SMB Community Podcast

Hosts James and Amy are back this week to discuss the series of noteworthy headlines from this week as well as this week's MSP question of the week.

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1.) Notes On The News

1. IT Nation - one announcement
2. CompTIA Aquired - New Divisions will be created
3. Department of Labor - Ruling for Overtime Labor

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2.) MSP Question of the week:  Are you a REAL MSSP? What does it take to become a MSSP?

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Our upcoming events and more:

December 4: M&A Workshop in Scottsdale, AZ

December 5-6: MASTERMIND LIVE in Scottsdale, AZ

http://bit.ly/kernanmastermind

December 11: Channel Program M&A Forum in Dallas, TX

Check out Amy’s weekly newsletter! 

Sign up now: https://mailchi.mp/thirdtier/small-business-tech-news

Kernan Consulting “Weekly Tips”! 

Sign up now: https://kernanconsulting.com/ 

Hosts James and Amy sit down this week to discuss key performance indicators (KPIs) that can be used to measure success with your business.

1.) MSP Question of the week:  

What reports or KPI’s do you need to manage your business? 

Article by Amy:   https://www.channelpronetwork.com/2024/09/26/how-do-msps-measure-success-im-hitting-my-metrics-but-not-sure-theyre-the-right-ones/

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2.) Notes On The News 

1. 1. https://www.channele2e.com/news/big-3-rmm-psa-vendors-see-market-share-slip-canalys

   ConnectWise market share dropped from 26.8% to 24.3%.

   Kaseya market share dropped from 22.9% to 22.7%

   N-able market share dropped from 12.5% to 11.4%

   NinjaOne’s market share grew from 8.4% to 9.4%

   All others combined had a market share of 29.4% last year, which grew to 32.1% this year.  Canalys is forecasting the managed services industry itself to grow from $548 billion in 2024 to $608 billion in 2025.

   1. https://mspradio.com/podcast/marriotts-52m-fine-cybersecurity-warnings-and-tech-updates-from-microsoft-linkedin-atlassian/

   Marriott was issued a hefty $52 million fine following major data breaches that compromised the personal information of over 344 million customers. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) settlement mandates that Marriott enhance its security measures

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3.) Our upcoming events and more:

December 4: M&A Workshop in Scottsdale, AZ

December 5-6: MASTERMIND LIVE in Scottsdale, AZ

http://bit.ly/kernanmastermind

December 11: Channel Program M&A Forum in Dallas, TX

Check out Amy’s weekly newsletter! 

Sign up now: https://mailchi.mp/thirdtier/small-business-tech-news

Kernan Consulting “Weekly Tips”! 

Sign up now: https://kernanconsulting.com/ 

This week, host James Kernan speaks with David Sims, founder of Security First IT, regarding navigating HIPAA from the lens of MSP business ownership.

About David Sims

Since 1998, David is an experienced IT and cybersecurity professional who specializes in healthcare security and compliance. With over two decades of hands-on experience, he founded Security First IT to provide advanced solutions tailored to healthcare providers and small to medium-sized practices, ensuring they stay secure in an ever-changing threat landscape. David also founded and runs the podcast "Help Me with HIPAA", a show dedicated to how MSPs navigate healthcare and help their clients.

https://securityfirstit.com/

https://helpmewithhipaa.com/

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Our upcoming events and more:

MASTERMIND LIVE - Scottsdale, AZ - December 5-6th

www.smbtechfest.com

Check out Amy’s weekly newsletter! 

Sign up now: https://mailchi.mp/thirdtier/small-business-tech-news

Kernan Consulting “Weekly Tips”! 

Sign up now: https://kernanconsulting.com/ 

Returning to the podcast, host James sat down with Tim Fitzpatrick from Rialto Marketing. Topics include defining your processes, establishing your onboarding, and identifying your competitive advantage in the markets you serve.

About Tim Fitzpatrick

Tim is the President of Rialto Marketing, a company that provides marketing consulting, advisory, and outsourced or fractional Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) services. Rialto Marketing specializes in helping B2B professional service firms accelerate their growth by building and managing their marketing engines.

He also hosts the Rialto Marketing Podcast which features interviews with B2B professional service firm owners and executives who are actively working to grow their businesses. The podcast aims to help listeners learn from the experiences of these successful professionals by discussing the good, the bad, and the ugly of their journeys. It's a great resource for anyone looking to accelerate their business growth and gain valuable insights from industry leaders.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/timpfitzpatrick

https://www.rialtomarketing.com/

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Our upcoming events and more:

MASTERMIND LIVE - Scottsdale, AZ - December 5-6th

www.smbtechfest.com

Check out Amy’s weekly newsletter! 

Sign up now: https://mailchi.mp/thirdtier/small-business-tech-news

Kernan Consulting “Weekly Tips”! 

Sign up now: https://kernanconsulting.com/ 

Christopher Barber - Cheaper Than a Geek

https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopherjbarber/

Host Karl had a great chat with Christopher Barber from Cheaper Than a Geek in Maryland. Topics include networking for client attraction, and using Chambers of Commerce to spread a wide net that brings in new clients for decades. 

Chris got involved in his local chamber and worked his way up to being involved at the state and federal levels. Chris tells how he stumbled at first, with the local chamber, and then learned how to leverage it year after year.

Side note: Chris gives out "nerd" glasses as a gimmick, and Nerds candy at parades. Details in the podcast.

About Christopher Barber  Barber is the Founder, CEO, and Chief Nerd at Cheaper Than A Geek, an award-winning IT services firm known for delivering enterprise-level support to small businesses. With over two decades of experience in the IT industry, Christopher has built a reputation as a leader in providing innovative, customer-centric solutions that empower businesses to thrive in a digital world. 

He has served at the executive level on multiple chamber boards, including the Maryland State Chamber of Commerce, and is a frequent speaker on topics ranging from cybersecurity to the strategic benefits of IT outsourcing. Christopher’s dedication to exceptional service and community engagement has earned him numerous accolades, including recognition as a Most Admired CEO by The Daily Record and as a U.S. Chamber of Commerce Top 100 Small Business honoree.

Hosts James and Amy sit down this week to discuss difficult situations where the customer will not take your prosposal or recommendation

1.) MSP Question of the week:  What happens if you customer won't take your recommendation?

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2.) Notes On The News 

1. Safety around AI: https://edition.cnn.com/2024/09/29/tech/newsom-california-ai-safety-bill/index.html

2. Warnings about Free/Public Wi-fi in airports: https://www.cnbc.com/2024/09/29/its-time-to-take-warnings-about-using-airport-public-wi-fi-seriously.html

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Our upcoming events and more:

SMBTechfest Q4 - Irvine, CA - October 17-18

www.smbtechfest.com

Check out Amy’s weekly newsletter! 

Sign up now: https://mailchi.mp/thirdtier/small-business-tech-news

Kernan Consulting “Weekly Tips”! 

Sign up now: https://kernanconsulting.com/ 

Hosts James and Amy discuss pricing and the question around discounts for certain clients.

1.) MSP Question of the week:  Should you discount your price to win the deal? 

 " The bitterness of poor quality lingers long after the sweetness of a cheap price is forgotten." - Benjamin Franklin –

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2.) Notes On The News 

1. The UK's Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has announced a provisional decision to impose a fine of £6.09M ($7.74 million) on Advanced Computer Software Group Ltd (Advanced) for its failure to protect the personal information of tens of thousands when it was hit by ransomware in 2022.

2. Cyberattacks on Microsoft 365 Security  -- The increased number of cyberattacks on MS 365 data have forced many to adopt tools to protect themselves.

3.  Microsoft copilot “wave 2” was released last week --  Cool thing is they have included tons of user feature requests ( almost 800 )

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Our upcoming events and more:

SMBTechfest Q4 - Irvine, CA - October 17-18

www.smbtechfest.com

Check out Amy’s weekly newsletter! 

Sign up now: https://mailchi.mp/thirdtier/small-business-tech-news

Kernan Consulting “Weekly Tips”! 

Sign up now: https://kernanconsulting.com/ 

Hosts Amy Babinchak and James Kernan discuss the struggles of recruiting and what key qualities to look for when recruiting good people.

1.) MSP Question of the Week: When struggling with recruiting, how do you find good people/talent?

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2.) Notes On The News 

1. ConnectWise Expands MSP Platform with Acquisitions of Axcient and SkyKick, Strengthening Data Protection and Cloud Management

1. Microsoft will begin force-upgrading Windows 11 22H2 systems to version 23H2 starting October 8, 2024, as the former reaches end of support: Microsoft Forces Windows 11 Upgrades and Tightens Office Security as IT Departments Brace for Changes

2. Apple launched new iPhone 16 in September 2024

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Our upcoming events and more:

SMBTechfest Q4 - Irvine, CA - October 17-18

www.smbtechfest.com

Check out Amy’s weekly newsletter! 

Sign up now: https://mailchi.mp/thirdtier/small-business-tech-news

Kernan Consulting “Weekly Tips”! 

Sign up now: https://kernanconsulting.com/ 

Host James Kernan discussses security offerings, specifically looking at offering vCISO services as part of your cyber security stack.

1.) MSP Question of the Week: Should you offer vCISO services?

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2.) 5 Minutes with a Smart Person

Host James Kernan sits down with Charlene Ignacio, CEO of Fornix Marketing, to discuss being strategic about M&A discussions.

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3.) Notes On The News 

Chris Day, founder of ScalePad, has taken over as CEO, focusing on creating an integrated suite of products rather than pursuing new acquisitions. Outgoing CEO Dan Wensley will remain as a shareholder and advisor.

Additionally, a recent IBM study reveals that business leaders' confidence in IT has significantly declined, with only 47% considering their IT organization effective, down from 69% in 2013 

Reuters article: https://www.reuters.com/technology/cybersecurity/german-intelligence-says-russian-gru-group-behind-nato-eu-cyberattacks-2024-09-09/

Investopedia: https://www.investopedia.com/how-does-nvidia-s-record-usd279b-market-cap-loss-stack-up-8706251?utm_source=perplexity

A recent IBM study reveals that business leaders' confidence in IT has significantly declined, with only 47% considering their IT organization effective, down from 69% in 2013

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Our upcoming events and more:

MASTERMIND LIVE – Denver, CO – NEXT WEEK Sept 26-27th

http://bit.ly/kernanmastermind 

Use “EARLYBIRD” as the coupon code to save $200!!

SMBTechfest Q4 - Irvine, CA - October 17-18

www.smbtechfest.com

Check out Amy’s weekly newsletter! 

Sign up now: https://mailchi.mp/thirdtier/small-business-tech-news

Kernan Consulting “Weekly Tips”! 

Sign up now: https://kernanconsulting.com/ 

Host Karl Palachuk caught up with Dor Eisner, CEO of Guardz. Right off the bat, Eisner points out the reason enterprise cybersecurity attacks are different from those focused on small business. Like it or not, most of the attacks that work against SMB clients will not work against larger enterprises.

Eisner discusses the toolsets that are built specifically to attack small businesses, and marketed that way on the dark web. Assuming you don't want to spend time browsing the dark web, it's good to have a partner who is willing to.

Guardz is focused completely on securing small businesses, and helping them to secure their networks in a way that helps them lower their insurance premiums. Think about what that means for your clients: A dashboard that benchmarks a network against the requirements and checklists used by cybersecurity insurance companies to set rates.

A secure network AND lower insurance rates: That's a great combination!

You can connect with Guardz at: https://guardz.com

Request a Guardz Demo at https://guardz.com/schedule-a-meeting/

Karl asked about pricing and was pleased to find a very transparent, friendly pricing structure. Dor gives the pricing in the podcast, and it's posted clearly on the web site. In addition, you are not locked into longterm, inflexible contracts. Scale up and down as you need.

Also check out the free internal-use licensing for MSPs. Learn it. Use it. And integrate Guardz into your solution.

You get your free demo, free license, and some great sales tools at https://guardz.com. Check out the full podcast to hear Dor's advice on sales techniques and the response options for various clients and attack alerts.

Connect with Guardz on social media at:

• YouTube -    https://www.youtube.com/@Guardz_com
• LinkedIn -    https://www.linkedin.com/company/guardz/
• Twitter -    https://x.com/GuardzCyber
• Instagram -    https://www.instagram.com/guardz_cyber/
• Facebook -    https://www.facebook.com/guardzcom/ 

About Dor Eisner

Dor Eisner is the CEO and Co-Founder of Guardz, working to create a safer digital world for SMBs. Dor has over 20 years of experience in the field of cybersecurity. Prior to founding Guardz, Dor worked at IntSights, a Rapid7 company, as their VP of Business Development, as well as at Alarum Technologies as Director of Sales. 

Dor began his career in cybersecurity in the Israeli Defense Force’s 8200 Unit as Cyber Security Team Lead. 

About Guardz

Guardz distinguishes itself in the cybersecurity market with the first AI-Native MDR solution that redefines security management for Managed Service Providers (MSPs) with an automated detection and response platform. It simplifies and strengthens security operations, enabling MSPs to protect their SMB customers against the ever-evolving cyber threat landscape.

Guardz’s MDR empowers MSPs by integrating fragmented security controls into a cohesive, unified security ecosystem. By leveraging advanced artificial intelligence, the platform correlates data across multiple sources – such as dark web monitoring, email security, and cloud services – to detect threats at their earliest stages. This capability ensures that all security components, from user profiles to endpoint protection, work harmoniously, reducing the risk of overlooked vulnerabilities.

Guardz’s cost-effective pricing reduces cybersecurity expenses by up to 75% compared to traditional solutions, making it accessible for businesses with lean IT teams. The platform also supports MSPs through the MSP Growth Hub, offering tools for business development, including ROI reports and AI-powered risk assessments.

By combining innovation, affordability, and comprehensive protection, Guardz positions itself as a leader in the cybersecurity industry, empowering MSPs and their SMB clients to thrive in a safer digital world. Learn more at https://guardz.com.

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Thank you to Guardz for sponsoring this interview.

:-)