SMB Community Podcast

Host Karl caught up with Ryan Morris from Morris Management Partners and the Secure Connections Podcast by IOTSSA.

Ryan is a longtime member of the SMB IT Community and a well-known speaker and trainer in the industry. And, of course, he's one of the hosts of The Killing IT Podcast - https://killingit.smallbizthoughts.com.

Ryan is the principal at Morris Management Partners. MMP provides:

• Go-To-Market Strategy & Planning
• Sales Training & Channel Management Best Practices
• Partner Recruiting & Onboarding Strategy
• Partner Assessment & Profile Development
• Partner Enablement & Business Skills Training

As Ryan describes it, they spend about half their time on the vendor side and about half on the IT Solution Provider side of things.

And now . . . Ryan has joined the Secure Connections podcast and provides his genius on their platform as well. That podcast addresses tools and techniques for managing your security offering. Of course, Ryan focuses on the business side of all of this.

IOTSSA is the IOT Security Services Association. You can find them at https://www.iotssa.com.

Ryan's contact info is:

LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanmorris303/

Website www.morrismanagementpartners.com

Twitter @ryanmorris303

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Host James interviews Karl Palachuk from the National Society of IT Service Providers on their new initiatives and what they're up to.

What is the National Society of IT Service Providers? A new IT-central professional association dedicated to education, professionalism, and advocacy on behalf of the SMB IT industry.

For more information on NSITSP, visit https://www.nsitsp.org

Karl Palachuk is one of the long-term leaders in the SMB IT community worldwide. He is the author of more than twenty books, and the founder of the Small Biz Thoughts Technology Community. For more information, visit:

- https://www.smallbizthoughts.org

- https://www.karlpalachuk.com

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Building an "Operating System" for your Business

Brett Jaffe is a strategic coach and advisor for IT professionals. Host Karl caught up with him to discuss the topic of creating a business operating system.

Over a period of 25 years, Brett has built and sold three companies (including an MSP, cloud reseller, and digital forensics business), led hundreds of soldiers as an officer in the US Army, and built an international channel partner program from inception to over $30M in revenue.

Brett is a former EOS® Implementer and certified DISC trainer and currently serves as as a strategic coach and founding partner at ConnectStrat as well as CEO of audIT MSP Sales Automation.

Web sites:

• www.connectstrat.com
• www.auditforit.com

Sponsor Memo:

Are you still relying on a frustrating patchwork of legacy solutions? Modernize your cybersecurity and data protection with Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud. It's a single solution that combines backup, anti-malware, and endpoint protection management. As an MSP, you can easily improve clients' security posture, eliminate complexity, and generate more recurring revenue. Learn more about Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud at https://Acronis.com

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Host Karl interviewed Ali Imran from Boundless Digital. Boundless Digital provides a system for Managing Cisco Meraki Organizations.

With the Boundless Digital service, one engineer can do the work of many, including automate the deployment, troubleshooting, and overall administration of Meraki organizations.

Imran is a Solutions Consultant working in the pre-sales process, as well as aiding in product development.

Boundless Digital is a Cisco ecosystem partner. Then sell to MSPs that cater to the SMB market, as well as to Enterprises that could benefit from network automation.

Web site: https://www.boundlessdigital.com/

Boundless Digital also has a social media presence on all major platforms.

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Vendor Memo:

This podcast is sponsored by Linode.

Linode – a top Infrastructure as a Service provider as voted by G2 and Trust Radius, has resources specifically for delivering digital experiences in the cloud with better ease and affordability while not being locked into long-term agreements and commitments. Their guide, "The Golden Ratio of Price to Performance in Cloud Computing" details how alternative cloud providers and open source tools can lower costs and ease moving to multi-cloud environments.

This resource and more at http://linode.com/mspradio.

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Host Karl interviews Frances Moore from Inbay Ltd.

Inbay provides more than just a "back office" NOC or SOC: They can provide almost all of your remove support. We discuss everything from hourly support to outsourcing major projects.

Frances Moore is Marketing Director of Inbay Ltd, bringing more than 12 years of experience, marketing high-end leading brands, streamlining business processes and implementing core controls to ensure success in both the sales and marketing teams.

Over the last 9 years, Frances has worked for three MSP's in the UK. Her knowledge and expertise from an MSP standpoint are invaluable to the Inbay team.

Links

https://www.inbay.co.uk

https://www.facebook.com/InbayLtd/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/inbay-ltd/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvI8HvUqvkMU_TR3leLawgg

https://twitter.com/inbay

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Colin Knox, founder of Passportal, has launched a new venture called Gradient MSP. Gradient MSP is launching the first module of their data intelligence platform, focused on data hygiene and cleaning up all the dirty data that has accumulated in MSPs PSA solution.

Colin has spent the past 20 years deeply embedded in the technology field. Founding both XCEL Professional Services (MSP) and Passportal, Colin led both organizations as the top executive through several consecutive years of triple-digit growth from $0 to millions in annual recurring revenue until their acquisitions by F12.net and SolarWinds respectively taking both businesses from founding to successful exit in just 10 years. He is now the Founder & CEO of Gradient MSP, focused on giving vision and voice to MSPs both small and large. Colin is a technology innovator, passionate leader, and professional speaker focused on advising entrepreneurs how to grow, expand, and mature their businesses.

Links: www.meetgradient.com @meetgradient @realityknox

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Vendor Memo:

This podcast is sponsored by the Small Biz Thoughts Technology Community. Check us out at www.SmallBizThoughts.org.

Forms, templates, and checklists are just the start. Our Community includes ALL of the best-selling books on managed services in all available formats, plus free training, members-only programs, and the best business training available to managed service providers anywhere.

Plus, we have weekly live members-only Zoom calls. The average member saves more than 200% of their membership cost each year. We are totally dedicated to YOUR success.

Just because you're in business for yourself doesn't mean you have to go it alone. Join us today at www.SmallBizThoughts.org.

:-)

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Host Karl talks with Alan Rihm from CoreDial - www.coredial.com.

CoreDial is a leading provider of high-quality and scalable cloud communications, contact center, and video collaboration to more than 32,000 businesses. The company's solutions are quickly and easily auto-provisioned through its CoreNexa™ platform, which seamlessly integrates with other essential business applications. For small- to medium-size businesses and larger enterprises, CoreDial offers comprehensive, cost-effective, and future-proof communications solutions customers demand. Backed by an industry-leading 99.999% SLA and supported locally by 850+ trained partners, CoreNexa is uniquely positioned to help businesses unleash the power of the modern workforce.

CoreDial's newly-enhanced CoreNexa 7.0 platform lets partners scale their relationships with existing customers and capture new opportunities while providing modern, reliable, and feature-rich unified communications solutions, including the addition of richly-featured video and pervasive chat capabilities. CoreNexa 7.0 is a next-gen voice, video, messaging, and collaboration solution. These fully integrated, all-in-one capabilities are designed to unleash the power of modern and remote workforces and provide CoreDial's channel partners with a highly competitive, high-value way to satisfy increasing needs for reliable and comprehensive communication and collaboration tools.

As opposed to point-solution alternatives that only provide a place to conduct meetings, CoreNexa 7.0 was built as a collaboration-first platform for businesses of all sizes. The solution combines a built-in softphone for making and taking calls, HD video, messaging with chat & SMS, meetings, "always-on" virtual rooms, contacts w/ presence, contacts and calendar integration with Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace, Single Sign On and more. CoreNexa 7.0 can satisfy a multitude of remote and hybrid cloud deployments, replacing, supplementing, or enhancing an office environment. Channel partners can now compete more aggressively offering high-quality, reliable, all-in-one cloud communications while protecting their customers from over-the-top video competitors.

Alan Rihm is founder and chief executive officer for CoreDial, responsible for the company's strategic direction regarding sales, marketing, product management, and operational initiatives. He's been instrumental in establishing the company as a leading channel-focused provider of business communications services such as unified communications, contact center, workforce management, SD-WAN, hosted PBX, and SIP trunking.

CoreDial offers private-label cloud communications solutions exclusively through more than 850 channel partners. Under Rihm's direction, CoreDial has developed a laser-like focus for enabling channel partners to succeed with cloud communications through a "sell, deliver, manage, and invoice" initiative that results in industry-leading profit margins, plus a private label business model that lets partners build their own brands.

Links: - www.coredial.com - @coredial on Twitter - https://www.linkedin.com/company/coredial-llc/

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Vendor Memo:

This podcast is sponsored by the Small Biz Thoughts Technology Community. Check us out at www.SmallBizThoughts.org.

Forms, templates, and checklists are just the start. Our Community includes ALL of the best-selling books on managed services in all available formats, plus free training, members-only programs, and the best business training available to managed service providers anywhere.

Plus, we have weekly live members-only Zoom calls. The average member saves more than 200% of their membership cost each year. We are totally dedicated to YOUR success.

Just because you're in business for yourself doesn't mean you have to go it alone. Join us today at www.SmallBizThoughts.org.

:-)

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Host Karl caught up with Jason Bystrak from D&H Distributing. Jason is D&H's VP of Cloud and Services

Cloud and XaaS is positioned to grow as more companies have been compelled to embrace digital transformation throughout the pandemic, moving greater amounts of their infrastructures and services to the cloud. Small to mid-size businesses have shown themselves to be especially agile in light of the shift to remote and hybrid technology solutions, making this sector a notable opportunity for channel partners to profit from cloud services bundled with hardware and services. All-in-all, XaaS is becoming the new standard for technology consumption in the emerging digital economy.

The XaaS consumption model employs a combination of solutions including hardware, software, cloud-based solutions, and a roster of technology services. The challenge is to deliver this range of products and services through a streamlined conduit, reducing complexity while still capitalizing on the many benefits of XaaS. MSPs and VARs can more easily monetize per-seat services across multiple customers through use of a consolidated transactional platform, one that provides an array of cloud offerings and ideally allowing the partner to incorporate services of their own.

While the XaaS model can support any technology solution – including data center and network infrastructure – they are typically built around end-point devices. Software and SaaS solutions such as productivity, collaboration, unified communication and business applications are added along with infrastructure options such as enhanced security, data protection, remote access and virtual desktop. These are combined with services such as migration, integration, management and support for the term of the agreement. While some XaaS solutions are capitalized in the project-style upfront payment, most are financed in a monthly subscription model, posing additional challenges for the traditional channel model.

Jason Bystrak began his tenure at the company in 2019 to oversee what is now the distributor's Cloud Solutions offering, responsible for lines of business including cloud, XaaS ("Everything as a Service"), services, security, and unified communications. He has more than 25 years of experience in channel and cloud services, and is driving the D&H vision to be the "XaaS Distributor" for VARs and MSPs serving the SMB market, executing programs and leveraging the company's next generation Cloud Marketplace platform to help channel partners deliver total solutions in a subscription model.

Links

• https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonbystrak/
• https://www.linkedin.com/company/dandhdistributing/
• https://www.facebook.com/DandHDistributing
• https://twitter.com/dandh

Sponsor Memo:

Did you know that the average MSP spends 10 hours manually inputting accounting data each week? That time is 120 prospect calls, a month's worth of the Business of Tech, or building an entire lego death star. Gozynta Mobius can make your life easier through accounting automation. Automatic sync of invoices, expenses and inventory from ConnectWise Manage into QuickBooks Online in just a single click of a button. With onboarding, direct support, and regular feature releases, Gozynta is a family owned company dedicated to making software suck a little less each day.

Visit them at https://gozynta.com

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Host Karl interviewed Tom Watson, Channel Chief Advisor at NinjaRMM. Tom is a former owner of an MSP for 15 years. He's now with Ninja, working to deliver quality information to MSPs to help them grow their businesses and increase profitability.

Tom is also the Co-host of NinjaRMM's MSP Live Chats webinar series, host of the MSP Breakthrough podcast series.

Links:

• https://www.ninjarmm.com/msplivechats/
• https://www.ninjarmm.com/msp-breakthrough/

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Host Karl caught up with Mario Pirolozzi, VP of Sales at Zomentum, to talk about their Sales Acceleration Platform.

Mario is a 10 year industry veteran whose career has been dedicated to assisting thousands of MSPs and IT service providers in their go-to-market plans, sales strategy, and execution. As a former VP of Sales for Datto, and current VP of Sales at Zomentum, Mario is uniquely positioned to help MSPs evaluate their current technology stack and enhance their sales efforts by providing valuable insights and world class solutions.

Zomentum is the channel's only end-to-end sales acceleration platform. Their partners are creating documents 70% faster, they are increasing their deal values by 600%, and converting 100% more often while using Zomentum's full suite of tools.

Web Sites: https://www.zomentum.com/

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