D E C EMB E R 2 0 2 5 VOLUME 4 • I SSUE 1 3 Why Choose a Local Internet Service Provider 4 Spotlight: Woodland Cabinetry 6 Hosted PBX Works Wherever Your Team Works 7 Common Types of Cyberattacks I NS I DE CONT ENT S BUSINESS solutions Woodland Cabinetry Turns Dreams Into Reality
2 D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 5 Goldilocks is famous for the concept of “just right.” While the fairy tale character chose the “just right” porridge temperature and “just right” bed firmness, it’s a principle that also applies to a variety of real-life business topics. On page 3, we pose the question, Why Choose a Local Internet Service Provider? The answer includes reasons such as community commitment, personal customer service, and flexible solutions. Or, in other words, because a local ISP provides the “just right” advantages compared to a national company. If you were planning your dream kitchen, you’d want the cabinets to be “just right” in terms of size, style, and color. You’ll learn how a Sisseton company successfully custom builds such products in the Business Spotlight on Woodland Cabinetry on pages 4 and 5. The largest private employer in Sisseton, Woodland counts on internet and phone services from Venture Communications to keep its staff consistently connected to its network of 700 dealer partners from coast to coast. Woodland uses our Hosted PBX Service, which is the topic explored on page 6 with Hosted PBX Service Works Wherever Your TeamWorks. Whether employees work from your business location, their homes, or while on the road, this Venture Communications phone solution offers the flexibility to be “just right” for everyone. We want your business to have the internet and phone services it needs to work most efficiently and productively—not too much, and not too little. Contact us to discuss what might be “just right” for you. Mary Knox Marketing Manager Venture Communications Venture Communications www.venturecomm.net Contact Us: P.O. Box 157 218 Commercial Avenue S.E. Highmore, SD 57345-0157 605-852-2224 Publication Information: Business Solutions is a publication of Venture Communications. 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 Venture Communications. All rights are reserved. Editorial and Circulation Contact: Mary Knox Marketing Manager maryk@venture.coop 605-852-2224 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 Mary Knox at maryk@venture.coop or call 605-852-2224. Postmaster Send Changes to: P.O. Box 157 218 Commercial Avenue S.E. Highmore, SD 57345-0157 Copyright © 2025 by Venture Communications and Cornerstone Publishing Group, Inc. BUSINESS solutions
BUSINESS solutions D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 5 3 Living and working in the same community as your internet provider may be even more beneficial than you realize. A local Internet Service Provider (ISP) can offer many advantages over national competitors including these: Why Choose a Local Internet Service Provider? Knows the Community A local ISP is deeply rooted in the community and has the connections, relationships, and local knowledge other nationally owned companies simply do not have. It knows how the community operates, what it needs, and how to get things done efficiently. It’s also invested in the success of its residents and fellow businesses. A local ISP will be the first to advocate for your needs and the last to put profits before customer satisfaction. Lends a Hand When People Need It Because a local ISP is such an integral part of the community, it recognizes when a helping hand is needed. When the community is facing challenges, the management and employees of a local ISP jump in and help people move forward. For example, it may use community partnerships, grant funding, and its own investments to ramp up fiber installation in rural areas to foster economic growth. Provides Personal Customer Service A national ISP might have a fleet of technicians, but if they’re subcontractors managed through a cumbersome bureaucracy, you could wait a long time to get service. By contrast, a local ISP will have local technicians and other local employees who can provide responsive customer service and faster turnaround on installations and maintenance. The staff at a local ISP is also more likely to develop an ongoing relationship with your business, which means you’ll spend less time explaining things before your problem gets solved. Creates Flexible Solutions A local ISP isn’t limited by the red tape and restrictions often found at a large corporation. This means a local ISP has the flexibility to spend whatever time is required to fully understand your needs and develop the best solutions to meet them. Cares About Your Success To a local ISP, you’re not just a customer. You’re also a neighbor, and someone its employees will run into at the grocery store or at community events. As a result, a local ISP will genuinely care about you, your satisfaction, and your success. Venture Communications is proud to be a local ISP and honored to serve you. To learn more about our community involvement, follow us on Facebook or visit venturecomm.net/community-giving. Because local connections are so important
4 D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 5 BUSINESS spotlight Woodland Cabinetry Since 1994, building success one cabinet at a time “If you can draw it, we can saw it.” On its website, this is how Woodland Cabinetry describes its custom cabinetry model that seamlessly takes projects from dreams to reality. Founded in 1994 in Sisseton, South Dakota, Woodland custom builds top quality cabinetry upon order, and all finishes are hand applied to achieve the finest handcrafted look. The company offers a wide variety of door styles in seven traditional wood species as well as a broad selection in contemporary engineered materials. Combined with hundreds of standard and custom colors, Woodland helps customers create their dream kitchen—or dream bathroom, or dream any room. Woodland sells its cabinetry exclusively through its dealer partner network of 700 dealers across America. Employee-Owned and Focused on Growth Woodland is the number one private employer in Sisseton, with its staff numbers fluctuating between 180-200. In 2023 Woodland became an employee-owned company through its Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). All eligible employees are granted shares of company stock each year, at no cost to themselves, allowing them to earn ownership over time and accumulate tax-deferred retirement wealth. CEO Mike Tchida said, “An ESOP is a way for our employees to own their future, which in turn inspires them to build a healthier and more prosperous local community.” Woodland celebrated its 30th Anniversary in 2024, and during those 30 years, the company’s success has gone beyond building cabinetry to also building an increasingly larger physical presence in Sisseton. Here’s the expansion timeline: • 1994 – Building #1, 16,000 square feet, Door Production • 2000 – Building #2, 16,000 square feet, Parts Room • 2002 – Building #3, 6,000 square feet, Rough Mill • 2005 – Building #4, 10,000 square feet, Warehouse • 2007 – Building #5, 50,000 square feet, Spray Room / Assembly / Shipping • 2016 – Building #6, 16,000 square feet, Frameless Construction • 2017 – Building #7, 6,000 square feet, Connection Point / Warehouse
D E C M E B E R 2 0 2 5 5 BUSINESS solutions “Venture Communications has been with us every step of the way,” said Tchida. The Power of Local Connections Woodland uses business internet and Hosted PBX Service from Venture Communications. Aarik Gray, CFO and IT Specialist, said, “Reliability is what we appreciate most about our internet and phone services with Venture Communications. Hosted PBX has streamlined the logistics of our office call system from sales to customer service to shipping. Communication is key for a business that relies on sales and service. We work with 700 dealers nationwide, and uptime is crucial to our success. With Venture, we don’t have to worry about issues because the services are so reliable.” Which feature of Hosted PBX Service do Woodland’s employees find most beneficial? Gray replied, “We have employees that really like the voicemail to email feature. Because they consistently use email to work and communicate with customers and vendors, it saves them time to have their voicemails appear in their inbox. That way, they don’t have to go through the process of dialing in and managing voicemails as a separate task.” The fact that Venture Communications provides Woodland with local support is a huge plus for Gray. He said, “Our local Venture crew—Brian, Lyle, Brad, and Katy—are literally only a phone call away. Woodland is a large employer operating in a small town, but we never have to worry about waiting for a tech to travel in for support. To us, the value of having Venture’s services is primarily about consistency. Because our local support team from Venture is readily available, knowledgeable, and helpful, we avoid major issues that get in the way of sales or production.” New Doors Are Opening Not surprisingly given Woodland’s history of growth, the company has recently added new ways to help bring the Woodland product line to more customers. Woodland has teamed up with top dealers and factory reps across Florida, Arizona, and New York, and has also partnered with the Middleby Showroom at the Chicago Merchandise Mart Plaza, where Woodland products are now featured alongside luxury cooking brands like Viking and La Cornue. What’s ahead for the coming year? Tchida shared this: “Woodland is expanding sales to new states in 2026, so Venture’s technology and reliability will help even further.” The Woodland Way Woodland Cabinetry proudly does things a bit differently, which they call “The Woodland Way.” If you decide to become a customer, here’s what you can expect from Woodland, as expressed on its website at www.woodlandcabinetry.com: Commitment Our team of passionate, hardworking team players will do whatever is necessary to exceed expectations with high-quality, fashion forward designs and fast responsive support. Customer Service We care. And we’ll prove it to you. We believe in a simple, honest approach to earn your trust. Most customers find us humble and approachable, which encourages clear communications and seamless collaborations. Quality We strive for excellence. In fact, we want perfection. That’s why we invest heavily on continuous improvement practices to build and enhance custom-crafted, fully functional designs that impress and inspire. Employee-Owned, Community Focused We’re proud to be employee-owned. We’re also proud of our community. That’s why we employ sustainable, environmentally friendly business practices that will help it thrive and grow for years to come. We work with 700 dealers nationwide, and uptime is crucial to our success. With Venture, we don’t have to worry about issues because the services are so reliable.” — AARIK GRAY, CFO AND IT SPECIALIST, WOODLAND CABINETRY
6 D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 5 Top 10 Fiber Benefits for Businesses Venture Communications proudly provides fiber to 100% of our customers, enabling local businesses to enjoy workplace advantages including these: 1. Much faster internet speeds for increased productivity 2. S ymmetrical bandwidth for uploads as fast as downloads 3. H igher reliability with less downtime and need for troubleshooting 4. More efficient access to cloud-based tools and data storage 5. F uture-proof infrastructure to meet changing needs 6. Ability to handle many internet users and devices with no slowdowns 7. Minimal latency for better quality video and VoIP calls 8. Enhanced security against cyber crime 9. M ore flexibility for initiatives such as Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) 10. S upport for robust HD video conferencing Are you considering an internet speed upgrade for your business? Call 605-852-2224 to discuss what’s available in your area. These days, fewer businesses function solely from one location. It’s more common for work to sometimes take place in different places, depending on the employee and the demands of the day. You may have employees who always work from home, for example, or employees who frequently work on the road. Unlike a wired PBX system with physical phone lines, our Hosted PBX Service is a location-independent, cloud-based solution that enables employees to bring their business phone line with them anywhere they go. Hosted PBX Service transforms voices into digital data packets, which are transmitted through the internet. Calls can be made through a computer, smartphone, tablet, IP phone, or even a traditional phone connected to an adapter. Hosted PBX Service is an excellent choice if your business includes one or more of the following: Remote Employees – They can make and receive calls at home using their normal work number and have access to all the same calling features available at the office. Flexible Teams – Do you add temporary employees during your busy season or regularly hire new employees? Hosted PBX Service makes it easy to generate and discard numbers so each employee has a unique account with no mix-ups with previous number holders. Multiple Locations – If you’ve opened a second store or have office locations in several cities, Hosted PBX Service provides the same unified phone system to all locations. Employees who work in multiple locations can keep the same personal business number no matter what office they’re in when they answer the phone. Vehicle Fleets – Hosted PBX Service offers communications mobility for teams on the road such as home service technicians or delivery drivers. Business Travel – It’s easier for your traveling employees (and their callers) if the same personal business number is always used. With Hosted PBX Service, they can log into their business phone from anywhere. To learn more about our Hosted PBX Service, call 605-852-2224 or visit www.venturecomm.net. Hosted PBX Service Works Wherever Your Team Works
BUSINESS solutions D E C M E B E R 2 0 2 5 7 Who’s Minding Your Business? Nikki Baloun Customer Advocate Nikki Baloun joined Venture Communications in 2008. She’s a 2000 graduate of Lake Area Technical College in Watertown, SD, and previously spent eight years working for Michael Newton & Associates Insurance Agency. She described her role at Venture Communications this way: “As a customer advocate, we are the front line to our customers when they call in. We assist with billing questions, concerns, and payments; get customers signed up for new services; and respond to any questions or service issues they may have. We also dispatch our installer/repairman to troubles and installs.” What does Nikki like most about her job? She replied, ”I enjoy my coworkers and helping others. Our industry is constantly changing, and there’s always something new for us to learn as employees and for our customers to get used to. I find it rewarding to help others navigate those changes and make the transition easier for them.” Nikki is married and has three daughters —a freshman in college, a sophomore in high school, and a 5th grader. When not working, she enjoys hunting, fishing, gardening, spending time with family, and attending her daughters’ events. Hackers use a variety of techniques to try and steal and exploit sensitive data—such as credit card information and passwords—and these techniques continue to evolve. As a business owner or manager, you need to be aware of the most frequently used types of cyberattacks. APT: Advanced persistent threats, or APTs, are long-term targeted attacks that break into a network in multiple phases to avoid detection. DDoS: An acronym for distributed denial of service, DDoS attacks occur when a server is intentionally overloaded with requests to attempt to shut down the target business’s website or network system. Inside attack: This refers to a situation where a person with administrative privileges, usually from within the business, purposely misuses his or her credentials to gain access to confidential company information. Former employees, in particular, present a threat if they left on bad terms. Malware: This term is short for malicious software and covers a range of programs introduced into a computer with the goal of causing damage or gaining unauthorized access. Password attacks: There are three main types of password attacks: a brute-force attack, which involves guessing at passwords until the hacker gets in; a dictionary attack, which uses a program to try different combinations of dictionary words; and keylogging, which tracks all of a user’s keystrokes, including login IDs and passwords. Phishing: Perhaps the most commonly deployed form of cybertheft, phishing involves sending emails that include a link to a legitimate-looking (but fraudulent) website. The goal is to collect sensitive information like login credentials and credit card information. Ransomware: This type of malware will either lock you out of your computer and demand money in return for access or threaten to publish private information if you don’t pay a specified amount in ransom. Ransomware is one of today’s fastest growing types of cyberattacks. Common Types of Cyberattacks
Call 605-852-2224 to discuss how Hosted PBX Service could work for you. Cornerstone Group©2025 Hosted PBX Service is the next generation of phone technology and is delivered over your Venture Communications internet connection. It offers affordability, efficiency, security, and reliability to your business: • Seamless communication and call management between different business locations • Minimal upfront costs and no expensive hardware to maintain • Ability to keep your current phone number(s) when you switch to Hosted PBX Service • Convenient features including Voicemail to Email/Text • Built-in disaster recovery since your data is fully backed up off premise • Flexible infrastructure that grows as your business grows • Local support from Venture Communications technicians Save Time and Money With Our Hosted PBX Service
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