Sharp Tools- in the Workshop and in the Office

Small businesses are funny things.  And I don't mean in a humorous sense, although there can definitely be some of that now and then.  I mostly mean that there's an iceberg of activity below the surface of most small businesses that isn't always readily apparent when viewed from the outside.  Take the restaurant game, for example: I think it is fair to say that a lot takes place that doesn't just involve the putting food in front of customers.  Menu planning, recipe testing, and even boring tasks like carpet cleaning probably take a lot more time than you'd ever imagine, just to ensure that the table can even be set to begin with.

In my case, I've been doing custom woodworking for almost twenty years (where has the time gone?) and in an average week, I have to do plenty of stuff before I can even set foot in the shop.  It usually isn't very glamorous, but it is critical.  For example, I have to type up estimates and proposals, research design ideas, sketch plans for upcoming projects, invoice clients, network and promote myself on social media, update my website, and lots more.  Chores like these are hardly the reason that I got into woodworking, but in the end, they're what keep the lights on.  Most of these activities are sped up somewhat thanks to technology, but still, it's a lot to do.  And that's why it is so important to keep on top of the tools in the office in addition to the ones in my workshop.  I just got a new computer (what a game changer- should've done it sooner!) and I've been looking at new internet service providers, too.  Time is money, so a fast, reliable internet connection at a good price is essential.

Having looked at a few of the companies in our area, I've found that CenturyLink stands out.  Here are a few of the things I learned:

They're 100 years old.  Who knew?  Anyway it is nice to see that they're not a flash-in-the-pan, here-today-gone-tomorrow company.  In fact, they're investing in infrastructure to provide the fastest internet service in Salt Lake City- this makes life in the digital age a lot easier, more satisfying, and more reliable.  My daughter will love playing games online, I'll get my work done faster, and my whole family will love video chatting with folks all over the country.  To put the speeds into context, with 100 Mbps, you can download a high definition movie in less than 7 minutes.  Nice.

It looks like CenturyLink is really dedicated to serving the community for years to come.  They're supporting education through their STEM program in partnership with Utah Jazz, which recognizes outstanding students in science and tech by making a $10k donation to the students presented at a Utah Jazz home game.  In addition, their Teachers and Technology program offers yearly grants to teachers that exemplify technology excellence in the classroom – this year, we donated $55k to this program in Salt Lake City alone.

For more information on how CenturyLink supports your quality of life at school, at home, and at work, check out:

www.centurylink.com

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of CenturyLink . The opinions and text are all mine.