Caron Beesley

The concept of overhauling legacy systems and eliminating technical debt isn’t new to state government agencies, but these initiatives aren't always high on the priority list. After all, IT systems have a life cycle, and agencies are committed to ensuring a return on investment for their duration, even if they lack the resources to maintain them efficiently or the funding to replace them as they age.
The bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act aims to break through these challenges ...

Last year, the United States Space Force released its strategy for educating its guardians (IT professionals) on all things digital.
The strategy includes a Digital University, software development and immersive pipelines to train and educate its workforce to operate in a digital environment, including all aspects of cybersecurity, coding, data, and artificial intelligence (AI).
The Space Force is also using recruitment to fill its ranks with digitally savvy people and aims to be more technic...

Is the sky falling on tech startups and venture capitalists eager to break into the defense sector? “Time is running out for Silicon Valley,” tweeted Katherine Boyle, a partner with Andreessen Horowitz, the day before last year’s Reagan National Defense Forum. She went on to say: “After five years of [the Defense Department] saying ‘we want to work with the best startups,’ we have, at most, two years before founders walk away and private capital dries up.” Breaking Defense echoed Boyle’s sent...

It’s a common misconception that it’s the responsibility of the CISO to ensure business leaders are protected in every aspect of their digital lives, including the personal. After all, a cyber attack on an executive can be an attack on the company.
At BlackCloak, we contend that the CISOs job should not prevail outside of the corporate walls. Indeed, we frequently state that “because of privacy and compliance reasons, CISOs cannot solve the problem of protecting executives in their personal d...

As cyberattacks against businesses and government organizations reach new heights, an alarming statistic is making headlines. According to world-leading researcher Cybersecurity Ventures, the number of unfilled cybersecurity jobs grew by 350%, from one million positions in 2013 to 3.5 million in 2021.
Right now, there’s a supply and demand issue. As technology evolves and threat actors become more advanced, companies are looking to add cybersecurity professionals to their teams. The U.S. Depa...

Double taxation is a complex topic. With international double taxation, investors and corporations are taxed twice – by their home countries and again by the territories where their investments are made. Yet, for too many, the risk of double taxation creates a degree of unnecessary uncertainty surrounding international finance.
Although many jurisdictions use double tax treaties (DTTs) to help reduce or eliminate double taxation, the practice can create more complexity as different provisions...

A shift is underway in database management. The rise of hybrid IT and adoption of cloud-native apps has evolved database design, management and monitoring as we know it. As a result, federal agencies are increasingly acknowledging the importance of DataOps to ensure a better use of their data, which is their most valuable asset.
What Is DataOps?
DataOps is a transformative approach to managing the increased complexity of modern data estates. With DataOps, agencies can break down the silos lim...

The past two years have taught us many things. Key among them is the way the federal government works has changed and will continue to evolve.
Indeed, the same forces that have disrupted the private sector, including new hybrid work models, exploding volumes of data, more connected and informed employees, and an aging infrastructure amplify a need for continuous transformation.
Nowhere is this more keenly felt than in the arena of human capital management (HCM) and financial management – two ...

The COVID-19 pandemic has radically transformed the business landscape, bringing uncertainty and disruption but also innovation and resilience.
As the economy and consumers prepare for a post-pandemic future, businesses will need to continue to adapt to thrive. As they do, here are eight trends to prepare for in 2022.
1. Volatility remains a major theme
Despite a level of optimism that the worst of the pandemic is over, executives and analysts from sectors including food service, healthcare, ...

As agencies pursue their modernization goals, a cloud-native approach to application development is sweeping across the federal government. A few examples of the impactful adoption of cloud capabilities include the Department of Treasury’s TCloud, which will rationalize applications and workloads across a secure cloud, and the Department of Defense’s Defense Enterprise Office Solution for office productivity and collaboration.
But as taxpayer dollars are injected into these projects (agencies...

Predictive analytics is the practice of extracting insights from data and using that information to predict trends, patterns, and inform future outcomes. As consumers, we encounter predictive analytics in many aspects of our lives. It influences from what we purchase on Amazon to what we watch on Netflix.
But predictive analytics can also enhance employee health and wellness, and support business continuity. With the right tools and data, forward-thinking employers can yield valuable insights...

Kickstart your new business in minutes
If you are passionate about fitness, health, and people, then owning a gym can be a hugely rewarding business venture. But to build a successful gym, like any business, there are several legal, regulatory, operational, and marketing factors to consider.
If you’re interested in opening a gym, here are some steps to help you get started.
Write your business plan
To ensure your gym is a success, you need a business plan. A well-thought-out plan can guide yo...

Car washes are big business! According to the International Car Wash Association, there are more than 60,000 car wash locations in the U.S. and more than two billion cars are washed each year — a $15 billion market.
As consumers hang on to their vehicles longer and new car prices continue to rise, this is good news for car wash businesses that can help vehicle owners maintain their investment.
If you’re interested in starting or owning a car wash business, here are some things to consider.
Re...

The prolonged COVID-19 pandemic has brought many challenges, particularly for small business owners who have struggled with lockdowns, labor shortages, new health and safety protocols, and more.
Unfortunately, many of the issues that seemed temporary have proven to be long-lasting. But small businesses are resilient, and many have adapted or pivoted when faced with the challenges of the past two years.
But what will 2022 bring? As you plan for the year ahead, keep the following trends and cha...

Trucks are the lifeblood of the U.S. economy, moving close to 73% of the nation’s freight by weight. Furthermore, more than 7.5 million people are employed in jobs that relate to the trucking industry, even more if you add the self-employed.
If you’re interested in getting into the business, here are the key steps to starting a trucking company.
Have a CDL
While you don’t need a commercial driver’s license (CDL) to start your own trucking company, holding a CDL can help you gain experience be...