{"id":1989,"date":"2026-06-19T00:51:59","date_gmt":"2026-06-19T05:51:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/birmingham-al-1149\/?p=1989"},"modified":"2026-06-17T01:05:11","modified_gmt":"2026-06-17T06:05:11","slug":"shadow-it-risks-how-unapproved-apps-create-security-gaps-for-growing-businesses","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/birmingham-al-1149\/blog\/shadow-it-risks-how-unapproved-apps-create-security-gaps-for-growing-businesses\/","title":{"rendered":"Shadow IT Risks: How Unapproved Apps Create Security Gaps for Growing Businesses"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It usually begins with something small.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">An employee downloads a free file-sharing app to send documents faster. A marketing team signs up for a project management platform without involving IT. Someone uses a personal cloud drive to work remotely over the weekend. Another employee starts experimenting with an AI writing tool to save time on reports and emails.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">At first, none of it feels risky.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">In fact, these tools often improve productivity. Employees work faster, collaboration feels easier, and teams solve problems without waiting for technical approvals.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">But behind the scenes, something much bigger starts happening.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Sensitive company data slowly spreads across applications the business doesn\u2019t monitor, secure, or fully understand. Over time, those hidden systems create security blind spots that attackers can exploit far more easily than most businesses realize.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">This growing issue is known as Shadow IT, and it has quietly become one of the most significant cybersecurity risks facing small and mid-sized businesses today.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>What Shadow IT Actually Means<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Shadow IT refers to any software, application, cloud service, or technology employees use without formal approval or oversight from the company\u2019s IT department.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Years ago, this might have meant employees installing unauthorized software on office computers. Today, Shadow IT has evolved into something far more complex because modern cloud applications are incredibly easy to access.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Employees can now adopt new tools within minutes using only an email address or credit card. Many of these platforms are designed to improve collaboration, automate tasks, simplify communication, or increase productivity. The problem is that most businesses never gain visibility into how those tools are being used or what company data is flowing through them.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Modern Shadow IT often includes:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Cloud storage platforms<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">AI productivity tools<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Messaging applications<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Project management software<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Browser extensions<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">File-sharing systems<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Collaboration platforms<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Personal devices connected to work systems<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">For growing businesses, these tools can spread quickly across departments before leadership or IT teams even realize they exist. Working with a trusted <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/birmingham-al-1149\/managed-it-services\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">managed IT provider<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> helps businesses improve visibility into these growing technology environments.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Why Employees Turn to Unapproved Apps<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Most employees are not intentionally trying to bypass company security policies.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">In many cases, they simply want to work more efficiently.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">If approved systems feel slow, outdated, restrictive, or difficult to use, employees naturally look for alternatives that help them move faster. This is especially common in busy work environments where teams are under pressure to meet deadlines, improve customer response times, or manage increasing workloads.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The rise of remote work and AI-powered productivity tools has accelerated this behavior even further. Employees are constantly exposed to new applications promising:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Faster communication<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Easier collaboration<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Better automation<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Improved workflow management<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Time-saving AI assistance<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Without clear guidance, many workers adopt these tools independently because they see them as business solutions not security risks.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">That\u2019s where the problem begins.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Businesses using modern <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/birmingham-al-1149\/productivity-applications\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">productivity applications<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> can help employees work efficiently without relying on risky unauthorized tools.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>The Hidden Security\u00a0 Risks Behind Shadow IT<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The biggest danger with Shadow IT is that businesses lose visibility into where sensitive information is being stored and shared.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Employees may unknowingly upload customer records, financial documents, login credentials, contracts, or internal communications into platforms that lack proper security protections. In some cases, those systems may have weak passwords, poor encryption standards, or minimal access controls.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Because IT teams often have no knowledge these applications exist, suspicious activity can remain invisible for long periods of time.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">This creates dangerous security gaps, including:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Unauthorized data sharing<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Weak access management<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Increased phishing exposure<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Unmonitored cloud environments<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Limited threat detection<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Higher risk of credential theft<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Cybercriminals increasingly target smaller third-party applications because they know businesses often fail to monitor them closely. Even one compromised app account can become an entry point into larger business systems.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">For SMBs operating with lean IT resources, these hidden vulnerabilities can quickly become major operational problems. Strong <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/birmingham-al-1149\/cybersecurity-birmingham\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">cybersecurity protection<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> is critical for identifying and reducing these risks before they escalate.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-1991\" src=\"https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/birmingham-al-1149\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/133\/2026\/06\/13-1024x535.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"418\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/birmingham-al-1149\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/133\/2026\/06\/13-1024x535.png 1024w, https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/birmingham-al-1149\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/133\/2026\/06\/13-300x157.png 300w, https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/birmingham-al-1149\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/133\/2026\/06\/13-768x401.png 768w, https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/birmingham-al-1149\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/133\/2026\/06\/13.png 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2><b>AI Tools Are Creating a New Wave of Shadow IT<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">One of the fastest-growing Shadow IT concerns today involves AI-powered workplace tools.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Employees are using generative AI platforms to summarize documents, draft emails, create presentations, generate reports, and automate repetitive tasks. While these tools can improve efficiency significantly, they also introduce serious data privacy and security concerns when used without oversight.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Many employees don\u2019t realize that uploading sensitive business information into public AI platforms may expose confidential company data externally. Internal documents, customer information, financial records, legal contracts, and proprietary business strategies may all be entering systems completely outside company control.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">As AI adoption grows rapidly across workplaces, businesses are now facing a difficult balancing act. Completely blocking AI tools often frustrates employees and slows innovation, but unrestricted usage creates significant compliance and cybersecurity risks.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">That\u2019s why many organizations are now developing formal AI usage policies as part of broader Shadow IT management strategies. Businesses exploring secure AI adoption often benefit from strategic <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/birmingham-al-1149\/it-guidance\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">IT consulting<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> and governance planning.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Remote Work Has Made Shadow IT Harder to Control<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The shift toward remote and hybrid work environments has dramatically increased Shadow IT exposure.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Employees now work from:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Home offices<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Personal laptops<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Mobile devices<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Shared workspaces<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Public internet connections<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">In remote environments, workers often rely on whatever tools help them stay productive quickly. Without direct visibility into employee workflows, businesses may struggle to understand which applications are being used daily or where company data is moving.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">This creates major operational challenges because modern business data no longer stays inside traditional office infrastructure. Sensitive information constantly moves across cloud platforms, collaboration tools, remote devices, and external networks.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The more decentralized work becomes, the more difficult Shadow IT becomes to manage without proper monitoring and governance.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Reliable <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/birmingham-al-1149\/cloud-services\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">cloud services<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> help businesses support remote work securely while maintaining stronger operational control.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Compliance Risks Often Go Unnoticed<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">For businesses handling regulated information, Shadow IT can create serious compliance concerns.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Industries dealing with financial records, healthcare data, legal communications, or customer information are often required to maintain strict controls around:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Data storage<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Access management<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Encryption<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Audit trails<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Retention policies<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Security monitoring<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Unapproved applications may bypass those protections entirely.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The problem is that compliance failures often happen quietly. Businesses may not discover employees are using unauthorized systems until an audit, cybersecurity incident, customer questionnaire, or legal issue exposes the gap.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">At that point, organizations may face:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Compliance penalties<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Customer trust issues<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Operational disruption<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Legal complications<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Increased cyber insurance concerns<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Even businesses without formal regulatory obligations increasingly face pressure from vendors and clients to demonstrate stronger cybersecurity and data governance practices. Comprehensive <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/birmingham-al-1149\/compliance\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">compliance services<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> help organizations improve oversight and reduce regulatory risk.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Why Blocking Everything Doesn\u2019t Work<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">One common mistake businesses make is trying to ban every unauthorized tool completely.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">In reality, that approach rarely works long term.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Employees often continue finding workarounds if they believe approved systems slow them down or fail to meet operational needs. Excessively restrictive environments may actually drive Shadow IT further underground, making visibility even harder.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Modern businesses need a more balanced strategy focused on visibility, governance, employee awareness, and secure alternatives.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The goal is not eliminating flexibility.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It\u2019s creating secure ways for employees to work efficiently while maintaining oversight into how company technology and data are being used.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Businesses need visibility into:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Which applications employees use<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Where business data is stored<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Who has access to sensitive information<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">How files are being shared<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Which tools create operational risk<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Once visibility improves, businesses can make smarter decisions about securing, approving, restricting, or replacing risky applications. Ongoing <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/birmingham-al-1149\/network-management\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">network management<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> can help businesses monitor connected systems more effectively.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/birmingham-al-1149\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/133\/2026\/06\/15-1024x535.png\" width=\"812\" height=\"424\" \/><\/p>\n<h2><b>Employee Awareness Is Just as Important as Technology<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Technology alone cannot solve Shadow IT challenges.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Employees need to understand why these risks matter.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Many workers simply don\u2019t realize how easily sensitive business information can become exposed through unauthorized platforms. What feels like a harmless productivity shortcut may create serious security vulnerabilities behind the scenes.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Security awareness training helps employees understand:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Why unapproved apps create risk<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">How cybercriminals exploit unmanaged systems<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">What tools are approved<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">How to request software safely<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Which information should never leave secure environments<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The strongest security cultures are built through collaboration between employees and IT teams not fear or constant restrictions.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Businesses investing in proactive <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/birmingham-al-1149\/it-support\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">IT support<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> often improve employee adoption of secure workplace technologies.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Shadow IT Is Ultimately a Business Risk<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Shadow IT is no longer just an IT issue.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It directly impacts cybersecurity, compliance, operational continuity, customer trust, and long-term business resilience. As businesses continue adopting cloud services, AI tools, and hybrid work models, unmanaged applications will continue creating larger security gaps if organizations fail to address them proactively.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The businesses adapting best today are not necessarily the ones banning technology.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">They\u2019re the ones building smarter visibility, stronger governance, and more secure ways for employees to work productively without exposing the organization to unnecessary risk.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Businesses improving <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/birmingham-al-1149\/data-backup\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">data backup<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> and recovery planning can also reduce the impact of security incidents caused by unmanaged applications.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>How CMIT Solutions of Birmingham Helps<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">At <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/birmingham-al-1149\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">CMIT Solutions of Birmingham<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, we help businesses improve visibility into their technology environments while strengthening cybersecurity, cloud security, compliance, and operational efficiency.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Our approach focuses on helping businesses identify Shadow IT risks, monitor application usage, secure cloud environments, improve access controls, and develop practical technology policies that support both productivity and protection.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">We understand modern businesses need flexibility to move quickly. That\u2019s why we focus on creating security strategies that support how your employees actually work without unnecessary complexity or operational disruption.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Businesses can also benefit from scalable <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/birmingham-al-1149\/packages\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">technology packages<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> and secure <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/birmingham-al-1149\/unified-communications\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">business communications<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> that support safer collaboration across growing teams.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Conclusion<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Unapproved apps, unmanaged cloud tools, and unauthorized AI platforms can quietly create serious security and compliance gaps for growing businesses. The right IT strategy helps businesses maintain productivity while improving visibility, security, and operational control across modern workplace environments.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Businesses exploring secure technology growth may also find value in topics like <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/birmingham-al-1149\/blog\/how-ai-is-changing-the-way-businesses-manage-technology\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">AI management<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">,<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/birmingham-al-1149\/blog\/cloud-security-challenges-and-how-to-overcome-them\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400\">cloud security<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/birmingham-al-1149\/blog\/top-cybersecurity-threats-facing-birmingham-companies-and-how-to-stay-protected\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">cybersecurity strategy<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/birmingham-al-1149\/blog\/work-from-anywhere-security-protecting-data-when-offices-no-longer-exist\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">remote work protection<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/birmingham-al-1149\/blog\/from-chaos-to-clarity-managing-sprawl-in-microsoft-365-environments\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Microsoft 365 management<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b> <a href=\"https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/birmingham-al-1149\/contact-us\/\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-621\" src=\"https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/birmingham-al-1149\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/133\/2025\/06\/Blue-and-White-Bold-Call-To-Action-LinkedIn-Banner-1200-x-300-px-1024x256.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"836\" height=\"209\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/birmingham-al-1149\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/133\/2025\/06\/Blue-and-White-Bold-Call-To-Action-LinkedIn-Banner-1200-x-300-px-1024x256.png 1024w, https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/birmingham-al-1149\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/133\/2025\/06\/Blue-and-White-Bold-Call-To-Action-LinkedIn-Banner-1200-x-300-px-300x75.png 300w, https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/birmingham-al-1149\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/133\/2025\/06\/Blue-and-White-Bold-Call-To-Action-LinkedIn-Banner-1200-x-300-px-768x192.png 768w, https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/birmingham-al-1149\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/133\/2025\/06\/Blue-and-White-Bold-Call-To-Action-LinkedIn-Banner-1200-x-300-px.png 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 836px) 100vw, 836px\" \/><\/a><\/b><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>It usually begins with something small. 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