android, Windows and Mac devices.
This week Jaco and his guest get practical about the key benefits of back-ups. What is your business doing to ensure active saving of valuable data? What is your plan should there be a network breach or a physical disaster? Jaco unpacks different ways to ensure that back-ups are done and discusses the harsh realities of the outcome of a global survey done in 2020 that confirms statistics like, “Only 20% of IT professionals follow best practices” and “While nearly 90% of companies are backing up data, only 41% do it daily”. World Back-Up Day is on 31 March – let this podcast shed some light on what you need to do to ensure business security and preparation!
This week CEO Jaco Voigt delves into the clutter of tech industry jargon. How does wifi get to your device? The nitty gritty of last mile, access points, circuit providers and shared networks... this conversation will help simplify connecting humans. The difference between home and business fibre is all about service, dedicated connectivity with guaranteed speed. Plus, a look at future connectivity ensuring rural revival.
Thanks to versatility in technology and communication, employees can be productive without the need to be office or desk bound. Unified Communication (UC) has ensured not only the mobilisation of a workforce, but has made workflow tools and communication more efficient. UC facilitates collaboration, while merging the world of communication with elements like voice, video, conferencing, recording, screen and file sharing. Jaco Voigt delves into using UC to enhance customer service, the importance of a quality UC supplier, and the trends being developed in the AI and automated sphere of future communication.
This week CEO, Jaco Voigt and his guests discuss the practical application of risk management and business continuity. In an uncertain world where normal business outages are complicated by targeted cyber-attacks and widespread social unrest, how can you build a strong, resilient organisation that can survive and even thrive with large threats? The nuisances of building the right culture, the dangers of misplaced trust, and the power of asking the right questions are all discussed in this conversation that will empower directors and business owners to start thinking differently about building resilience.
5. Cybersecurity in a Pandemic
As the gig economy continues to roll out, how will the lack of cybersecurity in private residences and co-operative workspaces affect how companies keep their data safe? Are there steps which employees can take to safeguard their company from malware and hackers? Are there systems which can render your systems largely lockdown-proof in terms of security? Whose duty is it to look after IT security? What is visibility, and can this help a company have a multi-faceted approach to keeping company data safe?
6. Introducing Unbundled 2021
Cloud, Connectivity, Data Storage. We’ve all heard the terms, but what are the considerations when choosing these services for your business? Similarly, what are the differences between fibre to the business and fibre to the home? If you’re a business that handles any sort of personal data for your clients, how will the mandatory implementation of the Protection of Personal Information Act impact you? Catalytic CEO Jaco Voigt takes a deep dive into the explanations and expectations of all these factors.
3. The Client's Needs are King
It is no longer sustainable to rely on just the brand you sell, to push sales on clients… the big shift is to ensure you are serving the client’s needs. What is PBX and how does Catalytic ensure that you have the right system for you? Can better business flow increase your profitability? How do you know which PBX system is a perfect fit for your business? Gareth Cliff chats to CEO, Jaco Voigt to find out more.
4. Cloud Storage & Backups
The value for companies is still in their data. As your company grows, what storage options should you consider? How does cloud storage work? Does having it mean you can get rid of physical server backups? Should companies test their backups? Gareth Cliff speaks to CEO, Jaco Voigt for answers.
1. On The Gareth Cliff Show
Jaco chats to Gareth on the Gareth Cliff Show about topics to come in the upcoming Unbundled Podcast, such as what role should an ISP play in your business? Is fibre a fail-proof solution, or should you have back-up connectivity options… if so, what are the alternatives?
2. Intro
Remember when we used to connect with a handshake, or a hug? Well now we connect by clicking a link. 2020 will be remembered for the Coronavirus pandemic and how it changed the way we interact – social distancing is the ‘new normal’ with the human connection and businesses now relying heavily on technology. But how frustrating is it when the internet drops, security worries… or even losing important information? Gareth Cliff asked CEO, Jaco Voigt why connectivity is so important in this day and age.