Strip Away The BS! What You Need To Score Big With Your Marketing

ByMonica Caraway June 16, 2015June 16, 2015 Karl Palachuk, Managed Services

Ulistic Listen to today’s episode HERE.

Today Karl talks to Ulistic’s Stuart Crawford who gives a run down on the types of public relations they do for their managed service provider clients. Ulistic is a full-service marketing agency for MSPs that includes services that cover outsourced web-marketing, business websites, social media, email blasting, case study writing, Google AdWords, and more!

Dave Seibert, from IT Innovators, talks about the various IT conferences he is involved with currently, to include the SMB TechFest quarterly conference and the SMB Online Conference.

Rayanne Buchianico also joins us in our Oddballs segment and gives a QuickBooks tip on how to handle bounced checks.

Click to listen to today’s episode!

Listen out for today’s listener coupon to save on Karl’s upcoming 4th annual MSP Online Conference!

*LINKS from today’s episode*

* SMB Online Conference 2015
June 23 – 25
Online
Find Out More HERE.

*ASCII Success Summit Tours
June 24 – 25
New York / New Jersey
Find Out More HERE.

* Windows 10 Behind the Curtain Event
June 23rd
Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Find Out More HERE.

* Windows 10 Behind the Curtain Event
June 25th
Austin, TX
Find Out More HERE.

* Webinar – Globalization of SMB – Featuring TechSoup’s Chris Worman
June 30th – 10:00AM Pacific
Online *Free*
Register now HERE.

You can find a full 2015 listing of MSP & Tech events happening in Karl’s weekly newsletter.
Sign up at KarlsNews.com to sign up!

Karl Palachuk | Managed Services

SharePoint & Office365 Consultancy

ByMonica Caraway May 5, 2015May 5, 2015 Karl Palachuk, Managed Services

Listen to today’s episode HERE.

Today, Karl talks to SharePoint & Office365 Expert Robert Crane regarding his consultancy and how he helps resellers & MSPs develop sales methodology for SharePoint and Office365.

We are also joined by one of our resident Oddballs, Manual Palachuk, in our Oddballs segment to talk about how to cultivate top talent techs for your MSP business.

Click to listen to today’s episode!

Listen out for today’s listener coupon to save $$ on the upcoming MSP Online Conference!

*LINKS from today’s episode*

* VSR’s 2015 Business Optimization Summit – West
May 6 – 8 Marina del Rey, CA
Find Out More HERE.

* Business Solutions Retail IT VAR of the Future
May 12-13
Las Vegas, NV
Find Out More HERE.

* Citrix Synergy
May 12 – 14
Orlando, FL
Find Out More HERE.

* SMB Nation Office 365 Tour
May 14th
Washington, DC
Find Out More HERE.

* Autotask Community Live
May 17 – 19
Miami, FL
Find Out More HERE.

* XChange SLED
May 19 -20
Atlanta, GA
Find Out More HERE.

* ASCII Success Summit Tours
May 27 – 28
Chicago, IL
Find Out More HERE.

* WITI Summit (Women In Technology)
May 31 – June 2
San Jose, CA
Find Out More HERE.

* Webinar – Globalization of SMB Series
May 26th – 10:00 AM Pacific
*Free* Registration HERE.

* Great Little Seminar Online Courses
June 2 – June 30
Online Classes
Financial Processes that Make All the Difference
Register HERE.

You can find a full 2015 listing of MSP & Tech events happening in Karl’s weekly newsletter.
Sign up at KarlsNews.com to sign up!

Karl Palachuk | Managed Services | SaaS

SaaSMAX’s Reseller-Friendly Apps

ByMonica Caraway April 16, 2015April 21, 2015 Karl Palachuk, Managed Services, SaaS

Listen to today’s episode HERE.

Today we are joined by SaaSMAX CEO Dina Moskowitz and VP Partner Clinton Gatewood to discuss the marketplace they have available of reseller-friendly SaaS applications.

During the discussion it is revealed that SMBs have on average 8-9 SaaS applications, particularly managing marketing and sales business activities. Clinton notes that following their SaaSMAX blog, WiseSaaS, is a good way to learn of new and upcoming applications.

Sales Coach Gil Cargill joins the show as well to give a teaser on his upcoming presentation in the June MSP Online Conference.

Rayanne Buchianico also joins us today in our Oddballs segment. Rayanne shares tips on keeping things simple with your business accounting.

Click to listen to today’s episode.

Listen out for today’s listener coupon to save $$$ on MSP classes over at GreatLittleSeminars!

*LINKS from today’s episode*

* Robin Robins Boot Camp
Apr 22 – 25
Nashville, TN
More info HERE.

* SMBTech Fest
Apr 23 – 24
Anaheim, CA
More info HERE.

* ChannelNext East
April 27 – 28
Quebec, Canada
More info HERE.

* Great Little Seminar Online Courses
Apr 28 – May 26
Online Class – Managing Your Service Board – Setup, Core SOPs, and Daily Procedures
Register HERE.

* ASCII Texas
April 29-30
Austin, TX
More info HERE.

* Globalization of SMB Webinar Series
April 28, 10AM Pacific: With Special Guest Richard Tubb!
Online
*Free* Registration HERE.

You can find a full 2015 listing of MSP & Tech events happening in Karl’s weekly newsletter.
Sign up at KarlsNews.com to sign up!

Karl Palachuk | Managed Services

ESET Endpoint Security

ByMonica Caraway April 7, 2015April 17, 2015 Karl Palachuk, Managed Services

Listen to today’s episode HERE.

Today, Karl talks to Author and IT Freelance Writer James Gaskin about his recent article in ChannelPro magazine on ESET Endpoint Security.

Karl also chats a bit to Business Consultant Josh Peterson, from Bering McKinley, about his upcoming June presentation in this year’s SMB Online conference.

And Amy Babinchak joins us in our Oddballs segment to discuss staying ahead in your technology business and how to take your clients with you.

Click to listen to today’s episode!

Listen out for today’s listener coupon to save $$$ on the upcoming MSP Online Conference!

*LINKS from today’s episode*

* Great Little Seminar Online Courses
Apr 28 – May 26
Online Class – Managing Your Service Board – Setup, Core SOPs, and Daily Procedures
Register HERE.

* SMB Nation Office 365 Tour
April 16
Chicago, IL
More info HERE.

* Robin Robins Boot Camp
Apr 22 – 25
Nashville, TN
More info HERE.

* SMBTech Fest
Apr 23 – 24
Anaheim, CA
More info HERE.

* Globalization of SMB Webinar Series
April 28, 10AM Pacific
Online
*Free* Registration HERE.

You can find a full 2015 listing of MSP & Tech events happening in Karl’s weekly newsletter.
Sign up at KarlsNews.com to sign up!

Karl Palachuk | Managed Services

MSP Non-Profit Clients Access Amazing Tech Resources via TechSoup

ByMonica Caraway March 17, 2015April 17, 2015 Karl Palachuk, Managed Services

Listen to the latest episode HERE.

Karl welcomes to the show Dan Webb, Vice President of Technical Solutions and Services at TechSoup Global. Dan talks about the wealth of technology resources MSPs can help their non-profit clients access through TechSoup.

Dan explains that TechSoup aggregates vendor donations and donation programs so that not-for-profits can readily access the resources. He says they have 650,000 NGOs all over the globe in their system. He says last year they helped deliver $900 million fair market value in tech support, software, hardware, and service donations to those NGOs.

Dan mentions that they administer many large tech company philanthropic programs, such as the Microsoft Donation Program. He says they have resources from Skype credits, Intuit programs for PC and Mac, multiple language options, and more. He notes that Dell, HP, Lenova, and Apple are a part of their Refurbished Computer Initiative.

Dan also walks MSPs through the first steps they need to take to get their non-profit clients connected with TechSoup resources. He notes that fulfillment can often be digital and immediate for organizations that register and qualify.

Karl is also joined by MSP Mark Moreno, Owner of C&M Support Services & Consulting. Mark has been servicing non-profit and church organization clients for many years and has extensive experience in working with TechSoup.

Mark says they have been able to access amazing resources for clients, to include exchange servers in the low hundreds, Office suites in the $10-12 range, and licenses for servers at ridiculously low prices.

Mark also offers advice to MSPs looking to service non-profits. He encourages MSPs to take time to learn and understand the particular non-profit space you wish to approach, whether it be servicing churches, schools, or something else.

Manual Palachuk also joins the show in our Oddballs
segment to talk about building a repair & restoration catalog for your IT service delivery business.

Click to listen to today’s episode!

And listen out for today’s coupon code to save on upcoming Online MSP Classes over at Great Little Seminar!

*LINKS from today’s episode*
* Great Little Seminar Online Courses
Mar 24 – Apr 21
Online Classes – The Ten Golden Rules of PSA
Register HERE.

*CompTIA Annual Meeting
March 24-26
Ponte Verda, FL
More info HERE.

* ASCII Success Summit Tours
March 25 -26
Columbus, OH
Find Out More HERE.

* Webinar – Globalization of SMB – with Dave Sobel, MAXfocus
March 31st – 10:00 AM Pacific
Online
*Free* Register now HERE.

You can find a full 2015 listing of MSP & Tech events happening in Karl’s weekly newsletter.
Sign up at KarlsNews.com to sign up!

Karl Palachuk | Managed Services

Partnering With Peers For Growth

ByMonica Caraway March 3, 2015April 17, 2015 Karl Palachuk, Managed Services

Kevin Royalty

Listen to today’s episode HERE.

Karl welcomes Kevin Royalty, from Total Care Computer Consulting, to our show today. Kevin is a longstanding Microsoft MVP, Moderator on the SpiceWorks’ Small Business Server and Server Essentials Forum, and leader in the MSP community.

Kevin was featured in the January edition of ChannelPro magazine in an article entitled A How-To Guide for Partnering With Peers (Jan 2015, P. 20).

Kevin talks with Karl about the value of partnering with fellow MSPs. He says it is a mistake to loose site of how powerful working with fellow MSPs can be, despite the fact that those same MSPs may have overlap with your services and technically be “the competition”.

Karl and Kevin share a number of specific examples of how such partnering has worked for them over the years in running their managed services businesses. They both agree that some kind of partnering is vital for an MSP, otherwise you will seriously confine your growth.

Computer Wallah Bob Nitrio also joins us today in our Oddballs segment. Bob gives a thorough comparison between Stamps.com and PB Smart Postage (a Pitney Bowes-Brother Label Printers partner service) following his experience in investigating what could be a handy and professional postage tool for his business.

Click to listen to today’s episode!

Listen out for today’s coupon code to save on upcoming Online MSP Classes over at Great Little Seminar!

*LINKS from today’s episode*

* Nonprofit Technology Conference
March 4 – 6
Austin, TX
Find Out More HERE.

* Ingram Micro Cloud Summit
March 8 – 10
Phoenix, AZ
Find Out More HERE.

* Wearables TechCon
March 9 – 11
Santa Clara, CA
Find Out More HERE.

* Channel Partners Conference and Expo
March 16 – 18
Las Vegas, NV
Find Out More HERE.

* HP Global Partner Conference
March 16 – 19
Las Vegas, NV
Find Out More HERE.

* SMB Nation Office 365 Tour
March 17th
New York, NY
Find Out More HERE.

* Great Little Seminar Online Courses
Mar 24 – Apr 21
Online Classes – The Ten Golden Rules of PSA
Register HERE.

* Webinar – Globalization of SMB – with Dave Sobel, MAXfocus
March 31st – 10:00 AM Pacific
Online
*Free* Register now HERE.

You can find a full 2015 listing of MSP & Tech events happening in Karl’s weekly newsletter – just visit KarlsNews.com to sign up!

Karl Palachuk | Managed Services

Generating Leads With Social Ammo

ByMonica Caraway February 17, 2015April 17, 2015 Karl Palachuk, Managed Services

While on our 2014 Roadshow, Karl and I met a fan in Sydney who spoke extremely highly of a lead generation company that secured him so many leads for his MSP business, he was considering removing any in-house sales positions that currently had lead generation responsibility. He raved that the difference in results from Social Ammo compared to his in-house team in teeing up new business was night and day.

Today Karl talks to Social Ammo’s Peter Caddick who shares how his company got started and how they can specifically help MSPs create leads. The focal point of Social Ammo’s efforts is on data mining LinkedIn connections, which can perhaps be viewed as daunting work or even an unproductive way in which an MSP can gain new business. Peter explains just how they take the reins of this strategy and outlines how successful it can be.

Rayanne Buchianico also joins us today in our Oddballs segment. Rayanne gives step-by-step instruction on how to enter bartering transactions into QuickBooks.

Click to listen to today’s episode!

The 4th annual SMBOnline Conference, Time to Thrive-2015, is now accepting registrations!

The first 50 to register, get all 3 days for just $99. Don’t miss out! Visit SMBOnlineConference.com to register!

Karl Palachuk | Managed Services

Boom!! Sky-High MSP Resources!

ByMonica Caraway February 3, 2015April 17, 2015 Karl Palachuk, Managed Services

Today, Karl talks to Jessica Davis, the Executive Editor at MSPmentor.net. Jessica says MSPmentor has a mission to be the news and information site for managed service providers. She says their site also operates as a connection/peer group site.

Jessica goes on to talk about some of MSPmentor’s annual research projects and resource lists. She says the MSPmentor 501 List is their biggest research project of the year, in which they rank MSPs from global entries. She notes that there are many factors taken into account in the ranking, however one of the top criteria is based on how well the MSP does with recurring revenue.

Jessica also talks about their MSPmentor 250 List, of which Karl was named in the recently announced 2014 list. She describes the criteria for that list, which is primarily about naming mentors in the industry. She says this list is particularly good for new MSPs and those MSPs seeking to take their business to the next level.

Jessica mentions MSPmentor’s sister websites, such as Talkin’Cloud®, run by CJ Arlotta, and The VARGuy.com, run by Charlene O’Hanlon. She says they are all a part of the Penton Technology Group, which recently announced the acquisition of another group of websites that includes Data Center Knowledge.

Jessica concludes discussion talking about MSPmentor’s recent launch of the IdeaXchange, which she says most admirably gives voice to an “I live this everyday” MSP perspective.

Amy Babinchak also joins the show today in our Oddballs segment. Amy shares some tips on how to analyze what your personality brings to your MSP business.

Click below to catch today’s episode!

NOTE

Karl Palachuk’s annual SMBOnline Conference has just been announced!

The first 50 to register, get all 3 days for just $99.

Visit SMBOnlineConference.com to register!

Karl Palachuk | Managed Services

Still Odd

ByMonica Caraway January 20, 2015April 17, 2015 Karl Palachuk, Managed Services

First of all…WOOT!

We made it a full year in production!!

Our debut was last year, Jan 21 2014, where we welcomed SMB Nation’s Harry Brelsford and Cloud Nine’s Lars Anderson.

We have since added our Oddballs segment with the amazing resident Oddballs Rayanne Buchianico, Computer Wallah Bob Nitrio, Amy Babinchak, and Manuel Palachuk. We have also syndicated the show to iTunes!

And we look forward to a great year for Odd Tuesdays ahead!

Thanks to everyone who has been following the show, telling others about the show, liking us on Facebook, giving us terrific show ideas, and a special thanks to Eric Black from Fiverr who has been responsible for much of the artwork on our blog!

Karl and I thank you very much!! 🙂 …and now, on to more Podcasts!

In today’s episode, Robert Crane, from CIAOPS, talks about the “green fields” opportunity that exists with SharePoint. Robert has written a number of books on SharePoint and says MSPs who choose to be a reseller of SharePoint become a specialist in a broadening technology landscape.

Robert explains that being a reseller allows MSPs to offer clients better compliance and control options, improved dynamic search capabilities, as well as a host of other progressive options.

Manuel Palachuk also joins today’s program in our Oddballs segment. Manuel shares some terrific how-to’s on documenting your processes.

Click below to catch today’s episode!

* And be sure to listen for the Odd Tuesdays coupon code good for everything in the SMBBooks store!
Great deals on online classes (like below) and more!

HIPAA | Karl Palachuk | Managed Services

HIPAA for MSPs

ByMonica Caraway January 6, 2015April 29, 2015 HIPAA, Karl Palachuk, Managed Services

Karl speaks with David Sims, an MSP based in Charlotte, NC who runs the HIPAA for MSPs website.

David says the website was borne out of his own experience and frustration with trying to educate himself and maintain HIPAA compliance. He also explains how the website has evolved into a terrific general resource for IT professionals.

David also talks about the advantages of running a private group on LinkedIn. He says his group is a space connecting professional members in a Mastermind type setting, with current real business problems being hashed out and advice being given, to including advice from his HIPAA for MSPs team.

Computer Wallah Bob Nitrio also joins the show in our Oddballs segment.

Bob talks about business continuity and disaster recovery. He offers advice on handling recovery from such malware as CryptoWall and CryptoLocker and gives feedback on the SmartShield utility program and on Easy Recover Essentials from NeoSmart.

Today’s episode also includes information on upcoming Tech events happening around the country and our Tech news segment as provided by Neowin.net.

Click below to catch today’s episode!

** And listen to catch the code to take advantage of money off on MSP online classes over at Great Little Seminar! **

Karl Palachuk | Managed Services

ChannelEyes & MSP Financial Processes

ByMonica Caraway December 16, 2014April 17, 2015 Karl Palachuk, Managed Services

Karl speaks with Jay McBain, Chief Marketing Officer with ChannelEyes. ChannelEyes offers a mobile app platform for connecting Vendors and their partners.

Jay says their main goal right now is to make the best use out of their mobile platform. He says the platform facilitates communication with real-time feedback, enables the right tools, and motivates channel partners. He notes that HP, Cisco, Verizon, and other large international channel organizations use ChannelEyes.

Rayanne Buchianico also joins the show in our Oddballs segment. Rayanne talks about the course she teaches over at Great Little Seminar – the Financial Processes That Make All the Difference course. The course is geared for MSPs and covers such topics as: separation of accounting and financial duties, entities and tax considerations, cash flow forecasting, and more over a five-week online teaching structure. Rayanne first taught this course in 2014 and is due to again teach the course in June.

In today’s episode you will also hear about the new Great Little Seminar 2015 course lineups & where MSPs can find terrific business freebies!

Be sure to join us in on our next episode Jan 6th where Karl will speak with David Sims who runs the website HIPAAForMSPs.com. David will talk about the wealth of research and resources he has been building on to help MSPs interested in taping into the healthcare niche.

Karl Palachuk | Managed Services

Results & Building Vendor Relationships

ByMonica Caraway November 4, 2014April 29, 2015 Karl Palachuk, Managed Services

Results Software

In today’s episode of Odd Tuesdays, Karl talks to Mike Honig, Senior Director of Business Development at Results Software.

Mike talks about Results’ expanded CRM system that includes project management and field service management components. He says the software is mobile enabled and includes time tracking. Mike notes that the time tracking is integrated into QuickBooks for tracking of both employee time and client billable time.

Our Oddballs segment today features Amy Babinchak discussing the importance of MSPs building and developing vendor relationships.

And as always the latest in Tech news and events happening around the place is announced – as well as the fact that Odd Tuesdays is now officially syndicated to the iTunes store!

Click below to hear November 4th’s show:

Today’s episode also features a discount code for listeners to register to the brand new Great Little Seminar 5-week online course starting up on Dec. 1. The course is instructed by both Manuel & Karl Palachuk, co-authors of the book The Network Migration Workbook.

Cloud | Karl Palachuk | Managed Services

Datto’s Continuity & an ASCII Scoop

ByMonica Caraway October 21, 2014April 29, 2015 Cloud, Karl Palachuk, Managed Services

Today’s episode features a number of interviews Karl conducted at the recent GFI Conference in Orlando.

Karl first speaks with Datto’s Rob Rae, who briefly shares how much growth Datto has undergone of late. Rob says Datto is undergoing phenomenal growth and they were recently named on the Inc. 500 for the third consecutive year.

Rob discusses continuity as a viable solution for small business and how Datto’s solution is a good option for MSPs to add to their portfolio of services. Rob says it is important for MSPs to get away from selling backup to clients based on disasters. He says end users are beginning to understand the cost of downtime more and more, and selling based on the world of data ransoming and data hijacking is something an MSP should include in their services.

Karl and Rob also discuss the future of hybrid cloud solutions and data storage issues, particularly in relation to storage across country lines.

Karl also speaks to ASCII’s Jerry Koutavas who notes that ASCII has just hit their 30th anniversary mark. Jerry and Karl talk in depth on how well ASCII forums are doing. Jerry says the forums have become an extraordinarily viable community due to the amount of sharing among MSPs on these forums. He says they regularly have around 2,500 messages a month between MSPs of varying sizes, from companies handling Homeland Security to one-man shops.

Jerry encourages listeners to check out their website to learn more.

And in today’s Oddballs segment, Manuel Palachuk dissects general vs. specific communication within our MSP business and between our Techs and customers. He offers tips on avoiding communication gaps.

Click below to hear October 20th’s show:

And listen through to the end for a special show coupon to access a discount to Karl’s down under tour!
The SMBRoadshow 2014 is heading to Australia and New Zealand in November!!

Karl Palachuk | Managed Services

Jeff Ponts Highlights Datatel’s Integration Options

ByMonica Caraway October 7, 2014April 17, 2015 Karl Palachuk, Managed Services

In today’s episode, Karl talks to Jeff Ponts, Co-Founder and COO of Datatel Solutions. Jeff wears several other hats as well, to include President of the Technology Channel Association (TCA) and Co-Chair to CompTIA’s Telecom Advisory Council.

Jeff talks about the big difference between software integration vs. systems integration. He highlights the numerous integration options that are available through Datatel and explains how the company has a strong mindset of supporting partners, not competing with them.

Jeff encourages listeners to reach out to him at Datatel’s website or via email.

This episiode also features a conversation Karl had at the recent Orlando GFI MAX Conference with GFI’s Caroline McClelland.

Caroline talks about the recent and upcoming GFI Max Conferences. She also notes that GFI has had some major company changes with some rebranding seeing the introduction of their LogicNow division and MAXfocus products.

For those wanting further detail on the changes, Karl wrote a blog article about the October 1 roll out that can be viewed here.

In our Oddballs segment, Computer Wallah Bob Nitrio joins us once again to discuss how mobility is shaping and changing the way MSPs and their clients are doing business. He also offers ideas on how MSPs can participate in the mobile App business.

As always, we cover the latest in upcoming Tech events and Tech News in our episode!

Click below to hear October 7th’s show:

* ~ *

GET YOUR HALLOWEEN ON!!

… A special blog announcement – We are having a contest over at our sister site, SmallBizThoughts.com

Every workday during the month of October, we are giving away a prize!

The prize with either be a 250 ml Erlenmeyer flask or a little wooden coffin – filled with candy. Hidden inside the candy will be a Gift Certificate worth either $25, $50, or $100!!

Video details here. Blog details here.

Karl Palachuk | Managed Services

Brain Bites

ByMonica Caraway September 16, 2014April 17, 2015 Karl Palachuk, Managed Services

Chip Reaves

In today’s episode, Karl is joined by Chip Reaves, from Bigger Brains MSP.

Chip joined Karl and the Small Biz Thoughts crew in 2013 in our annual SMB Online conference in which he spoke about how an MSP can train or educate their clients in such a way that will help lead to future sales. We had a lot of positive feedback on that presentation.

Chip is currently running a Kickstarter campaign to raise funding and awareness for a series of courses Bigger Brains is currently developing. The Brain Bites mini-courses are basic productivity courses MSPs can resell to their clients that cover productivity skills in Time Management, Organizing Files, and Managing Email.

Chip explains that the intention is to use crowdfunding monies raised to purchase additional equipment and hire illustrators and graphic artists to complete and enhance the courses. Chip also shares some of the ins and outs he has discovered in trying to work with the crowdfunding platform Kickstarter.com.

Rayanne Buchianico

One of resident Oddballs, Rayanne Buchianico, also joins the program in our Oddballs segment to share sales tax tips for MSPs.

We also cover the latest in upcoming Tech events and Tech News!

Click below to hear September 16th’s show:

* ~ *

Feel free to use the Odd Tuesdays show coupon for this or other book bundles on the
SMB Books storefront – Coupon code given in the episode!!

Karl Palachuk | Managed Services

The Office 365 Gold Rush Is On – and so is the SMB Nation Fall Conference

ByMonica Caraway September 2, 2014April 17, 2015 Karl Palachuk, Managed Services

Karl welcomes back SMB Nation‘s Harry Brelsford, whom helped us launch our very first episode of Odd Tuesdays 16 episodes ago in January!

Karl and Harry discuss the flurry of activity that has been going on over the last year with Windows XP and Server 03 migrations. Harry mentions his recent blog post about the Office 365 phenomenon, with Microsoft reporting incredible sales records.

Harry also mentions SMB Nation’s support of Microsoft Community Connections, educational events that are being used to help connect local business organizations with Microsoft Partners.

The pair also discuss the SMB Nation Fall Conference on in Redmond, WA later this month (September 26th-28th). Karl will be joining the conference as a speaker and will be holding his 10th SMB Preday Show September 25th!

Resident Oddball Amy Babinchak also joins the show to talk about Microsoft’s Multipoint. She explains that some MPSs may not even be aware of the offering as it is marketed to the educational sector, however it has been accessible to others for several years. Amy talks about how to set it up and under what circumstances you would select MultiPoint over regular terminal server.

Click below to hear September 2nd’s show:

ALSO! Karl’s latest 4-Book Series is out now! – Listen to the episode for your coupon code!!

Karl Palachuk | Managed Services

Avoid Overwhelm As An IT Business Owner

ByMonica Caraway August 19, 2014April 17, 2015 Karl Palachuk, Managed Services

Richard Tubb joins the program ahead of his impending book release of The IT Business Survival Guide.

Richard joined Karl earlier in the year in Karl’s annual SMB Online Conference and the two have frequently collaborated over the last 8 years.

Karl and Richard talk about the book, which Richard stresses is not just another “guide to running an MSP business”. Richard says the book is an easy-to-read guide full or practical advise for MSPs that are struggling with the daily stresses of running an IT business.

The book is born out of Richard’s personal experience with running an IT business and blogging tips for MSPs for 15 years.

Manuel Palachuk, a brand new addition to the show’s Oddballs team, delivers his first Oddballs tips segment!

Manuel has over 25 years of business, management, and training experience in the computer and electronics industries. He is an expert in process management. A number of his whitepapers and webinars on the subject can be found here.

Today Manuel discusses the value of learning and understanding a technology before you need it.

Click below to hear August 19th’s show:

Karl Palachuk | Managed Services

The Dream IT Initiative

ByMonica Caraway August 5, 2014April 17, 2015 Karl Palachuk, Managed Services

In today’s episode we welcome Cisco’s Michelle Ragusa-McBain who talks to Karl about her role as Vice Chair of CompTIA’s Advancing Women in IT Group (AWIT).

Michelle says there are two key support resources available as a part of the AWIT program, the Dream IT and The Career Resource Center. She explains that the Dream IT resource gives supporting members of the public ready-made presentation materials to enable them to easily communicate with girls and women in their communities to encourage them to consider careers in technology, while the latter offers a number of online resources.

Bob Nitrio

Also in this episode, Computer Wallah Bob Nitrio talks about his experience with installing and using Sonos, a HiFi wireless speaker and audio system, both at home and in the workplace.

Odd Tuesdays listeners are also being offered a 20% discount on Karl’s newly published 11th book!

Project Management in Small Business – How to Deliver Successful, Profitable Projects on Time with Your Small Business Clients is being made available to Odd Tuesdays listeners at a discount here using Promo Code: OddTuesdays

Upcoming tech events and our regular tech news segment also features in today’s episode.

Click below to hear August 5th’s show:

Karl Palachuk | Managed Services

Systematic Success Breakdown

ByMonica Caraway July 15, 2014April 17, 2015 Karl Palachuk, Managed Services

We at Small Biz Thoughts recently held our 3rd annual Online Conference and today’s Odd Tuesdays episode features snippets from some of the best keynotes this year.

The Systematic Success 2014 Conference featured 12 of the best business and technology speakers from North America and the UK in our ongoing pursuit to bring the best practices and tips for MSPs to your “online door”.

We also welcome back Rayanne Buchianico in our Oddballs segment.

Rayanne offers tips on the Desktop Premier version of QuickBooks vs. the Online Essentials version.

Also announced in this episode is that Karl’s latest book is out!

The Project Management in Small Business book, co-authored with Dana J Goulston, features project planning & management processes that are quick to learn and easy to teach to your assistants, fellow techs, and sub-contractors.

The book highlights the processes for dealing with spinoff work and is a true How-To on managing scope creep!

Click below to hear July 15th’s show:

Karl Palachuk | Managed Services

Patching the Human & The SMBKitchen Project

ByMonica Caraway July 1, 2014April 17, 2015 Karl Palachuk, Managed Services

In this episode Karl talks to Phil Elder and Susan Bradley from the SMBKitchen Project.

Both Phil and Susan have some key specialties in the world of tech management and share upcoming projects they are involved with. They also offer the chance for a lucky listener to win a year-long membership to the SMBKitchen ASP Project, a managed services educational project we have been highlighting on our show in recent weeks.

Resident Oddballs
co-host Amy Babinchak joins the program again.

Amy is also involved in the SMBKitchen project, although today she joins the show to share insight into when to hire and how to train administrative and tech staff for your managed services business.

Click below to listen to the show – lots of Tech News, tech event highlights, and a forecast on the rest of the year ahead for Karl Palachuk, which includes information on Karl’s recently announced Roadshow Down Under tour.

Click below to hear July 1st’s show:

Cloud | Karl Palachuk | Managed Services

Hybrid On Premise Cloud & Conceptual Selling

ByMonica Caraway June 17, 2014April 17, 2015 Cloud, Karl Palachuk, Managed Services

We have a very busy show today!

Karl is joined by two special guests.

First up, Karl talks to Zynstra CEO Nick East. Zynstra is a UK based business set to launch in North America this fall. Nick, who is currently touring America, talks about their hybrid cloud on premise solution. He says their launch timing and solution are perfect for those considering alternatives following the end of support for Windows 2003 and the end of life of SBS.

Karl also talks to Jenifer Landers, from Fully Expressed Potential. Jenifer is a featured speaker in the Systematic Success 2014 online conference on next week. Jenifer orients listeners on the topic she will be presenting entitled Conceptual Selling – How to Sell Something Your Client Can’t See.

Our Oddballs segment today features Computer Wallah Bob Nitrio giving his assessments of the PSA tool AffinityLive and of the new hosted accounting solution Xero (pronounced zero).

Another highlight in today’s show is the announcement of the winner in our first-ever Odd Tuesdays draw! One lucky winner is announced as winning a free membership to Third Tier’sSMBKitchen’s ASP Project.

Listeners are also reminded that this is the last week to qualify for the Odd Tuesdays’ discount code for the Ultimate 2014 Conference Bundle! Be sure to listen for the discount code! The online conference starts next week!!

Click below to hear June 3rd’s show:

Cloud | Karl Palachuk | Managed Services

Cloud Managed WiFi – WFaaS

ByMonica Caraway May 20, 2014April 17, 2015 Cloud, Karl Palachuk, Managed Services

Karl speaks with PowerCloud’s Bob Biddle and one of PowerCloud’s partners, MJ Shoer from Jenaly Technology Group, about WiFi as a Service (WFaaS). Bob describes in detail how cloud managed WiFi allows a small business to put together a series of access points that can be remotely managed by an MSP. He notes that PowerCloud addresses how to remotely manage BYOD and efficiently enables the creation of a network for all the smart phones and tablets coming into a business’ network.

MJ shares his experiences in using PowerCloud’s offering, which he has found to be a great solution due to its scalability. He says they have deployed the solution to manage very simple to complex networks. He says the solution allows them to use the same technology rather than different options depending on breadth of requirements.

PowerCloud has made available a whitepaper for listeners outlining the benefits of WFaaS, addressing mobility, the benefits of cloud managed WLANs, and how WFaaS is a great opportunity for MSPs/VARs in light of today’s explosive mobile device growth. Click here to access the whitepaper: WiFi as a Service: Market Persepective for VARs/MSPs Targeting SMBs.

Amy Babinchak also joins us in today’s Oddballs to share perspectives on and best practice tips in delegating in your MSP business.

The Odd Tuesdays’ discount code for The Ultimate 2014 Conference Bundle is still on! Be sure to listen for the discount code!

Click below to hear May 20th’s show:

Karl Palachuk | Managed Services

Automated Prospecting & Sales Tools for Your MSP Business

ByMonica Caraway May 6, 2014April 17, 2015 Karl Palachuk, Managed Services

Gil Cargill

In today’s Odd Tuesdays episode, we are joined by Gil Cargill from the Cargill Consulting Group.

Gil has spent the past 39 years as a sales consultant following an incredibly successful sales career at IBM. He focuses on developing the sales process and implementing sales tracking systems for MSPs. Gil is also a feature speaker in Karl’s upcoming annual online conference, the Systematic Success 2014 conference being held June 24th-26th, where he will address in detail how to Maximize Your Sales with an Awesome Sales Process.

Today, Gil discusses tips on automated prospecting tools and how managed service professionals and VARs can make the best use of a sales person in their business.

We are also joined by Computer Wallah Bob Nitrio in our Oddballs segment. Bob shares his experiences with researching & implementing a “paperless office” for his clients.

Today’s episode also features a special Odd Tuesdays’ discount code for The Ultimate 2014 Conference Bundle – the best offering in documentation resources that combines tickets to this year’s annual Online Conference!

Click below to hear May 6th’s show:

Karl Palachuk | Managed Services

How business-grade Sync is Changing The Security and Remote Access Landscape

ByMonica Caraway April 15, 2014April 17, 2015 Karl Palachuk, Managed Services

More geek talk & tech news in today’s 7^th episode of Odd Tuesdays!

Our special guest is Ted Hulsy, VP of Marketing at eFolder. Ted talks to Karl about sync and security for MSPs and VARs. Ted also notes a number of eFolder offerings that can make business clients happy. Ted extends a free-trial offer as well for listeners.

Also on today’s episode, Rayanne Buchianico, from ABC Solutions and one of our resident Oddballs, continues her QuickBooks tips segment with today’s tips surrounding the variety of preferences you can take advantage of in making QuickBooks much more user friendly with daily entries.

Click below to hear April 15th’s show:

Karl Palachuk | Managed Services

Molding Your First Employee & Keeping Techs Motivated

ByMonica Caraway April 1, 2014April 29, 2015 Karl Palachuk, Managed Services

Josh Peterson, Co-founder of Bering McKinley and a keynote at this year’s annual SMB Online Conference, joins Karl to discuss tech hiring tips. Josh advises MSP business owners to learn how to “right size” your personnel – a concept involving not targeting MCSCs or the top-level techs for your business, but rather aiming for entry-level techs that you craft into great engineers.

Josh says that even with your first hire, it is better to have an entry-level guy who shadows you and learns your good habits in order to mold a great employee. He says this will save you a great deal of money on high priced engineers and also avoids the situation where you hire a high-priced, experienced tech that may have bad habits and not be as open to learning your processes. Josh also talks about the importance of having a 90-day training plan and a strong career path emphasis for your entry level techs. He notes that the 90-day plan is so crucial in fact, that it is better to wait and hire that new tech, despite how busy workflow may be, until you have such a training plan ready.

Josh concludes his interview with Karl by extending a special offer for Odd Tuesdays listeners.

Amy Babinchack, owner of Harbor Computer Services, returns in our Oddballs segment. She made her Oddballs debut in our Feb 4^th episode where she highlighted banking fraud issues and how MSPs can put their clients into a position that limits their clients’ liability. Today Amy talks about how to create job satisfaction with your techs in some creative & non-traditional ways. Amy says her practices help keep her techs fresh and creative, while maintaining efficiency and revenue.

HIPAA | Karl Palachuk | Managed Services

Lead with Training, Follow With Managed Services

ByMonica Caraway March 18, 2014April 29, 2015 HIPAA, Karl Palachuk, Managed Services

Karl talks to Chip Reaves, from Bigger-Brains, about their Bigger MSP Program.

Chip says the program is a high quality video series featuring online training for business professionals covering Windows 8, QuickBooks, Microsoft Office, Gmail, sales & marketing, and more. The training series has several key elements.

1) The training is compelling – Chip says the videos were filmed with multiple cameras in studio with a focus on engagement. He says any clients that have compared the Bigger-Brains training next to comparable online training programs have found the difference to be night and day. Often online training is quite boring with a simple voiceover and screen shots. He claims their training is a cut above the rest.

2) The training is convenient for the end user – The videos are structured so you can do the 10-minute training sessions on basically any device that can access the internet.

3) The training was built with resellers in mind – Chip says the program is IT Channel focused and adds to the offerings MSPs have overall for their clients. It is noted that MSPs could put together creative bundles/packages featuring the online training and managed service plans.

There is some mention that MSPs often neglect to consider the budgets SMBs designate annually for training, which goes beyond the IT budgets MSPs normally target. In fact, it is noted that this can be a good angle in targeting more business, with MSPs first earning new clients based on business professional training offerings and then moving into a managed services soft sell. Karl mentions that another angle to consider is that as the economy begins to recover, there are untapped government grants that pay for people to get training. MSPs could educate themselves about such grants and include that in pitches to potential clients.

Chip encourages anyone considering their training to check out their website at http://biggermsp.com. He also notes the further training Bigger-Brains is currently developing, to include a HIPAA training they hope to have up and running by the end of March 2014.

Also featured in this Odd Tuesdays episode is our returning Oddball Computer Wallah Bob Nitrio discussing Software Defined Networks (SDN).

Click below to hear March 18th’s show:

Karl Palachuk | Managed Services

Bigger Brains & Oddballs

ByMonica Caraway March 14, 2014April 17, 2015 Karl Palachuk, Managed Services

Join us March 18^th when Chip Reaves from Bigger-Brains talks to Karl about the Bigger MSP Program.

Bigger-Brains has put together a series of studio-quality, unique training programs. The courses are highly interactive – a cut about the typical “screenshot and lecture” training videos.

Bigger-Brains allows MSPs access to selling these trainings as part of their Managed Services packages. Videos cover training in MS Office, QuickBooks, Sales, Marketing, and more.

The episode will feature as well our Tech News & Oddballs segment – More tech & MSP highlights to keep you going!

HIPAA | Karl Palachuk | Managed Services

HIPAA and HaaS

ByMonica Caraway March 4, 2014April 29, 2015 HIPAA, Karl Palachuk, Managed Services

April Sage, from Online Tech, joins us to discuss HIPAA compliance – a topic our Odd Tuesdays audience has been asking more and more about (Follow Karl’s HIPAA Pinterest Board).

April encourages MSPs to embrace the notion of HIPAA compliance because trying to work against or get around the regulations can cause a lot of headaches. She says it is a good idea to become familiar with the Business Associates Agreement – a contract that outlines the accountabilities in the chain of trust and what the flow of responsibilities are. She notes that the Department of Human Services has a good example of what that agreement should look like (See link here).

Rayanne Buchianico joins us in her debut Oddballs segment. She discusses how to record Hardware as a Service (HaaS) in QuickBooks. She outlines four key points:

1) What to record right after you buy the equipment

2) How to set up the rental income accounts

3) How to track associated costs

4) How to retire the item at the end of the lease term

Click below to hear March 4th’s show:

HIPAA | Karl Palachuk | Managed Services

Fear Not HIPAA

ByMonica Caraway February 27, 2014April 17, 2015 HIPAA, Karl Palachuk, Managed Services

April Sage, Online Tech April Sage, from Online Tech, joins us on our March 4th episode. Online Tech is a company that provides a range of solutions with the focus on handling security and compliance safeguards that are required for sensitive data.

April will be giving advice on HIPAA compliance, something her company closely works with MSPs on understanding and avoiding governmental compliance repercussions.

Rayanne Buchianico

We will also be joined by Rayanne Buchianico in her debut Oddballs segment. Rayanne is the owner of ABC Solutions based in Florida.

She provides complete accounting, business, and tax consulting services to IT professionals in the US, particularly to those using Autotask and looking to integrate their accounting systems.

Karl Palachuk | Managed Services

Defining Your MSP Role – From Turning a Screw Driver to C Level Executive

ByMonica Caraway February 18, 2014April 17, 2015 Karl Palachuk, Managed Services

Karl speaks with GFI Max’s Dave Sobel and GFI client Neil Holme, from Impact Business Technology. There is discussion on how one defines their MSP role to their clients.

Dave says it important MSPs become bolder in the way they define their role to their clients. He maintains that you need to be seen and heard as more than just the guy who works on the computers. He says if you set the tone right, a very different kind of relationship can evolve – a big difference in the way you are perceived by clients and in the services you can deliver to them.

Neil talks about the primary conflict MSPs encounter. He says they have to often decide between acting on the behalf of the customer vs. making service/product suggestions as a business person trying to make money. Neil and Karl agree that you will ensure long-term relationships with clients, that will result in more referrals, if you always put the client needs first. Karl notes that he is a huge fan of Road Map meetings with clients where it takes the relationship to that consulting level and the MSP is not just pushing a Purchase Order.

Bob Nitrio makes his debut in our Oddballs segment.

Bob outlines a new tool known as Touchcast, which is currently in beta testing for PC. He says the tool gives you the power of a TV studio on your desktop, with tools ranging from editing to teleprompter. More information about Touchcast can be found at Touchcast.com.

Have a listen to these segments and our Tech News segment by clicking below. And if you have a show idea – please reach out to us on the Contact page 🙂

Karl Palachuk | Managed Services

The Trusted Advisor Is Dead, You Need To Be The Outsourced CIO

ByMonica Caraway February 12, 2014April 17, 2015 Karl Palachuk, Managed Services

Tuesday, Feb. 18, Karl talks with GFI’s Dave Sobel about the importance of MSPs to rethink their role to their clients. Dave Sobel is responsible for fostering the growth and success of GFI MAX Partners. He is regarded as a leading expert on cloud computing, mobility and virtualization, and is a featured speaker at industry events including the Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference, CompTIA and SMB Nation and is often quoted in business and technology publications. Dave authored the book Virtualization: Defined, is a contributing writer for the corporate blog, and was a regular blog contributor to both Channel Insider and Channelnomics. In 2013, Dave was recognized for the fourth consecutive year as one of the top virtualization experts globally as a Microsoft MVP for Virtualization and was appointed Chair of the Mobility Community for CompTIA.

In our Oddballs segment, we introduce Computer Wallah Bob Nitrio! Bob got his start with computers in the early 1980s because he recognized the potential for using technology as a way to provide business solutions. Ten years later he closed his construction company to create a business consulting firm that helps small business clients improve their operations through the strategic application of technology solutions.

One of the things that has driven Bob over the years is a quest to know what solutions are available, what they do and how they can be applied to his client base. As times have changed some solutions become obsolete but there is always something new to be discovered, tested and cataloged for the day that he needs to have a ready-to-go answer for a client problem.

Join us Tuesday, Feb 18 to hear Bob, Dave, Karl, and show Producer Monica Caraway as they share MSP tips & IT news of the day!

Karl Palachuk | Managed Services

Results CRM – Integrating Outlook, QuickBooks, and Constant Contact

ByMonica Caraway February 4, 2014April 29, 2015 Karl Palachuk, Managed Services

Karl talks with Result Software’s Sam Saab, about their Results Customer Relations Management (CRM) offering. Results CRM uses SKYLINE’s (a subsidiary of Uni-Data™) main application hosting. SKYLINE is going to incorporate Results Software product for desktops, web, and soon mobile via the Results Mobile branding.

Sam explains that the advantage of IT consultants working with Results CRM is that it allows them to empower their clients to work virtually. The Results platform is fully integrated with every day programs, such as QuickBooks, Outlook, and Constant Contact. Sam says they are the only company offering such an integration and the offering does not require an in-house server.

Sam talks a bit about their pricing options for Results CRM, which includes a purchase price, a subscription option, and a rent-to-own model. Sam also offers Odd Tuesdays listeners a special risk-free trial offer for the next 90 days. Listeners can visit here and enter “Odd Tuesdays special offer” in the Comments section of the application form to take advantage of the offer.

Amy Babinchak also joins our first-ever Oddballs segment. Amy is a Small Business MVP and Owner of Harbor Computer Services and Third Tier. Amy talks about banking fraud issues and how MSPs can put their clients into a position that limits their clients’ liability. She notes that neither clients, nor MSPs, are 100% assured protection from the FDIC. Amy also highlights the work that Enterprise Security MVP and Forensic Accountant Susan Bradley has been doing. Susan has been writing articles for Third Tier’s SMBKitchen Project for several years about patching security and protecting small business banking systems. Amy says from the research Susan conducted, she was able to create a package she built for clients to implement better fraud protection.

Karl Palachuk | Managed Services

Help Your Client Leverage the Virtual Office Business Model

ByMonica Caraway January 28, 2014April 29, 2015 Karl Palachuk, Managed Services

Next Odd Tuesdays episode – Feb. 4 will feature Sam Saab, President and Founder of DPS Consulting and Results Software. Some of you may have met Sam at Karl’s annual SMB Preday event in Vegas last year.

Sam will discuss how you can help your clients leverage the virtual office business model. A breakdown of the topic can be found here. Feel free to send questions in via our Contact page!

Karl Palachuk | Managed Services

An Odd Tuesday Is Born

ByMonica Caraway January 21, 2014April 17, 2015 Karl Palachuk, Managed Services

Welcome to the show!

On our first-ever episode, we welcome SMB Nation’s Harry Brelsford and Cloud Nine’s Lars Andersson.

Harry gives an outline of what SMB Nation has in store for 2014. He discusses their Emerging Technology Tour, which Karl is a part of, and updates listeners on their Peer groups with Josh Peterson.

Harry also discusses SMB Nation’s Co-Op, which is focusing quite a bit of energy on matching SMB Community members with customers who need help ahead of the end of XP support in April.

Lars Andersson shares how instrumental SMB Nation has been for his business. He notes his initial involvement with them where he had attended a conference SMB Nation held that included a mobile test environment where they were administering the Small Business Specialists Exam.

Karl also shares some updates on the many live presentations he will be giving around the country this year – with a handy site
set up for those who want all the details here: whereintheworldiskarl.com.

Click to listen here: Odd Tuesdays Jan 21, 2014

Karl Palachuk | Managed Services

Odd Tuesdays Launches in 2014

ByMonica Caraway January 2, 2014April 17, 2015 Karl Palachuk, Managed Services

Join I.T. Author Karl Palachuk as he delves into what’s new in tech management & guides listeners on the best options for running their I.T. business. Podcast airs odd week Tuesdays and features a variety of Vendor & MSP consultant interviews and advice segments.

Karl’s first guests will include SMB Nation’s Harry Brelsford and Sam Saab, Founder of Results Software.

Podcast Producer Monica Caraway will also introduce in the new year our Oddballs segments with regular contributors “Computer Wallah” Bob Nitrio, Harbor Computer Services President Amy Babinchak, and ABC Solutions Owner Rayanne Buchianico covering various aspects of running an MSP business.

**NOTE**

First of all…WOOT! We made it a full year in production!!

GET YOUR HALLOWEEN ON!!

NOTE

First of all…WOOT!

We made it a full year in production!!