It's hard to believe it's been a year since the pandemic changed how we work, live, play, and learn. Few business segments were more affected than small business. Of the small businesses still standing, most had to equip their teams to work remotely, practically overnight, and endeavor to keep the lights on for the past 12 months.

But there's hope on the horizon. That small size that made you more vulnerable in the past year also made you more agile. And better positions you for recovery in our new reality. As we enter the second year of the pandemic and we've become old pros at remote work, now is a good time to think about the technology foundation you need to move from surviving to expanding.

Cisco Designed (Small Business) at Cisco Live

We have the perfect forum to help facilitate that discussion with the upcoming global event, Cisco Live 2021. I'd like to invite you to join myself and several of my colleagues for a panel we're leading on how the Future of Small Business is Cloud Delivered. We'll focus on three main areas that are top of every small business' priority list: security, network, and collaboration.

Attacks on small businesses have risen due to shift in business models in the past year. Suddenly small businesses, often those with limited IT and security expertise, became even more appealing for cyber criminals. It's become apparent that today small businesses need the same level of security as larger enterprises but delivered in a way that is simple and easy to manage.

We're going to talk with Cisco Distinguished Engineer Mike Storm, who will give us the latest on what he's seeing from a cybersecurity perspective and what small businesses should be preparing for in 2021 and beyond. If you can't wait for Cisco Live to hear what Mike has to say, you can find him on the Unhackable Podcast.

Not Just Any Network

Now you're probably thinking, "Cisco is a networking company, the foundation is the network." True...but the reality is that you need a secure network, not just a network. In our panel, we'll also hear from two of our product leaders, Lee Peterson from Meraki and Pallavi Srinivasa covering the latest in the Cisco Business portfolio. Lee and Pallavi will highlight the variety of networking options we're able to offer our customers in terms of features, cloud management, and price point, which is a key differentiator for the Cisco Designed portfolio.

I know I'm not alone in wanting fewer meetings, especially in a company which spans many time zones. Even if we can't achieve fewer meetings, can we deliver better meetings? You bet. My UK colleague Bryan Morris of the Webex team has a lot of news to share on how we're not just going to make meetings more interactive, we're going to make them better. The first step is using collaboration tools that are easy and don't require a bunch of IT support to get working. Plus, he's going to show you how to go beyond "Google Translate" to help globalize your small business, even if you don't speak the language.

We have all of this and so much more waiting for you at Cisco Live 2021. So, join us March 30-April 1 to learn about the latest advancements in small business IT that you won't hear anywhere else. I look forward to seeing you there.

Cheers!