In this episode, Vera and Lenka are joined by Melissa Hockenberry, owner of First Things First Training and Consulting. Melissa brings over thirty years of industry insight to her work.

She’s spent two decades in the MSP space and an impressive eighteen plus years at Autotask and Datto. Melissa is passionate about helping MSPs strengthen relationships, retain customers, and unlock sustainable revenue, all while staying true to her values.

Melissa shares a fun fact about herself and how she got into the tech industry. She explains why it’s important for her to create connections, what she did when her job role was eliminated and the human side of an M&A.

She explains the benefit of having a mirror partner to support you in your work, one thing she loves about the industry and one thing she’d change. Melissa and Vera talk about lack of representation and how to encourage young people to try new things.

Mentioned in This Episode

• First Things First Training and Consultancy
• PSA tool: Autotask
• Cybersecurity software: Datto
• MSP conference: DattoCon
• Emily Glass
• Andrew Wallace
• MSP conference: MSP Geek Con
• PSA and RMM: Connectwise
• Book: John Acuff: Start: Punch Fear in the Face, Escape Average, and Do Work That Matters
• Community software: Khoros
• Paul Green's MSP Marketing Edge