m-adeel-haider - Tumblr blog

[m-adeel-haider]

Progress

So far i have learned that business development, communication and sales are one of the key parts of a business. A strong marketing strategy is crucial while launching business. You should be clear in the goods and services you are providing . I was able to talk to few enterprenures who are running a similar business model as mine and they gave me a lot of insight on how to carry out your busines. One thing i learned is that one needs to be specialized in one area of business to stand out and gain competitve edge.

I am able to get three small contracts so far and it has been an amazing experience, doing everything on your own. I am planning to continue doing that throughout my study period.

[m-adeel-haider]

Progress Report

I have volunteered to help the residents in my neighborhood with their IT Problem. I posted an add at the building entrance and recieved two calls one about installing new windows and one to suggest about buying new laptop. However i am still not able to get paid job other than the two small contracts.

I am more confident in providing IT service and can talk to clients in much more professional way, I believe I would be able to get regular contracts with time

[m-adeel-haider]

Progress Report

I was able to get two small contracts so far based on the profile I made on a IT Contract App called Field Nation. I am unable to get more contracts because of my study schedule and availability. I believe if i pursue being a IT Contractor or Entrepreneur and not tied any where else i will be able to get more contracts. Furthermore I see there is a lot of competition in this area as well, many IT personal are doing these contracts as a side gig which has lead to over bidding for contracts and giving more negotiating power to clients. Rates of doing regular IT works have dropped significantly and most jobs get easily filled. Their is trust deficit in market and clients prefer to work with the reputed companies. Small contractors are working with those companies as sub contractors and this effect the overall profitability. I also believe that if you provide exceptional IT services locally and build your repo with clients, their is room for growth.

[m-adeel-haider]

Finance Your Business

Small IT firm is a service-oriented business however with expansion and growth you do need certain amount of capital to operate. Main source of investment in my case would be personal investment and love money or the investment made by spouse or parents. However, I have explored some government grants. The Canadian government offers a range of funding programs for small businesses, including those in the IT industry. Research programs such as the Strategic Innovation Fund or the Canada Media Fund to see if you qualify for funding. They are difficult to get however there is a possibility of getting something out of it. Furthermore, I would try to generate capital by pricing business plan to some local investor who would understand the potential of business by offering certain percentage.

Finally, the strong possible source of getting financing would be commercial band that would offer loan. It would increase the cost of borrowing money since interest rates are high but would give the business the initial required capital.

[m-adeel-haider]

Business Operation Plan

Considering that I have my market research done and have a business plan, my next step would be to register my business. Luckily there are not many licences involved, I only need to register my business and get a business number. I would like to invest time on setting up policies, rules and regulations for business operations. Which would cover major areas of business operation. Then I would procure the basic IT tool kit that would include all the required tools that I would possibly need on any work site. Meanwhile I would try to setup my website since I am not planning to get a rental office. I would outsource marketing and sales since I don’t have expertise in this area however would try to find a cost-effective solution to that. I will give myself three weeks to test the waters and find out if I would be needing an extra resource to carry out operations. I would either partner up with another company or hire an inhouse resources.

I would like to re-evaluate my business strategy on monthly basis and would implement changes every three months. I will keep my service fee competitive, because I believe it would give an impression of low-quality services. My initial goal would be to get at least one long term contract along with three to four ad hoc IT projects within first month.

[m-adeel-haider]

[m-adeel-haider]

Customer Persona

My client would be business owner or someone who is authorized to make decision regarding business operation. Anyone else would be an anti-persona and someone I would not invest my time or energies on. Furthermore, the concerned person would be the one who understand the technology needs and is concerned about improving it who is willing to invest on data security, reliability of their network and software, compatible business process. Who knows that it is feasible to hire a third party to manage their needs. This would give us or the Managed IT Service provider the trust and confidence to pitch efficient and reliable technology solutions at the service fee that would be acceptable. In addition, I would be targeting an individual who is considering to start a business and is in the process of finalizing vendors and suppliers for their business.  In short, an authorized person who is looking for a partner who can help them manage their technology needs effectively and efficiently

[m-adeel-haider]

Local Competition

There are around fourteen manage IT service provider in Niagara region, however for tumbler blog I reviewed the top three in Niagara Falls i.e., b4networks, BinaTech and OutsourseIT. There are in business from over a decade and are offering wide range of services to all sorts of businesses. I tried to find their market share but could not find such details.

All of them have posted extensive details of their services on their website and have claimed extraordinary service quality at competitive rates. Found positive feedback on their website however on google maps and fakebook few customers have complained about their response time and poor service.

I can say the biggest strength of them would be their current market share and customer base. Since it is a service-based product, maintaining a history and personal contacts with customer is the key. However, they are facing problem in finding IT technicians in the area. I have seen job postings on indeed that are active from last two to three months and they are offering incentives on employee referrals.

There is reasonable demand of managed IT service provider, but most of the small companies are not expert in all the fields like b4networks is good in providing network support but have no feedback or stories regarding cyber security services. Furthermore, there are big companies that are not based in Niagara but are offering services in the region, however they are outsourcing their contracts to these small companies.

Overall, I see there is potential in the market, however there are challenges to enter in managed IT/Cloud service provider market. With proper feasibility study I would be able to make calculated decision.

[1] https://www.b4networks.ca/

[2] https://www.oitc.ca/careers/

[3] https://www.binatech.com/our-services/managed-it-services/niagara-falls/

[m-adeel-haider]

Strengths & Weaknesses

I am a mature student, doing my degree in IT to pursue a second carrier.  I immigrated few years ago. I do face unique set of challenges and opportunities in their pursuit of education. I bring them a wealth of life experience and perspective that can be an asset in the classroom and beyond.

One of the strengths is my attitude that is a combination motivation, persistence, and determination. I migrated to Canada with a desire to create a better future for myself and my kids. This gives me a lot of encouragement and energy to face any challenge.  Additionally, my past education and 15 years experience in three different countries give me a deep perspective on the value of education and a deeper appreciation for the opportunities it provides.

Another strength is the cultural diversity. I have lived in multiple countries and experienced different cultures, I can offer unique perspectives and insights that can enrich the learning experience for my class fellows and peers. I feel comfortable to navigate cross-cultural situations and communicate effectively with people from diverse backgrounds. Over the years I have learned that discipline plays a crucial role in ones personal and professional life.

On the other side, biggest challenges is lack of familiarity with an online environment. This makes it difficult for me to fully participate in the classroom and to understand the material. Furthermore, I don’t have a strong professional network which would put me at a disadvantage. However, I am confident that while completing my education I will work on these areas to be successful.

[m-adeel-haider]

Cloud Integration Services.

Do you know that there are over one million small and medium businesses in Canada, half of them have fewer than four employees. They provide10 million jobs and contribute 43 % into total exports. Information Technology (IT) plays a critical role in the success of these small businesses.

IT infrastructure is rapidly changing, companies are moving toward cloud computing. An option that involves remote access to an advanced infrastructure, provided by companies like AWS and Microsoft. According to recent surveys, more than 90 % of companies are using a hybrid cloud environment, and by year 2030, 50 % of companies will transition fully to cloud.

But Small business often face challenges to fully benefit from the use of IT. They have limited resources and lack expertise. Data security, privacy and disaster recovery are the biggest challenges for a small business. During COVID, hundreds of small businesses could not manage remote access of employees and have to shutdown.

Therefore, these businesses choose to partner with managed IT service provider, like ours to overcome these challenges. Our company help small business transition smoothly to the cloud. Our expertise lies in the technical knowledge and experience in cloud migration and integration. We collaborate closely with clients, to understand their specific needs and tailor services accordingly. Our mission is to provide cost-effective solution that maximize the benefits of cloud technology for our clients.

We are targeting businesses with up to one hundred users, focusing on restaurants, retail stores and pharmacies in Niagara Region. We expect to generate a revenue of over two hundred thousand by year 2024.We are looking for partner who would invest 100,000 CAD, in return they would get up to 10 % of company shares. This capital will be used to pay off existing debt and establish physical office in Niagara Region.

[m-adeel-haider]

Cloud Integration Services, Niagara Falls

Cloud Integration Services

Cloud Integration Services.

Do you know that there are over one million small and medium businesses in Canada, half of them have fewer than four employees. They provide10 million jobs and contribute 43 % into total exports. Information Technology (IT) plays a critical role in the success of these small businesses.

IT infrastructure is rapidly changing, companies are moving toward cloud computing. An option that involves remote access to an advanced infrastructure, provided by companies like AWS and Microsoft. According to recent surveys, more than 90 % of companies are using a hybrid cloud environment, and by year 2030, 50 % of companies will transition fully to cloud.

But Small business often face challenges to fully benefit from the use of IT. They have limited resources and lack expertise. Data security, privacy and disaster recovery are the biggest challenges for a small business. During COVID, hundreds of small businesses could not manage remote access of employees and have to shutdown.

Therefore, these businesses choose to partner with managed IT service provider, like ours to overcome these challenges. Our company help small business transition smoothly to the cloud. Our expertise lies in the technical knowledge and experience in cloud migration and integration. We collaborate closely with clients, to understand their specific needs and tailor services accordingly. Our mission is to provide cost-effective solution that maximize the benefits of cloud technology for our clients.

We are targeting businesses with up to one hundred users, focusing on restaurants, retail stores and pharmacies in Niagara Region. We expect to generate a revenue of over two hundred thousand by year 2024.We are looking for partner who would invest 100,000 CAD, in return they would get up to 10 % of company shares. This capital will be used to pay off existing debt and establish physical office in Niagara Region.

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[m-adeel-haider]

Migrating a small business to the cloud can be a complex process, but it can offer many benefits such as cost savings, scalability, and increased flexibility. Here are some steps that a small business can take to migrate to the cloud:

Assess your current IT infrastructure: Understand your current IT infrastructure, including hardware, software, and data, and identify which elements can be moved to the cloud.

Determine your cloud computing needs: Decide on the type of cloud services that your business needs, such as Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), or Software as a Service (SaaS).

Choose a cloud provider: Research and select a reputable cloud provider that meets your business's needs.

Plan and test your migration: Create a migration plan, including timelines, and test the migration process to ensure that it is successful.

Migrate your data and applications: Move your data and applications to the cloud, ensuring that all necessary security measures are in place.

Train employees: Provide training for employees to ensure that they are familiar with the new cloud-based tools and services.

Monitor and manage: Monitor and manage the performance of your cloud-based services to ensure that they are meeting your business's needs.

It's important to keep in mind that migrating to the cloud can take time and resources, this is where small business lack resource starting from making the decision to actual clout migrating to cloud and would need help from business like ours who provide cloud integration services.