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Archives for February 2024

CK Daily – 02.29.2024

February 29, 2024 by CablesAndKits

Happy Thursday & Happy Leap Day! To all the birthday babies – you’ve got some making up to do on celebrating. Have a wonderful day!

In This Issue: Lessons Learned: A New Level of Thinking | Meraki SFP Transceiver Module | What Are Jumbo Frames and Why Is Jumbo Frame Rate Important? | News to Start Your Day


The CK Daily – Lessons Learned: A New Level of Thinking

I have a list of quotes I look at from time to time to remind me of useful thoughts or concepts I might otherwise forget. When I see a new one that really strikes me, I add it. I have a weekly recurring task that contains these quotes and while I may not read them all every week I do at least read and ponder a few of them for a few moments.

This past Saturday morning, which is when the task recurs, I pondered this quote:

“The significant problems we have cannot be solved at the same level of thinking with which we created them.” ― Albert Einstein

I think this pretty accurately describes what has been happening over the last several months at CK. Since the sudden realization that our revenue had dropped mid-last year, we have been in full-tilt manic mode ever since. The Bangles had their Manic Monday but we have had manic Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, somewhat Fridays, and sometimes Weekends! (at least until recently – more to come on that another day). In fact me and one of our software developers spent the bulk of our waking hours this weekend all jacked up on Mountain DewF catching up on tons of development issues that have been clogging up our project boards.

When change is necessary, especially motivated by compelling circumstances, or VISION (which is a lot more fun than circumstances haha), you have to gird your loins and get it done!

Change is not easy, but is often necessary, especially amid changing circumstances. Being full throttle constantly isn’t the long-term answer but sometimes it is a result of changing our thinking, at least for a while.

Fortunately, the incredibly hard work of the marketing/e-commerce team, AKA the “GTC Team” (“Get the cash” Team haha), brought us to an upward revenue trend in late 2023 putting us back on track for Jan and Feb 2024. Feb shaped up to be a great month! I cannot thank the team enough and we praise God for the blessing of being able to not only weather that storm but PREVAIL. Our highly motivated and exceptionally amazing sales and customer service team also contributed tremendously, as well as, of course, the entire operations team who delivered on our promises!

We didn’t get to where we now are because we hoped and dreamed. It happened because we THOUGHT DIFFERENTLY. Similar to the quote above, I sometimes repeat the quote “What got us here won’t get us there” which means something very similar to the Einstein quote above.

Keep in mind, some of the “different thinking” lives within you already, tucked away as a memory of how you may have done things in the past. Sometimes though we need the knowledge or inspiration to come from the outside. Reading, listening, and watching content is one way to get those new perspectives. I find that talking to peers, friends, family, and sometimes new acquaintances and even total strangers helps me process through the issues and think of “the next right thing”. Sometimes you won’t know the “answer” and the next right thing is all you need – then repeat.

Bearing in mind we could get run over by a proverbial train tomorrow and have to change our thinking yet again!

Ponder those ponderables in your ponderer.

Craig



Product Spotlights & Updates

The Meraki MA-SFP-1GB-LX10 is a 1000BASE-LX SFP module that operates over Singlemode Fiber (SMF). It features LC duplex connectors and transmits data at speeds of up to 1Gbps. This module is compatible with a wide range of Meraki devices.

Shop the Product Spotlight



Learning Center Article – What Are Jumbo Frames and Why Is Jumbo Frame Rate Important?

Network optimization is an endless pursuit. There’s always another way to squeeze a little more performance out of your hardware or lower power consumption just a bit. In that infinite endeavor, gaining tools and techniques is always important.

Read the Full Article HERE



Today’s News to Start Your Day:

  • Maserati’s first GranCabrio convertible in five years is expected to go on sale this summer in the U.S. with a top speed of nearly 200 miles per hour and likely a six-figure price tag.
  • Ford Motor is rolling out Tesla Supercharging capabilities to owners of its electric vehicles in the U.S. and Canada.
  • Figure AI, a startup working to build humanoid robots that can perform dangerous and undesirable jobs, just got a big vote of confidence from some of the largest names in artificial intelligence. The company said Thursday that it raised $675 million at a $2.6 billion valuation from investors.
  • Apple appears to be gearing up for a major rebrand of the well-known Apple ID, with plans to rename it to “Apple Account.”

Filed Under: CK Daily Updates

CK Daily – 02.28.2024

February 28, 2024 by CablesAndKits

Happy Wednesday! We’re halfway through the week – we hope it’s going well. Cheers to full pots of coffee to pull us through the rest of the week! ☕

In This Issue: Search Engine Preferences | Audio Aux Cable | Benefits of AOC HDMI Cables | News to Start Your Day


The CK Daily – Search Engine Preferences

Happy Wednesday!

What a weekend and week it’s been so far. This weekend I got the joy of cheering on my best friend running her first half marathon. It was a blast and she killed it! She set a goal for herself and she beat it, with plenty of room to spare.

Shortly after finishing, we got back home, showered, and laid down to take a nap (after an early 4am wake-up call!). We both started feeling a bit queasy and quickly realized we had a bad go with food poisoning coming our way. Far from fun – but we both made it out on the other side!

—

Craig has mentioned a few times now the work we are doing behind the scenes each day to make your experience with us even better. We’ve done SO much tweaking of what we have in place. Revamping of things that may have worked in the past but weren’t working anymore, and in some cases – stopping something that had no impact on us but might have been making your life harder when attempting to shop with us.

With that – a question for you! When you are searching for a product, what do you search on?

Google, Bing, Yahoo!, DuckDuckGo, Ask.com, etc.

Do you prefer one over the other? Why so?

Look forward to your feedback!

Ashley



Product Spotlights & Updates

Make stereo/speaker connections with this 3.5mm male-to-male audio cable. 28 AWG Commonly used for audio connections on mobile devices, tablets, computers, laptops & MP3 players.

Shop the Product Spotlight



Learning Center Article – Benefits of AOC HDMI Cables

You see all kinds of different technologies used for the widest ranges of communication. Among all of that, the primary way to send audio and video signals is via HDMI. It’s a standard that took over the world more than a decade ago, and it still reigns supreme.

Read the Full Article HERE



Today’s News to Start Your Day:

  • Macy’s is planning to close about 150 of its namesake stores and invest in its roughly 350 remaining locations.
  • Apple has officially canceled its plans to build an electric car.
  • An April solar eclipse will bring a fantastic sky spectacle over the homes of many. Travelers will want to find an area with clear weather within the 115-mile-wide path of totality.The eclipse’s path will cross 13 states from Texas to Maine, and experts say the southern end of the path has the best chances for good viewing.
  • SpaceX is offering customers a 50% discount on the monthly payment for the satellite internet system—in exchange for slower speeds.

Filed Under: CK Daily Updates

CK Daily – 02.27.2024

February 27, 2024 by CablesAndKits

Happy Tuesday & Happy National Strawberry Day! Any big strawberry fans out there? There are an endless amount of things you can do with strawberries – add them in smoothies, make pies, add them as toppings – the options are endless.

In This Issue: Updated Navigation! | Kendall Howard 1U Cable Routing Blank | 5 Tips to Stretch Your IT Budget | News to Start Your Day


The CK Daily – Updated Navigation!

Good Morning & Happy Tuesday! Hope everyone is off to a great start this week!

If you’ve been a CK customer for a while you may notice something different the next time you check out our website…. We’ve been working behind the scenes for a while now on planning out a new navigation structure and experience. We have a lot of products on the website and have had the same category and navigation structure for as long as I can remember, so it was a big undertaking to give it a refresh!

I spent quite a bit of time working over the weekend to push the changes live which was both exciting and nerve wracking! The goal was to group products in logical ways that will help customers more easily find what they’re looking for. Changes included updating the top level navigation options, categorizing products by manufacturer, trying to create more logical groupings of products, displaying products in multiple locations on the site, and more! We’ve been putting a lot of work into making the website better over the past year and we are certainly not done, but this is an exciting step forward!

Check it out and please send me any feedback you may have – good or bad! We want to make the shopping experience the best it can be, so I am eager to hear your thoughts!

Rebecca



Product Spotlights & Updates

The Kendall Howard series of Cable Routing Blanks is an excellent solution for your cable routing needs. These devices help to route cables from patch panels, routers, switches, and virtually any component that requires front-mounted cables. Simply placing a Cable Routing Blank adjacent to your component allows you to route your cabling to the back of your racking system, conveniently and effortlessly.

Shop the Product Spotlight



Learning Center Article – 5 Tips to Stretch Your IT Budget

One of the great challenges facing every IT department and provider in the business is the limited budget. IT experts can spend all of your money in a flash. There is always something newer, faster, and better to pursue. But, IT investments don’t come with guaranteed returns.

Read the Full Article HERE



Today’s News to Start Your Day:

  • Intuitive Machines’ cargo moon lander Odysseus returned its first images from the surface. Company executives believe the lander caught its landing gear sideways in the moon’s surface while touching down and tipped over. Despite resting on its side, the company’s historic IM-1 mission is still operating on the moon.
  • The U.S. Federal Trade Commission said that it is suing to block the merger of Kroger and Albertsons, saying the combination of the two major grocers would result in higher prices for shoppers and lower wages for workers.
  • Samsung Electronics has reported that they have developed a new high-bandwidth memory chip that has the “highest-capacity to date” in the industry.
  • The Federal Aviation Administration announced the close of its investigation alongside SpaceX into the second Starship flight, as Elon Musk’s company seeks a license to launch the towering rocket again. Read more here.

Filed Under: CK Daily Updates

CK Daily – 02.26.2024

February 26, 2024 by CablesAndKits

Happy Monday! We hope you had a wonderful weekend. Did you do anything fun? We’d love to hear about it!

In This Issue: Wild Game Dinner Experience | CK 3 in 1 Charging Cable | What Are SFP Modules? | News to Start Your Day


The CK Daily – Wild Game Dinner Experience

Last week I was invited, along with some other members of the crew from CK, to the Maysville Baptist Church 18th Annual Wild Game Dinner at the Jackson County Agricultural Facility in Jefferson, Georgia. Yes, that was a mouthful!

Our President, Chris McCoy was kind and generous enough to get us a table. This is an event hosted by the Maysville Baptist Church men’s ministry and it was packed! We enjoyed pheasant and also other great bbq staples from pulled pork, to smoked chicken, chili, stew, and coleslaw. I was surprised to see how efficient it was to feed over 1000 people (probably a lot more people than that). They had the process down and everyone got their food in what seemed like no time.

There was a raffle and a few of our CKers won some prizes. Brandon from shipping won a beautiful knife and rifle rest, and Aaron from sales won a $100 gift card from a feed and seed store. Fun times! The greatest part was clearly the mission of Maysville Baptist, they were bound and determined to save souls and I believe a few were saved that day!

I enjoyed the fellowship and it was great to get together, we hadn’t met as a group in a little bit, so it was nice to see everyone in person! That’s all I have for today, I hope you have a great day and a wonderful week! Here’s a pick of our ragtag group of CKers!

Cris


Product Spotlights & Updates

Tired of looking for the right charging cable for your devices or tired of packing 3 different types of cables when traveling? Well, look no further! This 3 in 1 charging cable eliminates the need to carry separate USB-C, Micro-USB, and Lightning cables.

Shop the Product Spotlight



Learning Center Article – What Are SFP Modules?

Small form-factor pluggable (SFP) transceivers are a core technology in many networks, providing communication between switches and important network components. SFPs are popular due to their small size, versatile connection options (copper or fiber optic), and hot-swappable capability.

Read the Full Article HERE



Today’s News to Start Your Day:

  • American, JetBlue and Alaska have all raised baggage fees this year. Carriers have changed the price to check a bag depending on whether travelers pay for it in advance or at the airport.
  • Samsung’s Galaxy Ring, its latest wearable, is launching with tracking features including heart rate and sleep monitoring. Read more here.
  • Chinese tech giant Lenovo showed off a prototype laptop that has a see-through screen. The technology is similar to augmented reality in some senses.
  • Human Mobile Devices says it is launching a Barbie flip phone this summer, in a partnership with toy maker Mattel. The device looks like a standard flip phone with buttons rather than a touch screen, and comes in a hot pink color, resembling the iconic pink flip phone accessory that comes with many Barbie dolls.

Filed Under: CK Daily Updates

CK Daily – 02.23.2024

February 24, 2024 by CablesAndKits

Happy Friday & Happy Weekend! We hope you have a wonderful weekend ahead. Have plans? We’d love to hear about them!

In This Issue: The Times They Are a-Changin’ | Cisco 1000BASE-T SFP Module | What Are Distribution Layer Switches? | News to Start Your Day


The CK Daily – The Times They Are a-Changin’

Happy Friday, folks! We were discussing the weather starting to warm up, and someone mentioned that we’re just over two weeks away from the time change (it occurs on March 10 this year).

And I can’t wait for the time change to occur! I enjoy being outside in the evening, and having that extra hour of daylight gives us more opportunities to enjoy outside activities! Do you prefer an additional hour of daylight in the evening or have daylight earlier in the day? What will you do with the extra hour of sunlight during the evening?

Have a great weekend!

Chris



Product Spotlights & Updates

Cisco GLC-T transceiver module is a 1000BASE-T SFP for Copper Networks. It is designed for Gigabit Ethernet connectivity over Category 5e (Cat5e) unshielded twisted pair copper cabling up to 100m link length via a RJ-45 connector. It operates at a data transfer rate of up to 1000 megabits per second (Mbps).

Shop the Product Spotlight



Learning Center Article – What Are Distribution Layer Switches?

If networking was always easy, there wouldn’t be an entire profession dedicated to it. As such, when your networking goals and demands scale high enough, you’re going to run into challenges with design and picking the right equipment.

Read the Full Article HERE



Today’s News to Start Your Day:

  • Intuitive Machines’ Nova-C cargo lander, named “Odysseus” after the mythological Greek hero, is the first U.S. spacecraft to soft land on the lunar surface since 1972.
  • Capital One’s recently announced $35.3 billion acquisition of Discover Financial is a bid to protect itself against a rising tide of fintech and regulatory threats.
  • Reddit on Thursday filed to go public. Its market debut will mark the first major tech initial public offering of the year and the first social media IPO since Pinterest went public in 2019.
  • A cellular outage Thursday hit thousands of AT&T users in the United States, disrupting calls and text messages as well as emergency services in major cities.

Filed Under: CK Daily Updates

CK Daily – 02.22.2024

February 22, 2024 by CablesAndKits

Happy Thursday! We hope you’ve had a great week. Friday is almost here – hang in there!

In This Issue: Lessons Learned: VA²S | Nylon Cable Ties | What Is a Domain Controller? | News to Start Your Day


The CK Daily – Lessons Learned: VA²S

There are a lot of business “operating systems” out there. EOS as explained in the book Traction by Gino Wickman and The Rockefeller Habits as explained in the book Mastering the Rockefeller Habits by Verne Harnish are a few that come to mind. The concepts are great. It seems so simple!

But … for whatever reason I find faults with any systems like this and feel the need to take pieces of one or the other, and cobble them together to create my own systems. Or, just talk about implementing them and do nothing of the sort! My brain is broken. Lol

Eventually, we will find the right system or systems, or will create the best Frankensystem to catapult us to wild success! In the meantime, I keep collecting ideas, sayings, concepts and creating Craigisms, and guiding business principles that help us stay on track and Build Processes that Don’t Fail (one of our core values).

One of those concepts is what I call VAAS (Or VA²S).

VAAS stands for Visibility, Accountability and Accountability, create Sustainability.

  • Visibility – Lists, charts, or dashboards that show the INPUT processes that, if executed regularly and well, cause the business to run well. Also, a dashboard to show the OUTCOME metrics of the process to make sure it continues to produce the desired outcome.
  • Accountability (1) – Assigning clear accountability to RUN that process to a single individual and making sure they are equipped to succeed (time, clarity of expectation, documentation of how to execute)
  • Accountability (2) – Assigning clear accountability to a manager/leader who OWNS the process and is accountable for the outcome. They should be well aware of the outcomes expected, be equipped to monitor the inputs, help solve problems as they may arise, and look for opportunities to refine or redefine the processes as necessary to increase efficiency or improve the outcome.
  • Sustainability – As all three of the above efforts are implemented and executed well, the potential for sustainability of the process can be dramatically improved.

As a company, we can never expect to incrementally serve customers better and grow as a result if we do not have the ability to sustain the level of work tomorrow that we create today. It is easy to chase the next shiny, fun, exciting, or intriguing thing. In doing so, we risk dropping what we do well. I am world-class at this myself, so I should know. We only have so many hands, keyboards, and hours in the day. Plus, what happens when someone leaves the company or moves into a new position? Do you hand the role to someone else and hope for the best? That doesn’t turn out very well.

Another operating model we follow is what I call Plan, Build, Run. In this model, we recognize that each person in the organization has skills that generally align with one of these, and each ROLE in the business contains some level of each of these as well.

  • Plan – In the plan layer we think about where we are going as a business, in a specific area of the business, in a process change, or in how we will approach the work of the day.
  • Build – In the build layer we figure out how we will achieve what comes out of the planning process and do the work needed to actually create new realities in the business. Changing the processes and updating documentation, starting new processes, creating new products or lines of business, etc. Once they are changed or created, we hand them over to the run layer.
  • Run – The run layer is the daily heartbeat of the company. It’s all about getting stuff done day after day and is the execution of known processes. – “The train running on time”. Shipping, receiving, customer service, sales, and every other element of the business that makes the wheels on the bus go ‘round.

This somewhat aligns with what Michael E. Gerber calls Entrepreneur, Manager, and Technician in his book E-Myth. It takes every one of these elements to keep a business going and growing.

These two concepts work together. We have staff that are clearly in the “build layer” and staff that are clearly in the “run layer”. What we aim to do is CREATE processes is the build layer and install those processes into the run layer. Repeat, repeat, repeat. … repeat.

This is way easier said than done, but the results are huge, and the clarity that comes through the process separates the drumbeat action of the day to day critical to serving customers consistently well from the chaos that is inherent to the plan and building layers.

Craig



Product Spotlights & Updates

Cable ties are an extremely versatile way to organize and bundle wires and cables. They are easy to install and can be cut off for rework very easily. Locks tightly – won’t stretch or slide.

Shop the Product Spotlight



Learning Center Article – What Is a Domain Controller?

One of the most important aspects of managing a business network is security. Many businesses store sensitive information — such as contact information for customers and clients. If third parties could easily access that information, it could create dangerous liabilities for your business.

Read the Full Article HERE



Today’s News to Start Your Day:

  • On February 26th, KFC will start adding its own type of pizza to the otherwise poultry-focused menu.
  • Google has paused its Gemini artificial intelligence image generation feature after saying it offers “inaccuracies” in historical pictures.
  • Apple announced a free new app for tracking sports scores, its latest effort to become a major provider of sports content and news
  • Just months after admitting that its endless shrimp offering led to record losses, Red Lobster is trying out a surprisingly similar stunt: all-you-can-eat lobster.

Filed Under: CK Daily Updates

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