TubbTalk: The Podcast for Managed Service Providers

In this episode of TubbTalk, Richard Tubb is joined by Andy O'Neil. Having started out in roles within various MSPs, he then went to work for Autotask. Today, he’s leading the managed services function at Numata, a global MSP founded in South Africa.

Andy talks through his experiences in MSPs and what is was like ‘crossing the divide’ into the vendor space. He explains the cultural differences he’s seen in the industry in differences, and what it’s like in South Africa.

Richard asks Andy about how the PSA market has evolved over the last decade and what’s next, the wrong assumptions MSPs make about them, and how they can better leverage their PSA.

They also discuss how MSPs can make a big impact with the tools they use as well as how to customise a PSA. Andy shares his advice on dealing with alert fatigue, and pitfalls to avoid with billing. He also talks about his new role at Numata.

Mentioned in This Episode

• Numata IT
• IT Management software: ConnectWise
• PSA tool: Halo
• PSA/RMM platform: SuperOps
• Data backup platform: Datto
• IT and security platform: Kaseya
• IT and MSP Business Growth Expert: Ian Luckett
• Helping Ambitious MSPs to Scale to £1m: Stuart Warwick
• Business expert: Karl Palachuk
• Accounting software: Xero

In this episode, Richard Tubb speaks to Chris Pottrell. He’s the managing director of Nebula IT, an MSP with a strong focus on cybersecurity. Their comprehensive set of services make them an innovative MSP to watch.

Richard asks Chris about their typical clients, their current tool stack and how they came to work with the Ministry of Defence. Chris also explains how Nebula ended up running their own events.

They then dig into some of the key tools Nebula use: Huntress’ cybersecurity solutions, inforcer for 365 management, and Pax8’s cloud solutions, and shares an example of how Huntress helped them with a client problem.

Chris also explains why MSPs should outsource their SOC and view their outsourcing partners as an extension of their team, as well as how this can help you to define your niche.

Richard asks Chris about Nebula’s approach to SIEM, why they offer cybersecurity awareness training and their experiences with Azure Virtual Desktop and making it a successful client solution.

Chris talks about the internal culture at Nebula, how he looks out for innovation opportunities and what excellence means to him. He shares the new tech that he’s excited about and why MSPs should embrace AI.

Mentioned in This Episode

• Cybersecurity experts: Huntress
• UK cyber assurance standard: IASME
• Cloud marketplace: Pax8
• IT management software: ConnectWise
• PSA tool: Autotask
• Accounting software: Xero
• 365 management tool: inforcer
• 365 management tool: Inside Agent
• Cybersecurity compliance: OneClickComply
• Cybersecurity platform: SentinelOne
• Cloud-native SIEM solution: Azure Sentinel
• Podcast interview with Dray Agha
• AI assistant: Microsoft Copilot
• Data management tool: Mozart Data
• Cybersecurity accreditation (UK): Cyber Essentials
• Information security certification: ISO 27001
• Virtualize Microsoft desktops: Azure Virtual Desktop
• Podcast interview with Andy Readman
• Endpoint management: Microsoft Intune
• Richard’s appearance on Luis Geraldo of Scalepad’s podcast
• MSP peer group: IT Nation Evolve
• Podcast interview with Eric Ostlund
• MSP event: Pax8 Beyond EMEA
• MSP event: DattoCon Europe
• MSP event: Pax8 Beyond Denver

In this episode, Richard Tubb speaks to Sergio Farache, the EVP of strategy and global technology business at TD SYNNEX. In this interview, he talks specifically about StreamOne®. A cloud management platform, it integrates with your MSP systems to assist you in expanding your cloud business.

Sergio explains his role within the organisation, what TD SYNNEX and StreamOne® is, and how it helps managed service providers. He talks about how they help security operations, how they evaluate vendor partners and their approach to AI.

Richard and Sergio then dig into StreamOne®. They look at how it works for MSPs, the PSA platforms it connects with, and the cloud platforms it supports, as well as its reporting capabilities.

They discuss life cycle management, the financial impact of using manual billing and reconciliation and what it means for MSPs who have their own online shop fronts and portals.

Sergio shares his advice on how to make Infrastructure as a Service and usage management easier, as well as other significant opportunities for MSPs. He shares his best advice, where he goes to keep up to date with the industry, and what keeps him engaged with the industry.

Mentioned in This Episode

• TD SYNNEX
• StreamOne®
• Design software tool: Datech (from TD SYNNEX)
• MSP technology and IT software: ConnectWise
• PSA tool: Autotask
• Digital software: ServiceNow
• Channel Academy (from TD SYNNEX)

In this unique TubbTalk episode, Richard Tubb becomes the guest! He was interviewed on The Remarkable People Show, broadcast earlier this year (2024). It’s hosted by Polly Brennan and Maggie Martin on Koast Radio, a local station in the north east of England.

Richard shares his experiences of moving to the North East with his wife Claire and why it feels like home. He tells Polly and Maggie the origin story of his company, Tubblog, and how the TubbTalk podcast evolved from there.

Richard also talks openly about his mental health challenges and how he supports his wellbeing with tactics to be resilient and to feel good on a day to day basis, even when things are tough.

He also shares what he does in his downtime, who inspires him and the famous person he’d love to have dinner with. He tells Polly and Maggie the best piece of advice he’s ever been given, and how he’d like to leave the world a better place.

Mentioned in This Episode

• Department for Business and Trade
• Author and journalist: Chris Brogan
• Book: Bob Burg: The Go-Giver: A Little Story About a Powerful Business Idea
• Meditation app: Headspace
• Entrepreneur and author: Steven Bartlett
• Copywriter and content marketer: Gudrun Lauret
• British actor: Brian Blessed

In this interview, Richard Tubb speaks to Rob Rae, Corporate Vice President of Community and Ecosystems for Pax8. They're a cloud marketplace for future-focused managed service providers (MSP). After 20 years in the channel, Rob has a lot of advice on how to build better MSP ecosystems.

Richard asks Rob for his thoughts on the recent Pax8 Beyond EMEA event, how he thinks events impact the wider MSP community and what the plans are for future conferences.

Rob shares his journey in the channel and why he left Datto to work at Pax8, as well as what his day to day routine looks like. He talks about their company culture, what they’re up to behind the scenes and the realities of expanding into new continents.

Richard asks Rob what he thinks of the recent CompTIA acquisition (Rob is a board member), the lessons he’s learned from his time in the industry and the advice he’d give to potential leaders, as well as who he goes to for inspiration and support.

• Cybersecurity and backup: Datto
• MSP Technology and IT Management: ConnectWise
• IT & security management: Kaseya
• Podcast: Rob Rae bonusode
• Dan Wensley, Operating Advisor, Top Down Ventures; Strategic Advisor, ScalePad
• Cybersecurity and data protection tool: Acronis
• IT certifications and training: CompTIA
• Austin McChord, Chief Executive Officer at Casana
• Charlie Tamayo from Roost
• Paul Redding at CyberQP
• Scott Barlow, Sophos NextGen Cybersecurity Channel Sales Leader
• Jason Magee
• Nadia Karatsoreos, Channel Sales and Marketing Specialist, n-Able
• Christine Gassman, VP of Community at Mailprotector
• Pax8 Beyond 2025

In this interview, Richard Tubb speaks to Colin Hogg, the vice president of sales for Couchdrop. They have an amazing migration solution for MSPs called Movebot. It makes it much easier to do data migrations for your clients.

Colin explains the Movebot Migration solution and how the organisation manages rapid technology developments and how they quickly respond to and fix issues. He also talks about how they do the most common migrations for MSPs, and their real-time monitoring.

Richard asks Colin how Movebot supports their MSP clients when things go wrong, and the advice he’d give on how to email migration, and how to do SharePoint migrations more effectively.

Colin shares how they keep up to date with all the different platforms and how they work, as well as which products and platforms Movebot currently support. He also touches on Couchdrop as a company, and gives his advice to MSPs who want to DIY their data migrations.

Mentioned in This Episode

• Podcast interview with Michael Lawson
• Video walkthrough demo of Movebot
• Free trial of Movebot
• Movebot’s parent company and SFTP solution: Couchdrop
• Multi-tier storage: Apache Ignite
• Microsoft collaboration tool: SharePoint

In this episode, Richard Tubb speaks to Luis Giraldo, the Chief Evangelist for ScalePad, a company that offers a collection of applications to help MSPs launch their growth. In the IT space, he is something of an MSP guru.

He has also been an MSP, CEO, SaaS consultant and an active member of the CompTIA peer group. And in this interview, he tells Richard about his journey to his current role and his live podcast show.

He talks about his podcast, MSP Confidential, and his second career as a jazz musician, what he does in his down time and shares the books that have inspired him the most.

Richard asks Luis to talk in depth about ScalePad: how they help MSPs and the type of businesses they attract, and how to get started with the solution. Luis also shares the biggest misconception that MSPs have about vendors like ScalePad?

And on the vendor side, Richard asks Luis the number one thing they can do to improve the customer experience, as well as the one thing a typical vendor doesn’t appreciate about the life of an MSP?

They discuss what makes the MSP space unique, why you should attend industry events, and how to maintain your resilience in the face of a constantly shifting environment.

Luis also shares his experience of being Vice Chair at CompTIA and his thoughts on their recent acquisition. He explains Stoicism and how that’s changed his approach to life and business, and mentions his venture capital interests through Top Down Ventures.

Mentioned in This Episode

• Fully Managed by TELUS Business from Chris Blay
• Documentation solution: IT Glue
• IT management: N-able
• Luis Giraldo music
• Book: Ray Dalio: Principles: Life and Work
• ScalePad MSP survey
• Client management: Lifecycle Managers (ScalePad solution)
• GRC (governance, risk and compliance) tool: ControlMap (ScalePad solution)
• QBR tools: Lifecycle Insights (ScalePad solution)
• Backup monitoring: Backup Radar (ScalePad solution)
• BI tool: Cognition360 (ScalePad solution)
• Quoting software: Quoter (ScalePad solution)
• Matthew Bookspan of Blacktip IT
• MSP conference: IT Nation Connect
• MSP conference from N-able: Empower
• MSP peer group: ConnectWise Evolve
• Shawn Walsh and Dave Cava from Encore Strategic
• Cloud marketplace Pax8 peer groups
• Peer group: CompTIA
• Mark Cohen
• Peer group: The Tech Tribe
• Podcast interview with MJ Shoer, CompTIA’s Chief Community Officer
• Podcast interview with Dan Scott of IT Nation
• Podcast interview with Todd Thibodeaux, President and Chief Executive Officer of CompTIA
• Podcast interview with Arlin Sorensen of ConnectWise
• Book: Ryan Holliday: The Daily Stoic: 366 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance, and the Art of Living: Featuring new translations of Seneca, Epictetus, and Marcus Aurelius
• Investment company: Top Down Ventures
• Digital photo journal: Blipfoto
• Podcast interview with David Brereton of Myson Pages
• Book: Bob Burg: The Go-Giver: A Little Story About a Powerful Business Idea
• Luis and Bob live stream chat
• Book: Alan Weiss: Value-Based Fees: How to Charge - and Get - What You're Worth
• Podcast interview with Todd Kane of Evolved Management Consulting
• Author: Catherine Gray
• Book: Robert Wilburn and David Wilkeson: MSP Profit and Growth: Dragonboats, Catamarans and Superyachts
• Book: Shawn Walsh, Dave Cava et al: THE PUMPKIN PLAN FOR MANAGED SERVICE PROVIDERS: The Roadmap To MSP Prosperity: How The Right Focus Leads To Real Freedom

In this interview, Richard Tubb speaks to Todd Thibodeaux, President and Chief Executive Officer of CompTIA, a nonprofit organisation that supports MSPs and IT businesses.

Todd explains how CompTIA supports MSPs, vendors and others in the tech space, how they change people’s lives, and shares his own journey with the organisation.

Richard asks Todd to explain the CompTIA Research arm of the business and talk him through some of the business acquistions they’ve made. They also discuss accreditations for MSPs.

Todd shares his advice on how MSPs can stand out and how to be future-focused. Richard asks him how he prepares to interview guests on stage and what he’s most proud of during his time at CompTIA.

Finally, Richard and Todd dig into tech and tools: what Todd has in his own home, the technology he’s most excited about and the tech he’s still waiting for that we all thought would be here by now.

Mentioned in This Episode

• Peer group: The Tech Tribe
• Peer group: Network Group
• Peer group: SBSC Northwest
• CompTIA ChannelCon
• Tech Event: Consumer Electronics Show hosted by the Consumer Technology Association
• Richard's interview with MJ Shoer, CompTIA's Chief Community Officer
• Richard's interview with Rob Rae, Pax8's Corporate Vice President of Community and Ecosystems 
• Cybersecurity Framework from the National Institute of Standards and Technology
• Richard's interview with Tracy Pound, Managing Director at Maximity and CompTIA board member
• Electric generator: ECAT

This episode was recorded live in Berlin, Germany at the Pax8 Beyond EMEA conference. Rob Rae is the Corporate Vice President of Community and Ecosystems for Pax8.

Rob talks about how it feels to bring Pax8 Beyond to Europe and the decision to do so. He also discusses the MSP event industry in general, and shares his process for choosing keynote speakers.

Richard asks how Pax8 partners answer the question ‘how’s business’ and the criteria for choosing vendors that are part of their client marketplace.

Rob shares how he keeps up with the industry, why you should be part of the wider community, and the importance of talking openly about mental health.

Mentioned in This Episode

• Cybersecurity tech company: CrowdStrike
• Cybersecurity tech company: SentinelOne
• Security software: TruGrid
• Pax8 Chief Trust & Security Officer: Rob Reck
• Olympic track and field athlete: Carl Lewis
• Businessman and investor: Robert Herjavec
• Entrepreneur: Richard Branson
• IT certifications and training: CompTIA
• CompTIA ChannelCon
• MSP peer group: The Tech Tribe
• MSP owner and Pax8 Beyond EMEA speaker: Paul Croker
• Pax8 PR: Daniel Skipp

Time for another Team Tubb Travelogue! This time, Gudrun Lauret catches up with Richard Tubb and Lenka Koppova, who are in Berlin for Pax8 Beyond EMEA 24.

Grab a cup of your favourite tea or coffee, relax and join them for a fun conversation about the highlights from this big event.

Richard shares how the community rallied around when he lost his luggage. Lenka talks about how fantastic the event organisation was, from hotel check-in to the closing remarks. Plus, they tell Gudrun how blown away everyone was with the special guest at the after-party!

Other Highlights

• Women in Tech get-together
• Talks on AI, mental health and Pax8 partnerships
• Networking with new MSPs
• A busy vendor hall
• Great food and drink
• Exciting updates from Pax8 and partners - plus the announcement of Pax8 Beyond EMEA 2025!

Plus… the Team Tubb Travelogue Quiz is back! Can Richard and Lenka  answer Gudrun’s questions about Berlin?

What are TubbTalk Travleogues?

These are ad-hoc, bonus episodes of our regular TubbTalk podcast, recorded live at an event. A member of TeamTubb calls Richard and/or Lenka for an on-the-ground update on what they’ve learned and their highlights from the day.

What to Know About Pax8 Beyond EMEA

Pax8 Beyond EMEA was the first time Pax8 brought their popular 'Beyond' event to Europe. Pax8 are a cloud marketplace, with a focus on building strong relationships with their MSP partners.

The conference focused on three core themes: community, education and innovation. So speakers, vendors and exhibitors were specially chosen to share their expertise and really give value to attendees.