SUMMER SCHOOL: IT (Q&A WITH Tony Musorafite of PC Parlor)

The final session of the Accounting Therapy Summer School blog series has arrived! It’s been a blast highlighting different small business owners we’ve had the pleasure of working with and extracting all the golden nuggets of info from their expert brains!  

For our last session, and surely not one to disappoint, we have IT guru, Tony Musorafite, owner and founder of PC Parlor in Torrance, CA. Tony also doubles as Alexis’ dad (we like to keep it in the family whenever possible)! Tony has over 35 years of experience in tech related fields and has had his business in Torrance since 2000. 

Long before I knew Alexis and my employment at Accounting Therapy, I had experienced firsthand the services PC Parlor provides, and can attest to the fact they are all about honesty & integrity. Just look at all their 5-Star Google and Yelp Reviews! They take pride in their communication skills and talking to their clients in layman’s terms. There isn’t a situation Tony can’t find an analogy for to better assist customers understand. To sum up PC Parlor’s philosophy, there are NO unhappy customers! 

So, let’s dive into the depths of Tony’s brain and extract our final golden nuggets of info before we officially dismiss you from summer school. 

1. What are some common cybersecurity threats that small businesses should be aware of?
• "Cybersecurity threats come in all different shapes and sizes. Historically, "virus" described software that infiltrated systems, causing issues like slow performance or data loss.Nowadays, "malware" is the umbrella term for any harmful software. A virus is a specific type of malware that replicates and attaches to programs or files, causing widespread damage. Other common malware includes Adware and Spyware. Regardless of type, protection is crucial. Think of it like driving without a seatbelt - risky.Most small business issues we encounter are minor annoyances, like pop-ups, easily fixed with utilities like MalwareBytes or BitDefender. However, more severe threats, like Ransomware, encrypt data and demand ransom, often in Bitcoin. Big companies, despite strong defenses, sometimes fall victim, with costly consequences, like the company Acer, who attempted to negotiate down a $50M demand to a $10M demand and, unfortunately, failed."
2. What’s the best way to protect themselves against them?
• "First and foremost, the one thing to remember is that no software protection package of any kind is 100% guaranteed to keep you safe. The bad guys are always one step in front of the good guys. The good guys do their best to be constantly vigilant against new threats that hit the internet. The best packages update their virus database quickly to tackle new threats. Absolute safety is impractical as the only true way to stay 100% protected would be to stay offline completely. For practical purposes, periodically run cleaning utilities to remove annoying malware. Avoid relying on the free security software that comes “pre-installed” with your computer’s operating system or is available online – remember, you get what you pay for. Obviously, anything is better than nothing, but skimping on cost when it comes to protecting your data is not wise. Most reputable vendors provide 2 – 3 years of robust AV protection for less than $100. Spend the money and consider it an investment. My recommendation for the last 20+ years has always been ESET NOD32 Antivirus."
3. How can small businesses ensure the security of their data, especially when so many of us operate in a remote or hybrid work environment?
• "You want to always plan for the worst, so I recommend backup, backup, backup! I can’t over emphasize this enough. It is the one thing I am constantly preaching about. For under $100, you can ensure peace of mind knowing your data is safe. Options range from USB drives to cloud services like OneDrive or Dropbox. For those wary of cloud storage, external hard drives with backup software are reliable. Use File History in Windows or Time Machine on a Mac for automatic backups. Do keep in mind, external devices can fail or be lost in disasters. In order to avoid disaster, rotate backups and store them off-site or in a fireproof safe. Periodically, check backups to ensure they work correctly."
4. What are the top components for a small business IT infrastructure? Any tips on optimizing these for efficiency & cost-effectiveness?
• "Firewall: Most businesses have one; expensive models aren’t necessary, but this is without a doubt a first line base defense.
• Centralized Storage: Keeping all company data in one location makes it easier to backup than having to do each individual workstation separately. Use a NAS (Network Attached Storage) for easy backups and data access from all workstations. NAS devices have mirrored hard drives for data redundancy.
• Backup: NAS can use external drives or cloud services for backup. Cloud services are more costly, but it eliminates the need for multiple drives and the need to remember to rotate the backup."
• Antivirus Protection: As previously mentioned, this is key. The only thing I must add is that it needs to be kept up to date…not the virus/database list, but the actual application itself that’s installed on your computer."
5.  When purchasing software or applications to support business operations, what should be considered?
• "I find my clients are most often concerned about cost, especially in today’s environment when so many applications are migrating to cloud-based services with monthly/yearly service fees. It’s not like the old days when you can buy an application and use it on a few systems for what feels like forever. With today’s licensing models, if you don’t pay for services when due, all that information you spent the last year(s) entering will no longer be accessible. It won’t be gone; you just won’t have access to it until the bill is paid."
6.  Microsoft vs. Google… spell out the pros & cons forus!
• "Preferences for Microsoft or Google often come down to personal choice. Both offer reliable products; for example, Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge are similar in performance. Choose based on your specific needs and comfort. I prefer Chrome over Edge, simply because I heard it was much better than Edge for so many years."
7. If a small business only has a limited budget to spend on IT operations, where is their dollar best spent andwhy?
• "My belief, which has been proven time and time again, is that if an infrastructure is setup correctly from the start, meaning everything from the basic workstation’s Operating Systems, required applications and protection, all the way to the physical cabling, networking appliances, storage device and backup, there should be no issues. Keeping up on scheduled maintenance helps to keep the costs down associated with corrective maintenance. In other words, put the seatbelt on before the accident, not after."
8. When should a business think about hiring an IT firm vs. doing it themselves? Is this a one-time service or are there on-going services they should be utilizing?
• "If there is a lack of specialized IT knowledge from the start, it is best to reach out before setting things up. As I mentioned, it’s better to be prepared from the beginning, rather than having a mess to clean up later. IT firms offer one-time services like setups and upgrades, and ongoing services like 24/7 monitoring, cybersecurity updates, help desk support, regular maintenance, and strategic planning. DIY works for small tech needs, but professional IT support ensures growth, security, and efficiency."
9. And lastly, if someone is interested in working with you and your team, what’s the best way to start the convo?!
• "If you’re interested in working with us, feel free to reach out. You can call us at (310) 791-5135, email me at Tony@PcParlor.com, or visit us at the shop. We’re here to help with any of your IT needs and look forward to starting a conversation with you. 😊"

🤯Wow. Thanks, Tony!!! So much good info here and a lot of quick and easy options to make sure you’re protected!  

Well dear readers, we hope that you, too, are walking away with some insights into how you can better protect yourself and your organizations! And since this concludes our Summer School Q&A series, I want to take a quick minute and thank all of our guest bloggers! It’s been so fun to interview each of them and get some actionable takeaways for each of their fields of expertise!  

And now... it’s back to school... I mean, work!