When it comes to QuickBooks, there've been many changes in pricing and versions recently.  In this episode of Smart Tech Spending, accountant and Certified QuickBooks Pro Advisor, Ryan Dickinson of Dickinson & Co., CPA'S joins me to shed light on the key differences between the desktop and online versions to help you decide which version is best for your company.  Ryan shares essential points to consider and hidden costs to avoid before making a version change or subscribing for the first time.   

Key Takeaways
- The benefits and limitations of the desktop and online versions of QuickBooks
- The financial impact of QuickBooks subscription pricing changes
- How to keep costs of transitioning from the desktop to the online version down
- How to test QuickBooks Online before enrolling (see link below)

Ryan’s Bio
Ryan Dickinson is an accountant with Dickinson & Co., CPA's in Buena, NJ.  With 20 years of auditing and accounting experience as well as a being a Certified QuickBooks Pro Advisor, Ryan is the "go to" person when it comes to QuickBooks for the firm's clients.

Discussed in this episode:  Test Drive QuickBooks Online

Connect with Ryan:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-dickinson/99a6442a
Contact Ryan: ryan@dickinsoncpas.com
Dickinson & Co., CPA's:  https://www.dickinsoncpas.com

Connect with Nicole: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolelefsky
Contact Nicole:  nicole@jerseyitgroup.com
Jersey IT Group’s Website: https://www.jerseyitgroup.com

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In this episode of Smart Tech Spending, Nicole discusses how businesses can save money on hosted subscriptions and licenses. She explains that companies are paying for subscriptions they may no longer need, and highlights the cost-saving importance of regularly reviewing and auditing hosted subscription accounts and licenses.

Key Takeaways:
- How to save money on hosted subscriptions and software licenses to reduce technology costs
- Recommendations for maintaining and reviewing subscription accounts to in your company to prevent wasted resources

As always - no tech talk!

Contact Nicole:  nicole@jerseyitgroup.com
Connect with Nicole Lefsky: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolelefsky
Jersey IT Group’s Website: https://www.jerseyitgroup.com

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In this episode of Smart Tech Spending, I discuss the financial impact of losing access to essential software programs, following the global IT outage brought on by CrowdStrike.  By answering a few key questions I share, businesses will be in a better position to maintain margins if they lose access. 

What you’ll learn in this episode:
- How to measure the true cost of losing access to critical software programs for your company
- How long your organization can be "down" and its true impact on the bottom line
- Steps to minimize business interruption during an outage

As always - no tech talk!

Contact Nicole:  nicole@jerseyitgroup.com
Connect with Nicole Lefsky: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolelefsky
Jersey IT Group’s Website: https://www.jerseyitgroup.com

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In this episode of Smart Tech Spending, I’m joined by Adam Lefsky of Jersey IT Group to discuss the importance of having a failover Internet connection for businesses that rely on the Internet for business operations.  Adam explains what failover Internet is and why it’s important to budget for it, especially for companies that have moved to the cloud or are using hosted applications.

Key Takeaways
-The financial impact of Internet downtime on productivity and revenue
-Budgeting for a failover Internet connection to ensure uninterrupted access to key applications and keeps business running smoothly
-The pros and cons of the limited options for high-speed Internet in New Jersey

Adam’s Bio
Adam Lefsky is the founder of Jersey IT Group, which provides outsourced IT services to small and mid-size businesses throughout New Jersey.  With security top of mind, he oversees all aspects of technology management for Jersey IT Group’s clients from strategic planning and budgeting to implementation and ongoing support.  With over 25 years of experience, he advises companies about their risk and how their technology decisions will impact their business’ bottom line.

Connect with Adam Lefsky:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamlefsky
Connect with Nicole Lefsky: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolelefsky
Contact Adam: adam@jerseyitgroup.com
Contact Nicole:  nicole@jerseyitgroup.com
Jersey IT Group’s Website: https://www.jerseyitgroup.com

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In this episode of Smart Tech Spending, I share 3 mistakes that businesses make when pricing out IT Services.  I point out where companies can go wrong in their evaluation process which can cost them time and money.

What you’ll learn in this episode:
- Why bigger isn't better when it comes to the number of IT service proposals obtained
- The best type of IT service agreement for small and mid-size businesses
- What type of IT services deliver the best ROI

Contact Nicole:  nicole@jerseyitgroup.com
Connect with Nicole Lefsky: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolelefsky
Jersey IT Group’s Website: https://www.jerseyitgroup.com

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In this episode of Smart Tech Spending, I’m joined by fraud prevention and investigation expert Kellie Spawton who explains the bank's role when scammers steal from businesses and how companies can work to prevent it.

What you’ll learn in this episode:
- Why an “It Won’t Happen to Me” mindset can lead to financial loss for a company

- How simply validating account change requests can stop businesses from losing money to hackers

- A real email scam that led to a $750,000 loss

- How quick reporting is essential when trying to recover money after a scam

- The importance of educating teams and ongoing security awareness training

About Kellie Spawton
Kellie has nearly 25 years of experience in banking operations and security.  She holds a bachelor’s degree in organizational psychology and business administration and is a graduate of the Stonier Graduate School of Business and Wharton Leadership Program.

Resources
Connect with Kellie Spawton:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellie-spawton-47563610/
FBI – Cyber Crime - https://www.fbi.gov/investigate/cyber

Connect with Nicole: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolelefsky
Contact Nicole:  nicole@jerseyitgroup.com
About Smart Tech Spending:  https://www.jerseyitgroup.com/podcast
About Jersey IT Group: https://www.jerseyitgroup.com

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In this episode of Smart Tech Spending, I address the common question, “How can we lower our company's tech costs?” I uncover expenses that are often overlooked when budgeting for technology projects and provide my recommendations for developing a plan that will help you gain better control of your company’s TRUE technology costs.

 What you’ll learn in this episode:
- The financial benefits of a technology plan and budget
- The importance of October 14, 2025 and planning ahead
- How to avoid workflow interruptions with computer upgrades
- 7 Cost-saving steps when planning and budgeting for a major computer upgrade

Resources
Contact Nicole:  nicole@jerseyitgroup.com
Connect with Nicole: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolelefsky
Jersey IT Group’s Website: https://www.jerseyitgroup.com

Thanks so much for listening!

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In this episode of Smart Tech Spending, I am joined by Brett Balsley, president of BCA Insurance Group who sheds light on the differences between a standalone cyber insurance policy and a business owner’s insurance policy with a rider of cyber coverage.  He explains the benefits of having the right coverage and where businesses can go wrong.

 What you’ll learn in this episode:
- What size businesses should have cyber liability and data security insurance?
- Common types of cybercrime affecting businesses
- The impact of ransomware on cyber insurance claims
- A “real-life” example of a claim that was excluded from coverage
- The financial impact of a breach on a small or medium size business
- When should updates to a cyber liability insurance policy be made?

Brett Balsley’s Bio
Brett started his insurance career in 1991 in Atlantic County, NJ, providing homeowners and automobile insurance coverage, then quickly transitioned into providing commercial lines of insurance for clients.  Within 10 years, he was providing commercial and personal lines of insurance for clients in the Tri-State Area, nationally and to international clients as well.  BCA Insurance works with both national and regional insurance carriers.

Resources
Connect with Nicole Lefsky: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolelefsky
Jersey IT Group’s Website: https://www.jerseyitgroup.com
Connect with Brett Balsley: bbalsley@bca-insurance.com   
Brett Balsley’s Phone:  609-645-1700
Brett Balsley’s LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/brett-balsley-91ba741
BCA Insurance Group’s Website:  https://bca-insurance.com/

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In this episode of Smart Tech Spending, I’m joined by attorney Michelle Schaap of CSG Law who shares examples of how businesses can ward off financial and reputational damage resulting from popular email scams and discusses the legal obligations businesses and contractors have regarding the protection of information and breach notification.

 What you’ll learn in this episode:
- The real-life financial impact on two businesses after an employee fell for a common email scam
- How company policies and staff training can help prevent miswiring of funds and financial loss for small and medium businesses
- The importance of a Funds Transfer Policy
- Who is responsible if a contractor or vendor in a supply chain is part of a breach
- Breach notification requirements for businesses in New Jersey

Michelle Schaap’s Bio
Michelle Schaap is the founder of Chiesa Shahinian & Giantomasi PC's Privacy & Data Security Group.  She regularly advises on cybersecurity preparedness, counsels when data security incidents arise and trains companies on best practices for security procedures addressing both their business operations and their customers’ concerns. Michelle is a subject matter resource on cybersecurity and privacy for the New Jersey Small Business Development Corporation. She is a sought-after speaker and has authored numerous articles to educate business owners on privacy and cybersecurity risks and obligations.

Resources
Connect with Nicole Lefsky: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolelefsky
Jersey IT Group's Website:  http://www.jerseyitgroup.com
Connect with Michelle Schaap: mschaap@csglaw.com
Michelle Schaap’s Phone:  973-530-2026
Michelle Schaap’s LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelleschaap
CSG Law’s Website: https://www.csglaw.com/

Mentioned in the Episode
NJCCIC (New Jersey Cybersecurity & Communications Integration Cell  https://www.cyber.nj.gov/
NIST (National Institute for Standards and Technology) Small Business Cybersecurity Corner  https://www.nist.gov/itl/smallbusinesscyber
SANS  https://www.sans.org/
CIS (Center for Internet Security) Controls https://www.cisecurity.org/controls

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In this episode of Smart Tech Spending, we invited Adam Binder of Creative Click Media to discuss how companies should evaluate their existing websites and when it’s time to invest in a website revamp that will drive sales and improve customer experience. 

What you’ll learn in this episode:

- Is social media a good alternative to having a website?
- Results to expect from investing in SEO and website content v. social media
- How to leverage a website to drive new business
- Examples of must-have website content
- Common website design mistakes that professional service companies make and how to avoid them
- How to repurpose website content for social media

Adam Binder’s Bio
Adam Binder started Creative Click Media, a full-service Internet marketing and SEO company in 2011 as a one-man operation and built it up to a double-digit, award-winning digital marketing firm.  He’s a member of the Forbes Agency Council.  Adam’s digital marketing recommendations and advice can be found on Forbes.com.

Resources:
Connect with Nicole Lefsky: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolelefsky
Jersey IT Group's Website:  https://www.jerseyitgroup.com
Connect with Adam Binder: adam@creativeclickmedia.com
Adam’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamnbinder
Creative Click Media’s Website: www.creativeclickmedia.com

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Welcome to the trailer episode of Smart Tech Spending!

This introductory episode features an interview with host, and managed IT services consultant, Nicole Lefsky of Jersey IT Group on the focus of the show.

Highlights of upcoming Smart Tech Spending episodes include:

• How to measure the ROI of technology tools and services
• How to avoid the all too common unplanned expenses
• How to uncover hidden technology costs that are often overlooked

Thanks so much for listening!

If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to rate and review it on your favorite podcast player.

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Connect with Nicole
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolelefsky