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Partnering With Peers For Growth

ByMonica Caraway 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.

Bob Nitrio

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!

Odd Tuesdays

 

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

 

MSP Online Classes

 

*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!

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Still Odd

ByMonica Caraway Karl Palachuk, Managed Services

First of all…WOOT!

We made it a full year in production!!

Odd Tuesdays

 

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!

Robert CraneIn 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.


Manuel Palachuk

 

 

 

 

 

 

Click below to catch today’s episode!

Odd Tuesdays

 

* 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!

Great Little Seminar

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HIPAA for MSPs

ByMonica Caraway HIPAA, Karl Palachuk, Managed Services

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

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.

 

Bob NitrioComputer 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!

Odd Tuesdays

 

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

 

MSP Classes

 

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The Dream IT Initiative

ByMonica Caraway Karl Palachuk, Managed Services

Michelle Ragusa

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.

 

 

Project Management

 

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:

Odd Tuesdays

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Hybrid On Premise Cloud & Conceptual Selling

ByMonica Caraway Cloud, Karl Palachuk, Managed Services

Jenifer Landers Zynstra 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. 

Bob NitrioOur 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:

Odd Tuesdays

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Lead with Training, Follow With Managed Services

ByMonica Caraway HIPAA, Karl Palachuk, Managed Services

Bigger Brains
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.

Bob Nitrio, Computer WallahAlso 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:

Odd Tuesdays

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

ByMonica Caraway Karl Palachuk, Managed Services

Dave Sobel, GFI 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.

Bob Nitrio, Computer Wallah

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!

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Odd Tuesdays Launches in 2014

ByMonica Caraway 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.