Earlier this month, we surveyed our clients about the AI services they use regularly. The results show that a majority of respondents prioritize the AI services included within their existing productivity suites.

Of more than 50 respondents:

• 57% use Gemini for Google Workspace (including the Gemini App, Gems, and NotebookLM)

• 55% use Microsoft Copilot

• 51% use stand-alone AI services, such as ChatGPT, Claude, and/or Grok

• 12% use Gemini Enterprise

While stand-alone service adoption is slightly lower, many companies officially use more than one solution:

• 33% use Gemini AI and at least one stand-alone service.

• 33% use Microsoft Copilot and at least one stand-alone service.

As you evaluate your AI needs, consider these strategic factors:

Secure Your Baseline

Maintain control and security over your data before you begin your AI journey. You need to ensure that individuals using AI cannot access information beyond their specific responsibilities. Additionally, you also want to confirm that your data is not used to train or populate learning models beyond your internal systems.

This data governance is critical for maintaining compliance with regulatory, industry, and contractual requirements for data protection.

Understanding how each AI tool or service integrates with your identity, access, and security services helps you select solutions that will protect your business.

Start Simple

Before diving into multiple new solutions, explore and take advantage of the AI services embedded in your current IT systems and applications.

Microsoft Copilot and Gemini for Google Workspace each offer a robust suite of services. You may not need to make additional investments in other tools. Additionally, both platforms integrate directly with your email, documents, spreadsheets, and meetings, as well as other applications within your suite.

Leveraging these services lets you avoid the cost and complexity of third party integrations. For example, both Gemini and Copilot provide excellent transcription and note-taking services for Google Meet and Microsoft Teams meetings, respectively.

Dive Deep

Before adding third party AI services and tools, make sure to explore and pilot the capabilities already at your fingertips.

For instance, Gemini AI for Google Workspace includes:

• The Gemini App: Provides prompt response using public information and secure access to your content in Google Workspace. It also supports advanced image creation and manipulation, Deep Research tools, and short video creation.

• Gems: Customized Gen AI chat agents with defined personas and objectives

• Scheduled Actions: Automation for repetitive AI actions

• NotebookLM: creates private, secure learning models using your data and select public information.

Define Use Cases

As part of your exploration, identify use cases where AI integration provides tangible benefits.

For each use case, define the opportunity, workflows, process changes, and desired outcomes.

These use cases provide you with a framework to test AI services and solutions, and they will help you identify the individuals and teams that will be impacted by AI adoption. These people will require training and should participate in your AI pilot projects.

Be Selective

If you cannot address use cases with your integrated and embedded AI services, focus your search on AI tools and services appropriate for your use cases.

Before selecting a tool, vet its ability to integrate with your existing applications, systems, and security. Keep in mind that every additional application introduces administrative overhead and security constraints.

Balance the added effort and costs against the potential outcomes to ensure that the tool delivers true value to your business.

Help is Here

Visit our AI Landing Zone for a range of resources to help you plan, manage, and secure your AI services.

Our Cloud Advisors can also provide the guidance and assistance you need to plan and execute your AI strategy. Send us an email or book a brief introductory call. We are here to help.

Book My Intro Call

About the Author

No prevention is perfect. No protection is perfect. You are already a target for cyberattacks, and eventually, one will likely succeed. When that happens, you need to know what comes next.

Event or Incident? Know the Difference

Understanding the distinction between a cybersecurity event and an incident is critical because they carry different operational and legal implications.

A Cybersecurity Event is an observable change in the status of a network, system, application, or data. You should investigate these events to determine if they qualify as an incident. Not all events become incidents.

A Cybersecurity Incident is a confirmed event, or series of events, that jeopardizes the confidentiality, integrity, or availability of data or systems. It causes harm or disruption and requires an immediate, formal response. Incidents trigger legal, regulatory, and contractual obligations, such as reporting, that must be managed.

Your Next Steps

With this distinction in mind, follow these steps to manage the situation effectively.

1. NOT Panic

Stay calm.

Quick, smart action serves you better than panic.

2. Disconnect and Isolate

Notify your IT team and service providers immediately.

Enlist their assistance to secure every impacted or potentially impacted system:

• Log out users on all devices.

• Change passwords or disable accounts.

• Disconnect systems from your network and the internet.

• Document all actions and changes with a timestamp.

3. Document the Event

Take a few moments to document everything you know.

Create a clear timeline of the situation:

• What did you notice and when?

• What happened and when?

• What actions did you take (e.g., links clicked, reports made to IT)?

4. Do NOT Start Fixing Things

Your cyber insurance carrier, legal counsel, or law enforcement may need to preserve your systems for forensics.

Restoring systems or recovering data prematurely could destroy evidence and impede criminal investigations. Furthermore, altering systems might provide a reason for your insurance carrier to deny or limit your claim.

5. Make These Calls

Connect with resources that can help you navigate your next steps.

Your Cyber Insurance Agent and/or Carrier

Advise your insurer that you are responding to a cybersecurity event that may be an incident. They will want to know the nature of the event and any actions you have taken. If they determine the event is an incident, they will initiate a response.

Your insurer may: (1) Require you to report the event to law enforcement (FBI or CISA.GOV); (2) Require you to hold systems for forensic analysis; (3) Hire a specialized firm to manage recovery efforts; (4) Direct you to complete other specific actions.

Your insurer may also ask for validation that you follow your security policies and procedures. Depending on your coverage, they may also provide assistance with: (1) Required legal and/or regulatory reporting; (2) Client communications; (3) Client response services (e.g., credit monitoring); (4) Other response-related services.

Your Legal Counsel

Work with counsel knowledgeable in cybersecurity response.

They will help you with: (1) Compliance with state and federal laws and industry regulations; (2) Stakeholder and customer notifications; (3) Contractual obligations; and (4) Interactions with law enforcement.

Law Enforcement

We recommend opening a report with law enforcement in coordination with your cyber insurance carrier and legal counsel.

• If your local law enforcement agency lacks a dedicated cybercrime unit, they can still open a report and refer you to the cybercrime unit of your local FBI field office. You can also report directly to the FBI or CISA.GOV.

• Please be aware that law enforcement may collect computers or other devices as evidence. While this can be disruptive to daily operations, the long-term benefits far outweigh the temporary inconvenience.

• Reporting the crime provides you with an official record that often assists insurance claims, and law enforcement may also be able to assist with recovery. For example, federal agencies maintain a database of decryption keys for ransomware attacks which could help you recover data without paying a ransom.

The Event

Human action triggered all three of these recent events. While it is easy to claim that the individuals involved should have known better, the reality is that even knowledgeable people succumb to these tricks when they are tired or distracted.

How many times have you replied to or acted on an email that you skimmed or quickly read without focusing on the content? We are all busy, and an email often feels like just another task to check off.

When you combine a false sense of security with a momentary lack of attention, it is very easy to click the wrong link, enter credentials into a fake site, or share private information.

Technology is vital for protection, but your people must also understand the risks. They should be able to identify suspect interactions and know exactly what to do when faced with a suspicious email, text, call, or web page.

After The Event

In every recent event we have handled, the business and IT leaders were unsure how to proceed. Given the urgency and stress of the moment, none of them referred to an existing Information Security Plan because they did not have an incident response checklist or strategy in place.

We tend to focus on recovery, such as getting systems back online and restoring data. While this is an urgent and tangible response, it is only one part of the equation.

Your cyber insurance carrier may need to verify your security measures, conduct a forensics analysis, or direct your recovery efforts. You likely have legal, industry, or contractual reporting requirements, and you may even need law enforcement to investigate.

Response and recovery from a cyberattack requires having the technology in place to get your systems, apps, and data back in operation as well as having resources in place to get you through the legal, regulatory, contractual, marketing, and customer relationship challenges you will face.

Help is Here

Responding to an attack requires a plan before the attack occurs. Our Security CPR® model provides the framework your business needs:

• Communicate and Educate: Ensuring your team stays knowledgeable, aware, and prepared through appropriate policies and procedures.

• Prevent and Protect: The right mix of security solutions to prevent cyberattacks and protect against active and successful attacks.

• Recover and Respond: The services needed for business continuity, resilience, and a quick return to operations, along with the resources to assist with the insurance, regulatory, legal, and communication aspects of a cyber incident response.

Connect with a Cloud Advisor

About the Author

Watching the tech news, agentic AI is the future of everything. AI Agents seem to be all the rage. At the same time, most small businesses struggle to get started. 

Google Gems, part of the Gemini AI ecosystem, provide an easy-to-use tool for building and using secure AI Agents.

In this Coffee & Clouds online event, Senior Cloud Advisor Bill Seybolt joins CEO Allen Falcon for a rapid-fire introduction to AI Agents and Google Gems. Bill will give you a quick, hands-on demo and while discussing use cases and ways that you can get started.

Invest 15 to 20 minutes to understand how you can do more AI, Gemini, and Google Workspace, without additional spending.

As a thank you for attending, we will send you a gift card for Dunkin’ or Starbucks!

Save My Spot!

Security fatigue is real. You’ve felt it, and so have we. Cyber criminals know this, and they are waiting to capitalize on it. When we let security fatigue guide our decisions and allow our guard to drop, we become much more likely to fall victim to a cyberattack.

Over the past few weeks, we have assisted multiple companies that fell victim to such attacks. These events reflect a recent surge in cyberattacks, serving as a harsh reminder that we must remain vigilant.

Common Elements

Each of these recent cases shared three common elements:

1. An employee clicked on a malicious link and shared account information.

2. The company opted not to deploy recommended security measures.

3. Neither the business or IT leaders had a plan for how to respond to an emergency.

These elements demonstrate critical failures at every phase of a cybersecurity event.

Prior to The Event

Even as small businesses, we are more vulnerable to cyberattacks than we may expect. A basic suite of cybersecurity services is no longer optional, it is essential for defending and protecting against attacks.

In each of the cases we recently handled, simple and effective baseline tools were not in place. Decisions made to avoid the incremental cost of added protections left these businesses exposed.

Consequently, each company is now paying a much larger price, ranging from several days of downtime and lost productivity to potential fines and litigation.

The Event

Human action triggered all three of these recent events. While it is easy to claim that the individuals involved should have known better, the reality is that even knowledgeable people succumb to these tricks when they are tired or distracted.

How many times have you replied to or acted on an email that you skimmed or quickly read without focusing on the content? We are all busy, and an email often feels like just another task to check off.

When you combine a false sense of security with a momentary lack of attention, it is very easy to click the wrong link, enter credentials into a fake site, or share private information.

Technology is vital for protection, but your people must also understand the risks. They should be able to identify suspect interactions and know exactly what to do when faced with a suspicious email, text, call, or web page.

After The Event

In every recent event we have handled, the business and IT leaders were unsure how to proceed. Given the urgency and stress of the moment, none of them referred to an existing Information Security Plan because they did not have an incident response checklist or strategy in place.

We tend to focus on recovery, such as getting systems back online and restoring data. While this is an urgent and tangible response, it is only one part of the equation.

Your cyber insurance carrier may need to verify your security measures, conduct a forensics analysis, or direct your recovery efforts. You likely have legal, industry, or contractual reporting requirements, and you may even need law enforcement to investigate.

Response and recovery from a cyberattack requires having the technology in place to get your systems, apps, and data back in operation as well as having resources in place to get you through the legal, regulatory, contractual, marketing, and customer relationship challenges you will face.

How We Help: Security CPRⓇ

Your security profile should match your business. The nature of your company, its size, your industry and markets, and your locations should all dictate your security requirements. Your leadership team should guide your security strategy and spending.

Our Security CPRⓇ model and services provide the framework for creating the right security profile for your business:

• Communicate and Educate: Ensure you and your team are knowledgeable, aware, and prepared, and that you have appropriate policies and procedures in place.

• Prevent and Protect: Implement the right mix of security solutions to stop cyberattacks and defend against active threats.

• Recover and Respond: Build the necessary services for business continuity, resilience, and a quick return to operations, including resources to assist with the insurance, regulatory, legal, and communication aspects of a response to an incident.

Connect with a Cloud Advisor

About the Author

No prevention is perfect. No protection is perfect.

You are already the target of cyber attacks. More than likely, at some point one of the attacks will be successful.

How you initially respond to a cybersecurity incident will affect your ability to recover, your cyber insurance coverage, your customer relationships, your legal and financial liability, and possibly your survival.

In this live 3T@3 Series online event, Cumulus Global CEO Allen Falcon walks through the steps to take the moment you think you have been hacked, breached, or compromised.

With a pragmatic approach, Allen discusses how to minimize the damage, work with your cyber insurance carrier, and protect your business from the technical, operational, and legal issues following a security incident or breach.

You will leave this session with clear guidance for setting up your incident response plan.

Save My Spot

Westborough, MA, February 18, 2026 – Cumulus Global proudly announces that its recognition by CRN®, a brand of The Channel Company, to the 2026 Managed Service Provider (MSP) 500 list in the Pioneer 250. This is the 7th year CRN has recognized the company for its innovative cloud and IT services and solutions for small and midsize businesses, local governments, and K-12 school systems.

“We are proud to again receive this recognition of our unique value proposition,” noted Cumulus Global CEO Allen Falcon. “Our team focuses on ensuring our clients’ IT infrastructure, cloud, and artificial intelligence (AI) services are productive, secure, and affordable.”

Cumulus Global is being recognized for its innovative Managed Cloud Services and its Security CPR® managed security services. With four tiered offerings, Cumulus Global’s Managed Cloud Services scale to the specific needs of small and midsize organizations.

The service packages include security, co-management, remote administration, and support. The company’s Security CPR® services provide policies, procedures, technologies, and a culture of awareness. These services help prevent and protect against attacks and help clients effectively respond and recover, if needed.

“Small and midsize organizations face unique challenges and use technology – from Apps to AI – differently than larger organizations,” noted Falcon. “Our model, services, and team all focus on helping clients affordably leverage IT – especially cloud and AI services – to thrive and grow.”

CRN’s MSP 500 list is an annual, comprehensive guide to the leading MSPs in North America. The MSP 500 recognizes companies whose services enhance business efficiency, simplify IT, and optimize return on technology investments. The Pioneer 250 category recognizes MSPs service small and midsize clients.

“The companies on our 2026 MSP 500 list are redefining what exceptional managed services look like—helping organizations of every size stay agile, maximize their IT investments and scale with confidence,” said Jennifer Follett, VP of U.S. Content and Executive Editor, CRN, The Channel Company. “These are the innovators who stay ahead of customer needs and deliver transformative services that free businesses to focus on what they do best and accelerate their success.”

The 2026 MSP 500 list is featured online at crn.com/msp500.

About The Channel Company

The Channel Company (TCC) is the global leader in channel growth for the world’s top technology brands. We accelerate success across strategic channels for tech vendors, solution providers and end users with premier media brands, integrated marketing and event services, strategic consulting, and exclusive market and audience insights. TCC is a portfolio company of investment funds managed by EagleTree Capital, a New York City-based private equity firm. For more information, visit: thechannelco.com.

About Cumulus Global

Nationally recognized as a leader, Cumulus Global delivers productive, secure, and affordable managed cloud services to small and midsize businesses, governments, and K-12 schools. Translating business objectives into technology needs and priorities, we design, deploy, manage, and support services that help our clients thrive and grow.

As leaders of small and midsize organizations, we need to operate efficiently and effectively within a range of security constraints. Laws, regulations, industry standards, and contractual obligations set expectations and, in most cases, impose requirements on how we manage and run our business and IT. Now, artificial intelligence (AI) adds a new layer of security challenges.

AI is most effective when it has access to a broad range of relevant information. However, that access must be carefully limited to authorized users, creating a delicate balancing act.

AI data leaks occur when AI tools and systems expose information to unauthorized users or share it inappropriately. These leaks can happen internally or externally, and may be accidental or intentional.

Preventing AI data leaks requires actively governing permissions and access, along with choosing AI tools that align with your security and privacy requirements.

Set Up AI Data Governance

The days of “set and forget” permissions are over. At the macro level, AI data governance requires actively managing access controls and permissions settings.

Begin by reviewing and auditing your current access controls and permissions settings. It is common for users to rely on default sharing settings or to adjust permissions for convenience, often extending access inappropriately. While people may not actively search for and find private information, AI will.

Running an audit tool and resetting permissions can help close these gaps and provide a fresh starting point. Once permissions are properly configured, advanced security tools enable ongoing monitoring to identify new threats as they emerge. These tools can notify users and administrators of potential issues and modify permission changes to reduce risk.

Pick Secure AI Tools

With data access controls and permissions properly secured, the next step is ensuring that the AI tools and systems you use do not put your data at risk.

When selecting AI tools, look for the following attributes:

1. Adheres to Security Standards

Include security as a critical criteria when selecting your AI tools and systems. Verify that the AI tools you pick adhere to industry and regulatory security standards.

2. Does NOT Train Models Without Permission

Never use an AI tool that trains their models without your permission. These tools effectively absorb anything you input and incorporate it into their models, potentially exposing your data to other users.

3. Does NOT Allow Human Data Review Outside Your Domain

Avoid AI tools and systems that allow humans outside of your organization to see or use data you have entered into the system. Even if these systems are not using your data to train their models, if others can see it, then it is not secure.

4. Does NOT Sell or Use Data for Other Purposes

Choose AI tools and systems that do not sell or use your data for purposes beyond providing the service. Outside of training, some AI tools mine data for sale to others for research, marketing, and other purposes.

The general rule of thumb is: If you pay, your data is private. If the tool is free, so is your data.

However, some paid AI tools still include terms and conditions that allow data collection and usage. Before moving forward with any AI tool or system, always check the fine print.

How We Help

Schedule an intro meeting with one of our Cloud Advisors. Our team can discuss how you can assess your risk, create effective policies, and select tools that deliver productive, secure, and affordable AI solutions. The meeting is free and without obligation.

Book My Intro Call

About the Author

For small businesses, generally those with fewer than 300 employees, Google offers three subscription options. The right choice for your business depends on your needs, priorities, and budget. While we offer a comprehensive feature comparison, the highlights below are designed to help guide your decision.

Business Starter

Cost:

• $7 / user / month with an Annual or Multi-Year Subscription

• New subscription incentives: Available

• Upgrade Incentives: N/A

Key Features:

• Custom domain with 30 GB of storage for email and documents

• Basic security controls

• Email filtering, virus blocking, and phishing/malware protections

• Groups for email lists, content sharing, calendar invites

• Drive for Desktop

• Shared Drive membership

• Basic Chat and Meet features

• Gemini AI for Gmail

Top Reasons SMBs Choose Starter:

Business Starter delivers a low-cost entry for small businesses looking for reliable email services with occasional needs for editing, document sharing, and other collaboration tools.

Business Standard

Cost:

• $14 / user / month with an Annual or Multi-Year Subscription

• New subscription incentives: Available

• Upgrade Incentives: Available

Key Features:

• 2 TB storage per user, aggregated across subscription

• Enhanced security controls

• Attachment scanning / sandboxing

• Document eSigning, approvals, custom templates

• Advanced Shared Drive sharing and storage

• Meet Features: Noise cancellation, breakout rooms, recording, polls, Q&A, and more

• Gemini AI for Drive, Docs, Sheets, Slides, Chat, and Meet

• Full NotebookLM Access

• Secure Data Regions

Top Reasons SMBs Choose Standard:

Business Standard is an affordable, secure platform for business productivity that is the best entry point for most small businesses. Businesses love the useful, integrated AI features and capabilities, as well as the admin-managed storage (shared drive) with secure external sharing.

Business Plus

Cost:

• $22 / user / month with an Annual or Multi-Year Subscription

• New subscription incentives: Available

• Upgrade Incentives: Available

Key Features:

• 5 TB storage per user, aggregated across subscription

• Advanced security controls

• Archive / eDiscovery Services for Gmail, Drive, Shared Drives, and Chat

• Organizational branding, including default templates and themes

• Chat file sharing management and document controls

• Meet recording, transcripts, and notes

• Security advisor data protection

• Advanced endpoint and device management and controls

Top Reasons SMBs Choose Plus:

Business Plus is a secure, affordable, productive platform with features that help meet regulatory and industry compliance requirements. Businesses that chose this subscription need or want the advanced security with compliant archiving and e-discovery, expanded storage capacity, and advanced controls for Chat, Meet, and Devices.

How We Help

Our Cloud Advisors are here to help you plan, execute, and succeed. We can help you evaluate and select the right Google Workspace Business (or Enterprise) subscription for your business.

Book Some Time & Start Your Journey

About the Author

Small businesses often fall prey to low-tech IT scams.

While simple, these low-tech scams can, and often do, create high levels of damage.

Our CEO, Allen Falcon, writes about 3 IT Scams for Small Businesses to Avoid over at Inc. You can read it here.

How We Help

Our Cloud Advisors and Service Team can help you create and implement policies and procedures. Our Security CPR® Managed Security Service and our Managed Cloud Services provide you with co-managed security and cloud services that ensure your IT environment is productive, secure, and affordable.

Cyber incidents, system failures, and unexpected disruptions are no longer rare events. For small and mid-size businesses (SMBs), even a short outage or minor breach can interrupt operations, expose sensitive data, and damage customer trust.

Business resilience means preparing your organization to absorb disruptions and keep moving forward. You cannot, however, achieve resilience with a single tool or policy.

Business Resilience requires a layered security strategy that reduces risk, limits impact, and supports fast recovery.

Why Business Resilience is Your Priority

Technology plays a critical role in nearly every part of your business. When systems are disrupted, the impact extends beyond IT to revenue, reputation, and customer confidence.

A resilient security strategy helps you maintain operations even when things do not go as planned.

4 Strategic Pillars for Resilient Cybersecurity

An effective approach to security addresses risk across four key areas:

1. Awareness: Your employees recognize common threats, follow security best practices, and understand their role in protecting the organization.

2. Prevention: Updates, controls, and monitoring reduce exposure by closing common attack paths.

3. Protection: Safeguards such as encryption, access controls, and multi-factor authentication limit damage when incidents occur.

4. Recovery: Backups and response plans enable you to restore systems, data, and workflows quickly.

These pillars help you defend against both cyber threats and everyday mistakes and align with our Security CPR™ managed security model.

Plan for Impact, Not Just Prevention

No environment is immune to risk.

Even with strong preventive measures, incidents will still happen. Ongoing training, layered defenses, and clearly defined response plans will help you manage disruptions efficiently and reduce downtime.

Preparation ensures that a security event becomes a manageable incident rather than a prolonged crisis.

Resilient cybersecurity is the foundation for business resilience.

Resilience is a Strategic Commitment

Building resilience is an ongoing effort that evolves as threats, technologies, and business needs change. With the right strategy and experienced partners, you can stay prepared, protect critical systems, and maintain stability when disruptions occur.

Managed Cloud Services Support Business Resilience

Managed cloud and managed security services play a critical role in helping you improve security and business resilience without overwhelming internal teams. At Cumulus Global, we support resilience through:

• Comprehensive IT and security management

• Secure collaboration and productivity solutions

• Cloud infrastructure monitoring, optimization, and protection

By aligning cloud technology with your business objectives, our managed cloud services and our Security CPR™ Managed Security Services improve reliability, reduce risk, and support long-term continuity.

Book My Intro Call

About the Author

Westborough, MA, January 22, 2026 – Cumulus Global proudly announces its new strategic partnership with Meter to bring affordable enterprise-grade local area network (LAN) solutions to small and midsize businesses and local governments. Partnering with Meter, Cumulus Global brings a new model for Internet, wired, WiFi, and cellular networks. A single, simple monthly fee replaces multiple vendors and separate costs for design, installation, hardware, software, support, and upgrades.

“We are excited to bring this solution to our clients and other small and midsize enterprises,” stated Cumulus Global CEO Allen Falcon. “With Meter, we can offer best-in-class networking infrastructure with a solution focused on performance and security rather than on how many devices the client needs installed.”

Meter offers a unique approach to networking that prioritizes performance and reliability over minimizing hardware and recurring costs. Clients pay a single, predictable monthly fee that covers analysis and design, networking equipment, service plans, and ongoing management and support. Pricing is based on the size of the space, measured in square feet, instead of on a per-device basis. This approach ensures clients receive the network they need and can adjust it as requirements change, all for a predictable cost.

“Meter is a premium networking solution that includes local area, WiFi, and in-building cellular networking,” noted Falcon. “Organizations with multiple locations, lean or outsourced IT teams, and cost-conscious growth plans are ideal candidates for Meter’s technology, solutions, and pricing model.”

Beyond delivering a technologically advanced network, Meter’s service and pricing model allows businesses to manage networking costs as either an operating expense or a capital expenditure.

Businesses, local governments, and K-12 schools looking to improve their networking infrastructure can contact Cumulus Global to book a free, no obligation meeting with a Cloud Advisor.

About Cumulus Global

Nationally recognized as a leader, Cumulus Global delivers productive, secure, and affordable managed cloud services to small and midsize businesses, governments, and K-12 schools.

Translating business objectives into technology needs and priorities, we design, deploy, manage, and support services that help our clients thrive and grow.

As small business owners and leaders, you carry the responsibility for the direction and success of your business. And while Cumulus Global provides Managed Cloud Services and Cloud Forward IT service and support that help you thrive and grow, we understand your responsibilities are broader than just IT.

Here is a curated list of blog posts from trusted experts and thought leaders that we hope will inform and inspire.

Vision

• What Is Future-Proofing? How to Make Sure Your Business Thrives

  • Businesses strive to stay relevant in an ever-changing market. Future-proofing your business is a long-term business strategy for resiliency and market adaptability in a fluid and often volatile environment.

  • Electra Govoni, The Alternative Board (TAB) Boston North West

AI Strategy

• A 5-Step Strategy for Responsible AI

  • AI is changing how our businesses operate and compete. As we rely more on AI, having strong governance is essential to ensure our AI tools are used securely, ethically, and responsibly. Our use of AI should align with your company’s values and regulatory standards.

  • Allen Falcon, Cumulus Global Blog

Business and IT Strategy

• How Financial Benchmarking Can Save Your Business

  • Many businesses with $2M-$50M in annual sales overlook a critical indicator of business health – financial benchmarking. Much like a pilot’s artificial horizon, benchmarking signals when a correction is needed, and sometimes making that adjustment is a matter of survival.

  • James Wheeler, kept.pro

• Start the New Year with an Effective IT Budget

  • If you do not have an IT budget, there is no such thing as an “in-budget” IT purchase. Every unplanned expense adds costs and introduces uncertainty, putting profit at risk. With a budget in place, you get clarity on current spending and can plan ahead instead of scrambling. Step into the new year with more control by following this simple process that gives you a complete view of your IT.

  • Allen Falcon, Cumulus Global Blog

Leadership

• When the Plan Flops: 4 Strategies to Help Leaders Bounce Back After Upset

  • Can you point to a recent situation in your business that didn’t go the way you had hoped—and now you’re left wondering, What now? If you know yourself to be a high-performing leader, these moments can feel especially difficult. You’re used to being in control, moving forward, and making things happen.

  • Amy Mosher Berry, Visions Internships

Legal

• Data, Trust, and Accountability: Business Lessons from the Avast Settlement

  • The Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) recent action against Avast, a widely used provider of consumer antivirus tools and browser-security extensions, illustrates how seriously regulators now treat gaps between what companies promise and what they actually do.

  • Nicholas Lipreseti, Esq. at Lipresti Law

Marketing

• How I Leverage AI in Marketing Without Losing My Authentic Voice

  • Building a Repeatable, Systematic Content Creation Process That Stays True to Your Brand.

  • Kristi Mitchell, Marketing Uncomplicated

Productivity

• Boost Your Biz with Smarter PDFs now!

  • The PDF format is preferred because it displays consistently on any device, and it’s reliable for storing important information. But not all PDF software is the same. Use the wrong one and you can have a problem with some of the functionality you’ve come to expect.

  • Mike Grossman, Mike Grossman Consulting, LLC

Cybersecurity

• 5 Cyber Threat Trends You Should Know

  • While cyber-fatigue is real, understanding the threat landscape helps you assess your risks and security posture and make informed decisions on how to prioritize security-related spending and investment.

  • Allen Falcon, Cumulus Global Blog

Help us keep the ideas flowing. As a thought leader, if you have any blog posts that you want to share, please let us know.

Many small businesses tend to react to IT expenses instead of planning ahead with a clear budget in place. A subscription renewal arrives, a laptop fails, or a new tool seems useful, and you make a decision in the moment. While this day-to-day approach can work in the short term, it generally leads to fragmented spending and technology that does not fully support your long-term goals. Over time, this lack of planning becomes more than an inconvenience.

If you do not have an IT budget, there is no such thing as an “in-budget” IT purchase.

Every unplanned expense adds costs and introduces uncertainty, putting profit at risk. With a budget in place, you get clarity on current spending and can plan ahead instead of scrambling.

Step into the new year with more control by following this simple process that gives you a complete view of your IT.

Document Your Recurring IT Expenses

Review all subscriptions, service agreements, and other recurring IT expenses. Check invoices and scan credit card statements. Look for monthly or annual services that renew quietly in the background.

Create a list of your recurring IT expenses, tracking costs by month. For a full picture, total your monthly and annual IT spending for each item.

Inventory Your Hardware and Software

Create a list of all your computers, printers, networking gear, and other devices. Do the same for purchased (non-subscription, non-SaaS) software. Note purchase dates, warranty dates, and expected lifespans for each item.

Create a replacement schedule by month for any hardware and software you plan, or need, to replace or upgrade in the coming year.

Remove What No Longer Serves You

Cleaning up your IT takes thought. Review your recurring services and hardware/software lists to identify duplicate services and items no longer used or needed. Plan when you will remove or retire unnecessary services, equipment, and software.

Decluttering frees up your budget and keeps your team focused. If changes require data migration, equipment disposal, or extra training, schedule these steps in advance to stay prepared.

Identify Initiatives You Want to Fund

You will likely want or need to add new technology or tools in the coming year. Break down each initiative and estimate upfront and ongoing expenses. Be clear about timing. Some projects require deposits or advance orders, while others only begin billing once services are delivered. Map payments by item and month to project cash flow and avoid unexpected issues.

Create a Single Cohesive Budget

After tracking recurring expenses, mapping replacements and upgrades, and planning new initiatives, combine everything into one organized view of your IT spending. Add up your expenditures monthly, quarter, and annually, including totals for each line item and category. This provides you with a full view of your budget, cash flow requirements, and project timing.

A single, consolidated budget transforms scattered technology activity into a predictable, manageable plan.

How We Help

Dive deeper with our recent Smart IT Budgeting Pays Off eBook for a deeper dive into the process for building an effective IT Budget. You can also download our IT Budget Workbook Template to help you get started.

Our Cloud Advisors help you put your IT plans into action. We assess your current technology, identify productivity and security gaps, remove redundant services, identify opportunities, train your team, and help you manage IT projects and your overall IT ecosystem.

No matter your starting point, book time with us to create your IT plan for 2026 and take control of your technology and spending.

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About the Author

Artificial intelligence (AI) is evolving rapidly, providing you with powerful tools that can transform how your organization operates. By integrating it into your daily workflows, you can make smarter decisions and streamline tasks that once took significant time to complete. Over time, AI will produce measurable results that are easy to track and analyze.

How AI Can Work for You

You get the most value from AI when you apply it to targeted, repeatable processes that address real business needs. For example, regularly analyzing meeting transcripts with AI can uncover actionable insights and identify trends that guide your business strategy.

AI can also assist in creating communications and marketing content that reflect your brand’s voice. Moreover, it can generate structured agendas or talking points for sales conversations, allowing you to emphasize client relationships and highlight your business’s strengths.

By making AI a regular part of your workflows, you can continuously refine outputs and achieve more accurate results over time.

Getting Started with AI

For those just starting out with AI, begin with smaller projects. For example, try using AI to automate follow-ups or analyze customer feedback. These use cases will help your team become familiar with AI while still delivering immediate impact. Over time, incorporate AI into more complex processes.

Give your organization the opportunity to explore its full potential without disrupting daily operations.

You should regularly monitor AI outputs to make sure that the technology and uses align with your goals. Tracking data usage also helps you keep information secure and will help maintain trust.

Crafting Effective Prompts

Once you are familiar with AI, you can unlock its full potential by providing clear context and direction. You and your team should know how to craft a prompt that helps AI fully understand your objectives and your voice.

A strong prompt includes the following elements:

1. Persona: Decide the role you want AI to take on. Defining a persona helps shape the perspective, tone, and level of expertise AI uses in its response.

2. Backstory: Share context about your business, your customers, and the tone or results you expect.

3. Task: Be specific about what you want AI to produce. Include your brand voice, target audience, and any formatting preferences.

For example, you might ask AI to take on the persona of a knowledgeable and approachable communications expert. Then, provide it with the backstory of your company and set a confident, friendly tone aimed at small business owners. Finally, be clear about the task, such as writing a professional announcement in your brand voice. Be sure to include any formatting preferences, like short paragraphs for easy readability.

Using AI Responsibly

In order to adopt AI responsibly, pay careful attention to sensitive business and client information. Selecting AI tools that meet strong standards for privacy, security, and compliance helps you protect this information and maintain trust with your clients and stakeholders. Beyond selecting the right tools, establish clear protocols to guide your team’s use of AI.

Your policies should:

1. Define safe usage: Clearly outline how AI should be used across your organization. Clear safe usage guidelines prevent misuse and ensures your team can confidently rely on AI.

2. Ensure compliance with regulations: Establish rules that keep your organization aligned with legal, industry standards, and contractual obligations. These rules should address the protection of sensitive client information, along with adherence to data privacy laws and governance policies.

3. Encourage creative applications: Support your team in exploring innovative approaches to problem-solving. Creative applications and use cases allow your organization to maximize the benefits of AI while generating tangible results.

AI is a powerful tool that can enhance business processes and strengthen client relationships. When it is used properly, your organization can achieve meaningful and lasting results.

How We Help

You can dive deeper into crafting effective prompts by viewing our November 2025 3T@3 Series session, “How To: Better AI Results,” as well as several eBooks and other resources in our Resource Center.

Our Cloud Advisors are here to help you plan, execute, and succeed. Book some time and start your journey.

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About the Author

As a small to medium-sized business (SMB) leader, you already know how tough IT decisions can be. From software to infrastructure, every choice affects your efficiency, budget, and long-term growth. One of the biggest challenges is decision-making paralysis. With so much information coming at you, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and unsure about which details actually matter. The key is learning how to manage that information effectively.

Managing Information Overload

Access to information can be both a benefit and a burden. Thanks to search engines and AI-powered tools, you can gather data faster than ever. But too much information can feel like noise if you don’t know where to start.

To cut through the clutter, start by identifying your core business goals and IT priorities. This will help you filter out irrelevant information and zero in on what truly supports your objectives. Additionally, you should lean on trusted sources and expert insights, as they provide accurate, reliable information that helps you make decisions based on facts rather than assumptions.

When you create a structured approach to research, you turn information overload into informed decision-making.

Evaluating Your Options

After narrowing your focus, the next step is choosing the right solution. With so many options available, it’s easy to second-guess your choices. A structured evaluation process helps you stay objective and confident.

1. Define your key requirements and goals: Identify what your business truly needs from an IT solution. Use these requirements as benchmarks to quickly rule out any options that don’t fit.

2. Research your top contenders: Take a closer look at the solutions that meet your criteria. Watch product demos, read case studies, and, if possible, talk to current users to understand real-world experiences.

3. Evaluate long-term performance: Ask how each option will scale with your business, how reliable the vendor’s support is, and how easily it integrates with your current systems.

Following these steps will help you minimize risk and choose solutions that support lasting growth.

Putting a Process in Place

Once you’ve evaluated your options, you should put a clear process in place to ensure that your decisions align with your business goals.

1. Form a team of key stakeholders to gain diverse perspectives and ensure all relevant viewpoints are considered.

2. Set a timeline with milestones to keep the decision-making process on track and maintain momentum.

3. Use decision-making frameworks such as SWOT analysis or a Decision Matrix to compare options objectively.

4. Document your reasoning throughout the process to maintain transparency and create a reference that supports future decisions.

In Summary

IT decision-making doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. The right approach not only helps you choose the best solutions but also saves time, reduces stress, and positions your business for growth. Start small, stay focused, and turn decision-making from a hurdle into a strength for your SMB.

How We Help

We provide the structure, communication, and support your team needs to succeed. From defining roles and prioritizing tasks to managing follow-ups and challenges, our professional services help keep your IT systems in sync with your business priorities so projects move forward efficiently.

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