Alternatives TLC, LLC

05/29/2026

𝗔 𝗦𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗲 𝗖𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘀 𝗖𝗮𝗻 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴. 𝗔 𝗚𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻 𝗞𝗲𝗲𝗽𝘀 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗠𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴.

Sometimes, what starts out as a normal day turns quickly south with a natural disaster, an outage, or a security issue.

𝗦𝗼 𝗱𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗮 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝘂𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻?

A business continuity plan is how a business has proactively put things in place to stay in operation (or recover quickly) after an unforeseen event happens. It’s ensuring the business stays functional and remains intact when a day goes into crisis mode.

Having no plan means risking loss of money, payroll issues, delays in multiple levels of operation, and possible issues with communication.

USChamber.com provides some great steps to build a strong business continuity plan, including:

➡️ Understand what parts of the business are needed to keep it going for two days, then a week or longer. From there, map out what each part depends on, identifying weak points where a single failure could disrupt the whole business.
➡️ Run a business impact analysis to provide an understanding of your risk score. This will allow you to see the priority of what needs to be restored. This can include things like the amount of time operations can be down before causing serious damage, financial costs from different part of the business not being operational, what impact delays might have on customer satisfaction.
➡️ Determine the risks that will affect the business most, and create a backup plan to minimize the negative impact. This should include when the plan should be set in motion, beginning steps taken to start the process, who is responsible for each aspect of the plan, and how customers/clients/employees/etc. are notified.
➡️ Ensure files and any other important needed is backed up and accessible.
➡️ Train staff to be prepared in the event the business continuity plan is needed, updating it at least once a year and making sure it works.

𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗹, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗿𝘂𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝘀 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁.

You can’t predict when a crisis will arrive, but you can make sure your business effectively responds when a crisis arrives.

To read the USChamber.com article in full, click here: https://www.uschamber.com/co/start/strategy/business-continuity-small-business-planning-and-considerations

05/28/2026

𝗔𝗜 𝗠𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗕𝗲 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗨𝗽 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸, 𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝗜𝘁 𝗔𝗹𝘀𝗼 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗕𝗲 𝗦𝗹𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗗𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴

AI is becoming a normal part of the workplace, but it might be changing how we think more than we realize.

According to APA.org, a study of 1,923 participants, published in Technology, Mind, and Behavior, found that 58% of those participants acknowledged that they passively accepted the suggestions made by AI, often felt more detached from the process and the final results, and provided they had lower confidence in their own reasoning and less ownership over their ideas.

On the other hand, people who actively questioned, edited, or refined the information provided by AI felt more confident and more involved in their work.

𝗪𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗲’𝗿𝗲 𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝗜.

AI technology works best when it supports thinking rather than replaces it. The real difference in confidence and critical thinking comes with staying invested in the decision-making process. The key is understanding how to use AI without outsourcing the thinking itself.

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝗜 𝗶𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗳𝗹𝗼𝘄?

To read the APA.org article, click here: https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2026/04/overreliance-ai-undermine-confidence

Heavy reliance on artificial intelligence at work can erode confidence in independent thinking and ownership of ideas, while active oversight preserves cognitive engagement.

05/27/2026

𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗕𝗮𝗰𝗸𝘂𝗽 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸

Do you have an emergency-ready inventory for your assets and critical documents?

Just one technology outage can cause important information to disappear. That’s why having multiple layers of protection matter more than ever.

Backups aren’t optional anymore. They’re essential.

💾 𝗘𝘅𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀
If you’ve created a physical inventory, keep a digital copy that’s accessible both online and offline. External hard drives and flash drives (kept in a safe, lockbox, a trusted individual, etc.) can provide an extra layer of protection and help keep your information secure.

☁️ 𝗖𝗹𝗼𝘂𝗱 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀
Platforms like Dropbox, iDrive, and Box can help ensure your information is safely stored and easy to access when needed. Protect your accounts with strong passwords and multi-factor authentication to reduce security risks.

📄 𝗣𝗵𝘆𝘀𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗼𝗽𝗶𝗲𝘀
If you keep printed documents, store them in a fireproof lockbox, safe deposit box, or another secure location. You may also want to leave copies with a trusted individual in case of emergencies or natural disasters.

When systems fail unexpectedly, preparation makes all the difference.
Don’t wait until important information is inaccessible to realize what’s missing.

Backup routinely. Stay prepared. Stay protected. 🔒

05/26/2026

𝗠𝗶𝗰𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗜𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘇𝗲.

Micromanagement often starts with thinking that staying involved correlates with staying effective.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺:
Creativity disappears when employees feel constantly watched.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘀:
❗ 59% of employees have worked under a micromanager.
❗ 68% of employees working for a micromanager reported lower morale.
❗ 55% of employees working for a micromanager experienced a drop in productivity.

Excellence doesn't come from micromanagement. Hesitation does.

Micromanagement will often cause employees to stop taking initiative, avoid taking risks, and only do what’s necessary to stay out of trouble.

Winning companies are built on trust, not control.

According to Forbes.com, great leaders:
➡️ Ask rather than direct.
➡️ Focus on outcomes over processes.
➡️ Create a safe environment to share ideas and feedback.
➡️ Allow employees the space to think and grow.

Stronger retention, effective collaboration, and more innovation happens when business leaders focus on curiosity over control.

Sometimes when a leader steps back, it allows their employees to step up.

𝘊𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘢𝘵: 𝘐𝘧 𝘢𝘯 𝘦𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘰𝘺𝘦𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘴 𝘮𝘪𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘪𝘵'𝘴 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘣𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘰𝘺𝘦𝘦 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴𝘯'𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘴𝘬𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘴𝘦𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯.

Read more on this by clicking here: https://www.forbes.com/sites/dianehamilton/2025/02/03/micromanagement-is-killing-innovation-the-leadership-shift-teams-need/?utm_source=chatgpt.com

Micromanagement stifles innovation, lowers morale, and increases turnover. Empowering employees with trust, autonomy, and psychological safety drives creativity.

05/22/2026

𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗚𝗮𝗺𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗪𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗙𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝘆'𝘀 𝗠𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀?

Every year I post an article that I wrote for Forbes over 10 years ago. It's about how, if you have an 18-year-old or older child, you need to be sure you have their healthcare directive.

When someone turns 18, even if they live at home, are in high school, you pay for everything, and they're on your insurance, the law says at 18 years old, they become legally medically emancipated.

What that means is you have no legal right to know or ask about anything that has to do with your child's medical care. Under any circumstances. That's the law. It's called HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), a U.S. federal law enacted in 1996.

I spoke about this at a Chamber meeting. Everyone said "No, my doctor knows me. That wouldn't happen."
The next time we met, one person got up and said "Carol was right! My daughter came home from college, sick. I had an open house to attend, so I dropped her off at the doctor's office. I called in to see how she was and they wouldn't tell me a thing. We went straight to the attorney's office, right after that, and she signed a healthcare directive."

The only way to guarantee that you have that legal right to know is to have THEM (not you!) sign a Health Care Proxy (or Medical Power of Attorney) and an accompanying HIPAA Authorization naming you or your spouse or partner as their healthcare proxy. Get it notarized and keep the original and at least two copies of it.

It's May. Students are coming back from college.
It's Memorial Day weekend. Families are getting together.

It's a great time to get those healthcare directives done!

Read the article here: https://www.forbes.com/sites/85broads/2013/06/11/are-you-gambling-with-your-familys-medical-care-decisions/?sh=1dac101c53bc

The only thing that's changed in over 10 years is the urgency of your child having signed one. People are more mobile, including younger adults.

And, of course, my photo. 😆

Have a safe holiday weekend!

By Carol R. Kaufman Do you have an 18-year old or older, unmarried adult child? Do you have their notarized Healthcare Directive? Do you know what one is? There are three basic Healthcare Directive legal documents, which may be called different things, or even combined into one document, in differen...

05/21/2026

𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗦𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗿, 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗕𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗲𝗿

Time management isn’t about packing work into every minute of the day. It’s making intentional and wiser decisions with the time you have.

The following habits can make a big difference as a leader while managing each day:

✔️ Set clear priorities before starting your day
✔️ Break larger tasks into smaller and more manageable steps
✔️ Use calendars, task lists, or scheduling tools to stay organized
✔️ Protect your time by saying no to distractions and low-value tasks

Once your priorities are clear, the next challenge is maintaining focus throughout the day.

What can help with this is the Pomodoro Technique, which includes working for 25 minutes, then taking a 5-minute break. It helps to keep focus high and prevents burnout.

Of course, none of these productivity tips will work unless you use your resources wisely, which is why delegation also matters. If someone else can handle a task easily and effectively (80% accurately), trust them with it and delegate it to them. You then have more time to focus on higher-impact work.

Overall, good time management isn’t about doing more. It’s about expending your energy on what matters most.

05/20/2026

𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗕𝗲 𝗘𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘀

While weekly status meetings can keep everyone on the same page, not every conversation needs a calendar invite.

𝗔 𝗴𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗿𝘂𝗹𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝘂𝗺𝗯 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝘀𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸:

𝘔𝘦𝘦𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦’𝘴 𝘢 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘣𝘭𝘦𝘮 𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘰𝘳 𝘪𝘧 𝘢 𝘧𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘦.

A good meeting:
➡️ Has a clear agenda in mind
➡️ Includes only necessary people
➡️ Ends with action steps
➡️ Respects everyone’s time

If the information could have been summarized clearly in an email, it probably did not need a meeting.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.

05/18/2026

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗣𝗮𝘀𝘀𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗱𝘀 𝗗𝗼 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗛𝗮𝘃𝗲?

I checked recently.

I have over 1,000.

➡️ Streaming services.
➡️ Business software.
➡️ Retail sites.
➡️ Cloud platforms.
➡️ Social media.
➡️ Utilities.

Every password is a potential security risk if it’s not protected properly. The scary part is that many people are still using weak or reused passwords.

Cybersecurity research analyzing billions of leaked passwords found:
• 42% of people use passwords only containing 10 characters
• Only 6% of leaked passwords were truly unique
• Common passwords like “123456” and “password” are STILL among the most used in the world

𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗰𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝟵𝟰% 𝗼𝗳 𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘀𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗱𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗱, 𝗱𝘂𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱, 𝗼𝗿 𝘄𝗲𝗮𝗸.

In addition, it may take a person years to change their password. So if one account gets breached, the same password will be attempted everywhere else.

As for me, I've finally graduated to a password manager, 1Password. See the below Wirecutter article.

But if you still prefer managing passwords yourself, here are some important rules:

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗮 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘀𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗱:
• At least 12 characters, including symbols, upper case, and lower case letters
• Avoid names, birthdays, pets, sports teams, and keyboard patterns
• Never reuse any passwords across accounts
• Turn on multi-factor authentication if the option is available

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺:
• Don't keep passwords on nearby sticky notes, in spreadsheets, or notes apps
• Don't reuse or lightly modify passwords for multiple accounts
• Keep a password protected, encrypted backup in a secure location
• If you need to write any passwords down, keep them stored in a secure space (lockbox, safe, etc.)

Cybersecurity used to be mostly an IT problem. But now it’s a problem for everyone. One weak password can expose your finances, your business, your identity, and years of personal information to a bad actor.

Password security is no longer optional. Keep your information safe and secure, per below.

Cybernews study: https://cybernews.com/security/password-leak-study-unveils-2025-trends-reused-and-lazy/?utm_source=chatgpt.com

Wirecutter password managers: https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-password-managers/

Everyone should use a password manager, and after researching dozens and testing six, we recommend 1Password because it’s secure and easy to use.

05/15/2026

𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗮𝘆 𝗯𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝗯𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽.

It's because leaders can become trapped in analysis instead of action.

Constant second-guessing drains focus, increases stress, and creates hesitation. When leaders find themselves stuck in the perpetual loop of “what if” thinking, it can filter into the business through indecision and a lack of confidence.

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝘃𝗼𝗶𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴? 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴?

Fastcompany.com provides some helpful tips to keep in mind:

💡 Reflection promotes clarity and action, but overthinking keeps leaders stuck, creating stress and doubt.
💡 Rest and recovery matter just as much as productivity, as they allow people time to reset and decrease the risk of burnout.
💡 Employees often mirror the mindset of their leadership, so keeping small habits like mindfulness and confident decision-making can create a lasting and positive impact throughout the company as a whole.

𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲𝘀, 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗽𝘂𝘁 𝗶𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲:

“𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵’𝘴 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘪𝘯 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘭 𝘵𝘰𝘥𝘢𝘺?”

That answer can be a powerful tool to separate productive action from unnecessary worry.

Then you can focus on fixing what you can, letting go of what you can’t control, and moving forward with clarity.

https://www.fastcompany.com/91538323/5-strategies-to-end-overthinking-and-improve-your-leadership

05/14/2026

Most People Are Using AI Backwards

The biggest misconception about AI? People think it’s supposed to replace them.

Amit, a self-described AI “overthinker” and blogger on Medium, wrote an article, “I let Claude AI Try to Make Money for Me. Here’s How It Went,” that highlights something a lot of people are missing:

As a strong collaborator, AI can genuinely shorten research time and speed up content creation. This is especially true when trying to go from idea to ex*****on faster. It can also bring up some insights you may not have considered on your own.

But none of that matters if you stop thinking critically.

When using tools like Claude AI, you have to stay disciplined, make sure you’re fact-checking, and maintain your good judgment. While AI tools can be an amazing time-saver, they don’t replace your drive, consistency and, most importantly, your follow-through.

The results are ultimately still up to you.

And that’s the real advantage.

Read Amit’s full article here:
https://heymramit.medium.com/i-asked-claude-ai-to-make-money-heres-what-happened-52a80823d998

The awkward truth about using language models as a development partner: they’re useful exactly when you stop expecting them to be smart and…