We have these pizza rolls. At first glance, they look like your average snack, just waiting to be devoured. No one would ever suspect how these same pizza rolls have saved Thrive countless headaches, heartaches, and even dollars. They serve a purpose, and should not be eaten! Our dirty little secret: These pizza rolls have acted as a cooling solution for our older iMacs for over a year now.

We've seen so many well known companies fall short when it comes to handling a crisis. In order to maintain a calm sense of control in a crisis - there has to be a plan set in place. Every company, big or small, needs to have a plan if something goes wrong publicly. A Crisis Management Plan will become your manual to handling any issue - large or small. Here is a starting point: Survive the Unthinkable Through Crisis Planning.

Everyone is at risk of being hacked. There is no fool-proof way to prevent your accounts from being accessed by individuals who should not have your information. The best way to protect your account is to create a strategy and always be aware of the information that is sent out from those accounts. When it comes to social media - word spreads fast. If you are hacked, it is almost guaranteed that everyone will know about it, see the information that is posted and possibly respond to it before you can even halt the posting. This is an unfortunate occurrence but don't fret - you can fix this. As long as you move quickly and have a crisis management plan in place. 

What is a crisis management plan? Every large organization or business should have one. [Check out our blog on crisis management plans and how to start one.]

First, establish a password that is not easily "guessed". Rather than using a common word or name, use a phrase. Maybe add in a number of punctuation to make it more unique. You could have several different types of hackers; what many would call 'professional hackers', disgruntled ex-employees or activist groups who may disagree with what you stand for and take action. Make sure you are prepared for any form of hacking. 

Community usually refers to a social unit larger than a small village that shares common values. This is exactly what social media platforms have created: a community. 

According to Wikipedia, Social Media is employ web- and mobile-based technologies to support interactive dialogue and “introduce substantial and pervasive changes to communication between organizations, communities, and individuals.”  Social media to most today, is defined by Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, blogs and YouTube. These platforms are very common today and have millions of people participating worldwide. Brands who use these outlets are trying to communicate with their potential and current customers. 

Recently Progressive Insurance has gone under fire of public scrutiny. Matt Fisher posted on his Tumblr account about his sister recently passing from a car crash she was involved in back in 2010. His sister, Katie, was killed by a driver who ran a red light.