TekTrendz

10/16/2026

You can't spend your days working in IT without realizing that behind every technology issue or fix ... there's a story. Sometimes it's a surprising story; other times it's funny or frustrating or maybe just a little bit humbling.

One thing is certain, though: Every IT story contains a practical lesson for today's businesses.

Which is why The Log Files, written by TekTrendz's own Nickolas Newnham, is poised to become a must-read for NWA businesses looking to elevate their technology and cybersecurity to the next level.

Nickolas, a self-described "technology and cybersecurity enthusiast," will take you inside the story of a real IT challenge or fix. And he'll teach along the way, distilling insights to help your company do more with its technology.

"Technology isn't magic," said Nickolas. "We don't have to treat it like it is. It's my aim to demystify technology, and to make it more accessible to the businesses of Northwest Arkansas.

"And what better way to do that than tell a real story."

So, come along for the ride. With Nickolas and The Log Files.

The end result will be as entertaining as it is enlightening.

Read more and subscribe here: https://tektrendz.com/the-tektrendz-blog/the-log-files

10/05/2026

Deck the servers and firewalls. It's Cybersecurity Awareness Month!

What?! Haven't hung your Cybersecurity Awareness Month wreath yet? What will the neighbors think?

Kidding aside, CAM is an important calendar event for us at TekTrendz. It's an annual opportunity to remind Northwest Arkansas businesses that cybercrime is a formidable problem — right here in the Natural State.

We know, because we're right in the fray, receiving the panicked calls from businesses the day after a devastating attack. Indeed, Arkansans lost more than $102 million to cybercrime in 2025, according to the FBI. And those are just the reported incidents.

It's a bit ironic: Businesses lock doors, set alarms, and install cameras to protect physical assets, yet many leave their networks wide open to criminals around the world.

So, our message this October is simple: "Be Hard to Hack, NWA."

To help, here are four "starter" tips every business should be practicing. If you're not, now's the perfect time to start.

✅ Teach employees to avoid phishing scams
✅ Create strong passwords (or, better yet, use passkeys)
✅ Use multi-factor authentication everywhere
✅ Update software regularly

Learn more about CAM and these cybersecurity tips on our website: https://tektrendz.com/the-tektrendz-blog/cybersecurity-awareness-month-in-northwest-arkansas

Here's wishing you and your business a very SECURE Cybersecurity Awareness Month.

Let's be hard to hack, Northwest Arkansas!

09/17/2026

That's a wrap on Pixels With Purpose! Over 40 leaders from more than three dozen NWA nonprofits converged on the Northwest Arkansas Food Bank to hear insights from local experts in technology, cybersecurity, AI, digital marketing, and more.

TekTrendz's own Rob Brothers was interviewed by KNWA/FOX24's Ashlyn Brothers on managing nonprofit technology when it's not your day job. Rob busted the "soft target" myth right out of the gate: cybercriminals frequently go after nonprofits because they hold high-value data (donor info, client files) while usually running minimal defenses.

Rob walked through the real challenges NWA nonprofits face — the "accidental IT admin" stuck with backups on top of their real job, the Frankenstein software stack (Dropbox here, Google Drive there, no backups anywhere), and the turnover risk of ex-volunteers still holding donor database access.

Rob's top takeaways for local nonprofit leaders:

✅ Turn on MFA everywhere — it stops 90%+ of identity attacks, and it's free
✅ Stop paying retail — TechSoup & Goodstack unlock major discounts for 501(c)(3)s. Rob even shared this free "Tech Guide to Discounts & Grants for NWA Nonprofits":https://tektrendz.com/hubfs/Nonprofit%20Tech%20Guide.pdf
✅ Standardize onboarding/offboarding with a simple checklist
✅ Actually test your backups once a year

Zero budget, you say? Rob's advice: turn on MFA today and get validated with TechSoup tomorrow.

Thank you to all the Pixels With Purpose organizers, sponsors, and presenters. A special thanks to the Northwest Arkansas Food Bank for hosting the event and to our presenters from Branches Mission Lab, Creative Nomads, Your Part-Time Controller, LLC, The Alternative Board Northwest Arkansas, and Purpose Brands 414.

Most of all, thank you to the nonprofit leaders who attended the event. Thank you for strengthening our community here in Northwest Arkansas...

Every. Single. Day.

We deeply appreciate and admire you.

09/10/2026

Over 50 leaders from three dozen NWA nonprofits have registered for Pixels With Purpose!

We still have some room — but time is quickly running out.

Are you an NWA nonprofit leader? Join us at the Northwest Arkansas Food Bank this Tuesday for hot coffee, gourmet bagels, lively networking, giveaways, and, most importantly, actionable insights from local experts in digital marketing, AI, cybersecurity, tech, and digital leadership. All to help you advance your nonprofit's cause in these "pixelated" times.

You can RSVP here for just a few more days: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/pixels-with-purpose-tickets-1993780002659?aff=oddtdtcreator&keep_tld=true

And please help us spread the word, would ya? It's going to be an impactful morning for our community's nonprofits — and we'd love a packed room.

We'll see you, nonprofit leaders, at Pixels With Purpose.

08/27/2026

"Rick, your $6,850 Pell Grant is close to expiring. No repayment required. Confirm by Sunday before it closes."

Seen any text messages like this lately? If so, you're not alone.

Back to School is primetime for hackers, scammers, and spammers. If it's late summer, then criminally brazen text messages and emails with bogus offers like this one^ are surely making the rounds — in droves, by the millions.

Cybercriminals are equal opportunity fraudsters, too, targeting students, parents, teachers, and administrators alike. Just yesterday, Bitdefender Labs published a report detailing some of this year's common BTS scams:

- Fake education grants with "no repayment required" like the one above
- Fraudulent scholarship opportunities
- "Free" laptops, technology
- Fake or misleading study tool/AI subscriptions
- Counterfeit delivery notifications
- Even "vote for my child" scams

Urgency is the name of the game — from "grant expires today" to "offer ends tonight." But instead of financial aid or free technology, a click redirects potential victims to phishing sites in order to steal their personal information and/or money. So...

Be skeptical. Be vigilant. And encourage others, from your kids to your school board, to be on the watch-out as well.

Because back to school means many scams are back in business.

Read more from Bitdefender's report:

Bitdefender Labs reveals back-to-school scams targeting Americans with fake education grants, scholarships, free laptops and AI offers.

08/06/2026

Are you a nonprofit leader in Northwest Arkansas? (Or maybe you know some?)

Save the date: Pixels With Purpose is coming to NWA Tuesday, September 15! It's a free morning forum built specifically to help nonprofits and their leaders thrive in a world characterized more and more by beeps, bytes, and bots.

And...we're very excited to say: TekTrendz is a sponsor and presenter!

Nonprofit leaders will spend the morning networking with colleagues from other NWA nonprofits, with free coffee and breakfast to boot, before diving into real-world guidance from local experts in digital marketing, AI, cybersecurity, technology, and digital leadership.

Attendees will walk away with practical insights they can put to work right away — all to help move their mission forward.

🗓️ September 15
⏰ 8:30-11 AM
📍 NWA Food Bank, Lowell
🎟️ Free with RSVP

Seats are limited and going fast — RSVP today: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/pixels-with-purpose-tickets-1993780002659?aff=oddtdtcreator&keep_tld=true

Or learn more about Pixels With Purpose: https://www.pwpnwa.com

07/20/2026

Did you know? TekTrendz has a free, monthly tech and cybersecurity newsletter received by more than 500 NWA business owners and professionals.

You're too busy to keep track of the technology trends impacting your business. Now, you don't have to. Each month, Trendz³ gives you a quick, practical, dare-we-say entertaining rundown of the tech trends (pun intended) that really matter — plus useful resources and upcoming events.

We made Trendz³ for businesses just like yours. And because it's completely free — well, what are you waiting for?

Sign up for Trendz³ today! https://tektrendz.com/trendz3

07/02/2026

Before the grills heat up, the fireworks ignite, or the first note of the Star-Spangled Banner plays…

We at TekTrendz want to pause and say how proud and grateful we are to celebrate the 250th birthday of the United States alongside you — our clients, neighbors, and fellow Americans

[cue: screaming eagle sound effect] 🦅

Freedom isn’t free. This weekend, we’re mindful and deeply appreciative of the sacrifices made by millions of Americans — from 1776 to 2026 — so we can live freely today.

How are you celebrating this weekend? We'd love to see it. Drop your photos in the comments!

Happy 250th birthday, America. 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

Land of the free, home of the brave.

06/24/2026

What a night! Over 600 construction and business professionals gathered at Pacific Shore Stones in Lowell last night for a Construction Buzz event held by Queenie Be and Hive Networking of NWA. TekTrendz was there — making new friends and sharing timely advice about cyberattacks targeting construction firms.

Want to see our message to contractors? Take a look:https://tektrendz.com/hubfs/construction%20cyberattacks.pdf

The highlight of the evening for us: Sponsoring a giveaway for a "stay cool" summer bundle consisting of an ice chest, insulated jug, and tumbler — that, honestly, we were wishing we could take home ourselves. Congratulations to Dustin Gortemiller of Elite Dumpster Services for winning the drawing.

Thank you, Hive, sponsors, and participants for such a great night.

Let's do it again soon.

06/15/2026

Whahhhh?!?! A high school teacher was charged over $1 million for a single stay at an Arkansas hotel!?!? Wait, no, it was just another cyberattack.

As reported by WREG Memphis, Matthew Spencer, a middle school teacher traveling from Indiana to Texas, received quite the shock when he was seemingly charged $1,002,852.82 for a one-night stay at a Blytheville, Arkansas hotel. (I hope he at least got a massive amount of rewards points.)

As it turned out, though, Spencer wasn't the only victim — because the exorbitant overcharge, hotel management determined, was the result of a cyberattack on the business's credit card processing machine.

"The maximum amount we can put on an authorization on our machine is $100,000," the hotel's general manager told WREG. "The amount in question was over a million dollars. So we physically could not possibly put that kind of authorization using our system.”

Ultimately, Spencer was never charged the million-dollar rate, and what we're left with — besides a shocking hotel bill — is yet another example of how cybercriminals are targeting businesses right here in the Natural State.

https://wreg.com/news/local/teacher-shocked-by-bill-after-one-night-stay-at-ar-hotel/