Virtual Assistant Archives | Rosewood Marketing

In light of the cyber-attacks last week in London, Eng and also in Oshawa, ON I would like to share some tips and best practices for preventing/dealing with a cyber attack.

I sent this information as an email to my clients, and would like to also share it here. This is a critical concern, as it was brought to my attention yesterday that some local websites in Uxbridge (none of mine) were hacked on Saturday.

From my past experience in IT and dealing with two Ransomware Attacks, I wanted to share some best practices on how to avoid malware/ransomware and also what to do if you are “attacked”.

Tips to Avoid Getting “Malware” Through Email:
- If you receive an email from an unknown sender:
  - Don’t click on any links or download any attachments
- Check the email for spelling/grammar mistakes
- Check the email address for unusual spelling/formatting

I wanted to take the time to write a somewhat personal blog. As we all know when you’re an entrepreneur your personal and professional lives usually are intertwined.

About three weeks ago I came down with the worst cold I’ve ever had. It took me 16 days to recover. I know it was due to a combination of stress and thinking that I was invincible. The fact is no one is invincible, even the entrepreneur who tries to be everything and do everything.

I learned it’s okay to ask for help; something that I’m not used to doing. You can’t wear all the hats all the time. That is partially why I love my job so much, because I often get to be the backup behind the busy entrepreneur. When they just have too much on their plate, I love being able to help.

Having Transparency in Business

Some virtual admins would be hesitant to talk about having to take downtime because it may look “bad for business”. But I highly believe in transparency in my business. Yes, I was sick, it can happen to anyone. Yes, I had to ask some clients if some of their non-critical work could wait a few days. However, anything urgent STILL GOT DONE!

I was actually in the middle of a large E-Commerce website launch. I got sick the Thursday, I had to do an in-person presentation with them Friday morning, and the store went live Friday evening. But I got through it, then hit the hay from 7pm Friday until 9am Monday morning. Usually I work on weekends too, so to me it felt like 2 days off (even then I will admit I couldn’t help checking my phone and responding to emails). Read more