Author: Reginald Chan

You Don’t Need A Fast Website But You Need These Instead!
This post is going to be short and I think it is time to address something very important — website speed. Take a scroll on Facebook or Google and you will see thousands talking about website speed:
- How fast a website should load?
- How fast should a website respond to a request?
- How fast a website can be like when integrated with content delivery network (CDN)?
- And many more “website speed” matters
The truth is, you don’t need a blazing fast website. Blazing fast websites is just for speed junkies who appreciate some show off and of course, personal satisfaction for a job well done.

What you really need is a website that loads under 3 seconds (1.5 seconds if you could) and you should be doing quite good already.

Now, what do you really need for your website? Here’s a simple list:
1. A good and reliable web hosting company (recommended are Kinsta and WP Engine)
2. WordPress visual builder and Gutenberg (Elementor or Beaver Builder are great choices)
3. Proper Google Analytics integrations (MonsterInsights plugin — hands down)
4. Security plugin (Wordfence is a good choice for free plugin)
5. SEO plugin (you can’t go wrong with SEOPress)
You see, you don’t need much if you want to start a blog and have a fast loading website.
February 5, 2025
How To Stop DDoS Attack?

If you do fall victim to a DDoS attack, you are not alone. High-profile victims of DDoS attacks in 2018 include organizations as diverse as Google, Amazon, PlayStation, Pinterest, and GitHub – which was on the receiving end of the highest volume DDoS attack ever witnessed.

In this article, you will learn how to stop DDoS attack on your website quickly and effectively.

1. Identify the DDoS attack early

The trick to stop DDoS attack is detect the DDoS attack as early as possible. The earlier the detection, the faster you can implement security measures to reduce and ultimately, overcome the DDoS attacks.

To be in a position to do this, it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with your typical inbound traffic profile; the more you know about what your normal traffic looks like, the easier it is to spot when its profile changes. Most DDoS attacks start as sharp spikes in traffic, and it’s helpful to be able to tell the difference between a sudden surge of legitimate visitors and the start of a DDoS attack.

2. Enable Cloudflare security features

Cloudflare is an excellent website security feature when it comes to avoiding DDoS attacks.

Cloudflare’s layered security approach combines multiple DDoS mitigation capabilities into one service. It prevents disruptions caused by bad traffic, while allowing good traffic through, keeping websites, applications and APIs highly available and performant.

3. DDoS mitigation services at urgent times

For very large attacks, it’s likely that your best chance of staying online is to use a specialist DDoS mitigation company. These organizations have large-scale infrastructure and use a variety of technologies, including data scrubbing, to help keep your website online. You may need to contact a DDoS mitigation company directly, or your hosting company or service provider may have a partnership agreement with one to handle large attacks.

“If a customer needs DDoS mitigation, then we divert their traffic to (DDoS mitigation company) Black Lotus,” said Dufficy. “We do this using BGP, so it only takes a few minutes.”

Black Lotus’s scrubbing center can handle very high levels of traffic, and sends on the cleaned traffic to its intended destination. This results in higher latency for website users, but the alternative is that they wouldn’t be able to access the site at all.

DDoS mitigation services are not free, so it’s up to you whether you want to pay to stay online or take the hit and wait for the DDoS attack to subside before continuing to do business. Subscribing to a DDoS mitigation service on an ongoing basis may cost a few hundred dollars a month. If you wait until you need one, however, expect to pay much more for the service and wait longer before it starts to work.

4. Overprovision bandwidth

It generally makes sense to have more bandwidth available to your Web server than you ever think you are likely to need. That way, you can accommodate sudden and unexpected surges in traffic that could be a result of an advertising campaign, a special offer or even a mention of your company in the media.

Even if you overprovision by 100 percent — or 500 percent — that likely won’t stop a DDoS attack. But it may give you a few extra minutes to act before your resources are overwhelmed completely.

February 5, 2025
The Marketing Huddle — Top Marketing Blog for Small Business

We are in the post Covid-19 era and let me be really honest with you — Marketing is no longer the same. Many of us are affected badly with the turn outs from Covid-19 and we even see many small businesses closing down / downsizing across the globe.

I’m going to sugar coat it because it is already bad. There must be something that small business owners can do right now, right?

The truth is, yes. If you are affordable, you can work with digital marketing agencies with your marketing needs. Or you can spend time and effort to learn more about digital marketing.

Either way, you need to do something and right now … to keep your business afloat long enough.

Introducing The Marketing Huddle

I came across TheMarketingHuddle.com in expired domains and I was intrigued to build my blog database. What other thing can I do than to create a marketing blog dedicated for small business owners?

As you can see, this blog is brand new (with less than 10 posts) and I have no plans to place any ads on it for now. Yes, a few affiliate links and that’s much about it.

And hey, it is not running on WordPress!

The Marketing Huddle is created on Ghost CMS (works just like Medium) and I’m loving it right now.

What can I expect from The Marketing Huddle?

The Marketing Huddle is created as a marketing blog for small business owners. As a consultant myself, I came across dozens of entrepreneurs and business owners who are struggling to keep up with the latest marketing related news.

The blog serves as a free publication site focusing on marketing related matters with some detailed case study write ups (like this case study on WaaS business model).

Apart from that, there are also free content such as daily, weekly and monthly online marketing tips specially crafted for small business owners.

It doesn’t matter if you are doing it inhouse or want to train your team, this is one blog not to be missed!

February 5, 2025
What To Do If Your Employer Goes Bankrupt

Life is full of uncertainties, but sometimes, we are caught off-guard. Take the example of your employer declaring bankruptcy. Most of the time, nothing prepares an employee for their employer to go out of business. When this happens, employees are left wondering what they should do moving forward. The good news is that as an employee, there are steps that you can take when your employer is affected by insolvency proceedings. It pays to be in the know, and this article helps you understand the steps you can take when your employer declares bankruptcy.

What Happens When an Employer Declares Bankruptcy?

Bankruptcy occurs in a situation where a company or employer can no longer pay its debts. The debtor can voluntarily declare bankruptcy. Alternatively, they can be forced into it by one of the creditors of the business. If this happens, they hand over their non-exempt property to a licensed insolvency trustee (LIT) who is tasked with selling and distributing the money to Creditors.

A majority of bankruptcies fall under consumer bankruptcies, meaning that most of the debts are not business-related. If the debtor’s assets are worth below $15,000, the case is processed under summary administration. This kind of situation is easy to handle because creditors do not need to meet. Creditors cannot take a debtor to a court or continue any hearings if the case is dealt with as a summary administration. Secured creditors can take ownership of assets that they hold a security. While there are clear paths for creditors to follow when dealing with a bankrupt business, many employees have no idea where to go if their employer declares bankruptcy.

What Happens to Employees?

Before a company considers filing for bankruptcy, the employer must have gone over a list of options regarding what they can do. Many companies consider finding a trustee that will help them evaluate their situation, so they know what they will lose once they file for insolvency. With a trustee, the employer understands what will happen to their employees and even the contractors in detail.

The first step that takes place once an employer declares bankruptcy is that a trustee is appointed over the company that faces insolvency. This trustee has several duties, including liquidation of the employer’s estate, so that the creditors can be paid. The creditors are notified of the bankruptcy as well, and the assets of the bankrupt person are protected. The trustee then runs the company, even though it is insolvent. Many times, contracts with third parties and employees end up terminated. Interestingly, some key employees may retain their positions or get rehired because they are essential to running the company or safeguarding their critical assets.

What Should the Employee Know?

As an employee of a bankrupt business, you are protected under the Wage Earner Protection Program. Debts are paid to creditors according to the federally legislated BIA. If the employees have a wage claim, they are considered to be creditors. The steps to be taken next depend on whether these employees are in a union or not. If it’s there, they will be represented by the union, and the matter is solved. If the employee were not part of a union, the employee would have to deal directly with the trustee appointed for the company.

The Wage Earner Protection Program is responsible for the reimbursement of eligible employees for any unpaid and deserved monies including wages, vacation pay, termination pay and severance pay that the employer owed them after the declaration of bankruptcy.

As an employee, the first step would be to file a proof of claim with the company’s trustee, and the request should be filed with Service Canada within 56 days of the bankruptcy date. Service Canada is the body responsible for making payments under WEPP. The trustee is not liable to make any payments to the employee.

Service Canada is also entitled to the dividend payments that the receiver or trustee makes to the employee on the amounts paid by Service Canada. The federal program compensates employees for amounts of up to $3,000. Wages include salaries, commissions, vacation pay, compensation for services, and severance pay. Payments that fall within ss 81.3 and 81.4 of the BIA should be considered when considering employees who should be compensated upon bankruptcy.

Declaring bankruptcy comes as a shocker for many employees. It is mostly unclear to the public about what should happen to the employees once their employer declares bankruptcy. While the stipulations are clear for creditors, it is not so clear for employees. In this article, however, an employee learns how the law protects them and how they can claim compensation that should be theirs.

February 5, 2025
Quarantine Survival Kit At Home And Remote Workers [Complete Guide]
Are you stuck at home with the government-imposed lockdown? Or maybe, you are self-quarantine at home? Don’t worry, I was forced to be at home in April 2020 when the Malaysian government improved a strict movement control (essential travel restriction with a 10 kilometre radius). That’s when I decided to start my self quarantine survival kit.

“Important note: Everything will not be normal when you are staying in one place for a long time. Keeping stock of the right (and essential) products will keep you sane … at the very least.”

Here’s my survival kit during a home quarantine.

What should be included in a home quarantine survival kit?

Home quarantine is one of the most common forms of quarantine. This happens when the state you in is imposing a lockdown (either full or partial). Here are the top items you need to have in your survival kit.

Reliable Laptop

I’m a stay at home dad who works using the Internet. Therefore, having a reliable laptop is critical for my personal financial survival!

When you are quarantined at home, you can either opt to work from home (if your company permits) or find some small business ideas to generate cash during this downtime. As I had been working online since 2004, I had created multiple income streams using the Internet, thus, having a good laptop is critical.

Self-isolation, quarantine or movement restriction may last longer than most of us expect—so, be ready for the new normal!

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Strong Internet Connection

The best laptop is not useful when you have an unreliable Internet connection. Get a good Internet connection and you should well be working properly at home (or watching Netflix).

Cookies

I’m not going to lie to you. Staying at home (like 24 hours a day) for 3 months can really make a person go crazy. I stock up cookies at home to ensure that I could enjoy the snacks at any time of the day.

On-Demand Movies

Yup, you hear me loud and clear. I’m guilty of spending 2 hours a day with movies. Hey, I work 5 hours a day and I strongly believe in work-life balance.

Subscribing to on-demand movies are great ways to stay sane and have a good time at the comfort of your couch.

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Fresh clothes

One of the most important quarantine kits is to have a nice range of fresh clothes. There is nothing better than wearing clean clothes at home!

During my time quarantine, I prepare 10 sets of clothing that I could rotate and use. And trust me on this—wearing fresh clothes during quarantine is the best single thing you can do to make you feel good!

A Loaded Credit Card

Shopping during lockdown used to be challenging in the past but thanks to technology, online shopping is no longer an expensive experience. With a loaded credit card, you can easily do shop at home and get the items delivered to you the next working day.

In Malaysia, we have Shopee and Lazada which offer next day delivery. If you are in the United States or in Europe, there are Amazon and eBay to start with!

What should be included in a work survival kit?

A work survival kit is slightly different from a home survival kit. A work survival kit will include work-related tools to help you be more productive at work, even when you are working remotely.

Productivity Apps

Productivity apps help me to be more productive on a daily basis. These apps help me to order things I need to do on a daily basis.

Some of the best productivity apps are:
- Trello
- Todoist
- Google Keep
- Evernote
RescueTime App

RescueTime is a cool time tracking app I used recently. This tool tracks my activities and how many times I visit a specific website or task either on mobile or desktop.

RescueTime is a free to use app and if you need more features, there’s a paid version that you can subscribe to either on a monthly or yearly basis.

Click here to try RescueTime for free!

Encrypted USB Drive

If you are working for a large organization, using an encrypted USB drive is an important tool to stay safe from hackers and keeping relevant content away from everyone easy access.

If you are looking for a good encrypted USB drive, here are some of the best I recommend you to use.

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Office Wear

Working remotely is the ‘new normal’ when it comes to post-Covid19. However, do you know that you can keep yourself from negative distraction when working at home just by wearing office wear?

Gift Basket

If your team is working remotely during self-quarantine, sending gift basket to your peers and colleagues are great moves to build bonds. After all, everyone loves gifts, right?

Gift Card

If sending gift basket isn’t your style, sending gift card is also a good move. Last month, I send some gift cards over to my clients as a gesture of appreciation. This helps to create a positive relationship between you and your clients!

What’s Your Quarantine Survival Kit?

Now, it is your turn. What’s your favorite quarantine survival kit? Tell me in the comments below and let’s discuss further!
February 5, 2025
How You Can Easily Make Logo Online With DesignEvo
Brand awareness is on the rise. A good-looking logo is often impressive. For example, the Apple logo is an apple that has been bitten. The Nike logo is presented in a swoosh. What if you need to make a good-looking and impressive logo? DesignEvo is a practical logo tool that allows you to design a good-looking logo without hiring a designer.

What is DesignEvo?

DesignEvo is a logo design software developed by PearlMountain. This software allows everyone to handle logo design easily and get the best design experience.

DesignEvo’s Key feature in briefly:
- 10,000+ Logo templates are available for reference
- More than one million searchable icons
- Hundreds of file fonts and shapes to choose from
- Powerful editing tools: crop, resize, rotate, layer management, copy, cancel/redo, etc.
- Most Element in the template could be edited
To have a better user experience, you might need to register a DesignEvo account.

Register Account

DesignEvo account registration is straightforward, as long as you use your Facebook or Google account to log in. Even if the registration is completed, of course, you can also enter your email and password to register. After registration, you will be asked about your group identity and occupation and a confirmation will be sent. Register to the email address you filled in. After verification, press the “Free Design Logo” button to start your design.

And since you have registered the account, and click Make a Logo, then you would be directed to the logo selecting page. So here, you can choose a template to customize. Also you can start from scratch.

Choose a template

Choose A Template With DesignEvo

Designing a logo from scratch is a headache for the average person, and DesignEvo provides intimately and categorizes more than 10,000 templates. Just select the template according to the theme you want to create and start designing your own logo.

The operation guideline

When entering the editing page, DesignEvo will jump out of the guide interface to guide the icons and fonts you can use and the location of the download button after the design is completed.

Add icon

Click the Icon tab on the left bar, and some popular search icons will be displayed. Click one of the sample: Circle circles to have many styles for you to choose. Tap and hold the desired icon and pull it to the right You can add icons in the editing window, and you can set the color of the icon, horizontal and vertical flip and transparency, and you can zoom in or out.

Choose font

Choose A Font With DesignEvo

How can a good-looking Logo get fewer fonts, DesignEvo has hundreds of fonts, including Classic and Art, to choose from, click the text on the left side to find the font you like, then select the text in the editing window Then press the font you like on the left.

Add shape

The operation of adding a shape is the same as adding an icon. Select the shape you want and add it. It is also a good choice to put a beautiful frame on it.

Choose background

If you think the set background is not good for your logo, then you can consider changing the background too.

Download your logo

After going through the above difficulties, the logo is finally designed. Finally, press the green download button on the upper right to download the file back, but the free version only provides 300 x 300 size and transparent background image files to download. If the pixel is bigger, you need to buy the paid version, and if you want to apply for a trademark or copyright, you should purchase the Plus plan.

To sum up

The advancement of technology makes people more and more convenient. In the past, designing a logo required spending money to ask an art designer to design. Now DesignEvo is really convenient. Go to the website and simply edit the logo to get. The free version is easy to use if you want to use it for yourself. However, if you have a large image output, it is better to buy a basic package to download a large-size image.

The logo represents the brand symbol of your personal or company identification. If you have a budget, please ask the graphic designer to design. If you don’t have too much budget, consider using DesignEvo.
February 5, 2025