Success Luncheon - Avoid Getting Hacked: What Every Small Business Owner Needs to Do in the Next 30 Days

Description

Session Description: 

In today’s world, cyber attacks are hitting small businesses more than ever—and most owners don’t realize how exposed they are until something goes wrong. In this Success Luncheon, cybersecurity awareness specialist Armando Portillo from El Chico Tech will walk you through the most common threats facing small businesses like phishing, vishing, smishing, OSINT, ransomware, account takeovers and show you simple, non‑technical steps you can take in the next 30 days to protect your money, your data, and your reputation. You’ll leave with a practical checklist you can use with your team right away, including easy wins like strengthening passwords and multi‑factor authentication, backing up critical data, training staff to spot suspicious emails, and knowing who to call if something does happen.

Speaker Bio: 

Armando Portillo is a cybersecurity awareness specialist and network technician based in Fayetteville, North Carolina, and the founder of El Chico Tech. He previously served in the United States Army as a Civil Affairs Specialist, where he learned to communicate clearly with diverse communities and coordinate complex operations skills he now applies to helping people understand and manage cyber risk. After earning his CompTIA Security + certification, completing the TryHackMe Cybersecurity 101 certification, the TryHackMe Security Operations Center (SOC) Level 1 certification, and Cisco Ethical Hacker training, he has continued to build deep, practical expertise in cybersecurity. Armando has completed formal cybersecurity labs and training, including Security Information and Event Management (SIEM)–focused coursework and threat‑detection projects, and has helped organizations improve their security through vulnerability assessments, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) based evaluations, and secure network upgrades. Through El Chico Tech, he focuses on community outreach and digital literacy, delivering practical cyber awareness sessions for local libraries, community centers, and the Greater Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce; his workshops are designed for everyday people and small business owners, turning complex cybersecurity and artificial intelligence risks into clear, step‑by‑step actions they can actually use at home and at work, strengthening the overall cyber resilience of the Fayetteville community one conversation at a time.

Success Luncheon is a structured professional development training program. Each session focuses on timely topics that support career growth, leadership development, and workplace success, giving participants practical tools they can immediately apply in their professional roles. Designed for business owners, professionals, and emerging leaders, the program combines expert-led training with meaningful discussion in a relaxed lunchtime setting. Attendees will leave with new skills, actionable insights, and a stronger connection to the Greater Fayetteville business community - making the GFC Success Luncheon a smart investment in both personal and professional growth.