ChannelPro 5 Minute Roundup: Recent Episodes
The ChannelPro Network
A quick(ish) take on industry news and best practices for MSPs, solution providers, and others in the SMB channel from ChannelPro Network Executive Editor Rich Freeman and managed services consultant Erick Simpson.
Erick and Rich share thoughts on the latest ChannelPro State of the Channel survey, suggestions on leveraging ChatGPT to boost productivity and strengthen client relationships, and some very special news about the future of this podcast.
2023 State of the Channel: Full Speed Ahead on Opportunities
To keep up with Rich and Erick in the future, visit:
RichFreeman.net
ErickSimpson.com
Erick and Rich discuss why news from Nerdio and Microsoft made this a big week in cloud management, why it’s never too soon to get rid of a toxic employee, and why getting a victory tattoo of your favorite team BEFORE the big game can be a bad idea.
Articles referenced in this episode:
Nerdio Adding Endpoint and Application Management Through Intune to Manager for MSP Solution
The Microsoft Intune Suite fuels cyber safety and IT efficiency
Newcastle fan left red-faced after premature tattoo
Erick and Rich discuss two profitable opportunities many channel pros are missing out on, why upgrading the swag you give employees can deliver big ROI, and an IT company in India that’s pushing its staff—hard—to work less versus more.
Articles referenced in this episode:
IBM Security X-Force Threat Intelligence Index 2023(link is external)
Addigy Releases 2023 State of Apple Device Management Industry Report for MSPs
Please go home! Indian firm deploys software for work-life balance
Erick and Rich discuss how to spot and avoid burnout, why managing expectations is the key to eliminating costly surprises during customer onboarding, and a pesky woodpecker who deposited 700 lbs. of acorns inside a California homeowner’s walls.
Articles referenced in this episode:
Avoiding Burnout
Woodpeckers stash 700 pounds of acorns in wall of California home
Erick and Rich discuss why ConnectWise’s new ChatGPT-based automation technology is important, the right and wrong ways to think about MSP valuations, and a 6-year-old who ordered $1,000 of food on Grubhub from his dad’s phone.
Articles referenced in this episode:
ConnectWise Adds ChatGPT-Based Scripting to RMM Solutions
Michigan man says son, 6, ordered $1K in food from Grubhub)
Erick and Rich explain why Kaseya’s new partner program offers encouraging news for Datto partners, why pumping up your LinkedIn profile will help you win business, and why six doctors in Australia ate Lego heads for science.
Articles referenced in this episode:
Kaseya Expands Unified Partner Program for Datto and Kaseya MSPs
How to Optimize Your LinkedIn Profile For Sales Visual Template
How to Craft the Perfect LinkedIn Profile: A Comprehensive Guide Infographic
6 doctors swallowed Lego heads for science. Here's what came out
Erick and Rich discuss the good news for MSPs and their clients in Datto’s new security research, list three questions every channel pro should ask their employees soon, and marvel at the pet fish who made a Pokemon purchase with their owner’s credit card.
Articles referenced in this episode:
Datto SMB Cybersecurity for MSPs Report
Pet fish spend cash and expose Nintendo Switch owner's credit card during Pokemon live stream
Erick and Rich discuss why Pia’s AI-powered help desk automation solution is a sign of the times, why letting techs work remotely has advantages worth considering, and why the only defense against AI-based facial recognition tech might be AI-designed clothing.
Articles referenced in this episode:
Pia Officially Launches Service Desk Automation Solution
Fed up with facial recognition cameras monitoring your every move? Italian fashion may have the answer
Erick and Rich discuss analyst data underscoring why channel pros must be customer experience masters, discourage MSPs from giving assessments away for free, and describe a rare instance in which a river of melted butter wasn’t a good thing.
Articles referenced in this episode:
Top SMB technology trends in 2023
River of melted butter blocks Wisconsin waterway after fire at dairy plant
Back in action for 2023, Erick and Rich discuss what hardware trends from CES mean for the SMB channel, the importance of diversifying your lead generation activities, and a coder who turned to Office Space for criminal inspiration instead of laughs.
Articles referenced in this episode:
Lenovo Stresses Flexible Use Modes in Latest Laptops
HP’s 2023 CES Product Wave Targets Hybrid Workers
‘Office Space’ movie inspired employee to steal $302,278, police say
Erick and Rich make a prediction for cyber insurance in 2023 (and no, it’s not just higher prices), urge you to make hanging out with smart people a new year’s resolution, and invent a new measure for global well-being: the Erick Simpson Santa Scale.
Articles referenced in this episode:
Inflation has reached the North Pole as a Santa shortage looms
Erick and Rich discuss why CompTIA’s new Cybersecurity Trustmark fills a need in the channel, why you should consider giving your website a makeover, and why the police shouldn’t need to explain that driving with both windshields covered in snow is illegal.
Articles referenced in this episode:
CompTIA Introduces Cybersecurity Trustmark
Driver gets $553 ticket for driving with snow on windshield
Erick and Rich discuss what SkyKick’s new security product says about the evolution of cloud computing, how to raise prices on legacy clients paying outdated rates, and evidence from Tinder that voting regularly is more than just a civic responsibility.
Articles referenced in this episode:
SkyKick Calls Security Management the Next Dimension of Cloud Management
Truing Up Pricing For Legacy Clients(link is external)
Not voting in this past election might have cost you a potential match, according to new data from Tinder
With Thanksgiving approaching, Erick and Rich share a few things they’re thankful for this year and a few lesser known facts about the day AFTER Thanksgiving, Black Friday.
Erick and Rich draw on research from Axcient to explore the costly effects of supporting multiple BDR solutions, discuss why now’s the time to refresh your marketing materials, and tell the strange tale of a man who misplaced an ear bud for five years…in his ear.
Articles referenced in this episode:
Axcient Releases Research Revealing Strong Backup and Disaster Recovery Market for MSPs Who Switch to More Efficient Systems(link is external)
Axcient Unveils Linux Backup Enhancement to x360Recover
Earbud piece was stuck in British man's ear for five years
Together at the 2022 Acronis #CyberFit Summit in Miami with a hurricane possibly approaching, Erick and Rich discuss Acronis’s new EDR and PSA solutions, simple social media success tips, and a new bottled eggnog inspired by frozen toaster waffles.
Articles referenced in this episode:
Acronis Unveils EDR Addition to Cyber Protect Cloud Suite
Acronis Introduces Services Automation and Enhanced RMM Solutions
Eggo Waffles Puts Its Spin on Egg Nog
Live from the final ChannelPro SMB Forum of the year, Erick and Rich discuss Cisco’s increased interest in SMBs, how to use the end of 2022 to prepare yourself for a big 2023, and a six-foot tall loaf of bread named Pan Solo.
Articles referenced in this episode:
Cisco Underscores Commitment to SMB Market at 2022 Partner Summit
Meet 'Pan Solo': A California bakery's 6-foot replica of the 'Star Wars' hero made of bread
Erick and Rich discuss the mix of bullishness and wariness about market conditions at D&H’s recent THREAD event, why uncertain times are the perfect moment to drop your worst clients, and a real live case of snake(s) on a plane!
Articles referenced in this episode:
Undeterred by Recession Fears, D&H Is Rolling Out New Partner Resources
Garter snake causes stir aboard United Airlines jet in New Jersey
Erick and Rich drill into Auvik’s acquisition of Saaslio and Boardgent, why your RMM solution is one of your most important security tools, and the building suspense over the approaching selection of the next USA Mullet Champion.
Articles referenced in this episode:
Auvik Buys Saaslio and Boardgent
America's next top mullet will soon be crowned
Erick and Rich discuss N-able’s “manage everything” approach to the rise of cloud computing, the increasingly expansive security stack at Microsoft, and a shameful example of exaggerating how much fish you caught.
Articles referenced in this episode:
N-able Previews Cloud Infrastructure Management Solution
N-able Execs to MSPs: Manage and Secure Everything
Pair accused of cheating in big Lake Erie walleye tourney
Erick and Rich discuss why data from CompTIA shows it’s time to talk strategy with your clients, why spending money on new employees can get you higher profits faster, and why the record for highest-altitude soccer game ever played is likely to stand for a while.
Articles referenced in this episode:
SMBs return to strategic mindset, plan tech investments to support innovation and recruitment, new CompTIA study reveals(link is external)
Tech Buying Trends: SMBs Pinpoint Technology in Return to Strategy(link is external)
Teen puts 22 socks on one foot in 30 seconds for Guinness record(link is external)
Zero gravity soccer game breaks world record at 20,230 feet
Erick and Rich discuss an interesting new network-as-a-service provider, why now’s a good time to recalculate your labor costs (hint: the answer’s not just inflation), and a TikTok challenge that could turn you off on NyQuil and chicken forever.
Articles referenced in this episode:
Nile Aims to Deliver Networking As a Service That’s Truly As a Service
Don't cook chicken in NyQuil, FDA warns after TikTok challenge
Erick and Rich sum up the action and mood at Datto’s first partner event since being acquired by Kaseya, urge you to charge for assessments instead of give them away, and marvel at the record-setting 1,109 pint Negroni recently poured in Bangkok.
Articles referenced in this episode:
Optimism and Wariness Among Datto Partners as DattoCon 2022 Concludes
Thai hotel sets Guinness world record with largest Negroni cocktail
Erick and Rich discuss a forthcoming alerts management solution from Gradient MSP, why every MSP should build an organizational accountability chart, and a 38-year-old man in Japan paid $71 a booking to do nothing in particular.
Articles referenced in this episode:
Gradient Readies Alerts Management Solution
Dream job: the Japanese man who gets paid to do nothing
Erick and Rich discuss the strategic significance of ConnectWise getting into payments processing, the importance of factoring truly complete service delivery costs into your rates, and a Florida alligator rudely evicted from what was supposed to be its home.
Articles referenced in this episode:
ConnectWise Buys Accounting Integration and Payments Processing Vendor Wise-Sync
Alligator visits Florida elementary school, ‘home of the Gators’
Erick and Rich take a look at the surprisingly resilient M&A landscape for MSPs, discuss strategies for insulating yourself from supply chain woes, and marvel at the record-setting 69 fast food restaurants recently visited in 24 hours by two chefs in New York.
Articles referenced in this episode:
Abe Garver's blog post: Can MSP deals stand up to higher interest rates?(link is external)
TikTok chefs visit 69 fast food restaurants in 24 hours for world record
Erick and Rich chew over N-able’s jump into cloud management, why having good data in tightly integrated business apps is the only way to make confident decisions about your company, and a wedding-saving emergency intervention by a Boston cop.
Articles referenced in this episode:
N-able Introduces First Cloud Management Solution
Boston police save the day by ferrying stranded groom to wedding in harbor
Erick and Rich discuss Kaseya’s revised auto-renewal policy, how to keep new managed service clients happy during onboarding, and an interesting job listing for anyone who likes the sound of sleeping for a living.
Articles referenced in this episode:
Kaseya, Responding to Partner Complaints, Changes Auto-Renewal Terms
Casper is hiring professional nappers with 'exceptional sleeping ability'
Audio-only for the first time ever due to technical issues, Erick and Rich still manage to get in a conversation about CompTIA’s ongoing work to close the skills gap by helping young people launch IT careers as well as some essential guidelines for optimizing your PSA.
Articles referenced in this episode:
Newest Cecilia Galvin Scholarship Winner Combines Passion for Tech with Commitment to Diversity
CompTIA Spark helps young people unlock their potential and imagine new possibilities through technology
Erick and Rich discuss favorite insights from Service Leadership’s new industry profitability report, what makes for a good—and bad—statement of work, and how a 13-year-old on her way to medical school next year makes us all look like slackers.
Articles referenced in this episode:
5 Insights from Service Leadership’s 2022 Industry Profitability Report
This 13-year-old is headed to medical school a year after graduating high school
Erick and Rich discuss Microsoft’s cautious messaging during its Inspire partner conference, how to prevent your best techs from leaving for another employer, and the dubious opportunity now available in Cincinnati to smell a corpse flower in full bloom.
Articles referenced in this episode:
Incoming Channel Chief Says “There’s Never Been a Better Time To Be a Microsoft Partner”
Stinky bloom approaching for Ohio zoo's corpse flower
Erick and Rich discuss N-able’s new solution bundle for emerging MSPs, the awesome employee training tool you already have but don’t use (hint: it’s LinkedIn), and a guy who loves pizza SO much he nearly climbed into an oven to get some.
Articles referenced in this episode:
N-able Launches Solution Bundle for Growing MSPs
Police: Man cut loose after crawling down pizza oven vent(link is external)
Happy (belated) 4th! Erick and Rich mark the occasion by discussing why N-able bought a cloud management vendor, why now’s a good time to focus on the bottom line as well as revenue, and why there’s something fishy about a 95-0 soccer score.
Articles referenced in this episode:
N-able Buys Cloud Management Vendor Spinpanel
Sierra Leone FA probes ‘impractical’ scorelines of 95-0 and 91-1
Erick and Rich discuss HPE’s new as-a-service partner program, the many ways to motivate client and employee behavior, and the world’s first, and we hope only, zero-star hotel.
Articles referenced in this episode:
HPE Unveils New Partner Program for As-a-Service Solution Providers
Swiss 'zero star hotel' offers sleepless nights to ponder world's crises(link is external)
Join Erick and Rich as they discuss the potentially game-changing RMM system Kaseya has coming, how to handle a sales prospect who says “we’ve got a guy,” and just how big the biggest freshwater fish ever caught turns out to be.
Articles referenced in this episode:
Kaseya Rolls Out AI-Powered Recommendation Engine and Previews Next RMM Release at Connect IT Conference
Mekong villagers land heaviest ever freshwater fish
Erick and Rich discuss Cisco’s big MSP recruiting drive, why you should have an offboarding process for clients that’s as good as your onboarding process, and whether or not being removed from a vat of chocolate you’re swimming in is really being “rescued”.
Articles referenced in this episode:
Cisco’s MSP Investments Are Big and Getting Bigger
Two rescued from chocolate vat at Mars Inc candy factory
Erick and Rich discuss the growing trend of alliances between IT management vendors and cyber insurance companies, how soon is too soon to fire a problem employee, and whether or not naming your baby after Ikea products is a good idea.
Articles referenced in this episode:
New Tools from ConnectWise Aim to Simplify Cyber Insurance Application Process
Augmentt Offers Cyber Insurance Discounts to Cloud Management Partners
Ikea Norway offers help with baby names after COVID-19 boom
Are cloud vendors who sell direct a threat to channel pros? Ingram Micro doesn’t think so, and neither do Erick and Rich, who also discuss the possibility that M&A valuations for MSPs have peaked and that Elvis-themed Las Vegas wedding chapels are doomed. Articles referenced in this episode:
Ingram Micro Confident It Can Beat Its Largest Competitor—Cloud Vendors Who Sell Direct
Company to Las Vegas chapels: No more Elvis-themed weddings
Rich is on vacation, but he and Erick still have a pre-recorded episode for you about strategies for getting peak value from vendor relationships and a strange but true story about their recent travels.
Side by side once more, Erick and Rich discuss Ingram Micro’s new “digital twin,” how and why to get MDF, and a brilliant invention from Johns Hopkins University that prevents burritos from unrolling.
Articles referenced in this episode:
Ingram Micro Launches “Digital Experience” Partner Platform
Johns Hopkins students invent edible 'Tastee Tape' to keep burritos together
While partners at this week’s TD SYNNEX conference discuss booming IT market conditions, Erick and Rich discuss how to prepare for the inevitable slowdown to come, along with recent evidence that artificial intelligence isn’t all that intelligent yet.
Articles referenced in this episode:
Four Facts of Life for the Channel Today, According to TD SYNNEX Partners
How Smart is AI After All These Years?
Erick and Rich discuss the potential merits of buying remote access software from a security vendor, why expressing gratitude to employees and customers is a win-win, and the many, many holidays besides Star Wars Day celebrated this week.
Articles referenced in this episode:
Keeper Security Launches Remote Access Solution
International Harry Potter Day marks Battle of Hogwarts date(link is external)
National Two Different Colored Shoes Day celebrates diversity and uniqueness
Erick and Rich discuss a managed SD-WAN solution that MSPs and managed service newcomers should look into, explore how and why to raise your rates due to inflation, and pity the fool who now holds the world record for balancing a chainsaw on your chin.
Articles referenced in this episode:
Fortinet, Ingram Micro, and Masergy Collaborate on Managed SD-WAN Solution
Idaho man balances chainsaw on his chin for 37 minutes, 56 seconds
Erick and Rich discuss how small MSPs can generate big financial results, explain why you need to know your company’s market value even if you’re not ready to sell it, and marvel at the Dubliner who lodged 34 complaints about airport noise a day for a year.
Articles referenced in this episode:
Small Teams, Big Results
Dublin Airport received 12,272 noise complaints from one person in 2021
Erick and Rich share hot takes on Kaseya’s earth-shaking acquisition of Datto, discuss the smart way to deal with FUD when change comes to the vendor landscape, and greet some unexpected visitors, live and on the air!
Articles referenced in this episode:
Kaseya Acquiring Datto for $6.2 Billion
ChannelPro Exclusive: Kaseya Addresses Datto Acquisition
Erick and Rich ask why channel pros aren’t talking about blockchain more, urge you to stop giving away services out of the kindness of your heart, and marvel at the people in Dallas who scanned a random QR code in the sky recently and got Rickrolled. Articles referenced in this episode:
Drones create giant QR code to 'Rickroll' the city of Dallas
Erick and Rich explore Cytracom’s bold move into secure networking, explain why watching Google for local ransomware stories can help MSPs land new business, and question why anyone would want to take their house plants with them on vacation.
Articles referenced in this episode:
Cytracom Unveils Secure Network Connectivity Solution for MSPs
Kentucky hotel invites guests to bring their houseplants for the stay
Erick and Rich urge you to get in on compliance services even if you’re a regulatory newbie, explain why dumping low margin services regularly is a good idea, and make plans to place an order for Iron Mike Tyson’s ear-shaped cannabis edible.
Articles referenced in this episode:
Compliance Is for Everyone
Mike Tyson is Selling Bitten Ear-Shaped Edibles
Erick and Rich dive into the upbeat numbers in this year’s ChannelPro State of the Channel report, explain why ticket escalation rate is a KPI, and ponder why anyone would think sneaking reptiles across the border in your pockets is a good plan.
Articles referenced in this episode:
2022 State of the Channel: Happy Days Are Here Again
Border authorities find 52 reptiles hidden in man’s clothing
Erick and Rich tally up the reasons why direct-to-cloud BDR is on the rise, discuss a new and better way to sell BDR, and agree that the man who discovered a pearl worth thousands of dollars in his clam dinner is the good news story we need right now. Articles referenced in this episode:
Axcient Adds Backup Verification to Direct-to-Cloud BDR Solution
New Jersey man finds large pearl in his clam at popular restaurant
Erick and Rich discuss the big integration news from Nerdio, explain why ensuring you have the service capacity you need to keep up with growth in advance is a wise idea, and celebrate the GOAT goat who assisted sheriff’s deputies in Virginia on an arrest.
Articles referenced in this episode:
Nerdio’s Number One Competitor is…You
Virginia sheriff's office praises goat for assistance in chasing suspect
Erick and Rich size up the strategic alliance between Nodeware and SOCSoter, explain why leading with security is a winning sales strategy these days, and suggest the perfect gift for next year’s Valentine’s Day: cologne that smells like French fries.
Articles referenced in this episode:
IGI CyberLabs Integrates Nodeware Vulnerability Management System with SOCSoter Platform
The French fry lover in your life may go head over peels for this perfume
Erick and Rich discuss what the red-hot M&A market means for MSPs, why you should spell out roles and responsibilities for your employees in writing, and why stealing a car so you can find the one you parked someplace now forgotten is usually a bad idea. Articles referenced in this episode:
M&A Today: A First-Person Look at Selling Your Business
Florida man steals car; train sends it crashing into house
Erick and Rich are intrigued by LogMeIn’s corporate makeover as GoTo, eager for you to freshen up your marketing materials for the age of hybrid work, and impressed by the chicken who somehow snuck into a high-security zone at the Pentagon. Articles referenced in this episode: LogMeIn Introduces New Name, IT Management Tool, and Partner Program
Wandering hen taken into custody at Pentagon security area
Erick and Rich see sales potential in ID Agent offering its security training solution standalone, wisdom in using regular communication to avoid the “Great Resignation,” and horror in a real-life version of Weekend at Bernie’s.
Articles referenced in this episode:
ID Agent Turns BullPhish ID Security Training Solution Into Stand-Alone Product
Irish police investigate claim dead man taken to post office
Happy 200! Hard to believe it, but this is episode 200 of the 5 Minute Roundup. To mark the occasion, Erick and Rich discuss the single biggest change in the channel in the four years they’ve been on the air. Plus a real estate listing with four toilets. In one bathroom.
Articles referenced in this episode:
South Milwaukee home features 4-toilet communal bathroom
Back after a holiday break, Erick and Rich sift through Microsoft’s New Commerce Experience, urge you to get cyberinsurance for anyone (including you) who doesn’t have it, and scratch their heads at scientists who taught goldfish to drive.
Articles referenced in this episode:
Microsoft’s Upcoming Updates: What to Expect from Changes
Like a fish out of water? Israeli team trains goldfish to drive
Erick and Rich discuss Nerdio’s new availability features for Azure Virtual Desktop, encourage you to get started now on your sales plan for 2022, and marvel at the big, BIG dollars to be won in Saudi Arabia’s camel beauty contest.
Articles referenced in this episode:
Nerdio Adds BDR Features for Azure Virtual Desktop to Nerdio Manager
Dozens of camels barred from Saudi beauty contest over Botox
This week, Erick and Rich discuss the SMB network of tomorrow, per research from Auvik, doing a little pre-holiday tax planning with your financial advisor, and an internet gaming platform that briefly accepted bets on a soccer match completed the day before.
Articles referenced in this episode:
The Wireless-First, Cloud-Oriented Network of the Future is Coming into Place, Says Auvik
Erick and Rich have a lot to be thankful for this year, including artificial intelligence and hand sanitizer, which they discuss on this holiday week episode along with a neuroengineer’s recent efforts to teach rats to play Doom.
Articles referenced in this episode:
Poly Offering Credit for Office Communication Equipment Upgrades
HP Inc. Reports Fiscal 2021 Full Year and Fourth Quarter Results(link is external)
Dell Technologies Delivers Record Third Quarter Fiscal 2022 Results(link is external)
(ISC)² Cybersecurity Workforce Study Sheds New Light on Global Talent Demand Amid a Lingering Pandemic(link is external)
Rats (Sort Of) Played Doom Via VR
Rich and Erick discuss Gradient MSP’s new billing reconciliation tool and long-term strategy, urge you to unplug (like, really) during your Thanksgiving break, and finger the unlikely culprit responsible for damaging a U.K. family’s car.
Articles referenced in this episode:
Gradient MSP Launches Billing Reconciliation Solution
Parents Discover Culprit of Crashed Family Car in Secret CCTV Footage
Erick and Rich discuss the new platform and RMM solution from ConnectWise, the wisdom of identifying your worst customers now so you can fire them come January, and the latest oddball limited edition holiday offers from America’s fast-food restaurants.
Articles referenced in this episode:
ConnectWise Unveils New Platform and RMM Solution
Erick and Rich discuss Atera’s new AI-powered RMM automation feature, why you should ask vendors and distributors regularly about new resources for helping you grow, and a local election in Maine set to be decided by drawing straws.
Articles referenced in this episode:
Atera Equips RMM Software with AI-Based Ticketing
Live together from sunny Miami, Erick and Rich discuss the strategic implications of the Acronis Cyber Network, the challenges of preserving office culture in a work-from-anywhere organization, and the misadventures of what may be the world’s stupidest hiker. Articles referenced in this episode:
What’s Now and Next from Acronis
Side by side for the first time since COVID, Erick and Rich discuss Kaseya’s take on its RMM breach, trueing up your managed services clients, and a woman who went to sleep alone and woke up next to a meteorite.
Articles referenced in this episode:
Kaseya on VSA Ransomware Attack: It’s Embarrassing
Erick and Rich discuss the significance of Microsoft launching Windows 11 in the same week VMware updated its cloud platform, urge you to raise prices in January, and salute an industrious squirrel who borrowed a pickup truck to store walnuts.
Articles referenced in this episode:
Microsoft blog: Windows 11: A new era for the PC begins today
VMware Delivers ‘Cloud-Smart’ Approach for the Multi-Cloud Era at VMworld 2021
Erick and Rich sift through the implications of this week’s VoIP DDoS attack, explain the one situation when you should never present a sales proposal, and consider hiring a German hamster to manage their investments.
Articles referenced in this episode:
What Channel Pros Need to Know About the Bandwidth.com DDoS Attack
This week, Erick and Rich discuss SaaS Alerts selling a piece of the business to its MSP partners, how to determine the time has come to hire a full-time service dispatcher, and the potential hazards of stealing location-sensitive smart speakers.
Articles referenced in this episode:
SaaS Alerts Offers Stake in Company to MSP Partners
Erick and Rich ponder the strategic significance of Cytracom buying OmniNet, the importance of not customizing your managed service bundles, and the logic behind a newly developed technique for potty-training cows.
Articles referenced in this episode:
Cytracom Acquires SASE Vendor OmniNet
This week, Erick and Rich discuss partnering with Zoom, the dangers of excessive teamwork in your company (yes, that IS possible), and what the heck that big purple thing McDonalds calls Grimace really is.
Articles referenced in this episode:
Zoom Is Calling
This week, Erick and Rich discuss IT By Design’s new “business operating system” for MSPs, why aiming for perfection can keep you from success, and the cruelty of taking a cow with you to the McDonald’s drive thru.
Articles referenced in this episode:
IT By Design Launches “Business Operating System” for MSPs
Rich is back from vacation and ready to talk with Erick about Pulseway’s automated self-serve MSP customer portal, best practices for discussing security with customers, and a real estate listing in Florida with an unusual kitchen amenity.
Articles referenced in this episode:
Pulseway Ships Self-Serve Customer Portal
Erick and Rich discuss why hiring good employees is so hard today, why that trend makes retention critical, why you should (almost) never customize service agreements, and why you should also never bite an Olympic gold medal.
Articles referenced in this episode:
New Hiring, Continuing Strong Employer Demand Drive Tech Unemployment Rate to its Lowest Level in Two Years, CompTIA Analysis Reveals
Erick and Rich applaud the launch of CompTIA’s security threat intelligence sharing group, urge MSPs to resist “quarantine fatigue”, and discuss a U.K. citizen who wore a face mask in public as required, but used it to cover a different part of his anatomy.
This week, Erick and Rich discuss new reporting and cloud billing reconciliation products from ConnectWise, keeping a closer eye than usual on employee morale and engagement, and a bar in London serving “puptails” to pets.
Articles referenced in this episode:
ConnectWise Announces Lightweight Reporting and Cloud Billing Reconciliation Tools
Erick and Rich discuss a new grass-roots channel pro professional association, why MSPs must resist the temptation to slip back into bad habits when adversity strikes, and the drawbacks of building a staircase on top of bowling balls.
Articles referenced in this episode:
New Membership Group Aims to Influence Tech Industry Regulations
Erick and Rich discuss why Microsoft’s new Windows 365 may be a game changer, why the time has come to start attending live events again, and why leaving your house vulnerable to break-ins can occasionally have fortunate consequences. Articles referenced in this episode:
Microsoft Launches First “Cloud PC”
This week, Erick and Rich discuss the story everyone’s discussing—Kaseya’s RMM breach—plus when and how to adjust your compensation plan and a bargain-priced real estate listing with an unusual waterfront view.
Articles referenced in this episode:
Kaseya Now Targeting July 6th to Begin Restoring RMM Service
Kaseya’s RMM System Will Be Back Online in “Hours, Not Days and Weeks”
This week, Erick and Rich explore the significance of Barracuda buying SKOUT, the opportunity to re-tune your service lineup for the post-COVID era, and the dubious wisdom of using a device that prevents your mouth from opening to lose weight.
Articles referenced in this episode:
Barracuda Buys SKOUT Cybersecurity to Enter Red-Hot XDR Market
This week, Erick and Rich have the strategic importance of managed security, the strategic value of well-run quarterly business reviews, and the undeniable disappointment of hitting a home run through your own windshield on their minds.
Articles referenced in this episode:
ConnectWise Warns MSPs: Get Serious About Security Soon or Else
Erick and Rich review Datto’s thoughts about “cyber resilience” and co-managed IT, explore the new services every channel pro should be offering in the new age of IT, and marvel at the latest example of someone blowing off steam during the pandemic unconventionally.
Topics and Related Links Mentioned:
Datto Sees Cyber Resilience and Co-Managed IT as Key Opportunities in the “Roaring Twenties”
Erick and Rich discuss N-able’s product plans, the importance of thinking big about new opportunities in today’s changed IT landscape, and a handy new invention for people prone to walking into walls while gazing at their smartphone.
Topics and Related Links Mentioned:
N-able Outlines Near-Term and Long-Term Product Roadmap Plans
Erick and Rich discuss startup Gradient MSP’s first step toward building a channel pro “data intelligence” platform, explain why the best managed services sales pitch involves no selling at all, and ponder an “invisible sculpture” recently bought for 15,000 Euros.
Topics and Related Links Mentioned:
Gradient MSP Ships Solution for Cleansing PSA Data
Erick and Rich discuss D&H’s new partner investments, possible hardware price spikes, using security bundles to boost margins, and soap made from snail slime, which turns out to be an actual thing.
Topics and Related Links Mentioned:
D&H is Investing Big in Partner Resources
In honor of this week’s RSA security conference, Erick and Rich discuss four security tech trends, why you should make time for industry newsletters and emails, and a tech-savvy child who hacked his mom’s Amazon Prime account to order 918 boxes of popsicles.
Erick and Rich mull over the latest case of a big vendor buying an MSP consultancy, run through the benefits of getting your LinkedIn profile right, and marvel at the farmer who accidentally shrank France.
Erick and Rich discuss IT Glue going big on virtual CIO services by acquiring TruMethods, share a book tip every leader should read, and marvel at the guy who wants to exchange fees he paid in cryptocurrency last year for far less valuable dollars.
Erick and Rich are intrigued by BitTitan’s “data synchronization-as-a-service” strategy, certain you should do quarterly business reviews internally as well as with customers, and amused by the guy now walking from LA to San Francisco in a bear costume.
Erick and Rich discuss the strategic importance of the latest firewall from Sophos, the strategic wisdom for channel pros of paying attention to customer experience, and the strategic genius of Natty Light’s new alcoholic popsicle.
Erick and Rich ponder whether SMBs are being too easy on their security vendors, explain why now’s the time to revise your COVID safety protocols, and shudder at the slithery surprise an Australian grocery shopper found in their lettuce.
This week, Erick and Rich discuss Datto’s new quoting and procurement solution, building client phase sign-offs into your project plans, and what happens when a tiger mom gets her hands on deepfake technology.
Join Erick and Rich as they ponder the significance of Ingram Micro buying a PSA vendor, advise you to take a fresh look at your mission, vision, and values, and marvel at the guy who donated some old sweaters and $42,000 in cash to Goodwill.
Erick and Rich sift through the blockbuster SYNNEX/Tech Data merger, urge you to integrate your line-of-business software more thoroughly, and ponder the wisdom of a proposal in Maine’s state legislature to legalize Viking funeral pyres.
Erick and Rich explore the difficulties of preparing for economic liftoff in uncertain times, the strategic uses of asset management, and whether or not a free all-you-can-eat sushi meal is worth changing your name for.
This week, Erick and Rich have Datto’s big new security play on their minds, along with the power of sending unsolicited proposals to your clients and a new toy that proves it’s never too early to share the joys of work-from-home computing with your kids.
Erick and Rich explore Microsoft’s latest security upgrades and headaches, explain why MSPs should focus on profit rather than revenue, and present one more example of why uncaged animals simply don’t belong in passenger cabins.
This week, Erick and Rich have Kaseya’s acquisition of RocketCyber on their mind, along with the importance of normalizing your PSA data and the appeal of a new job opening for a professional sleeper.
Erick and Rich discuss Lenovo’s purchasing program for selling data center gear as a service, the dangers of perfectionism when it comes to running a business, and two great gift options for ex-significant others to remember for next year’s Valentine’s Day.
Erick and Rich discuss SolarWinds MSP’s security-focused partner event, the importance—for you and your customers—of redundant internet connectivity, and a man who discovered that AirPods work better in your ears than your stomach.
This week, Erick and Rich ponder the strategic implications of ConnectWise buying Service Leadership, urge you to audit your service desk rather guess how well it’s doing, and marvel at a COVID-19-friendly film festival with precisely one attendee.
Erick and Rich trade thoughts on the new managed antivirus solution from Huntress, what to do when you’re managed services toolset is delivering diminished returns, and a Microsoft chatbot that lets you talk to dead people.
This week, Erick and Rich take a look at ChannelPro’s annual industry preview article for 2021, explore the importance of reviewing your performance in 2020, and discuss the wisdom of sampling a new variety of gin made with Elephant dung.
Erick and Rich mull the meaning of Kaseya’s new Unified RMM framework, encourage channel pros to rethink their marketing plans, and explain why dried yellow mealworms could be your secret to weight loss success.
Erick and Rich greet the new year with a look at SolarWinds MSP’s new name, the new business plan you should be drafting right now, and the amusing fallout from a little too much holiday drinking for a reveler in the U.K.
With 2020 almost finally over at last, Erick and Rich share resolutions for 2021 and chew over the latest novelty Oreo flavor from the people who once brought you wasabi and hot chicken wing Oreos.
Erick and Rich take a break from their holiday preparations to discuss the year’s biggest IT story (surprise! It’s work-from-home computing) as well as the perfect solution for people who want to wear pajamas to their next Zoom call but still look professional.
Erick and Rich mull over the grim implications of the SolarWinds Orion hack, discuss a specific technique for taking word of mouth marketing to the next level, and gaze in delighted wonder as 32 illuminated portable toilets sing Christmas carols.
Erick and Rich discuss the latest news from Datto on its post-IPO plans, urge you to do performance reviews with your employees at least quarterly, and ponder why anyone would want to take up the world’s strangest martial art.
Erick and Rich sift through the impact of Salesforce buying Slack, provide some advice on planning ahead for 2021, and ponder how it is that 56% of remote employees can watch TV during the day, per a recent Nielsen survey, and still get work done.
In this short holiday week, Erick and Rich take time out from their usual routine to share the top ten things they’re thankful for this year, beginning with the resiliency of the managed services market and ending with science.
Erick and Rich explore the latest in a recent string of cloud management solutions, from Pax8 this time, urge you to start getting those 2021 quarterly business reviews booked now, and celebrate Baby Yoda’s first real-life journey into outer space.
This week, Erick and Rich discuss RMM pioneer Peter Sandiford’s new cloud identity management venture, urge you to get your client appreciation gifts in the slower-than-usual mail early this year, and cower in terror from Japanese monster robot wolves.
Erick and Rich discuss the significance of the news from Ingram Micro’s ONE conference, explain why you should do quarterly business reviews with strategic vendors, and share the blow-out electoral win of Rabbit Hash, Ky.’s new canine mayor.
Erick and Rich dive into the new incident response service from Sophos, knowing when it's time to pull the plug on a new business strategy, and some Halloween decorations in Dallas that may have taken the holiday spirit a touch too far.
Erick and Rich are impressed by SkyKick’s new cloud management solution, in agreement about the importance of learning to delegate tasks to your team, and confused about why it took so long for the town of Asbestos, Quebec to choose a new name.
Erick and Rich discuss ChannelPro’s special October issue, which is all about the why-to and how-to of building a diverse workforce, as well as tuning up your sales plan and a recent partnership between T-Mobile and…Betty Crocker?
Erick and Rich examine the evolution of Sophos Cloud Optix into a hybrid security/management tool, the importance of using all your PSA system’s integration capabilities, and proof that artificial intelligence still can’t match the human kind sometimes.
Erick and Rich dive into some conflicting stats about how much people like working from home, discuss the importance of taking guilt-free time away from work, and explore further evidence that 2020 is driving everyone just a little crazier than usual.
Erick and Rich discuss what a recent story from Beachhead Solutions says about the co-managed IT market, why adapting presentations to the nuances of videoconferencing is a must for MSPs, and a Mexican legislator who tried to skip out of a Zoom meeting early by leaving a photo of herself behind.
Erick and Rich ponder the implications of HP’s new subscription hardware and services bundles for SMBs, why cloud solutions require a different approach to sales and marketing, and the perhaps coronavirus-related rise of the “technosexual”.
Erick and Rich dive into the latest projections for the fast-growing SMB collaboration and security markets, share advice on keeping complex legal agreements from slowing down your sales volume, and discuss a perfect crime foiled by one fatal flaw.
Erick and Rich sort through the new MSP business building resources from IT By Design, the importance of relinquishing control over work to your employees, and a man in Oklahoma who took the whole pant-less online meeting thing a few steps too far.
Erick and Rich examine the new venture by the founders of RMM pioneer N-able, explain why you should ensure all of your employees understand all of your customer touch points, and discuss a guy who has your coronavirus record for longest time between haircuts beat by 80 years.
Back on the job after a vacation break, Erick and Rich discuss NinjaRMM’s new data protection solution, why growing channel pros need to ensure longtime employees know they’re still valued, and a youngster who recently found a missing LEGO piece two years after losing it someplace only a toddler would put it.
Erick and Rich discuss Bitdefender's new managed detection and response service, surveying your clients about changing needs caused by the coronavirus, and a new, totally sold out, style of Crocs sandals that look and smell like a bucket of KFC chicken.