2 SEPTEMBER 2025 PANORA OFFICE Main Office: 641.755.2424 Technical Support: 641.755.TECH (8324) Request a Service Call: 641.755.2424 Request a Locate: 800.292.8989 Mailing: 114 East Main, PO Box 189 Panora, IA 50216 GUTHRIE CENTER OFFICE Main Office: 641.332.2000 Technical Support: 641.332.2225 Request a Service Call: 641.332.2000 Request a Locate: 800.292.8989 Mailing: 403 State Street Guthrie Center, IA 50115 Solutions for Business is a publication of Panora Fiber, located at 114 East Main, PO Box 189, Panora, IA 50216 and 403 State Street, Guthrie Center, IA 50115. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, electronic, photocopying, recording, mechanical, or otherwise without the prior written permission of Panora Fiber. All rights are reserved. Editorial and Circulation – Contact Jaime Waddle, 114 East Main St., P.O. Box 189, Panora, IA 50216, 641.755.2424 Trademarks – All brand names and product names used in this publication are trade names, service marks, trademarks, or registered trademarks of their respective owners. Additional Issues – Extra issues are available to business customers on a limited basis while supplies last. Contact Jaime Waddle, 114 East Main St., P.O. Box 189, Panora, IA 50216, 641.755.2424 Copyright © 2025 by Panora Fiber and Cornerstone Publishing Group, Inc. POSTMASTER Send changes to: Jaime Waddle, 114 East Main St., P.O. Box 189, Panora, IA 50216 SEPT 25 PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER FOR BUSINESS Take care of yourself, your business, and your community. We all know this is important, yet the fast pace of life and the multiple demands on our time can make it challenging to accomplish. Page 3 of this issue addresses the value of taking care of your community. You’ll find ways to Encourage Your Employees to Give Back as well as examples of how Panora Fiber does just that. On pages 4 and 5, there’s a Business Spotlight on Sapphire Skin Co. & Spa. With locations in Panora and Guthrie Center, owner Lexi Blakeley has built a growing business in just three years by helping people take care of their skin while they relax their body and refresh their spirit. Panora Fiber is thrilled to provide Sapphire Skin Co. & Spa with fast and reliable fiber internet, and we’re pleased to support this local small business. It’s Risky to Share a Wi-Fi Network With Other Businesses, as you’ll learn on page 6. This practice can expose your business to security risks and more, so take care of your business by maintaining a separate and isolated internet service and network. Continuing with the topic of security risks, we extend Congratulations to IT Technician Zach Davis on page 7. He recently earned the certification of Practical Junior Penetration Tester (PJPT), which focuses on giving beginners the skills and mindset to run a penetration test against a Windows Active Directory environment — to find weaknesses before real attackers do. What can Panora Fiber do to help you take care of your business? If you have concerns about IT security or need to upgrade your communications services, please let us know. Sincerely, Andrew M. Randol General Manager Panora Fiber
SEPTEMBER 2025 3 SOLUTIONS Encourage Your Employees to Give Back To be a strong community partner, your company needs to foster a spirit of volunteerism among employees. If you’re experiencing challenges with getting employees to participate in volunteer activities, consider these ideas: Provide paid time off for volunteering. This approach does two important things. First, it communicates to employees —and to customers and community members—that your company is truly committed to giving back. It also allows employees to volunteer without always having to give up their personal time to do so. The amount of paid time off for volunteering doesn’t need to be huge. Even one work day per year per employee, when spent doing good work in the community, can lead to valuable results. Give employees the autonomy to give back in ways meaningful to them. Instead of micromanaging every act of giving, allow employees flexibility to come up with their own ways to help the community. Perhaps some employees will want to put together toiletry bags for the homeless, pick up trash at a park, read to children at an elementary school, or organize a drive to collect food, clothing, or toys. Others may want to set up regular visits to a senior facility to spend time with residents who don’t have nearby family. Whatever the volunteer projects, they provide excellent opportunities for employees to build skills by taking initiative, managing activities, and strengthening relationships with coworkers and neighbors. Make sure your leadership sets a good example. Everyone has a role to play in order for your company’s volunteer goals to be met. When your CEO marches in the local parade or your HR Manager sets up the company booth at the county fair, it encourages employees to also sign up to participate in these types of community events. In addition, it reinforces your company’s deep commitment to making a difference. Panora Fiber is proud of our volunteer work. Follow us on Facebook to see howwe’re lending a hand in our communities we serve throughout the year. Panora Fiber Is Active in Our Communities As a company, Panora Fiber is amember of the following organizations and works to enhance the quality of life in our communities: Panora Chamber of Commerce PRIDE (Panora Area Economic Development Group) Midwest Partnership Guthrie Center Chamber of Commerce Guthrie Center Main Street GCDC (Guthrie Center Development Corporation) AIBW (Association of Independent Business Women) As individuals, many Panora Fiber employees are also active in community organizations such as these: Panora Fire Department Sons of American Legion St. Mary’s Church Guthrie Center Activity Center Panorama Soccer Club GCHV Foundation Panora City Council Little Panther Daycare & Preschool Redfield Development Corporation One of the best parts of giving back is getting to work (and play) with our friends, neighbors, and customers. Come to think of it, many of you are all three!
4 SEPTEMBER 2025 BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT Local Pampering for Panora and Guthrie Center Blakeley, who’s also a licensed esthetician and bridal makeup artist, opened the Panora location of Sapphire Skin Co. & Spa in 2022 and began working out of the Guthrie Center location in 2023. A full rebrand was completed in January 2025, and the Guthrie location was officially launched as a full-service spa. Blakeley said, “It was important to me to keep services local and accessible while creating a space that felt welcoming and elevated. Why should people have to drive an hour on the highway to get their nails done or enjoy other spa services? Sapphire Skin Co. & Spa has you covered close to home. Support local. Pamper local. You deserve it!” Renewing and Reconnecting Sapphire Skin Co. & Spa offers a range of services featuring the latest skin care techniques. They include facial treatments, acne therapy, eyelash extensions, Lash Lifts, browmapping and shaping, brow lamination and tint, facial massage, reflexology massage, hand and armmassage, foot massage, body waxing, body wraps, professional makeup applications, hair styling, and head spa service (at the Guthrie Center location only). Sapphire Skin Co. & Spa also offers many retail options such as professional skin and body products from brands like Circadia and specializes in professional scalp and hair care products. While many of these services and products can enhance appearance, Blakeley wanted to make it clear that skincare is more than skin deep. “Our signature meditative facial massage is an intentional, slow beauty ritual rooted in the belief that touch is a powerful form of healing. Using intuitive movements and rhythmic pressure, this massage quiets the nervous system, melts Owner Lexi Blakeley said, “Sapphires have long been associated with wisdom, serenity, and inner peace—qualities that reflect the intention behind the services we offer at Sapphire Skin Co. & Spa. The rich blue tones of a sapphire bring to mind calm, clarity, and luxury, which mirrors the experience I’ve tried to create at both studios. To me, it’s a symbol of timeless beauty, balance, and restoration.“ A talented and collaborative team makes this small business a jewel Sapphire Skin Co. & Spa Owner Lexi Blakeley
SEPTEMBER 2025 5 SOLUTIONS A Mission to Empower, Uplift, and Support What does owner Lexi Blakeley most want area residents to know about Sapphire Skin Co. & Spa? She replied, “I want them to know it’s a proudly women-owned business, which is rooted in amission to empower, uplift, and support the growth of our community—especially other women in the wellness and beauty industry. We’re not just here to make things pretty. We’re here tomake an impact.” Blakeley added, “Sometimes people assume that since I’m in my 20’s, I don’t know what I’m doing. But being underestimated is my favorite fuel! I’m proud that I built this business from the ground up with no prior experience. I left a stable career to chase a dream and turn it into something real. When we moved here five years ago, we didn’t know anyone. Now, we’re part of the community, and I’ve been able to create something lasting and meaningful. Watching the business grow alongside my personal growth has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.” tension frommuscles, and invites you to fully exhale. It’s not just about improving circulation or sculpting the facial muscles—it’s about reconnecting with your body and feeling truly seen and cared for. In a world that’s constantly rushing, this is your permission to slow down,” Blakeley explained. To provide these spa services, Sapphire Skin Co. & Spa has a mix of employees and independent service providers. Blakeley described them as “a collaborative team that brings so much passion to their work.” Feels Supported by Panora Fiber Not surprisingly, the members of this team require more than moisturizers, serums, and makeup to do their work. They also need fast and reliable internet service, which Sapphire Skin Co. & Spa wasn’t getting from its previous provider. Blakeley explained, “I decided to leave Windstream and switch back to Panora Fiber because Windstream’s internet service just didn’t meet our expectations. We were dealing with frequent issues and had a hard time getting timely support. As a business that relies heavily on internet for booking, payments, and communication, it quickly became unsustainable. Panora Fiber has been a breath of fresh air—their fiber internet service is fast, reliable, and most importantly, local. In addition, Panora Fiber’s customer service is easy to reach, and we feel supported by people who understand small business.” Beautiful New Services Are Coming What’s ahead for Sapphire Skin Co. & Spa? She replied, “We recently welcomed Ruth Mash, board-certified ARNP (Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner), as our Medical Director. We’re getting ready to launch medical aesthetics and injectable services at our Guthrie Center location. It’s a big step forward for Sapphire Skin Co. & Spa and something we’re very excited about. Her expertise and integrative approach will elevate our aesthetic services and allow us to offer clients the highest standard of care—rooted in both medical excellence and personalized wellness.” Panora Fiber has been a breath of fresh air — their fiber internet service is fast, reliable, and most importantly, local.” — LEXI BLAKELEY, OWNER, SAPPHIRE SKIN CO. & SPA Owner Lexi Blakeley
6 SEPTEMBER 2025 At first glance, you may think having a single internet account for all the businesses in your building is a harmless way to save money by splitting the cost. However, this practice can expose your business to security risks, legal and liability concerns, performance issues, and challenges with network management and troubleshooting. Security Risks - Sharing a Wi-Fi network increases the risk of being impacted by cyberattacks, malware, and viruses. This is because a breach or compromised device at one business could compromise the shared network and impact the other businesses in the building, potentially leading to data loss and downtime. Legal and Liability Concerns - You want to control who has access to your network at all times to keep it secure. If one business on a shared network has weak or no security, it will create vulnerabilities that could expose both of your businesses to costly breaches. In addition, shared networks make it easier for unauthorized individuals to access sensitive data and information, potentially leading to privacy violations and legal issues. Performance Issues - When multiple businesses are using the same Wi-Fi network, the bandwidth demands can be stretched, leading to slower speeds and increased latency, which negatively impacts productivity and customer service. For the sake of your employees and customers, a dedicated Wi-Fi network for your business is best. Challenges with Network Management and Troubleshooting - A business obligated to abide by HIPPA regulations would have a difficult time proving audit logs remained clean if their network was shared by other businesses. Businesses sharing a network also have less control over their own network configurations and security settings, and in the event of a network issue, troubleshooting can be difficult when multiple businesses are involved. Panora Fiber Recommendations Due to these risks, Panora Fiber strongly discourages sharing a Wi-Fi network between businesses. The best practice is for each business to maintain a separate and isolated internet service and network. If a shared situation is unavoidable, you should implement strict security measures, including: • Firewall Configuration - Consult with an IT professional to ensure firewall protection is properly configured on your router and individual devices. • Usage Policies - Establish clear policies with the other businesses regarding acceptable internet usage. • Separate Guest Network - Seek equipment that will allow you to create a guest Wi-Fi network that isolates guest devices from your primary internal network. If you have questions about a shared Wi-Fi network, please call us at 641.755.2424 in Panora or 641.332.2000 in Guthrie Center. It’s Risky to Share a Wi-Fi Network With Other Businesses You can pay a heavy price for trying to save money It’s common for several businesses, such as small retail stores, to operate under one roof. While sharing one commercial building often makes sense, sharing one Wi-Fi network usually does not.
SEPTEMBER 2025 7 SOLUTIONS Congratulations to IT Technician Zach Davis Zach Davis, IT Technician at Panora Fiber since 2016, recently earned the certification of Practical Junior Penetration Tester (PJPT). This certification focuses on giving beginners the skills and mindset to run a penetration test against a Windows Active Directory environment. Since many of you may not be familiar with these IT terms, let’s start with some definitions: • A penetration test is where professionals are hired to ethically hack into a company’s network. The goal is to find weaknesses before real attackers do. Once they’re in, they document how they got there and give a detailed report to the IT team so they can fix the problems and strengthen their defenses. • Active Directory is Microsoft’s proprietary directory service that enables network administrators to manage users, permissions, and their access to networking resources. If you’ve ever worked in a medium or large company, chances are Active Directory was running behind the scenes. You can think of it like a giant phone book and security system combined, which are designed to help the IT team keep users, computers, and resources organized and secure. Zach said, “The PJPT exam gave me 48 hours to break into and compromise a simulated network, and then another 48 hours to write a professional report on my findings. To pass, you have to succeed at both. I failed my first attempt at the report, and that stung. But I regrouped, doubled the length of my second report with more screenshots and details, and went back in on July 4–6. This time, I passed! It was a challenging but awesome experience, and I can’t wait to keep building on this knowledge.” All of us at Panora Fiber congratulate Zach on this achievement and recognize the hard work and persistence it took to get there. Thanks for all you bring to the table, Zach! Why Hackers Target Small Businesses Small businesses are increasingly becoming targets for cybercriminals. While large corporations often have robust cybersecurity measures in place, small businesses tend to have weaker defenses, making themmore vulnerable to cyberattacks. Hackers recognize this gap and exploit it for reasons including financial gain and data theft. Many small businesses store sensitive customer data, such as payment information and personal details, making them an attractive target for hackers. These businesses may lack the resources to implement advanced security protocols, leaving their networks and systems exposed. Moreover, small businesses are often used as stepping stones to infiltrate larger organizations. A hacker may compromise a smaller business with ties to a larger company, leveraging this access for more significant attacks. The rise of ransomware and phishing attacks further compounds the risk for small businesses. Cybercriminals know that small companies are more likely to pay a ransom to recover their data, as the financial loss from a data breach could be devastating.
Cornerstone Group © 2024 OUR IT TECHNICIANS HAVE ANSWERS. To schedule a free tech assessment, call us at 641.755.2424 in Panora or 641.332.2000 in Guthrie Center.
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