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Tech Stack Checklist: What Every Growing Company Needs

Reaching your goals in annual revenue is a huge milestone for any small or mid-sized business. It's proof your idea works, your market trusts you, and your team is delivering. But it's also the point where "making do" with outdated technology stops working.

If your systems aren't built to handle growth, you risk slowdowns, security gaps, and lost opportunities just as your business momentum is accelerating. The answer is a scalable, secure, and integrated tech stack designed to support your operations now and prepare you for what's next.

This checklist covers the essentials every SMB should have in place by the time they hit seven figures in revenue.

1. A Reliable, Scalable Network Infrastructure

A slow, unreliable network doesn't just frustrate employees, it costs money in lost productivity and missed opportunities. By $1M in revenue, you should have:

  • Business-grade routers and switches, not consumer hardware
  • Managed Wi-Fi with separate networks for staff, guests, and IoT devices
  • Redundant internet connections if downtime would disrupt operations
  • Network monitoring tools to detect and resolve issues before they escalate

Your network is the foundation of your tech stack. Build it to last.

2. Strong Cybersecurity at Every Layer

Small businesses are now the number-one target for cybercriminals. Hitting $1M in revenue makes you even more attractive, because you have valuable data but may lack enterprise-level defenses. Your security plan should include:

  • Firewalls configured and managed by professionals
  • Endpoint protection for every company device
  • Multi-factor authentication for all critical accounts
  • Regular vulnerability scanning and patching
  • Cybersecurity training for all employees

Security is not a "nice-to-have" at this stage, it's essential to protect your customers, your operations, and your reputation.

3. Unified Communication Tools

When your team and clients communicate across phone calls, emails, video meetings, and instant messages, you need those tools to work together seamlessly. By $1M in revenue, you should have:

  • A cloud-based VoIP phone system with advanced features like call routing and voicemail-to-email
  • Video conferencing integrated with your scheduling tools
  • Company-wide instant messaging for fast internal communication
  • Mobile-friendly apps so your team stays connected wherever they are

A unified communications platform reduces delays, improves collaboration, and makes your business more responsive to customers.

4. Robust Data Backup and Disaster Recovery

Losing critical files or systems, whether from hardware failure, ransomware, or human error, can cripple a growing business. Every SMB should have:

  • Automatic backups running daily or in real time
  • Backups stored both locally and in secure off-site or cloud locations
  • Tested recovery procedures to ensure data can be restored quickly
  • A written disaster recovery plan that outlines responsibilities and steps

Downtime and data loss aren't just technical issues, they're financial risks you can't afford.

5. Cloud Solutions That Scale With You

Cloud platforms give SMBs enterprise-grade capabilities without the heavy upfront costs. The right setup can grow with your business while keeping costs predictable. Consider:

  • Microsoft 365 for collaboration and productivity
  • Cloud-based CRM to manage sales, marketing, and customer service
  • Industry-specific cloud software for accounting, inventory, or project management
  • Secure cloud storage with role-based access controls

When configured properly, the cloud keeps your team connected, your data secure, and your operations flexible.

6. Proactive IT Management and Support

By the time your revenue hits $1M, reactive "fix it when it breaks" IT management will slow you down. Instead, you need:

  • 24/7 network monitoring to prevent problems before they impact your business
  • Scheduled maintenance to keep systems updated and secure
  • Clear IT policies and onboarding processes for new staff
  • A dedicated point of contact for support and strategy

Proactive IT ensures your tech stack stays aligned with your growth goals, not just your current needs.

Why a Unified Tech Stack Matters

When networking, security, communications, backups, and cloud tools all work together, you get:

  • Fewer technology headaches and downtime incidents
  • Faster decision-making and better collaboration
  • Stronger protection against cyber threats
  • A foundation ready to support your next stage of growth

The problem is, many SMBs piece together solutions from different vendors, creating silos, inefficiencies, and security blind spots.

TotalBC: Your Unified Technology Partner

At TotalBC, we help growing businesses across the Carolinas build and manage a tech stack that works as one cohesive system. We handle everything (networking, security, communications, backups, cloud solutions, and ongoing IT management) so you can focus on running your business, not troubleshooting it.

Our approach means you get:

  • One partner for all your technology needs
  • A strategy tailored to your goals and budget
  • Local support that understands your market and your challenges

If your business is approaching or has passed the $1M revenue mark, now is the time to make sure your technology is working for you, not against you.

Call 866-673-8682 or schedule your Free Technology Consultation today. Let TotalBC design and manage the unified tech stack that will carry your business into its next phase of growth, secure, connected, and ready for anything. 

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