Podcasts about channelcon

Overview: Navigating IT Contracts, AI Trends, and Industry Events: A Recap In this episode of the SMB Community Podcast, hosts James and Amy discuss the importance of managed service contracts and how they impact the valuation and security of IT businesses. They cover recent industry events including ChannelCon in Nashville, applauding its organization and opportunities for networking with top vendors. Finally, they delve into the positive economic impact of AI on the IT sector, with insights on job security concerns and the future of various professions. Tune in for advice on leveraging opportunities in the ever-evolving IT landscape.  --- Chapter Markers: 00:00 Introduction and Welcome 01:15 Vacation Highlights 05:48 Question of the Week: Managed Service Contracts 10:56 Channel Con Event Recap  19:22 Positive Economic Trends and AI Impact 27:24 Upcoming Events and Closing Remarks --- New Book Release: I'm proud to announce the release of my new book, The Anthology of Cybersecurity Experts! This collection brings together 15 of the nation's top minds in cybersecurity, sharing real-world solutions to combat today's most pressing threats. Whether you're an MSP, IT leader, or simply passionate about protecting your data, this book is packed with expert advice to help you stay secure and ahead of the curve. Available now on Amazon! https://a.co/d/f2NKASI --- Sponsor Memo: Since 2006, Kernan Consulting has been through over 30 transactions in mergers & acquisitions - and just this past year, we have been involved in six (6). If you are interested in either buying, selling, or valuation information, please reach out. There is alot of activity and you can be a part of it. For more information, reach out at kernanconsulting.com

Degly Mendez shares a human-centered MSP philosophy built on trust, patience, and long-term partnerships at GTIA ChannelCon “No small business left behind.” — Degly Mendez, CEO, Avanzar IT Systems At GTIA ChannelCon 2025, Degly Mendez, CEO of Avanzar IT Systems, joined Doug Green of Technology Reseller News for a powerful and personal conversation about empathy, leadership, and how MSPs can meaningfully support small businesses. Avanzar IT Systems—Avanzar meaning “to move forward” in Spanish—specializes in serving small to medium-sized businesses across industries, including law firms, manufacturing, CPA offices, and real estate. But Mendez made clear that the company's mission is about more than just technology. “If we can help our clients move forward, we do it—whether they can afford it today or not.” Rather than focus on quick wins or transactional revenue, Mendez advocates for building relationships rooted in empathy, trust, and a long-term vision. “These aren't transactions,” he said. “These are partnerships that we hope will last years.” As a proud member and leader within GTIA—serving on the Cybersecurity Executive Council, ISAO Advisory Group, and as a frequent speaker—Mendez echoed the inclusive spirit of ChannelCon, where companies big and small share the same 10x10 space and voice. “Everyone needs help. And everyone can provide it.” With a guiding philosophy of “no small business left behind,” Mendez and Avanzar IT Systems are building a future where technology empowers—not excludes—businesses of all sizes. To learn more, visit avanzaritsystems.com

Matt Horning shares the frontline MSP perspective from GTIA ChannelCon “AI is the new shiny object—but if you're not doing the basics, it becomes a threat vector, not a solution.” — Matt Horning, CEO, Blue Tree Technology At GTIA ChannelCon 2025, Doug Green, Publisher of Technology Reseller News, sat down with Matt Horning, CEO of Kansas City-based MSP Blue Tree Technology, to capture the real-world experience of a managed service provider navigating AI hype, cybersecurity challenges, and industry fundamentals. Horning, whose firm serves clients across six states, shared that while Blue Tree is actively exploring AI for clients, the technology still feels like a beta product. “We're being pulled into AI,” Horning said. “Clients are asking for it, and we want to provide value—but it has to be aligned with our standards of excellence. No vaporware.” While AI dominated many sessions at ChannelCon, Horning pointed to the renewed emphasis on foundational practices—like patching, firewalling, and compliance—as the most valuable insight. “If you don't have the basics right, AI just adds risk.” Blue Tree Technology is known for its high standards and measured approach to emerging tech. At events like ChannelCon, Horning finds value not just in the content, but in the community of like-minded MSPs who are solving real-world problems—not just chasing the latest trend. To learn more, visit BlueTreeTechnology.com.

Executive council member shares how GTIA empowers managed services professionals at ChannelCon 2025 “It's not a good day unless you learn something new.” — Christopher Infante, Chair, Managed Services Community, GTIA Podcasting from GTIA's ChannelCon 2025, Doug Green of Technology Reseller News sat down with Christopher Infante, Executive Council Member of GTIA and Chair of its Managed Services Community, to explore how the association is reshaping opportunity and education for MSPs around the world. Infante, who manages Forward Edge, an education-focused MSP with over 130 employees, emphasized the importance of GTIA as a “channel connector”—bringing together MSPs, vendors, and IT professionals to elevate the entire industry through collaboration, community, and shared learning. This year's ChannelCon marked the first official event under the GTIA brand, and according to Infante, the energy was unlike anything he's seen at other conferences. “There's more excitement here… people are chomping at the bit to see what's coming next.” One of those “nexts,” Infante revealed, is a forthcoming educational program tailored to newcomers and veterans alike—designed to demystify the channel and onboard professionals from any starting point. GTIA also supports MSP growth with ongoing meetups and certifications like the Cybersecurity Trustmark, helping members elevate their practices and demonstrate trust to clients. For Infante personally, the conference delivered insight on trending topics such as AI implementation, governance, and ethical usage—as well as practical takeaways from keynote speaker Kim Scott, author of Radical Candor. When asked why MSPs should get involved, Infante didn't hesitate: “You'll surround yourself with people who want to grow—not just in their business, but in their community. And that's transformational.” To learn more or get involved, visit gtia.org.

“Even today, roughly two-thirds of the people I interview have never had professional IT support. I'm still bringing fire to the caveman.” — Joshua Liberman, Net Sciences At GTIA's ChannelCon 2025 in Nashville, Joshua Liberman, President of Net Sciences, joined Doug Green, Publisher of Technology Reseller News, for a compelling conversation that spanned career origins, MSP evolution, M&A strategy, and the role of AI in cybersecurity. Liberman began with a colorful personal journey—from hitchhiking and odd jobs to discovering his path in IT by making a PC work overnight with nothing but instinct and manuals. That moment launched a 30-year career culminating in Net Sciences, which he founded in 1995 and steadily grew into a dedicated managed services provider (MSP) with a focus on underserved small businesses in New Mexico and beyond. Despite the maturity of the IT industry, Liberman underscored that “greenfield” opportunities remain widespread. “I frequently see $10, $20, $25 million businesses that have never had professional IT,” he noted, pointing to the enduring need for education and reliable support in every market—even major ones. Liberman also offered advice to MSPs preparing for long-term success or acquisition. “Start with the end in mind,” he advised. “Build a truly stable, scalable machine that can run without your input… you sell a better business.” On AI, Liberman expressed cautious optimism. While recognizing its inevitability and potential, especially within ASCII's growing framework initiatives under CEO Jerry Katavas, he warned of premature deployments and the risks of weaponization in cybersecurity. “We have a tendency to push [technology] out the door before it's able to walk,” he said. As a respected figure within the ASCII community, Liberman hinted at future conversations around both AI integration and M&A strategy for MSPs. For more about Net Sciences, visit netsciences.com.

Angelo Simao explains how MSPs can scale smarter with on-demand IT labor at GTIA ChannelCon “Don't go it alone… Let us fill those gaps.” — Angelo Simao, F2OnSite At GTIA's ChannelCon 2025 in Nashville, Angelo Simao, COO of F2OnSite, joined Technology Reseller News Publisher Doug Green to discuss a critical and often overlooked challenge in the channel: how to deliver IT services beyond your geographic footprint without the HR burden. F2OnSite offers “Labor as a Service”—a flexible and scalable solution for MSPs, system integrators, and large IT vendors that need expert hands and feet in the field, whether across the country or across hundreds of client sites. “Instead of flying your team across states, you call us,” said Simao. “We've been building a national technician network since 2007.” The model enables MSPs to extend their reach and capabilities without maintaining an in-house bench or enduring the cost and complexity of screening new talent for every job. With a vetted pool of thousands of technicians and hundreds of active W-2 staff, F2OnSite can deploy the right resource—by skill, region, and even environment fit—whether it's a single emergency call or a 600-site desktop rollout. “We're the silent partner,” Simao noted. “You may never see us, but we're helping you scale smarter.” As the labor market continues to tighten and IT skills become increasingly specialized, Simao urged MSPs to rethink how they handle project delivery and service calls. “Nobody can do it all. And when you're flooded with resumes and time is tight, we can help you focus on execution, not recruitment.” To learn more about how F2OnSite supports MSPs nationwide, visit f2onsite.com.

Dan Wensley outlines GTIA's bold vision for a member-driven, globally connected IT channel “We're here to support and help the IT channel grow... and provide a level playing field community.” — Dan Wensley, GTIA In a milestone interview recorded live at the inaugural GTIA ChannelCon 2025, Dan Wensley, CEO of the Global Technology Industry Association (GTIA), joined Doug Green, Publisher of Technology Reseller News, to discuss the organization's renewed mission, global scope, and member-first model. Wensley shared that GTIA emerged from the historic CompTIA organization after the divestiture of its training and certification business. What remains is a sharpened focus on the channel—vendors, distributors, ITSPs, MSPs, and professionals—built around community, education, advocacy, and advancement. “This is a new brand, a new image, and a new vision,” said Wensley. “We're not here to sell certifications—we're here to serve the channel.” GTIA's newly structured events, like ChannelCon, offer equal opportunity to all participants regardless of company size. “This is not pay to play,” Wensley emphasized. “Every exhibitor gets the same booth, and every member pays virtually the same amount to participate.” The 2025 conference featured AI and cybersecurity content, but Wensley was deliberate in ensuring AI wasn't allowed to dominate every conversation. “Our members told us they still have businesses to run, so our programming reflects that.” GTIA's global ambition is more than just a name. With members in over 150 countries and expanding regional communities, GTIA is becoming a global hub for thought leadership, networking, and shared best practices. With events already planned for Indonesia, Australia, and a return to the UK, the association is scaling its reach alongside its renewed mission. Wensley closed with a call to action: “If you're in the IT services industry, join us. Let's grow this channel together.” To learn more or become a member, visit gtia.org.

Steve Copeland on empowering the channel with portable, multi-carrier connectivity at GTIA ChannelCon “We're built by an MSP—for MSPs.” — Steve Copeland, RYTHMz At GTIA's ChannelCon 2025, Steve Copeland, CEO of RYTHMz, sat down with Technology Reseller News Publisher Doug Green to share how his company is redefining connectivity with a turnkey solution: Internet in a Box. Purpose-built for MSPs, public safety, and event deployment, the ruggedized, multi-carrier platform offers rapid, portable internet anywhere—and opens the door to new recurring revenue opportunities. RYTHMz's solution was born from a real-world need. After fixing a mission-critical outage at a VIP event in Beverly Hills, Copeland began prototyping a compact, field-ready internet kit that MSPs could deploy at concerts, libraries, hospitals, schools, and beyond. Today, the system supports 5G bonding across Verizon, T-Mobile, and AT&T networks with real-time failover for uptime-critical operations—from POS systems at Comic-Con to disaster response at a public library following a fiber outage. “Our partners have deployed these at Coldplay concerts, ESPN live broadcasts, fiber installation fleets, and charter schools,” Copeland said. “If your customer can't go down, we're the ‘new internet' they need.” RYTHMz solutions start at $295/month, with channel partners renting or bundling the hardware to deliver high-availability connectivity without CAPEX. The platform offers both revenue protection and continuity—especially for MSPs who are already fielding outage-related calls without compensation. “We're already taking the calls. Why not get paid for them?” Copeland asks. As a longtime member of the MSP community, Copeland closed with a message about mentorship: “Grab someone and teach. We've got to pass this knowledge down.” To learn more about RYTHMz, visit rythmz.com.

Overview: In this episode of the SMB Community Podcast, hosts James and Amy discuss the pros and cons of text marketing campaigns for IT businesses, emphasizing their annoyance and potential limited use for alerts and existing clients. They provide updates on recent IT security threats, including Microsoft's vulnerability in SharePoint servers and the Ingram Micro ransomware attack. The hosts also address industry events such as ChannelCon and news about Apple's upcoming foldable iPhones. Additionally, they highlight recent acquisitions, such as Kaseya's confirmed purchase of Technology Marketing Toolkit led by Robin Robins. The episode concludes with a discussion of top cities for jobs and small business opportunities in the U.S.  --- Chapter Markers: 00:00 Introduction and Welcome 02:05 MSP Question of the Week: Text Marketing Campaigns 10:46 Industry News: Microsoft SharePoint Attacks 13:11 Ingram Micro Ransomware Attack 15:47 Apple's Foldable Technology 18:22 Kaseya Acquires Technology Marketing Toolkit 20:54 Upcoming Event: Channel Con   26:25 Conclusion and Farewell --- About Shannon Bingham: Shannon Bingham is an Omaha-based entrepreneur and beauty industry leader who co-founded Seven Salon & Boutique in 2004, earning national recognition such as Salon Today's Top 200 Fastest Growing Salons. A professionally trained cosmetologist, she's also an international brand educator for TIGI and IGK, Vice‑Chair of Nebraska's DHHS Board of Cosmetology, and an award‑winning photographer. In recent years, Shannon has leveraged her platform as Mrs. Nebraska International 2023 and Mrs. Midwest International 2024 to advocate passionately for adoption awareness, sharing her personal journey and inspiring local families.   Learn more about Shannon at https://linktr.ee/shanbingham --- New Book Release: I'm proud to announce the release of my new book, The Anthology of Cybersecurity Experts! This collection brings together 15 of the nation's top minds in cybersecurity, sharing real-world solutions to combat today's most pressing threats. Whether you're an MSP, IT leader, or simply passionate about protecting your data, this book is packed with expert advice to help you stay secure and ahead of the curve. Available now on Amazon! https://a.co/d/f2NKASI --- Sponsor Memo: Since 2006, Kernan Consulting has been through over 30 transactions in mergers & acquisitions - and just this past year, we have been involved in six (6). If you are interested in either buying, selling, or valuation information, please reach out. There is alot of activity and you can be a part of it. For more information, reach out at kernanconsulting.com

“Nobody would deploy AI without internet—so why aren't MSPs treating connectivity as mission-critical?” — Ken Totura, Massive Networks Technology Reseller News caught up with Ken Totura, Chief Channel Officer at Massive Networks, during GTIA's ChannelCon 2025 at the Opryland Resort in Nashville. In this fast-paced podcast with publisher Doug Green, Totura lays out a powerful call to action: it's time for MSPs to stop outsourcing the WAN. Totura argues that the telecom industry has fallen short—not in infrastructure but in experience. While carriers build exceptional networks, the interface with customers and partners too often breaks down. That's where Massive Networks steps in, delivering high-quality, secure wide-area connectivity with white-glove service and a partner-first approach. “We want to be part of the solution,” says Totura. “We came from the channel. We've been customers. We know what's broken—and we're fixing it.” Totura urges MSPs to stop treating internet and WAN as someone else's job. Just like MSPs manage desktops, endpoints, and LANs, they must start managing the WAN to deliver truly seamless, end-to-end IT solutions. Key points from the conversation: Massive Networks offers carrier-grade services with direct customer invoicing, support, and SLAs—leveraging 60 million fiber-lit buildings globally. Their proprietary platform simplifies global connectivity by unifying cloud, SaaS, and data center links through a single console. The "Lit Building Locator" app enables partners to instantly verify fiber availability without registration. Differentiator: Unlike aggregators, Massive injects its own services into the last mile—ensuring performance, support, and control remain in-house. Totura compares telecom's moment to the rise of AI. Just as MSPs are now integrating AI into offerings, they must similarly integrate connectivity—because every app, service, and solution depends on it. “Cheapest isn't always the least expensive,” says Totura. “If you're not talking about quality internet and WAN, you're doing your customers a disservice.” To learn more, visit https://www.massivenetworks.com.

“We're not here to compete with MSPs—we're here to help them grow, take on more business, and deliver more value to their clients.” — Amy Kincaid, Vice President, Robert Half In this live podcast recorded from Podcast Row at ChannelCon 2025, Doug Green, Publisher of Technology Reseller News, interviews Amy Kincaid, Vice President at Robert Half, to explore how the global talent solutions firm is empowering managed service providers (MSPs) to scale confidently into new markets. With over 300 offices globally and a deep technology talent network enhanced by AI tools, Robert Half is not just another staffing firm. “We've evolved well beyond finance and accounting,” says Kincaid. “In technology, we're enabling MSPs to take on complex, high-demand projects—cloud migrations, AI implementations, ERP rollouts—by delivering vetted, on-demand expertise that aligns precisely with their clients' needs.” Kincaid describes a powerful example: An MSP landed an AI implementation opportunity but lacked internal staff to execute. Instead of passing or overcommitting, the MSP partnered with Robert Half to bring in AI engineers on contract, allowing them to deliver the solution and retain the client. “It's not about hiring full-time. It's about being agile and accessing the right skills, fast,” Kincaid notes. Robert Half's searchable talent database matches highly specific criteria—from certifications and past performance to geography and client industry. Whether the need is for a Dallas-based data engineer with Azure Data Factory experience or a remote cybersecurity architect, the system delivers fast, reliable matches. And in today's remote-friendly world, that speed and precision often makes the difference between winning and losing deals. “We've worked with over 170 MSPs this year alone,” says Kincaid. “Our model supports everything from Tier 1 helpdesk to high-level security and AI roles. We're not replacing MSPs; we're augmenting them so they can say yes to more.” To learn more about Robert Half's specialized technology staffing services, visit https://www.roberthalf.com. MSPs and IT leaders can also connect directly with Amy Kincaid on LinkedIn to discuss opportunities and workforce needs. — Listen to the full podcast at Technology Reseller News ️Featuring: Amy Kincaid, Vice President, Robert Half Hosted by: Doug Green, Publisher, Technology Reseller News Recorded live at ChannelCon 2025, Podcast Row  

“It's not about solving for DMARC. Yeah, you do that as a byproduct, but we really enable the MSP to go grow their business.” — Mike Anderson, EasyDMARC Technology Reseller News sat down with Mike Anderson of EasyDMARC for a live podcast recording at the opening day of ChannelCon, GTIA's signature event. In a candid and engaging conversation with publisher Doug Green, Anderson revealed how EasyDMARC is turning email authentication into a growth engine for managed service providers (MSPs). While DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance) may sound like a technical checkbox, Anderson says it's actually a gateway to new revenue and customer acquisition when paired with EasyDMARC's purpose-built analytics and sales enablement platform. “We're not just a tool,” Anderson explained. “We're a full go-to-market engine for MSPs.” The company offers a platform that not only simplifies DMARC configuration with built-in DNS templates and documentation for 1,500+ top providers, but also delivers white-labeled reports, risk assessments, and automated marketing assets—like drip campaigns, call scripts, and email templates—designed to help MSPs win new business. With over 2,500 MSPs onboard and growing by 70–100 per month, Anderson attributes the rapid adoption to a combination of ease-of-use and tangible results. He recounted a typical success story: an MSP identifies a law firm with broken email delivery and marketing systems, costing them $30,000 in missed revenue. “The MSP comes in, fixes it for a fraction of that, and signs them to a monitoring plan—immediate ROI, happy client, and recurring revenue.” EasyDMARC's platform is not only about fixing email authentication but enabling MSPs to create their own economic momentum. “We give MSPs the tools to go prospect, sell, and close,” Anderson said, pointing to the company's growing international reach and dedicated MSP portal. Learn more at EasyDMARC.com, where MSPs can start a free trial. ChannelCon attendees can mention the event for a free first month. About EasyDMARC EasyDMARC is a leading DMARC and email security platform designed to help businesses and MSPs protect their domains, prevent phishing, and ensure compliant email delivery. With built-in sales tools, automation, and analytics, EasyDMARC transforms security into a growth opportunity.

“We're not here with a silver bullet. We're here to help teams start with visibility—because you can't manage what you can't see.” — Steve Petracek, Auvik In this special Technology Reseller News podcast recorded live from the inaugural Podcast Row at ChannelCon 2025 in Nashville, Doug Green sits down with Steve Petracek of Auvik to discuss the mounting challenges facing IT teams in an increasingly hybrid and remote working environment. Petracek, a leader at Auvik—an IT operations management platform—delivers fresh insight from the company's latest IT Trends Report. According to Petracek, 87% of MSPs today are managing at least some portion of a remote workforce, but most lack the tools to adequately address the growing risks around visibility, Shadow IT, Shadow AI, and workforce productivity. This mismatch is leading to inefficiencies and, increasingly, burnout among IT professionals. “The traditional tools built for the office don't cut it anymore,” Petracek explains. “IT teams are stitching together a dozen tools just to support a single user working remotely. That's where the stress comes in.” Petracek emphasizes that the first step in solving these challenges is visibility—not just into the network and infrastructure, but into the user's entire digital ecosystem, from sanctioned SaaS apps to unsanctioned AI tools. Auvik's platform aims to bring all of that into focus, giving IT teams one place to manage, secure, and optimize performance across environments. Key trends discussed in the podcast include: The rise of Shadow AI and its unmanaged introduction into IT ecosystems The compounding effect of tool sprawl on stress and burnout The need for automation and tool consolidation to restore efficiency Auvik's visibility-first approach to tackling modern IT operations Petracek's message to MSPs at ChannelCon was clear: hybrid work isn't a passing trend, and managing it effectively means embracing a new toolset, reducing complexity, and automating wherever possible. To dive deeper into Auvik's findings and learn how your team can better manage hybrid infrastructure, download the free IT Trends Report at https://www.auvik.com. This podcast was recorded live at ChannelCon 2025 at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel in Nashville, as part of Technology Reseller News' coverage of emerging technologies and trends shaping the MSP and IT services landscape.  

“Connectivity is your brand. And with RYTHMz, MSPs can deliver that brand anywhere.” — Leonard J. Dimiceli, RYTHMz In a fast-paced and highly practical conversation, Leonard J. Dimiceli, Vice President of Sales at RYTHMz, joined Doug Green, Publisher of Technology Reseller News, to unveil how managed service providers (MSPs) can tap into a brand-new revenue stream: delivering internet anywhere, anytime. As the industry gears up for GTIA's ChannelCon, Dimiceli previewed the company's innovative offerings—compact, ruggedized units that combine bonded multi-carrier SIM technology, enterprise-grade antennas, SD-WAN, and plug-and-play functionality to create a true “internet-in-a-box” solution. From Emergencies to Events: Monetizing the Gaps in Connectivity Whether it's a construction site, a food truck, a pop-up event, or an office awaiting primary service installation, RYTHMz delivers temporary and backup internet to keep businesses online. Dimiceli shared how MSPs can now offer guaranteed connectivity, respond instantly to outages, and generate recurring and on-demand revenue without competing with existing PSA, RMM, or cybersecurity solutions. “It's not if they'll call you—it's when. And with RYTHMz, MSPs can be the hero, not the messenger,” Dimiceli noted. Channel-Only, MSP-First RYTHMz is built for the channel. With its B-Link 5G unit as the go-to solution and options like the Queen Bee and Drone Response for larger and smaller use cases, MSPs can deploy connectivity scaled to their clients' needs—from five users to 100,000. What's more, RYTHMz supports MSPs with go-to-market strategies, event-specific lead gen ideas, and even marketing materials. One partner turned a RYTHMz box into a local event billboard—offering free Wi-Fi in exchange for brand exposure and email capture. Recurring Revenue Without Disruption For MSPs, RYTHMz represents “net new” recurring revenue without having to change or replace existing services. Partners can even keep units on standby and offer emergency service plans as a premium subscription—generating revenue even when the box isn't deployed. See It Live at GTIA ChannelCon RYTHMz will exhibit at GTIA ChannelCon at booth 522, where attendees can demo the full lineup and catch a few Star Wars-themed surprises. “We're not asking you to rip anything out,” Dimiceli said. “This is an additive opportunity—new revenue, new value, no disruption.” To learn more, visit rythmz.com or contact Leonard directly at leonard.dimiceli@rythmz.com.

“ChannelCon is different. It's the one place where our industry comes together—unbiased, vendor-neutral, and 100% member driven.” — Dan Wensley, CEO, GTIA As ChannelCon 2025 approaches, the Global Technology Industry Association (GTIA) is poised to reintroduce itself to the world with a renewed mission, a powerful global presence, and a truly member-first agenda. In a podcast conversation with Technology Reseller News publisher Doug Green, GTIA CEO Dan Wensley shared how the organization—formerly operating under another name—has embraced a new identity while preserving its most valued traditions. Wensley, a 20+ year veteran of the IT channel and longtime member of the organization, stepped into the CEO role earlier this year with a clear goal: elevate the voice of the global channel and deliver unparalleled value to vendors, MSPs, distributors, and IT service providers through peer connection, research, and education. At the heart of GTIA's activities is ChannelCon, the organization's flagship event. This year's conference—taking place July 29–31 at the Gaylord Opryland Resort in Nashville, Tennessee—marks the first under the GTIA banner. It promises a dynamic mix of AI-focused tracks, emerging tech showcases, peer-to-peer engagement, and headliner entertainment, including performances by Gretchen Wilson, Gary LeVox (Rascal Flatts), and Trace Adkins. Dan Wensley Wensley emphasized what sets ChannelCon apart: its vendor-neutral exhibit floor, grassroots-driven content, and research-informed programming. Highlights include: A visionary panel featuring Jason McGee, Austin McChord, Chris Day, and Nick Heddy (Pax8), moderated by GTIA analyst Carolyn April A new SMB market research report detailing national tech buying trends Over 60 member-driven sessions on cybersecurity, AI, and business operations A robust Podcast Row and a reinvigorated charitable foundation, with $1.5 million in donations slated for 2025 GTIA's commitment to both local impact and global outreach is also on display through its expanding international footprint and upcoming ChannelCon EMEA later this year. Wensley concluded with an open invitation: “If you're part of the channel, ChannelCon is your event. Whether you're a startup or a legacy vendor, this is your platform.” Learn more and register at: https://channelcon.gtia.org

With some of the recent events in the ransomware space, I had a chance to hear firsthand from Dave Alton of Strategic Integrated Resources. I asked the question, "What is concerning you today?" This discussion has some action items that you can do with your own clients. Whether you are dealing with business email compromise, wire fraud, or are just worried about a vendor, you will want to listen in as Dave shares. Also, stay tuned to the end. ChannelCon and the Tech Degenerates preday is less than 2 weeks away.

“We've got a new name, but it's the same mission—serving the channel with even more focus and energy than before.” — MJ Shoer, Chief Community Officer, Global Technology Industry Association (GTIA) In January, a major shift quietly reshaped one of the most familiar names in the IT channel. The CompTIA Community officially became the Global Technology Industry Association (GTIA)—marking the start of a new era for the 42-year-old organization. In a recent Technology Reseller News podcast, MJ Shoer, Chief Community Officer of GTIA, sat down with us to explain the rebrand, what it means for members, and why now is a pivotal moment for global IT channel professionals. A New Name—and New Clarity The change stems from the sale of the CompTIA name and its training/certification business, which now operates as a separate for-profit entity under CompTIA Inc. What remains is the long-standing nonprofit trade association—now rebranded as GTIA—still dedicated to serving MSPs, solution providers, vendors, and distributors. “We had to change the name because we sold the brand. But what that allowed us to do was focus entirely on our membership. No distractions—just service to the channel,” said Shoer. GTIA is backed by a perpetual endowment created from the sale, ensuring stable funding for operations and long-term growth. According to Shoer, this structure enables GTIA to expand its global reach and deepen its core programming. What Members Can Expect GTIA members can expect everything they've come to rely on—plus more. That includes: Flagship benefits like industry research, member education, advisory councils, and cybersecurity programs Expanded charitable giving to help underserved and remote communities access tech careers and services Greater global engagement, with regional events, localized content, and new programming across GTIA's six global regions: North America, UK & Ireland, Benelux, DACH (Germany, Austria, Switzerland), ASEAN, and Australia/New Zealand GTIA has already held record-attendance events since the rebrand and plans to extend its global offerings even further in 2025. “We've hosted global town halls, opened a suggestion box, and invited feedback. We're listening—and we're building what the channel needs,” said Shoer. ChannelCon and Global Events GTIA's premier event, ChannelCon, will return July 29–31, 2025, in Nashville, with a fresh format and dual keynotes—one on AI, the other on radical candor and culture. Shoer notes the program will deliver “actionable insights members can use the moment they return to their business.” Other major events include: ChannelCon EMEA in London this October DACH Community Meeting in Munich (May) UK & Ireland Community Forum + Spotlight Awards (June, black tie!) ANZ Forum + Spotlight Awards in Sydney (September) “We've created a global calendar of engagement—from in-person events to online meetups. There are opportunities every month to connect and contribute.” Cybersecurity and Trust GTIA also continues to lead in cybersecurity with initiatives like: GTIA ISAO (Information Sharing and Analysis Organization) for real-time threat intelligence Cybersecurity Trustmark to help MSPs validate and enhance their security readiness Both programs aim to help members stay ahead of regulations and threats in a rapidly evolving landscape. Open to All GTIA isn't just for paying members. Anyone can sign up as a subscriber to access public resources, join events, and explore what the organization offers. If your company is already a member, you'll automatically gain access. If not, you'll still get a front-row seat to everything GTIA is doing. “You don't have to commit on day one. Dip your toe in. Come to an event. Check out the content. We're confident you'll see the value.” Learn More To explore membership, resources, and the full calendar of global events, visit gtia.org. For ChannelCon details,

In this episode, Richard Tubb is joined by MJ Shoer. MJ is the Chief Community Officer of the newly-formed GTIA, previously part of the non-profit CompTIA. A former IT director and MSP owner, MJ did a spell of consulting before joining certification and community organisation CompTIA.In this interview, MJ shares how the acquisition of CompTIA, the split between the two sides of the organisation and the formation of the Global Technology Industry Association (GTIA), as well as the relationship between the two new companies.Richard asks MJ what the response has been to GTIA and the feedback they've had from MSPs. MJ explains the town hall meetings they're holding and their plans to expand GTIA, plus he shares the story behind the name and the new branding.MJ shares his thoughts on why MSPs should join GTIA and the value they'll get from attending events like ChannelCon. He reveals his hopes for the future of the organisation, and flags some big industry changes that MSPs should pay attention to.Mentioned in This EpisodeGTIACompTIAPodcast: Why CompTIA are the MSP Industry's Best-Kept SecretPodcast: Best-Kept Secret to Global Leader: The Remarkable Evolution of CompTIAThe GTIA online suggestion boxGTIA Events

Show Website: https://mspbusinessschool.com/ Guests: Sean Lardo - https://www.linkedin.com/in/seanlardo/ Andrea Barrow - https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreabarrow/ Sam Hoyen - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sam-hoyen-4711611a4/ Company: ConnectWise (Invent) Website: https://www.connectwise.com/theitnation/pitchit Today's episode features an in-depth discussion with the Connectwise PitchIT team, including Sean Lardo, Andrea Barrow, and Sam Hoyen. As they gear up for IT Nation Connect, the team shares the excitement and challenges of the PitchIT competition, where innovative startups compete for the top spot. This year's PitchIT program saw a diverse group of finalists, each representing different tech industry segments. Sean Lardo emphasizes the evolution and improved quality of contestants, while Andrea Barrow highlights the importance of community and collaboration among participants. The conversation delves into the unique strengths of each finalist and the supportive environment that PitchIT fosters, encouraging innovation and growth. The episode also explores the Connectwise Invent program, a crucial pathway for vendors to integrate with the Connectwise platform and gain the coveted stamp of approval. Andrea Barrow explains how the program supports vendors through technical guidance and security reviews. Sam Hoyen shares his excitement as a new team member and underscores the importance of community connections formed through events like ChannelCon's Crow's Nest. Key Takeaways:   PitchIT Program Evolution: The quality and diversity of PitchIT contestants have significantly improved, showcasing a wide range of innovative solutions. Community Building Participants benefit from forming valuable connections with peers who are going through similar business challenges. Invent Program: Connectwise's Invent program provides essential technical and security support for vendors, ensuring high-quality integrations. Importance of Pitch Practice: Competitors need to master different types of pitches (30-second, 1-minute, 5-minute) for various engagement scenarios. Event Highlights: The success of ChannelCon's Crow's Nest event demonstrates the power of networking and community support. Host: Brian Doyle: https://www.linkedin.com/in/briandoylevciotoolbox/  Sponsors vCIOToolbox: https://vciotoolbox.com

In this episode, Richard speaks to MJ Shoer, the Chief Community Officer at CompTIA. After studying for a degree in computer science, he worked in sales for startup software and hardware companies. He taught himself everything he needed to know about technology and became an IT director. He went on to found his own successful MSP, which he sold to a competitor. After doing some consulting, he got his first role at CompTIA.He joins Richard Tubb to explain who CompTIA are and how they help MSPs. MJ shares the story of his own journey in the tech world and what it was like to experience the start of connectivity. Richard asks MJ about the ChannelCon events and what it means for members that CompTIA is a company information sharing and analysis organisation. They also look at being a local member and the CompTIA Spark Initiative.MJ also shares his thoughts on the changing relationship between MSPs and vendors, how to encourage younger people into careers in IT, and how CompTIA are playing a part in advancing women in the industry.Mentioned in This EpisodeCompTIA course: A+ certificationCompTIA Network+ certificationCompTIA Information Sharing and Analysis Organisation (ISAO)PSA-RMM platform SuperOps and the SuperSummit eventsCompTIA CEO Todd ThibodeauxNancy HammervikCybersecurity and Infrastructure Security AgencyNational Cyber Security CentreTracy Pound of MaximityCompTIA course: Managing the Technology ChannelTubbTalk episode 62 with Tracy Pound on Advancing Women in ITWomen in Tech ebook

I always like to catch one or two attendees of an event after they get home to see what did they come away with. I spoke with Jim Harryman of Kinetic Technology Group to get his reaction on an event that he has now attended for the third year in a row. If you weren't at Channelcon24 I hope this gives you some FOMO and that we will see you at CCF and ChannelCon 2025. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/msp1337/support

  Episode Summary: In this very special 200th episode of the MSP Business School podcast, host Brian Doyle reflects on the journey since their inception in 2020. This episode, recorded live from ChannelCon at Comptia, resonates with appreciation and a forward-looking vision for the MSP community. Brian delves into the origins of the podcast, the motivations behind starting it with his co-founders Rob Rogers and Tim O'Neill, and the milestones they have achieved over the past four years. Throughout the episode, Brian emphasizes the podcast's commitment to delivering valuable insights into MSP sales, business development, and broader industry trends. He discusses the evolution of managed services from the early days of box sales and VOIP systems to the current landscape dominated by AI, cloud services, and heightened cybersecurity demands. Brian highlights the necessity for MSPs to adapt to these changes by building use cases for AI, focusing on security and governance, and becoming management consultants to their clients. Key Takeaways: Evolution of MSP Business: Brian outlines the transformation of managed services over the past two decades, highlighting shifts from hardware sales to cloud services and AI integration. Importance of Cybersecurity: A major theme is the increasing importance of cybersecurity, especially in light of evolving threats and the complexities introduced by AI. Adapting to Market Changes: The need for MSPs to continually adapt, embrace new technologies, and serve as business consultants to their clients is emphasized. Community Engagement: Brian expresses gratitude to listeners and encourages engagement to tailor future content to the community's needs. Future Direction: He provides insights into the future direction of the podcast, focusing on advanced topics like AI, security, and new service models for MSPs.  

Let us know what you think of the podcast.Carolyn April discusses: the state of the IT channel, research availability, the impact of AI, the importance of quality over quantity in vendor-partner relationships and what to expect at ChannelCon. She also shares exciting details about the upcoming ChannelCon event in Atlanta. As well as taking us through her journey in the tech industry, highlighting significant shifts such as the move from hardware reselling to cloud computing and the current buzz around AI.

ChannelCon is the IT Channel’s Premier Event to Energize Your Business & Career. Dr. Georgette Fraser-Moore is the president and CEO of Transformation Lead, an IT services and consulting company that specializes in digital transformation and organizational change, based in Atlanta. She is a member of the CompTIA Community Workforce Advisory Council and was a […]

ChannelCon is the IT Channel’s Premier Event to Energize Your Business & Career. Dr. Georgette Fraser-Moore is the president and CEO of Transformation Lead, an IT services and consulting company that specializes in digital transformation and organizational change, based in Atlanta. She is a member of the CompTIA Community Workforce Advisory Council and was a […]

Segment One: The MSP Question of The Week How many shows should an MSP attend in a year? --- Segment Two: Minutes with A Smart Person - Jake Gregorich  Host James sits down with Jake Gregorich of Lyra Technology Group  and discuss sales and marketing philosophies. Jake oversees revenue generation for Lyra Technology Group. He joined the team in 2023 to help grow people, increase collaboration among Lyra companies, and serve as a resource to help drive revenue growth. Prior to Lyra, Jake worked with MSPs including Impact Networking, Ntiva, and Equilibrium IT. He also served as an independent consultant to private equity backed MSPs and private equity companies looking to enter the MSP market on sales & marketing, diligence, acquisitions, and integration. Outside of work, he enjoys good drinks, food, and laughs with his pregnant wife carrying their 1st child, golden retriever, and large extended family. When he is not spending time with family and friends, Jake can be found outdoors hiking, biking, swimming, and playing team sports. https://www.linkedin.com/in/jake-gregorich-47b27948/ --- Upcoming Events:  Host Karl attends XChange in Austin! See: https://event.thechannelco.com/xchange-august/agenda Kernan Masterminds September 28-29 - Scottsdale, AZ - http://bit.ly/kernanmastermind https://kernanconsulting-mastermind.mykajabi.com/mastermind-event  Our Social Links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-kernan-varcoach/ https://www.facebook.com/james.kernan https://www.facebook.com/karlpalachuk/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/karlpalachuk/   Sponsor Memo: IT Service Provider University IT Service Provider University helps you improve the business side of your business. We launched IT Service Provider University in 2013 and today we offer more than twenty courses on every aspect of running your consulting business.  IT Service Provider University provides training and pathways to certification for individual IT Service Providers as well as offering company-level certifications. Pathways Include  Management Technician Sales/Marketing Service Manager Front Office Learn more about professional classes and certifications at https://ITSPU.com    

For this edition of SMBCP, Host Karl sits down with two lovely guests in two seperate five minutes with a smart person. Five Minutes with a Smart Person - Double Feature!  First up: Larry Mandelberg is a consultant, speaker and author with “more than 150 years of combined business experience.” A natural problem solver, Larry represents the 5th generation of his family's business. He started working at a young age where he learned from his father before and after school. Larry is an effective catalyst for change who has solved intractable problems and achieved new levels of efficiency and success for businesses in multiple industries. A prolific writer, Larry has published more than 80 columns. His first book, Businesses Don't Fail, They Commit Suicide is scheduled for release in early 2018. A sought-after speaker, he has delivered more than 60 business-changing keynotes and workshops. https://mandelberg.biz/about-larry/ https://www.amazon.com/Businesses-Dont-Fail-Commit-Suicide-ebook/dp/B0C3F9GQZ9#:~:text=Businesses%20Don't%20Fail%2C%20They%20Commit%20Suicide%20is%20an%20inspiring,strategic%20planning%20and%20proactive%20mindset. --- Next up: James Steel at ChannelCon An experienced IT channel leader with a passion for the Managed Service Provider (MSP) and IT Support Provider community and a specialism for working closely with partners in North America and Europe to drive growth.  Also a proud member of CompTIA's UK Executive Council where I work together with the hugely talented team to increase exposure for the great work the organisation does within the MSP space in particular. https://www.linkedin.com/in/%F0%9F%91%87-james-steel-8964947/ https://www.linode.com/partners/ https://www.akamai.com/ --- Sponsor Memo: Small Biz Thoughts Technology Community NOW is the time to join the Small Biz Thoughts Technology Community. Check us out at https://SmallBizThoughts.ORG There is no better value for training and education in managed services. Forms, templates, and checklists are just the start. Our Community includes ALL of the best-selling books on managed services in all available formats, plus free 5-week courses, members-only programs, and the best business training available to managed service providers anywhere. Prices go up July 1st. Join now and you can lock in the lower price for life. See all the details and Join us today at https://www.SmallBizThoughts.org.

In this new episode of the Team Tubb Travelogue audio series, Stephen McCormick invites Pascal Fintoni to join him on an impromptu audio call with Richard Tubb and James Steel from Akamai Linode.Both Richard and James are about to start their final day at the CompTIA ChannelCon unmissable event in Las Vegas.This year, the theme for the 3-day conference was 'Build The Impossible' with a strong message to look outside your current customer base, circle of partners, and comfort zone.Richard and James share their reactions and experience so far, memorable speeches and key take-aways, surprising emotional moments and something to do with an oxygen bar?. They also take part in a Team Tubb Travelogue Quiz at the end of the call!Were you at the CompTIA ChannelCon 2023 event too? Send us a voice recording with your highlights and we will add your comments to our next Team Tubb Travelogue.

Today Hosts James welcomes our guest co-host: Charlene Ignacio! Being from Hawaii, she makes friends everywhere she goes. What you see online is what you get in person. She serves as a multi-industry CEO, speaker, author, serial entrepreneur for, business results Coach and is also a  2nd Degree Black Belt in Judo, and Black Belt Lean Six Sigma Certified. She is also the CMO at ChannelMastered and CEO of https://TheCMOGuru.com --- Segment One:  MSP Question of the Week What can MSP's do to market their business with little or no budget? --- Segment Two: What Are You Up To? Catch James and Charlene at ChannelCon in Las Vegas and more!  --- Segment Three: Five Minutes with A Smart Person - Mr. Van Deeb  Host James and Mr. Van Deeb sit down and talk becoming successful by doing the right thing in the workplace and how leaders help others succeed. Van Deeb is the country's foremost expert on building relationships and is dedicated to helping others become successful in the sales and service industry. He has inspired tens of thousands of professionals throughout the country to succeed through his motivational and informative keynote speeches, workshops, speaking events, newsletters, and books.   SPONSOR MEMO:  IT Service Provider University IT Service Provider University helps you improve the business side of your business. We launched IT Service Provider University in 2013 and today we offer more than twenty courses on every aspect of running your consulting business.  IT Service Provider University provides training and pathways to certification for individual IT Service Providers as well as offering company-level certifications. Pathways Include  Management Technician Sales/Marketing Service Manager Front Office Learn more about professional classes and certifications at https://ITSPU.com    

Carolyn and Seth welcome MJ Shoer, CompTIA's Chief Community Officer, to give a preview of this year's ChannelCon event. Held jointly with CompTIA's Partner Summit, the two events bring together all of CompTIA's audiences to discuss the latest trends in technology and workforce development. The theme for this year's ChannelCon is Build the Impossible, and attendees will have the chance to network and have business conversations considering topics such as AI and cybersecurity. ChannelCon and Partner Summit will be held August 1-3 at the Venetian Resort in Las Vegas.www.channelcon.comhttps://connect.comptia.org/partnersummit/

Tate Talks with….Vicky Bruns, ConnectWise Listen to me have a great conversation with Vicky Bruns, starting with me totally mispronouncing Asio along with a super fun fact about owls - Trust me. From selling diamonds and business loans, all the way to the world of MSPs and rescuing donkeys. Enjoy.. About Vicky Vicky began her career at ConnectWise in early 2015 as a Business Development Manager. In 2017, she attended CompTia's ChannelCon in Austin, Texas, and was instantly hooked on becoming more involved in the channel community. Later that year, she was promoted to the Growth Org to assist with orchestrating the onboarding, sales, and management of strategic channel vendors within the ConnectWise Ecosystem. In 2020, she took on the additional role of helping to manage partner experience and strategy through the transactional ConnectWise Marketplace, which experienced 40% growth from 2020 to 2021, and 60% growth from 2021 to 2022. As current Manager of the Marketplace Account Management and Vendor Specialist teams, she is responsible for helping to lead customer adoption, expansion and retention efforts of 3rd party products and services within The IT Nation community on a global scale. You can connect with Vicky on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/victoria-bruns-a7615420/ ConnectWise - https://www.connectwise.com Vicky spoke about : Group - Carrie Richardson - A Seat at the table weekly peer group Podcast - Killing IT Podcast Podcast - MSP Media Network Podcast - New York Times Daily Podcast Podcast - Ted Talk Radio Hour I mentioned No Such Thing As A Fish Book - The Outward Mindset Book - Never Split the Difference Book - Spare by Prince Harry Credits: Music - https://www.purple-planet.com

Topic 1: The Education Market  We have all come across a job ad looking to fill an entry level position with a PhD level education. We have also witness countless college drop outs excel in high-skill, high paying positions. So what do certifications achieve if not job security?  Topic 2: Knowledge, Tagging, Researching, and Cross Referencing In this everchanging industry companies are always looking forward. And they are propelled onward by a culture and data base to let them know what they have done and can't do and are suppose to do. Yep, it comes down to that ole cliche: Knowledge is power.  Topic 3: The Opportunities Around The Metaverse  The futurists are here. (Which also makes the presentist. Theseus's ship or something, you know.) But it doesn't mean the ideas presented by them have caught up. The Metaverse-is it here yet? How can we test the viability of something that isn't yet tangible? What is the metaverse forecast? And will it open up doors to new, unthinkable opportunities? Sponsor Memo: Linode   Linode – a top Infrastructure as a Service provider has resources specifically for helping MSPs explore the alternative cloud. Discover this growing market: one of the best-kept secrets in building a scalable, thriving, modern Managed Service Provider business.    Learn about the cloud provider landscape, improving KPIs, security, and more in Linode's free ebook, The MSP's Guide to Modern Cloud Infrastructure, available now. This resource and more at linode.com/mspradio.  

Topic 1: The Education Market  We have all come across a job ad looking to fill an entry level position with a PhD level education. We have also witness countless college drop outs excel in high-skill, high paying positions. So what do certifications achieve if not job security?  Topic 2: Knowledge, Tagging, Researching, and Cross Referencing In this everchanging industry companies are always looking forward. And they are propelled onward by a culture and data base to let them know what they have done and can't do and are suppose to do. Yep, it comes down to that ole cliche: Knowledge is power.  Topic 3: The Opportunities Around The Metaverse  The futurists are here. (Which also makes the presentist. Theseus's ship or something, you know.) But it doesn't mean the ideas presented by them have caught up. The Metaverse-is it here yet? How can we test the viability of something that isn't yet tangible? What is the metaverse forecast? And will it open up doors to new, unthinkable opportunities? Sponsor Memo: Linode   Linode – a top Infrastructure as a Service provider has resources specifically for helping MSPs explore the alternative cloud. Discover this growing market: one of the best-kept secrets in building a scalable, thriving, modern Managed Service Provider business.    Learn about the cloud provider landscape, improving KPIs, security, and more in Linode's free ebook, The MSP's Guide to Modern Cloud Infrastructure, available now. This resource and more at linode.com/mspradio.  

Wayne Selk, executive director of the CompTIA ISAO is back to review this week's activity in the Cyber Forums. There are a few actionable reports this week, and a few informational with HIGH Severity for ISAO Members to review. Just home from ChannelCon this week and it was AMAZING! We will be publishing the cybersecurity track sessions in a few weeks. Tune in each week to hear the most important cybersecurity news and threat alerts from last week in the ISAO forum and updates you need to know for the week ahead from host Wayne Selk, executive director of the CompTIA ISAO. Listen now, subscribe, and tune in every Friday for the latest news.

One week until ChannelCon and MSP-Ignite Pre-day. This week we have Dave Sobel, "Host of the Business of Tech Podcast." While Dave and I have been known to go down a few rabbit holes in past conversations, we manage in this episode to focus on three main points: Cyber Tax is a real thing and should be openly discussed with your clients, Tech Debt is a challenge for both vendors and MSPs, and victim blaming doesn't change what has happened.

ChannelCon is right around the corner and we are still discussing the culture shift to a cybersecurity first mindset. I sit down with Joshua Smith of Varonis to talk about how culture shift and doing the right thing are same problem different scale. Whether you are a vendor or an MSP it still comes down to People, Process and Product (technology). We step you through four key steps to begin the shift within your organization.

Carolyn and Seth welcome two guests to talk about CompTIA's summer events, which are happening live for the first time in three years. First, CompTIA's VP of B2B Marketing Liz Wannemacher shares details on Partner Summit, which hosts academic partners, training partners, and employers to discuss the latest trends in IT training and skill development. Then CompTIA's Chief Community Officer MJ Shoer gives a preview of ChannelCon, which welcomes companies from all parts of the technology landscape to network and learn about industry trends. Both events are in Chicago during the first week of August, and there will be many opportunities to plug in to all the content.Partner Summit: https://connect.comptia.org/partnersummitChannelCon: https://connect.comptia.org/channelcon

When all your competitors are merging or being bought outright, what do you do? Do you stay independent or do you look to do the same as them? When they all lock into one business focus, do you do the same or do you carve your own path? Jason Bystrak and Peter DiMarco, Vice Presidents at D&H Distributing (104 year old family owned company), join me on this episode to talk about how to know what you should do for your business. They know firsthand the questions you need to ask yourself and whether you should care what your competitors are doing. The conversation also goes into how a $5 billion company operates with 36% employee ownership versus a $50 billion company. I especially loved the conversation about egos, complicating things and the bottoms-up versus top-down method of deciding your businesses next steps. If you have employees, or are thinking about adding staff for the first time, Peter's insights into hiring practices will open your eyes. Jason Bystrak is the vice president of the cloud and services business unit for D&H Distributing, and leads a team of cross-functional experts responsible for the strategy and execution of the company’s XaaS ("Everything as a Service") business, helping channel partners deliver total solutions in a subscription model. He oversees technology practice areas including cloud, professional services, security and unified communications. He is the chair of the Channel Development Advisory Council for CompTIA, previously served as chair for CompTIA’s cloud community, and has been named to ChannelPro-SMB’s list of 20/20 Visionaries, as well as CRN’s 100 People You Don’t Know But Should. He frequently offers insight into the opportunity and future of cloud at strategic industry events, including CompTIA’s ChannelCon, Channel Partners and IT Nation. Peter DiMarco joined D&H in 2015 as vice president of VAR sales, Computer Products Division (CPD). He oversees sales teams working with all value-added resellers that sell through the CPD division, including commercial, government and education solution providers as well as managed service providers. Peter manages the inside and outside sales teams, solutions and Cloud support teams focused on new market growth strategies, aimed at helping its SMB solution providers evolve towards larger mid-market sales opportunities and solutions. He is focused on driving VAR engagement efforts including the VAR Track events at D&H's trade shows, and a new K-12 Advisory Board focusing on this vertical market, in addition to driving new programs and support services. Peter previously served as an IT channel development leader at EarthLink, and has coordinated sales initiatives with partners such as Microsoft, Cisco, Dell, Lenovo, VMware, Apple, Juniper, Citrix and HP. His IT distribution experience includes a vice president of VAR sales position at Ingram Micro.

As we settle into a new normal created by this pandemic, it’s time to get back to focusing on customer and partner experience. This week Theresa Caragol, Founder and CEO of AchieveUnite, joins Channel Edge to discuss the good/bad/ugly of the current state of the channel and where partner experience is headed. On the good side, Theresa shares that we seem to have settled into this normal and we’re getting back to focusing on things that matter. On the bad, she still sees some companies and individuals paralyzed, and Steven adds the ugly are those companies not executing plans they announced. Theresa shares key partnership experience themes AchieveUnite developed from research conducted in partnership with CompTIA which include: Partner lifetime value is key Partner communities and ecosystems are the new channels The power equation has shifted towards customers and partners Enablement is the new currency These themes and the underlying research were shared and discussed in more detail at CompTIA’s ChannelCon event. Listen in as Theresa and host Steven Kellam, VP Marketing at 360insights discuss these themes and current channel trends.

Join the CompTIA team as they visit with members during ChannelCon Online. From the educational sessions to the Solutions Showcase to the special announcements, we talk with both new and long-time ChannelCon attendees to get their perspectives on this premier event for the tech industry. Special guests include: Pete Busam Tony Francisco Shannon Mayer Caitlyn McCaughran Michelle McBain Tracie Orisko Nellie Scott

Carolyn and Seth take a look ahead at CompTIA's ChannelCon event. Running August 5-7, the virtual event covers the dynamics of the IT industry, the thought leadership of CompTIA's membership communities, and the future of emerging technology. See the full agenda and register for free at www.channelcon.com.

Carolyn and Seth take a look ahead at CompTIA's ChannelCon event. Running August 5-7, the virtual event covers the dynamics of the IT industry, the thought leadership of CompTIA's membership communities, and the future of emerging technology. See the full agenda and register for free at www.channelcon.com.

This week on the CompTIA Biz Tech podcast, Gary Bixler and Nancy Hammervik, executive vice president of industry relations at CompTIA, give listeners an inside look at what attendees can expect during ChannelCon Online. From community sessions, expert speakers, and some fun-focused activities, this is an event you do not want to miss. Register for ChannelCon: https://www.comptia.org/channelcon/homeLearn more about CompTIA communities: https://www.comptia.org/membership/communities-and-councils

What does the championship journey of the U.S. women’s national soccer team teach us about the challenges facing today’s female technologists? How to see beyond the “unnecessary” divides they inevitably will confront on the road to successful tech careers, says Tracey Welson-Rossman, Chief Marketing Officer at Chariot Solutions and founder of the Women In Tech Summit (WITS) and Creating IT Futures’ TechGirlz program.   Original Technologist Talk Radio theme music by C. Ezra Lange

Dig in to all the ways artificial intelligence is being used to protect data from digital spies in this episode of Layers, hosted live from ChannelCon2019 with CompTIA’s IT Security Community. “It’s no longer wargames and a teenager attacking you from their bedroom, it’s professional criminals,” said Dave Watts, CFO of InSOC (https://www.in-soc.com/). CompTIA community manager Kathleen Martin hosts the episode, which covers the risks of BYOD and INSOC’s “trust but verify” process of employee education. Listen for Dave’s advice on segregating your business and guest networks for extra security, why public wifi might be a bigger hazard than you might think and why cybercriminals don’t care how small your company is — they still want your data. Keep up on all the podcasts from the CompTIA Communities. Search for CompTIA in your favorite podcast app and subscribe.

Clever ducks fly in formation, working together to go farther, faster. How can this principle from nature be applied to narrowing the IT Skills Gap? Amy Kardel, CompTIA’s new Vice President of Strategic Workforce Relationships, has some answers in this guest interview from the recent ChannelCon conference.

We report a bit on one aspect of ChannelCon. Both Black Hat and DefCon were in Vegas during ChannelCon. So the question is: Are we any LESS secure with these folks in town? Of course this leads into a discussion of what the three of us do to keep our "devices" secure while we travel. Somewhat related links: https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/columnist/2019/08/12/how-safe-is-your-wifi-connection/1984961001/ https://www.theverge.com/2019/8/11/20800979/check-point-canon-eos-80d-dslr-malware-ransomware-cybersecurity All of this discussion can be used to help educate your clients. We recommend that you schedule regular security trainings as a way to engage clients on the "business" level. Topic 2: University buys Amazon Dots for every student dorm room. Interestingly, this program is not sponsored by Amazon. The specific device is Alexa for Business & Voice. Once again, this is the march of the advancement of voice at the user interface. Link: https://www.cnet.com/features/alexa-time-for-class-how-one-university-put-an-echo-dot-in-every-dorm-room/ Interesting take-away: No one who puts a program like this in place is going to do it themselves. You may or may not make money on devices, but the consulting opportunity is huge. Topic 3: Decency - Kind of. Internet companies in the U.S. are not held liable for things posted on their medium if those postings are not controlled by the hosting service. For example: You can't sue Yelp for ratings or comments made by users on Yelp. Background: Section 230 of the 1996 Communications Decency Act is blamed for everything from social-media bias to enabling revenge porn. Angela Chen explains the law that created the modern internet. Is it time to update this law? The law itself: https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/47/230 Not really Topic 4: A funny story about Alexa. Try this with your friends.

Live from CompTIA ChannelCon. Recorded in the "Think and Drink Lounge." We have lots of reflections about the activities and people at ChannelCon. Topic One: There's a growing tendency to encourage people to skip college and just go to trade school. We comment on this advice - and look at it as a complicated question. That route may be completely appropriate for some people, but it is not a decision that should be made lightly. Topic Two: Emerging Technologies (the CompTIA community and more). There's lots of excitement, some tempered disappointment, and a strong need to figure out how IT professionals make money with emerging technologies. Topic Three: Vendors need to figure out how to be perpetually relevant to their channe. How do you do that when markets change, new technologies emerge, competitors attack, and business models in the channel become obsolete? And from the solution provider's perspective, how do we make money when our vendors are going through these non-stop gyrations? From there we discuss how you engage with vendor connections you find at conference, including CompTIA.  

Don is out in Las Vegas at CompTIA’s ChannelCon event, so he grabbed Zach Hill from IT Career Questions to chat about what he’s been up to and what he’s seen at the conference. Don also roped in Daniel Lowrie to look at the week’s major stories, including the AT&T bribery scandal and North Korea’s state-sponsored hacking windfall.

Don is out in Las Vegas at CompTIA’s ChannelCon event, so he grabbed Zach Hill from IT Career Questions to chat about what he’s been up to and what he’s seen at the conference. Don also roped in Daniel Lowrie to look at the week’s major stories, including the AT&T bribery scandal and North Korea’s state-sponsored hacking windfall.

Don is out in Las Vegas at CompTIA’s ChannelCon event, so he grabbed Zach Hill from IT Career Questions to chat about what he’s been up to and what he’s seen at the conference. Don also roped in Daniel Lowrie to look at the week’s major stories, including the AT&T bribery scandal and North Korea’s state-sponsored hacking windfall.

Anyone can do continuous improvement. It takes Matt and Rich, with some help from a lot of misbehaving podcast technology, to perfect continuous degradation. Listen in as your hosts manage to conduct a reasonably intelligent conversation about news from CompTIA’s ChannelCon event featuring The ASCII Group, Pax8, Axcient, and Buffalo Americas, plus a look at some interesting winners of this year’s ChannelPro Readers’ Choice Awards. Then place your bets on when the next technical difficulty occurs! Subscribe to ChannelPro Weekly! ​​​​​​​ ​​​​​​​ ​​​​​​​ Look for us in your favorite podcast app. If you don't see us (yet) then you can subscribe via RSS in almost any podcast app using this link: http://www.channelpronetwork.com/rss/cpw Show Information: Episode #: 113Title: Continuous DegradationDuration: 1:24:34File size: 39.2MBRegulars: Rich Freeman - Executive Editor, Matt Whitlock - Technology Editor Video of ChannelPro Weekly #113 - Continuous Degradation Topics and Related Links Mentioned:  CompTIA Honors Second Annual Advancing Women in IT Award Winners  ASCII Group Adds Peer Groups to Member Benefit Roster  Pax8 Rolls Out Three Cloud Marketplace Upgrades  Axcient Unveils All-New Marketing Portal  Buffalo Americas Announces Remote Management Tool for NAS Devices  2019 Readers' Choice Awards  Cloud Repatriation: Myth or Reality?  Matt's Museum Pick: ASUS AX800PRO Rich's ICYMI plug and quickie preview of the week ahead

Fresh off a great ChannelCon event, Carolyn and Seth discuss the naming that is used in the technology industry. The early days of the industry that were marked by physical distribution led to names that don't always apply in a far more complex ecosystem, and using broader terms or thinking about the problem from the bottom up can lead to environments that are more applicable to a broad range of technology firms.

Fresh off a great ChannelCon event, Carolyn and Seth discuss the naming that is used in the technology industry. The early days of the industry that were marked by physical distribution led to names that don't always apply in a far more complex ecosystem, and using broader terms or thinking about the problem from the bottom up can lead to environments that are more applicable to a broad range of technology firms.

Daniel Lowrie stopped by the studio ahead of his presentations at CompTIA’s ChannelCon conference to give Justin and Peter a sneak peek at his sessions. He also hung out as they looked back at the week’s news, including the Capital One data breach and John McAfee’s recent escapades as a fugitive from the law.

Daniel Lowrie stopped by the studio ahead of his presentations at CompTIA’s ChannelCon conference to give Justin and Peter a sneak peek at his sessions. He also hung out as they looked back at the week’s news, including the Capital One data breach and John McAfee’s recent escapades as a fugitive from the law.

Daniel Lowrie stopped by the studio ahead of his presentations at CompTIA’s ChannelCon conference to give Justin and Peter a sneak peek at his sessions. He also hung out as they looked back at the week’s news, including the Capital One data breach and John McAfee’s recent escapades as a fugitive from the law.

Daniel Lowrie stopped by the studio ahead of his presentations at CompTIA’s ChannelCon conference to give Justin and Peter a sneak peek at his sessions. He also hung out as they looked back at the week’s news, including the Capital One data breach and John McAfee’s recent escapades as a fugitive from the law.

Daniel Lowrie stopped by the studio ahead of his presentations at CompTIA’s ChannelCon conference to give Justin and Peter a sneak peek at his sessions. He also hung out as they looked back at the week’s news, including the Capital One data breach and John McAfee’s recent escapades as a fugitive from the law.

Daniel Lowrie stopped by the studio ahead of his presentations at CompTIA’s ChannelCon conference to give Justin and Peter a sneak peek at his sessions. He also hung out as they looked back at the week’s news, including the Capital One data breach and John McAfee’s recent escapades as a fugitive from the law.

We're preparing for Las Vegas, ChannelCon, hot weather, and a swarm of grasshoppers! Stay tuned for our next episode - to be recorded live in Vegas. We start this episode with a little catch-up on technology news. This includes massive profit increases for Alphabet (Google) and Amazon, the $5 Billion fine of Facebook, and Apple's purchase of Intel's smartphone modem technology. Of course we have opinions on all of this, with some thoughts on how all of this might affect IT service providers. And somewhere along the way we comment on the merger of of T-Mobile and Sprint. Quick note on ChannelPro graphic mentioned: Find the link at https://www.channelpronetwork.com/download/who-owns-who-managed-services. The PDF link is https://www.channelpronetwork.com/file/34885/download - You'll need to be logged in to download that. Topic Two is about Artificial Intelligence and Microsoft's commitment to open source AI. From there we explore AI in general, how much is real, how this affect related technologies, and some speculation on who to bet on. Related Link: https://www.technologyreview.com/f/613994/microsoft-is-investing-1-billion-in-openai-to-create-brain-like-machines/ Topic Three: What small change can you propose that would make a huge difference? Case in point is the proposal to reconfigure airline seats so the "middle seat" gets an armrest. Related Link: https://www.fastcompany.com/90377949/airlines-are-finally-fixing-the-middle-seat How do you help your clients with the little things that separate you from the competition? Homework assignment: The Innovator's Solution by Clayton M. Christensen and Michael E. Raynor. :-)

VAR Staffing's co-Founder James Bier invites James Laszko, Founder and CTO of Mythos Technology to talk about their business relationship, ChannelCon19, and IT Nation Evolve.Highlights of the interview include Mythos' growth trajectory, the cutting-edge projects that they're involved with and upcoming events that you keep your eye on.Links:VAR StaffingTwitter - @VAR_StaffingLinkedIn - @VARStaffing , linkedin.com/in/jamesbierMythos TechnologyTwitter - @mythostechLinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-laszko-92504138/, https://www.linkedin.com/company/mythos-technology/IT Nation Evolve / HTG Peer Groups:FB: @TheITNation | @ConnectWise | #ITNEvolveCompTia - ChannelCon:FB: @CompTIA | #ChannelCon

Carolyn and Seth welcome back Nancy Hammervik, CompTIA's EVP of Industry Relations, to discuss the upcoming issue of CompTIA World. This issue focuses on Tech for Good, featuring examples of technology companies contributing to some of the major issues that society is facing. There are workforce implications, as new technology replaces some jobs but creates opportunities to manage the solutions in an ethical way. Nancy also talks about CompTIA's member of the year, Angel Pineiro, and his passion around enabling a new and diverse tech workforce. The new issue of CompTIA World will be available at ChannelCon and will go online at www.comptia.org the week of August 4.

Carolyn and Seth welcome back Nancy Hammervik, CompTIA's EVP of Industry Relations, to discuss the upcoming issue of CompTIA World. This issue focuses on Tech for Good, featuring examples of technology companies contributing to some of the major issues that society is facing. There are workforce implications, as new technology replaces some jobs but creates opportunities to manage the solutions in an ethical way. Nancy also talks about CompTIA's member of the year, Angel Pineiro, and his passion around enabling a new and diverse tech workforce. The new issue of CompTIA World will be available at ChannelCon and will go online at www.comptia.org the week of August 4.

Carolyn and Seth give a preview of CompTIA's ChannelCon event, taking place August 5-7 in Las Vegas. With attendees coming from technology vendors, managed service providers, and IT departments, there will be lively conversations around emerging technology, customer experience, and skills. For more information on the event and to register, visit the ChannelCon website www.channelcon.com

Carolyn and Seth give a preview of CompTIA's ChannelCon event, taking place August 5-7 in Las Vegas. With attendees coming from technology vendors, managed service providers, and IT departments, there will be lively conversations around emerging technology, customer experience, and skills. For more information on the event and to register, visit the ChannelCon website www.channelcon.com

The Technado team was joined by CompTIA’s Chief Technology Evangelist, James Stanger, this week. Peter, Don, and special guest Wes Bryan talked with him about CompTIA’s roadmap, future predictions, and their upcoming ChannelCon event. Then Justin rejoined to talk about the week’s news, including some Windows 10 stories and an update on the Target outage.

The Technado team was joined by CompTIA’s Chief Technology Evangelist, James Stanger, this week. Peter, Don, and special guest Wes Bryan talked with him about CompTIA’s roadmap, future predictions, and their upcoming ChannelCon event. Then Justin rejoined to talk about the week’s news, including some Windows 10 stories and an update on the Target outage.

The Technado team was joined by CompTIA’s Chief Technology Evangelist, James Stanger, this week. Peter, Don, and special guest Wes Bryan talked with him about CompTIA’s roadmap, future predictions, and their upcoming ChannelCon event. Then Justin rejoined to talk about the week’s news, including some Windows 10 stories and an update on the Target outage.

The Technado team was joined by CompTIA’s Chief Technology Evangelist, James Stanger, this week. Peter, Don, and special guest Wes Bryan talked with him about CompTIA’s roadmap, future predictions, and their upcoming ChannelCon event. Then Justin rejoined to talk about the week’s news, including some Windows 10 stories and an update on the Target outage.

The Technado team was joined by CompTIA’s Chief Technology Evangelist, James Stanger, this week. Peter, Don, and special guest Wes Bryan talked with him about CompTIA’s roadmap, future predictions, and their upcoming ChannelCon event. Then Justin rejoined to talk about the week’s news, including some Windows 10 stories and an update on the Target outage.

The Technado team was joined by CompTIA’s Chief Technology Evangelist, James Stanger, this week. Peter, Don, and special guest Wes Bryan talked with him about CompTIA’s roadmap, future predictions, and their upcoming ChannelCon event. Then Justin rejoined to talk about the week’s news, including some Windows 10 stories and an update on the Target outage.

I caught up with my brother Manuel after he returned from a triumphant tour of Europe and the UK. He’s got some cool things going on the second half of the year, including a big Coaches Mastermind event at CompTIA’s ChannelCon. We talked about Manuel’s coaching and consulting, and then did a deep dive into a few topics. First up: Culture! How do you create culture on purpose? And what happens if you let it grow by itself? I love Manuel’s assessment that it has to grow from the top down . . . or else it will grow from the bottom up. Second: Manuel is organizing a “Coaches Mastermind” opportunity at ChannelCon – Free to attendees. This is a limited event due to the size of the room. First come, first served. To make sure you don’t miss it, sign up for Manuel’s newsletter here: https://manuelpalachuk.com/ Enjoy the video interview:

Don is out in Las Vegas at CompTIA’s ChannelCon event, so he grabbed Zach Hill from IT Career Questions to chat about what he’s been up to and what he’s seen at the conference. Don also roped in Daniel Lowrie to look at the week’s major stories, including the AT&T bribery scandal and North Korea’s state-sponsored hacking windfall.

Don is out in Las Vegas at CompTIA’s ChannelCon event, so he grabbed Zach Hill from IT Career Questions to chat about what he’s been up to and what he’s seen at the conference. Don also roped in Daniel Lowrie to look at the week’s major stories, including the AT&T bribery scandal and North Korea’s state-sponsored hacking windfall.

Don is out in Las Vegas at CompTIA’s ChannelCon event, so he grabbed Zach Hill from IT Career Questions to chat about what he’s been up to and what he’s seen at the conference. Don also roped in Daniel Lowrie to look at the week’s major stories, including the AT&T bribery scandal and North Korea’s state-sponsored hacking windfall.

Continuing a conversation captured at CompTIA's 2018 ChannelCon, host Bob Dirkes learns from Angel Pineiro, Senior VP of Technology Services at Agilant Solutions, how his company helps teens launch careers as technologists, and why a Spanish-language version of Charles Eaton's book is important for today's parents. 

In this conversation captured at CompTIA’s 2018 ChannelCon, host Bob Dirkes talks with Angel Pineiro, Senior VP of Technology Services at Agilant Solutions, about his journey from mechanic to management.

Sure, Matt and Rich have plenty to say about CompTIA’s 2018 ChannelCon show; the latest news from ConnectWise, Axcient/eFolder, Pax8, and D&H; the importance of ecosystems in the Internet of Things; and the value of gamification as an employee motivation tool. But they also have a great new as-a-service market opportunity for you (hint: it involves Nerf guns) and a brand-new word of their own invention to share (hint: it’s “aggregatastic,” and we don’t know what it means either). But the real reason you simply can’t miss this episode of ChannelPro Weekly is the interview segment with recent high school graduate and budding hardware designer Sarah Johnson, winner of the first Cecilia Galvin Scholarship Award. Meeting her will make putting up with the usual nonsense from Matt and Rich well worthwhile. Subscribe to ChannelPro Weekly!    Look for us in your favorite podcast app. If you don't see us (yet) then you can subscribe via RSS in almost any podcast app using this link: http://www.channelpronetwork.com/rss/cpw Show Information: Episode #: 087Title: NGaaS is Aggregatastic!Duration: 1:38:03File size: 45.0MBRegulars: Rich Freeman - Executive Editor, Matt Whitlock - Technology Editor Topics and Related Links Mentioned: CompTIA Tackles Tough Issues of Our Time  ConnectWise Launches New IT Nation-Branded Partner Community Organization  Axcient/eFolder Forms Distribution Pact with Pax8  D&H Launches Digital Signage and Audio-Visual Solutions Initiative  It’s All About Ecosystems in the Internet of Things  Gamification: The Secret to Motivating Your Employees  CompTIA Names Winners of New Women in IT Awards  Matt's Museum Pick: RayCom RIS-100 Matt's Tech Pick: Siig M.2 PCIe adapter Rich's ICYMI preview and peek ahead at the news week to come

For Barb Paluszkiewicz, CEO of CDN Technologies, the phrase “everyone’s in sales” is no empty platitude—it’s the daily reality at her MSP. Richard Tubb and Karl Palachuk discuss ChannelCon, a new STEM scholarship, and how MSPs can take advantage of the latest NIST cybersecurity guidebook to educate their clients.

Carolyn and Seth give a preview of CompTIA's ChannelCon event, taking place July 31-August 3 in Washington, DC. Catch a sneak peek of sessions covering IoT, operational efficiency, emerging technology, and diversity. There is much more happening onsite and online! ChannelCon main site: www.comptia.org/channelcon ChannelCon online registration: www.comptia.org/channelcon/agenda…channelcon-online

Carolyn and Seth give a preview of CompTIA's ChannelCon event, taking place July 31-August 3 in Washington, DC. Catch a sneak peek of sessions covering IoT, operational efficiency, emerging technology, and diversity. There is much more happening onsite and online! ChannelCon main site: www.comptia.org/channelcon ChannelCon online registration: www.comptia.org/channelcon/agenda…channelcon-online

Carolyn and Seth give a preview of CompTIA's ChannelCon event, taking place July 31-August 3 in Washington, DC. Catch a sneak peek of sessions covering IoT, operational efficiency, emerging technology, and diversity. There is much more happening onsite and online! ChannelCon main site: www.comptia.org/channelcon ChannelCon online registration: www.comptia.org/channelcon/agenda…channelcon-online

Sunir Shah, founder and president of The Small Business Web, joins me, Nicki Kamau to discuss the partner as a customer, the disconnect between SaaS and the world, the opportunity for channel sales to expand and more on this episode of The Allbound Podcast.   What are some of the biggest challenges that you see vendor organizations face when it comes to partner collaboration? This is my bread and butter right now, because I'm doing a lot of consulting for folks, and it's pretty interesting. So the companies that are doing really well, view their partners as customers of the partner team. And the ones that do poorly view partners as somehow employees in the sense that they feel that the partners owe them something in order for them to get their respect. Like, you work for us to make money. And very few SaaS companies give enough money in commissions to a partner to make a difference. Because partners make all their money, almost, from actually providing professional services on top of the software.   It's like if I my basement rented out. I'm sure my general contractor made money on the furnace. It was probably $500. But where he made real money is actually doing the work. And so, marketing agencies make all their money from doing the actual marketing communication work, not the software. But a lot of SaaS vendors think they're the most important thing in the relationship. The partners that are doing really well view the customer as the team. They apply the exact same discipline that the product team would apply to the corporate customers of the core product, to the partner program. So they do a lot of customer development, they do a lot of customer interviews, they're very responsive, they have a support desk for the partners, they have a newsletter, they have a dedicated community manager/partner communications person. They have actual metrics they're measuring. They're looking at the finances that is a business line. They'll do Facebook ads at events and try to market to acquire more partners. They don't look at it as a passive source of revenue.   I mean, obviously, if you invest in something, it's gonna grow. And it's also the attitude of thinking of them as customers of your partner team rather than somehow they're your employees. And this is actually a very common thing in channel, it's not just in SaaS, where you look at your channel partners as your sales staff, you treat them as such. If they screw up, you can't yell at your partners and say, "I want more quota." Good luck with that! They'll drop you and find other vendors. They don't need that from you. They're customers, you know. And so that's really the core attitude that I find is critical. Treat your partners like they're the customers of the partner team. And when you do that, it becomes a lot more obvious what they want. It's like, "Well, we want a heads up on feature changes. We want to have sales collateral. We want to have support, or a once-a-month phone call. When you're in town let us know so we can hang out for a meal/" Simple stuff, right? What are the biggest opportunities that you're seeing for the market as you dig into your research?   I'm gonna be a little bit controversial. Well, a lot controversial. I've been working on this problem for a long time. In fact, when I ran partnerships at FreshBooks, it was the first time I became aware of how much of a problem it was. When people would call us up and say, "Hey, Sunir, I could sell a lot of FreshBooks to my customers. But I need a cut, and I don't wanna send the customers to you directly. Can I white label it? How do I manage, the visioning and the account management? I want to have an account login." And I'm like, "Whoa, whoa, whoa. That's a lot of work. Why don't you try selling a few?"   And we had this problem where I didn't have any resources to build a channel program, or even a channel admin for them. And I didn't see any leads coming from it. And meanwhile, all the resources were going to the core product in the core marketing. Because that's SaaS. And the fundamental gaps between the traditional channel and SaaS is not the disconnect in ideas or concepts. When I was there, I had a lot of strange comments. A couple people said, "Oh, SaaS, that's just what the millennials are using." I'm like, "I don't think just millennials are using SaaS." I wouldn't call Salesforce the millennial tool, or Zendesk. It was a little bit strange to hear that. A couple people were like, "Subscriptions. Who buys that? Who buys subscriptions?" Like, everybody? Everybody. The reason why, I think, is that when SaaS was conceived as a business model, you'd hear this language around it, especially from the futurists and the investors, that it was great because you could sell direct and make a recurring revenue. And when you sell direct, you disintermediate all the middlemen, all the value chain, and take all the gross margin for yourself. It looks like a cash cow. Because the internet, while it was a great marketing machine and you could reach all the customers just yourself. Because thinking that reach means they could reach you. But, actually, the problem is you need to reach them.   What happens was a couple things. One, there is no gross margin in SaaS. It's amazing. Because what happens is when you build one good SaaS product, guess what? The internet is huge. There are lots of competitors. It pushes a lot of the gross margin down. either because you dropped the price, or more likely, for the best products, they put a lot of engineers and designers and support, and customer success in behind the product to to keep the subscriptions going. And so there is a little bit of accounting magic. But if you realize that people won't keep using your software if you cut the engineering budget in SaaS. That's the thing. You'll lose them.   The second problem is because the SaaS companies are spending all their money on a product to be competitive. And so it's very hard to put engineering in the partner per channel. So you can't invest in the channel unless you have a vision.   The third problem is that there's a current view right now in SaaS that it's quite popular to spend a lot of money building a direct sales team inside sales, and more direct marketing to acquire. And that's fine. It works. But the problem with that is you can't literally phone everybody in United States who might want your product. You can't know everybody. You have to work the channel. And so the model of SaaS, it has disconnected itself from the channel. And you'll hear this talking to people who are potential resellers, solution providers, partners. They feel like when they send a customer over to a SaaS vendor, the vendor tries to steal the customer from them. And there's not enough money coming back to the partner.   The economics are not positive working with SaaS. And so there's a disconnect in the fundamental business model and the political economics, if you believe it, of SaaS versus the traditional channel. And I think all the exciting work will happen in order to make SaaS either work or fail will happen in fixing how SaaS can work with partners by providing them value and respect, providing them channel support. I mean, that's why Allbound exists, right? You believe in channel support in order to build up a channel. And I think a lot of the SaaS companies who have gone through the direct sales build that cycle, realizes there's a limit to that. You can only smile and dial so many leads before you've exhausted your relationships. And those people who did direct sales a couple years ago have definitely moved more into partnerships now looking to build the channel. As I was saying earlier, the exciting stuff is that the resources are coming back to partnerships to invest in bigger, chunkier channel programs.There's a couple ways of solving this problem. I don't think SaaS vendors will ever have enough resources that can apply to partnerships to build the middleware, to build a market. If you have a business degree, you know that supply chain management is built on logistic companies, and just SaaS, because the SaaS model broke a lot of the tech logistics. We're gonna have to build some new ones at the model, or work with existing partners like Ingram Micro or ScanSource, or distributors like that. So there are other existing resources coming to market. And the reason I say that is that there's enough SaaS vendors now that are succeeding. There's an overall market size of B2B SaaS that has now reached a sufficient enough size. There's enough fractional resources, per vendor, that you can start paying for these middlewares, so Allbound is a good example. There's an opportunity to start fixing some of these problems. When I was at the ChannelCon, I would say about 20% of the audience there now had a pretty reasonable cloud or SaaS-based parts of their business. And that's a good sign too. So if you have endors like you, and maybe other vendors in the space trying to do channel support, and you have businesses on the other side who are trying to build businesses natural to it, and you have organizations like ChannelCon working on bringing people together, I just feel like a matter of time now. So I think that's the opportunity. And, of course, whoever figures out how to fix the problem stands to make a lot of money, because right now, the industry for SaaS, B2B SaaS, stands around $20 billion roughly, globally, out of $400 billion for all software.   So Microsoft alone made $90 billion. And then Salesforce probably makes $7 billion or something last year. So you could see the huge difference between the size of the SaaS market, which still is very much in the infancy, which is amazing after 13 years. It's only because we broke the business model for the distribution. But when we fix it, then it will go from $20 billion to $100 billion dollars. And so if you think it's like, "Oh, it's not happening." It's going to happen now.

ChannelPro Weekly hits it's legal drinking age with a jam-packed episode that you won't want to miss! This week we discuss the happenings at CompTIA's ChannelCon, Mailprotector's new email encryption solution, what's new in the Windows 10 Anniversary Update, Relationship building for the device age, IoT research and opportunities, and much more! Download/subscribe and listen today! Subscribe to ChannelPro Weekly! Look for us in your favorite podcast app. If you don't see us (yet) then you can subscribe using this link: http://www.channelpronetwork.com/rss/cpw, or in iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/channelpro-weekly-podcast/id10955685... Show Information: Episode #: 021Title: Face Time Comes to Real LifeDuration: 1:23:36File size: 38.2MBRegulars: Rich Freeman - Senior News Editor, Cecilia Galvin - Editor in Chief, Matt Whitlock - Technology Editor Topics and Related Links Mentioned: The 20/CompTIA ChannelCon Mailprotector Re-Tools Email Encryption Solution for Greater Safety at Lower Cost Ingram Micro to Offer Subscription-Based Hardware Financing Relationship-Building for the Device Age What's new in Windows 10 Anniversary Update Interview: Tim Herbert on CompTIA IoT research Where's Joel? Matt's Museum Pick: Windows 98SE (on CD!) Matt's Tech Pick: BlasterX Senz3D ICYMI/What’s Up This Week preview

Carolyn and Seth discuss an open letter that was written to CompTIA following ChannelCon 2016, then invite Dave Sobel to the podcast to discuss the Internet of Things.

Carolyn and Seth discuss an open letter that was written to CompTIA following ChannelCon 2016, then invite Dave Sobel to the podcast to discuss the Internet of Things.

SaaS Marketplace Allows MSPs to Find Business Cloud Services to Resell    Today SaaSMAX Corp. announced the official commercial release of their new SaaSMAX marketplace platform. A few days ago I recorded a short podcast with SaaSMAX Founder and CEO Dina Moskowitz about this announcement and the Saas Marketplace in general.   Basically,  SaaSMAX  brings together channel resellers and app vendors, increasing revenues for both. It’s like a one-stop shop for partners who are looking for services they can sell (resell) to create recurring monthly revenue sources. The commercial launch kicked off with the unveiling of the new SaaS marketplace at CompTIA’s ChannelCon, with WiseSaaS search functionality that now permits site visitors to immediately start searching and discovering trusted business cloud software solutions that match their needs. Moreover, SaaSMAX provides Resellers with permission-only on-demand access to many SaaS Vendors’ reseller and affiliate programs and their related incentives. As you’ll hear in this audio, the SaaSMAX marketplace can be both a clearinghouse for finding vendors and a place for those vendors to communicate with you if  they don’t already have a partner portal. Joining SaaSMAX is free to Resellers. Resellers in SaaSMAX typically include Managed Service Providers, Value-Added Resellers, IT Solution Providers and IT consultants, but also extend beyond IT to include Marketing & Digital Media consultants, HR consultants, tax & financial advisers and other trusted advisers within various business domains. SaaS Vendors pay a flat monthly or annual licensing fee.   About SaaSMAX Corp. SaaSMAX Corp. is the ultimate Value-Add SaaS Marketplace for business cloud software vendors (“SaaS Vendors”) and resellers to create new revenues and partner opportunities. Resellers can now find and compare SaaS Apps AND manage deal registrations, affiliate tools and commissions, all in one place. SaaS Vendors now have the ultimate neutral venue to showcase their solutions to relevant B2B Resellers and Buyers, plus marketing support and tools to track sales conversions and commissions.   About Dina Moskowitz Dina Moskowitz is recognized by UBM Tech Channel CRN as one of the ‘Top Women in the Channel’, the recipient of the SMB 150 Award, the CRN Top 500 Solution Providers Award and San Diego IT Leadership Award, Dina Moskowitz has been leading and/or consulting to cloud-based, SaaS and other technology companies throughout her career. As founder and CEO of SaaSMAX Corp., the ultimate SaaS Marketplace for business cloud software vendors (“SaaS Vendors”), Dina conceived and built a market place allowing resellers to create new revenues and partner opportunities. Prior to SaaSMAX, Moskowitz was CEO and founder of Critical Digital Data Solutions Inc., which developed cloud-based data storage solutions. Dina has presented at various IT Channel events, including Channel Partners, SaaS University, CompTIA Breakaway, RetailNOW (RSPA), ChannelPartners and gSocial 2.0.   More info on SaasMax: Web Site: www.SaaSMAX.com Twitter: twitter.com/WiseSaaS    – Download the Interview with Dina Moskowitz here.