Valhalla blog

Practical technology advice for Coastal Bend businesses and homes — in plain English, no jargon.

Small business owner reviewing a budget on a laptop in a bright office

If a vendor changes their bank details, call before you pay

If an email shows up saying a vendor changed their bank account and future payments should go to a new one, stop. Do not reply to that email. Do not pay yet.

Read the post →
Small business owner reviewing a budget on a laptop in a bright office

How to choose an IT company in the Coastal Bend

The wrong IT company costs you twice — the contract, then the cleanup. Eight questions to ask any provider before you sign, with our own answers published in writing.

Read the post →
Small business owner and team discussing cybersecurity in a bright office

When someone leaves, their logins should leave too

When an employee walks out for the last time, what can they still log into on Monday? For a lot of small businesses, the honest answer is: plenty.

Read the post →
Small business owner and team discussing cybersecurity in a bright office

Nobody on your team needs admin rights on their PC

When every user account is an administrator, one wrong click hands over the keys to the whole machine.

Read the post →
Small business team working at computers in a bright office

Your team’s passwords are weaker than you think — fix it this week

People reuse passwords. When a website they use at home gets breached, the password that opens that site can also open your business email.

Read the post →
Small business owner reviewing a budget on a laptop in a bright office

One security move every business owner should make this week

Email is the master key. Your bank, your payroll, your vendors — password resets for all of them flow through the inbox.

Read the post →
Alan Decker at his desk, ready for a remote support session

The 3-2-1 backup rule

Here’s a question I ask every business owner: if a flood took your office tonight, could you be back up and running tomorrow?

Read the post →
Small business owner and team discussing cybersecurity in a bright office

5 security basics every 20-person company needs (and what most skip)

Your company isn’t insecure because you’re careless — it’s because nobody owns IT. The five unglamorous basics attackers count on you skipping.

Read the post →
Small business owner reviewing a budget on a laptop in a bright office

What managed IT actually costs for a 20-person company

Nobody will give you a straight number on managed IT pricing. Here’s the number — $150 to $300 per seat per month — and what moves it.

Read the post →
Small business team working at computers in a bright office

What a ransomware attack actually looks like for a 15-person company

Ransomware doesn’t just hit big corporations. Here’s how an attack unfolds for a typical small office — what it costs, and the three unglamorous things that would have stopped it.

Read the post →

One practical IT tip, every Monday.

Join the Valhalla IT tips list — one short, useful tip for your business each week. No spam, no pitch. Unsubscribe anytime.