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