Heads In The Cloud

In this episode, Graham and David speak with special guest and former Star2Star employee Jackson Haskins, Business Development Consultant with SouthTech. Learn about SouthTech's business structure, successes, values, and how they differentiate their practices to create a meaningful relationship with their customers. Get a glimpse of the connection between the supplier, the managed service provider, and the customer, plus discover the importance of treating these connections as partnerships and not one-off transactions. Join this conversation that highlights successful partnership factors, the topic of security growth and its drivers, how to limit robo calls, and nostalgic memories of Star2Star's early days.

In this episode, Graham and David talk all things data security with Vincent Oh, Director of Product Management at Telesign. Learn all about two-factor authentication and how it is essential for today's business as fraudulent activity continues to grow. Find out what data is collected and analyzed to improve security measures, what businesses are utilizing two-factor identification, and contemplate whether you've already happened upon Telesign's security measures! You'll also embark on a journey learning Telesign's growth history, valuable mergers, and methods of driving business. Take a guess of what type of pup Vincent owns as you listen to the end for some fun with ducks, dogs, and sandwiches!

In this episode, David and John are rejoined by Zeus Kerravala of ZK Research. Listen in on an analyst's intel on today's and tomorrow's tech, and be ready to embrace your inner Trekkie (Star Trek fan) as you learn how the famous Star Trek series inspired modern technology! The trio discusses the development of advanced inventions such as drones, telepresence, 3-D printing, and others that were first seen in Star Trek back in 1979. Get ready to wrap your head around the idea that "Things are only impossible until they're not" and contemplate with the group how something like teleportation might not be "highly illogical"! Join Zeus, David, and John to learn about speech interface, crypto-currency, and more!

In this episode, David and John are joined by James Patrignelli, the Director of Northeast Sales, at Liquid Technology, Inc. James shares how Liquid Technology helps other companies get the most out of their old IT equipment in a manner that satisfies environmental responsibility and even could help to foot the bill on implementing a new replacement solution that fits their needs. He also covers the topics of cloud migration, how data security is handled in the ITAD process, and how IoT is growing more need and attention around the technology liquidation sector. If you aren't getting a return on your investment for replacing your old hardware, listen in and find out what you're missing out on!

In this episode, David and John interview one of Star2Star's top 5 partners, Micah Bevitz, CEO of iTelecom. iTelecom specializes in cloud/IT services, phone systems, and voice/data options. Micah shares the story of how his company partnered with Star2Star nearly 10 years ago and grew to reach its position as The Elite Service Provider they are today. Micah reflects on the telecom industry changes that highlight the importance of early adoption in the technology space. Join in to get Micah's insight on how the market is reacting to DaaS technology and how to identify a fitting opportunity for DaaS or SD-WAN. You'll also be in for a sweet surprise on making homemade ice cream, plus a continuation of David and John's hot dog debate!

In this episode, David and John speak with Tim Basa, president of Telegration Inc. Tim shares how this Master Agency uniquely aligns itself to deliver an inspiring atmosphere that supports its agents' business objectives. Tim also sheds light on the recipe he uses to identify fitting agents, as well as the secret sauce he uses to keep them motivated. Discover the Master Agency world, hear about some great technology showcases coming up, and even get a quick ear-full of David's best attempt at covering Tubthumping by Chumbawamba.

In this episode, David and John speak with Heather Margolis, the founder of Channel Maven Consulting based in Boulder, Colorado. This firm focuses specifically on providing marketing services and support to IT channel organizations of all sizes. Heather shares how she got into the industry and how Channel Maven Consulting helps its customers succeed through one-on-one assistance with content creation, social selling, demand generation, online branding and more. Hear about the importance of utilizing LinkedIn to create relationships with prospects, and even gain some tips to help achieve visibility online. On top of an in-depth conversation about how you can appeal to specific verticals and customer niches, join in for some fun debate on the Game of Thrones finale and hot dogs!

In this episode, David and John speak with David Lewis, the Founder and CEO of DemandGen International Inc., a marketing agency that specializes in digital marketing. In addition to being the CEO of DemandGen, he is the author of Manufacturing Demand - the #1 book on modern lead management. In this podcast, hear how David Lewis got his start in marketing automation and marketing and sales technology. You'll learn why a company should invest in marketing automation, the importance of utilizing microsites, and their use in attracting customers. David Lewis also discusses what DemandGen does for its customers, lead scoring, what his book, Manufacturing Demand, is about, and his favorite sandwich.

In this episode, John and David speak with Michael Sterl, CEO of Carve Digital which is a marketing firm focused on the tech industry. Michael is also a Board Member of Telecom For Change, an organization that raises resources and revenue for underfunded charities, and is the Cofounder of Cloud Optik, a growing business dedicated to providing tools to offer a world-class set of data and analytics capabilities. Amid this packed discussion, discover what led Michael to specialize in working with cloud and telecom service providers, agents, and partners to tackle marketing efforts and enable their sales operations.

In this episode, John and David speak with Technology Evangelist Brian Franzo. Brian is a millennial keynote speaker, specializing in marketing through social media within the B2B space. He shares his career journey that began with 9 years working for the Department of Defense in the cyber security sector. After being named the fastest individual to become Sr. VP, Brian made a drastic career change which led to his current passion of teaching businesses to stand out from the noise and engage with customers in the digital space. It was this passion that led him to form the company iSocialFanz, a company focused on launching digital and influencer strategies for brands, including Dell, EMC, Adobe, IBM, UFC, Applebees, and SAP. Listen in and learn all about topics covering creating your digital handshake, staying top-of-mind with your customers, utilizing and embracing change, building a trustworthy brand, and much more!