InSys Views - September 2009

Volume 4, Issue 9 - September 2009

The summer is over (such as it was in the northeastern US), and it's time to focus on getting the most business value from the final months of 2009. I always enjoy this time of year, and I have a particularly fresh perspective now, having spent time in August with a women entrepreneur from Afghanistan. Her name is Farzana Ebrahimi, and she was here in the US as part of the Peace through Business initiative, sponsored by the Institute for Economic Empowerment of Women.

It was an interesting experience for both of us. Farzana started her visit with a week of training at Northwood University, in Dallas, and then spent a second week with us at InSys Consulting. I think it was a great experience for the whole InSys team. Afghanistan gets so much play in the news, and it was wonderful to meet a bright, charismatic woman who's thoroughly committed to building her country's future. Besides spending time talking about business and comparing notes, we took in some of the sights in New York City. And we got to do a little cooking together, too!

I assume know that this week, Ben Bernanke went on the record to say the recession is probably over, even if we're looking at a long period of slow growth. I like to focus on the positive, so let's take that as good news and try to make the most of the opportunities ahead.

Linda Magnusson-Rosario, CEO

Cyber Security Risks Revealed

The SANS Institute recently issued a report based on intrusion data from 6,000 companies. More than half of all attacks hit two areas - unpatched client-side software and Web applications. Read the article.

Finding Star Employees

More and more global companies are using collaboration tools like instant messaging and wikis to find employees with the right skills to meet specific challenges. Proctor & Gamble reports that collaboration tools have become a key business driver. Read the article.

Avoid CRM Metric Missteps

This CIO article lists the traps to avoid when generating reports from a CRM system. Just because your system can produce fancy and eye-catching dashboards, doesn't mean the data will be meaningful. Read the article.

Stroll 'N Roll 2009

InSys Controller Jodi Edelson will participate again this year in the Kessler Foundation's Stroll 'N Roll in Verona Park, New Jersey. It's the 8th annual event that benefits rehabilitation research related to spinal cord and brain injuries. This 5k walk, run or stroll through the park helps to raise money and awareness and improve the quality of life for people with disabilities. The Kessler Foundation also promotes employment opportunities and offers an educational outreach program to school-age children about behaviors that can lead to disabling injuries.

"This will be my fifth year participating, and I love it every year. It's a great opportunity to make a difference and have some fun. I hope everyone who hears about it will come and join me."

If you're interested in helping (and burning a few calories) it's less than two weeks away, so hurry and register. Visit the Kessler Foundation event page for more info, or let Jodi know you'd like to join her.

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