SMB Community Podcast

Topic 1: AI - Take One: Fighting Covid on mass transit

In Barcelona's subway system, AI is helping regulate airflows to fight the spread of Covid. Of course, that has implications for other diseases and other mass transit. We discuss what this means for you.

Links:

https://thenextweb.com/shift/2020/07/07/how-barcelona-is-using-ai-on-its-subway-trains-to-curb-spread-of-covid-19-syndication/

https://www.erinbromage.com/post/flying-in-the-age-of-covid-19?postId=5ebbf881fa49b100172cdf76

Topic 2: AI - Take Two: Creating Fake Journalists to Write Fake Editorials

This is the kind of weirdness most of us weren't expecting from Artificial Intelligence. Now, on top of fake picture, fake profiles, and even fake videos, we now have entirely made-up background stories and profiles, with all the details.

This affects many things, including, potentially, your client's reputation management. And, of course, the possibilities for phishing and related attacks is almost unbelievable.

Links:

https://www.theverge.com/2020/7/7/21315861/ai-generated-headshots-profile-pictures-fake-journalists-daily-beast-investigation

https://thispersondoesnotexist.com/

Topic 3: Life after the Pandemic . . . Social Media Responsibility

Once again, we look into the self regulation of social media. In the new again . . . Twitter, Facebook, TikTok, and more.

:-)

Karl caught up with his good friend Rayanne this week to talk about your IT Business' Finances, updates to the PPP Loans, and your chart of accounts. Rayanne is the owner of ABC Solutions, LLC in Clearwater, Florida providing complete accounting, business, and tax consulting services to IT Professionals in the United States and abroad. Pick up some tips about tracking sales tax vs use tax and more, plus where you can get Rayanne's processes for these and more.

Rayanne's 5-Week class started on July 7 - you've only missed one week and it's recorded! Her classes are always updated with the latest information and packed full of handouts and excellent information. Sign up here: https://www.greatlittleseminar.com/course/financial-processes-for-the-i-t-services-firm/

More About Rayanne:

Rayanne is the owner of ABC Solutions, LLC in Clearwater, Florida providing complete accounting, business, and tax consulting services to IT Professionals in the United States and abroad. She is a Certified QuickBooks Professional Advisor in QuickBooks Desktop and Online versions and offers courses and blogs tips on QuickBooks regularly. She holds a degree in Accounting and is enrolled to practice before the Internal Revenue Service.

Rayanne is also a partner with Sell My MSP. A listing service helping buyers and sellers of IT firms find each other. With expertise in managed service providers, Sell My MSP provides unique guidance through the merger/acquisition process including business valuation services.

Her commitment to her profession takes her out of the office, too. Rayanne is a former member of the Executive Council for Advancing Women in IT at CompTIA as well as the Member Advisory Board for The ASCII Group. She teaches finance courses through Bigger Brains and Great Little Seminar to help IT Professionals understand their business finances and make appropriate management decisions. Rayanne also provides information through social media such as the PSA Impact Podcast series, YouTube Channel, and publishing articles through various IT Channel periodicals.

Links:

https://www.psaimpact.net/ https://www.abcsolutionsfl.com/ https://www.sellmymsp.com/

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Topic 1: Regulations are real in Louisiana.

Now moving to a city and state near you.

Also, check out the new page on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/3011459202301532 (MSP Regulation and Legislation).

Topic 2:Face-changing technology . . . with a nod to what this means for facial recognition.

And maybe a quick discussion of Pandora’s box. Can we keep the genie in the bottle?

Related Link:
https://gizmodo.com/disneys-developed-movie-quality-face-swapping-technolog-1844202003

Topic 3: Life after the Pandemic . . . Revisit Social Media trying to figure out if (how much) they should limit content ?

Of course we have opinions!

James Kernan met with Eric Beller about building residual income. Eric Beller is a seasoned sales leader with executive experience in managing business development and support operations for decentralized sales teams and distributors. He is senior vice president of sales for Sandler Partners, America's Fastest Growing Distributor of Connectivity & Cloud Services. In this role, Beller oversees recruitment and management of the company's network of sales partners, including agents, VARs and MSPs, which are selling voice, data, mobility, colo, cloud, security and continuity services to businesses nationwide.

Looking to Partner with MSPs so we can add residual + upfront income for the clients they service today. Partner up with Sandler Partners to sell cable, fiber, wireless, VoIP, and various cloud solutions and earn residual income. Its free and easy to sign up. See why thousands of MSP's use Sandler Partners today.

Links:

https://www.sandlerpartners.com/ebeller

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Topic 1: Limit AI Research before it happens?

Wired reports that an AI algorithm that "predicts" criminality based on a facial recognition is drawing ire. Meanwhile, some AI experts are calling to stop this line of research altogether.

https://www.wired.com/story/algorithm-predicts-criminality-based-face-sparks-furor/

https://www.theverge.com/2020/6/24/21301465/ai-machine-learning-racist-crime-prediction-coalition-critical-technology-springer-study

Topic 2: Apple buys an RMM

. . . Will this affect us? (and Dave notes his predictions along these lines).

Note also Amazon’s new use of the term "managed service " with regard to their Honeycode project. Described online as a "managed service" you can buy.

See . . .

https://www.channele2e.com/investors/mergers-acquisitions/apple-buys-fleetsmith/

https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200624005803/en/AWS-Announces-Amazon-Honeycode

Topic 3: Life after the Pandemic . . .

Will we actually get to attend anything in October?

We discuss probabilities . . . and have some differences of opinion.

:-)

Co-hosts Karl Palachuk and Amy Babinchak got together to discuss the use of Retainers in the MSP space. Amy shares exactly how they are applied in her business, the freedom they allow, and how she deals with the question of "roll-over hours."

And more - there's always more when these two get together.

-

Amy Babinchak is the owner of three IT related businesses: Harbor Computer Services, Third Tier and Sell My MSP and has been working in small and medium business IT field for more than 20 years. She's a technical person with advanced skills in networking design, management and implementation. She values technology for what it does for people and the success it brings to business.

Amy is also a Microsoft MVP for 14 years, has received numerous leadership awards and is a valued member of various boards. Amy is a new member of the executive council of the Managed Services community at CompTia.

Check out Amy's Facebook group below – This is her ransomware and security group. Private and on-topic always. Subscribe to the blog, too. Use the Helpdesk. "We only do work for other IT pros."

Links: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ThirdTier https://www.thirdtier.net/

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Our sponsor today is PC Matic - Thank you!
More info at https://pcmatic.com/msp

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Topic 1: Coming boom for freelancers?

Part of the rhythm of the economy is that economic downturns result in new opportunities. This time, the question is, will this help independent IT consultants?

Note: When decision makers are looking for special skills, they would rather hire an outside source rather than train someone in-house - even if cost is not a factor.

Related Link:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/elainepofeldt/2020/06/12/the-coming-boom-for-freelancers/

Topic 2: IT Glue released their 2020 Global MSP Benchmarks.

A few notes.
Around half (51%) of MSPs saw monthly revenue decreases as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

Additionally, more than a quarter (29%) of MSPs saw their accounts receivable increase, showing more clients could not meet contract deadlines to pay for services.

This survey did show a jump of prioritization of cybersecurity, from 27% of respondents in Feb to more than 50% in May.

Old priorities were wiped away, replaced not only by cyber security but with customer churn, price pressure, and a second lockdown.

Link:
https://www.itglue.com/news/itg-global-msp-benchmark-2020/

Topic 3: Life After the Pandemic . . . Increases in "Agile."

We look at the business of the IT channel in the post-quarantine world … specifically how channel partners need to adapt the way they plan and operate, and how they engage their vendor partners.

Things look like they're going to be a lot more Agile. If you're not in project management, you're still going to have to learn the terminology of PM very soon.

Related Link:
https://blogs.sw.siemens.com/partners/old-business-planning-out-agile-approach-in/#comment-13

:-)

Karl sat down with Chris Timm of Sondela Consulting and Autotask PSA consultant. Listen in as they dive into the roll of PSAs in your Managed Services business, setting up Autotask for success, and the importance of tracking time.

Chris started Sondela Consulting to focus on his passion for working with MSPs to help them become more successful and more efficient by understanding and utilising their tools more effectively. Sondela is a Zulu word for "Advance" which is a nod to Chris's Southern African roots and is an apt name with his number one goal being to help MSPs gain a deeper understanding of their investment and realise profitability much quicker.

The 14 years of experience Chris gained through previously running an MSP business combined with working at Autotask has given him greater insight and understanding into both sides of the industry and how a PSA tool can provide efficiencies and profitability when implemented properly. Chris can take you from zero to hero with your PSA tool, using it to its full potential, and maximising every aspect of your business to ensure that every department is working in harmony. In a nutshell, Chris's passion is to turn your MSP into a "well-oiled" machine.

Chris co-hosts the PSAImpact podcast, a PSA independent series designed to help MSPs worldwide to get the most from their PSA tool and manage their business.

Social media links are: Twitter @tegwin @sondelaconsult

Facebook @sondelaconsulting

Instagram @sondelaconsulting

https://www.sondelaconsulting.com/ [email protected]

PSAImpact:

http://psaimpact.net/ Twitter: @PsaImpact Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/PSAImpact/

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Special Note: This week's podcast is brought to you by our friends at Third Tier. For more information, visit www.ThirdTier.net.

Topic 1: IBM and Amazon get out of facial recognition

Major companies are backing away from developing and working with facial recognition technology. Issues include both the racial bias and the fact that they are working with police agencies.

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/06/08/ibm-gets-out-of-facial-recognition-business-calls-on-congress-to-advance-policies-tackling-racial-injustice.html

And then there was another shoe that dropped on the facial recognition topic.
https://www.theverge.com/2020/6/10/21287101/amazon-rekognition-facial-recognition-police-ban-one-year-ai-racial-bias

Other, older, related links:

https://www.wired.com/story/algorithms-recognize-masked-face/

https://www.biometricupdate.com/202002/victim-identification-officer-says-clearview-facial-recognition-biggest-breakthrough-chicago-to-review-use-by-cpd

Topic 2: Let's Ban the term “New Normal”

Everything changes all the time. We discuss whether the term "new normal" is actually useful at all. Hint: In a tech-centric world, this term just isn't very useful.

We welcome your comments and feedback.

Topic 3: Life after the pandemic -- The 4-Day Work Week

This is a thread we’ve touched on in terms of the way people will work after the pandemic . . . but with more specific details and recommendations.

Here's a recent article from a Canadian writer.

https://theconversation.com/the-day-is-dawning-on-a-four-day-work-week-139587
:-)

Topic 1: Facebook Shops

Will you (should you) set up a shop on Facebook? We give our perspective.

Related Link:
https://stratechery.com/2020/platforms-in-an-aggregator-world/

Topic 2: Lobbying by and for the IT Community

Should we be lobbying on behalf of the IT Community? What does that look like?

We discuss some of the major issues and what we think the (near) future might look like. Who should speak for us?

Topic 3: How will we be affected by the current events and unrest, once the dust settles.

Again, just our opinion. But we feel that we need to say something.

Your feedback is always welcome!

:-)