On today’s SBAM Weekly Podcast, Michael Rogers talks with Blaine Tillander, owner of Granite Networks and a member of SBAM’s Leadership Council. Established in 1998, Granite Networks provides comprehensive IT support, from leadership to help desk. Tillander highlighted the evolution of IT management from a break-fix model to ongoing support, emphasizing the importance of security and proactive measures. “Security is really about layers,” he says. “And while email security is important you have to assume it's going to fail, and if it fails, then let's say all your tools fail. Having a third party backup of your entire ecosystem is critical, because if you do get hit, how do you get back up and running in a way that isn't also compromised?”

The Small Business Association of Michigan is the only statewide and state-based association that focuses solely on serving the needs of Michigan’s small business community. We have been successfully serving small businesses like yours in all 83 counties of Michigan since 1969. We’re located in Lansing, just one block from the Capitol.

Our mission is to help Michigan small businesses succeed by promoting entrepreneurship, leveraging buying power and engaging in political advocacy. When small businesses band together through the Small Business Association of Michigan, they achieve more than they could on their own. 

Our 32,000 members are as diverse as Michigan's economy. From accountants to appliance stores, manufacturers to medical, and restaurants to retailers, what unites the SBAM membership is the spirit of entrepreneurship…a spirit that drove you to start and continue to operate your own business because you believe you can do something better than anyone else is doing it!

(music licensed from www.jukedeck.com)