Uncle Marv’s IT Business Podcast: Practical Business Advice for MSPs and IT Professionals

I’ve been buying more 2.5-gig switches lately, and another MSP asked me a fair question: Why? That sent me down a bigger rabbit hole about what we’re actually solving when we upgrade a client’s network. I’m flying solo for this conversation, sharing where I’m using Ubiquiti switches, why I still put 10G connections on servers and Synology storage, and where plain old gigabit still does the job.

The takeaway is purpose. Faster ports can make sense for shared storage, database traffic, backups, and switch uplinks. But if the devices and workloads can’t take advantage of them, we might just be buying a bigger number. I’m looking at the practical reasons to upgrade, along with the questions we should ask before spending the client’s money.

=== Chapters

• 00:48 Uncle Marv’s IT Business Podcast Introduction
• 01:19 Why MSPs Are Buying **Ubiquiti** 2.5G Switches
• 05:12 NetAlly LinkRunner 100G Network Tester
• 09:55 Gigabit vs. 2.5G: When Should MSPs Upgrade?
• 14:33 Faster Networks for SQL Databases, NAS, and Backups
• 17:10 Network Bottlenecks, Switch Uplinks, and Wi-Fi 7
• 20:26 Choosing Compact Switches for Ports, Power, and PoE
• 24:01 When a 2.5G Network Upgrade Isn’t Worth It
• 26:02 IT Nation Preview, PitchIT, and MSP Events

=== People Mentioned

• Eric Anthony, Egnyte / All Things MSP: https://www.linkedin.com/in/esanthony
• Dawn Sizer, Rocket Fuel Factory / Co-Founder: https://therocketfuelfactory.com/about
• Dave Sizer, Rocket Fuel Factory / Co-Founder: https://therocketfuelfactory.com/about
• Rob Rae, Pax8: https://www.itbusinesspodcast.com/guests/rob-rae/
• Paco Lebron: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pacolebron

=== Products Mentioned

• Ubiquiti UniFi Flex 2.5G, USW-Flex-2.5G-8: https://store.ui.com/us/en/products/usw-flex-2-5g-8
• Ubiquiti UniFi Flex 2.5G PoE, USW-Flex-2.5G-8-PoE: https://store.ui.com/us/en/products/usw-flex-2-5g-8-poe
• NetAlly LinkRunner 100G: https://link.amazon/B09j72ypr
• NetAlly EtherScope nXG: https://link.amazon/B091fg3Qa
• NetAlly CyberScope: https://link.amazon/B01TxuDM0
• NetAlly LinkRunner AT 1500: https://link.amazon/B01TxuDM0
• NETGEAR GS305 PoE: https://link.amazon/B04WjQ2EB
• TRENDnet 2.5G Ethernet adapter: https://link.amazon/B08R7s5Wb

=== Resources / Books / Podcasts / Apps

• Ubiquiti: https://www.ui.com/ 
• ThreatCaptain: https://threatcaptain.com/
• CyberFOX: https://www.cyberfox.com/
• Rocket Fuel Factory events resource: https://therocketfuelfactory.com/events
• IT Nation / IT Nation Connect: https://itnation.connectwise.com/
• PitchIT: https://itnation.connectwise.com/pitchit
• TD SYNNEX Inspire: https://www.tdsynnex.com/na/us/inspire/
• Podfest Expo: https://podfestexpo.com/
• Zero Trust World: https://ztw.com/
• NerdioCon: https://nerdiocon.com/
• Pax8 Beyond: https://www.pax8beyond.com/
• ITEXPO: https://www.itexpo.com/

=== SPONSORS:

• Technology Partner, NetAlly: https://www.itbusinesspodcast.com/netally/
• Technology Partner: Bvoip: https://www.itbusinesspodcast.com/bvoip
• Travel Partner: TruGrid: https://www.itbusinesspodcast.com/trugrid
• Digital Partner, Designer Ready: http://itbusinesspodcast.com/designerready

=== Affiliates

• SyncoMSP: https://www.itbusinesspodcast.com/syncro
• Auvik: https://try.auvik.com/unclemarv
• Streamyard: https://streamyard.com/pal/c/6122570689019904

=== SHOW MUSIC:

• Item Title: Upbeat & Fun Sports Rock Logo
• Item URL: https://elements.envato.com/upbeat-fun-sports-rock-logo-CSR3UET
• Author Username: AlexanderRufire
• Item License Code: 7X9F52DNML

=== Connect with Uncle Marv

🌐 Website: https://www.itbusinesspodcast.com/
🎙 Host: Marvin Bee
🛒 Uncle Marv’s Amazon Store (gear & tools I recommend): https://amzn.to/3EiyKoZ
☕ Support the show: https://ko-fi.com/itbusinesspodcast

If you found value in this episode, share it with another MSP, IT provider, or tech entrepreneur. Your support helps keep practical, no-nonsense IT business conversations coming every week.

I don’t do websites, so my first reaction to the PHP security headlines was that this probably wasn’t my problem. Then clients started asking what they needed to worry about, and I had to give them an honest answer: I didn’t know yet, but I would find out. This solo conversation follows the questions that sent me digging into vendor notices, client systems, and the applications connected to their Microsoft 365 environments.

Between the PHP concerns and the ConnectWise cloud backup incident discussed on the show, the bigger lesson became clear: vendor security is our security. I share what I’m reviewing, where I found gaps in my own processes, and why we can outsource services without outsourcing our responsibility to understand the risks our clients are accepting.

=== Chapters

00:10 MSP Vendor Security and Client Responsibility
00:22 PHP Vulnerabilities: Beyond Website Security
01:38 ConnectWise Cloud Backup and Microsoft 365 Risks
03:19 Action1 and Vendor Security Communications
07:34 IT Asset Inventory and Patch Ownership
09:55 Patch Verification and Signs of Compromise
12:35 Microsoft 365 App Permissions and Vendor Access
16:07 Backup Restore Testing and Vendor Outages
18:05 Client Communication and Cybersecurity Accountability

=== Resources / Books / Podcasts / Apps

• PHP2Shell: Official PHP vulnerability announcements and security updates. https://www.php.net/archive/2026.php
• Action1 service pause: Official statement about temporarily suspending services as a security precaution. https://x.com/Action1corp/status/2112958795240374585
• Action1 service restoration: Vendor announcement and follow-up confirming patching and restored services. https://community.spiceworks.com/t/action1-service-temporarily-paused-as-a-security-precaution/1258964
• Action1 PHP2Shell guidance: Finding PHP risks beyond websites. https://www.action1.com/blog/php2shell-the-biggest-risk-is-the-php-you-dont-know-youre-running/
• ConnectWise Cloud Backup: Official incident updates and guidance for the separate Cloud Backup security incident. https://www.connectwise.com/company/trust/advisories

=== SPONSORS:

• Technology Partner, NetAlly: https://www.itbusinesspodcast.com/netally/
• Technology Partner: Bvoip: https://www.itbusinesspodcast.com/bvoip
• Travel Partner: TruGrid: https://www.itbusinesspodcast.com/trugrid
• Digital Partner, Designer Ready: http://itbusinesspodcast.com/designerready

=== SHOW MUSIC:

• Item Title: Upbeat & Fun Sports Rock Logo
• Item URL: https://elements.envato.com/upbeat-fun-sports-rock-logo-CSR3UET
• Author Username: AlexanderRufire
• Item License Code: 7X9F52DNML

=== Connect with Uncle Marv

🌐 Website: https://www.itbusinesspodcast.com/
🎙 Host: Marvin Bee
🛒 Uncle Marv’s Amazon Store (gear & tools I recommend): https://amzn.to/3EiyKoZ
☕ Support the show: https://ko-fi.com/itbusinesspodcast

If you found value in this episode, share it with another MSP, IT provider, or tech entrepreneur. Your support helps keep practical, no-nonsense IT business conversations coming every week.

A client asked whether we were affected by a security vulnerability, and my honest answer was, “I don’t know.” That’s not a comfortable place to be, but pretending would be worse. I’m talking through what that question got me thinking about, from applications connected to Microsoft 365 to vendor permissions and whether a successful backup will actually be available when we need it.

I’m also getting a few things off my chest about vendor relationships, including an equipment replacement that became far more frustrating than it needed to be and why sponsorship doesn’t get anyone a free pass on this show. After nearly three decades in business, I’m still finding things I need to do better. My challenge to myself and to you: pick one critical vendor, review its access, and figure out what you’ll do if it has a security incident before that call comes in.

=== Chapters

00:10 MSP Vendor Management: Security, Trust, and Accountability
02:51 PHP Vulnerabilities and Client Security Questions
05:31 Shadow AI and ConnectWise Cloud Backup Risks
07:31 Microsoft 365 App Permissions and Guest Access
12:06 Vendor Security, Least Privilege, and Backup Recovery
19:08 Review Your Critical Vendors Before an Incident
19:40 Windstream Equipment Changes and Communication Problems
26:55 Choosing the Right Vendors for Your MSP
30:48 Podcast Sponsorships, Honest Reviews, and Audience Trust
44:45 Clearing the Air with CyberFox
46:47 The Show’s Mission and Sponsor Support
49:08 When Sponsorship Conflicts with Editorial Independence

=== SPONSORS:

• Technology Partner, NetAlly: https://www.itbusinesspodcast.com/netally/
• Technology Partner: Bvoip: https://www.itbusinesspodcast.com/bvoip
• Travel Partner: TruGrid: https://www.itbusinesspodcast.com/trugrid
• Digital Partner, Designer Ready: http://itbusinesspodcast.com/designerready

=== SHOW MUSIC:

• Item Title: Upbeat & Fun Sports Rock Logo
• Item URL: https://elements.envato.com/upbeat-fun-sports-rock-logo-CSR3UET
• Author Username: AlexanderRufire
• Item License Code: 7X9F52DNML

=== Connect with Uncle Marv

🌐 Website: https://www.itbusinesspodcast.com/
🎙 Host: Marvin Bee
🛒 Uncle Marv’s Amazon Store (gear & tools I recommend): https://amzn.to/3EiyKoZ
☕ Support the show: https://ko-fi.com/itbusinesspodcast

If you found value in this episode, share it with another MSP, IT provider, or tech entrepreneur. Your support helps keep practical, no-nonsense IT business conversations coming every week.

Are we moving clients to the cloud because it makes sense, or because we decided servers were supposed to disappear? My friend Tom Wyant of Wyant Computers in Traverse City, Michigan, joins me for an honest conversation about on-prem servers, Active Directory, and the applications that keep both relevant. Tom supports clients using a mix of local infrastructure and cloud services, so this isn’t a debate about picking a side. It’s about figuring out what actually works.

We talk through recurring costs, application limitations, large files, security responsibilities, and the headaches that follow a migration nobody fully thought through. My takeaway? Before you recommend replacing that server, find out what it does, who depends on it, and what the business might lose by moving. Familiar doesn’t automatically mean outdated, and cloud doesn’t automatically mean better.

=== Chapters

• 01:02 Meet Tom Wyant of Wyant Computers
• 01:32 Cloud vs. On-Prem Servers: Why the Debate Isn’t Over
• 08:52 Cloud Repatriation: Costs, Control, and Performance
• 13:11 Active Directory and the True Cost of Cloud Migration
• 16:00 Microsoft 365 Security and Guest Access Risks
• 20:28 Cloud Applications vs. Hosted Legacy Software
• 26:30 Legacy Applications and Hybrid IT Decisions
• 28:38 Law Firm Cloud Migration: Pricing and Large Files
• 40:15 Cloud Migration Exit Plans and Application Compatibility
• 48:52 Six Steps for Choosing Cloud or On-Prem Infrastructure

=== Guest

• Tom Wyant, Wyant Technologies / Wyant Computer Services, Co-Founder and CEO
• Website: https://www.gowyant.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomaswyant

=== People Mentioned

• Eric Anthony, All Things MSP: https://www.linkedin.com/in/esanthony/
• Diana Giles: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dianagiles/
• Matt Forman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewforman/
• Chad Kempt: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chadkempt/
• Stan Louissaint: https://www.linkedin.com/in/slouissaint/
• Dawn Sizer: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dawn-sizer/

=== Links from the Show

• A Cloudian/Centiment survey of 212 senior IT decision-makers found that roughly 75% had moved some workloads back in the previous two years. Nearly 30% of those repatriating workloads also expanded their cloud footprint. Important caveat: this was a vendor-sponsored survey, not proof that 75% of all businesses are leaving cloud.
  • https://www.techtarget.com/cybersecurity/feature/Cloud-repatriation-What-CISOs-need-to-know
• Cloud repatriation is real—but it usually means bringing back selected workloads, not abandoning cloud entirely. Businesses may move applications, databases, or storage to on-premises infrastructure or private cloud while continuing to use public-cloud services.
  • https://www.idc.com/resource-center/blog/storm-clouds-ahead-missed-expectations-in-cloud-computing/
• Uptime Institute says the “everybody is leaving cloud” narrative is overstated. Rising costs motivate some moves back, but organizations also continue moving workloads into public cloud. Both directions can be part of the same strategy.
  • https://intelligence.uptimeinstitute.com/resource/cloud-repatriation-overstated
• Local infrastructure still has a substantial role. Uptime Institute’s 2025 survey estimated that 45% of respondents’ workloads remained in corporate facilities. That measures what stayed local—not what moved back—and the survey is not representative of typical small-business server closets.
  • https://datacenter.uptimeinstitute.com/rs/711-RIA-145/images/2025.Annual.Survey.Report.pdf?version=0

=== SPONSORS:

• Technology Partner, NetAlly: https://www.itbusinesspodcast.com/netally/
• Technology Partner: Bvoip: https://www.itbusinesspodcast.com/bvoip
• Travel Partner: TruGrid: https://www.itbusinesspodcast.com/trugrid
• Digital Partner, Designer Ready: http://itbusinesspodcast.com/designerready

=== SHOW MUSIC:

• Item Title: Upbeat & Fun Sports Rock Logo
• Item URL: https://elements.envato.com/upbeat-fun-sports-rock-logo-CSR3UET
• Author Username: AlexanderRufire
• Item License Code: 7X9F52DNML

=== Connect with Uncle Marv

🌐 Website: https://www.itbusinesspodcast.com/
🎙 Host: Marvin Bee
🛒 Uncle Marv’s Amazon Store (gear & tools I recommend): https://amzn.to/3EiyKoZ
☕ Support the show: https://ko-fi.com/itbusinesspodcast

If you found value in this episode, share it with another MSP, IT provider, or tech entrepreneur. Your support helps keep practical, no-nonsense IT business conversations coming every week.

You don’t need to overhaul your MSP to start getting value from AI. You need to find one task your team is tired of repeating. Meredith Payne returns to the show at TD SYNNEX Inspire in Greenville to talk about her work leading digital growth and customer success, what’s changing inside Partner First, and how MSPs can put automation to work without making everything more complicated.

I ask Meredith where smaller providers should start, whether human help is sticking around, and how to know if these tools are actually improving the business. Her advice is to start small, learn as you go, and look beyond placing orders to see what your customer data can help you do next.

=== Chapters

• 00:11 Welcome and Meredith Payne Returns
• 01:57 PartnerFirst, Agent Bridge, and MCP
• 06:20 Keeping Human Help Alongside AI
• 07:33 Learning From Failure and Starting Small
• 09:28 Exploring Greenville and Fall for Greenville
• 12:28 Customer Insights Beyond Quotes and Orders
• 14:59 Helping Partners Adopt Digital Tools
• 16:18 What Should Your MSP Fix First?
• 18:27 Inspire Vendor Floor and Favorite Swag
• 21:02 Closing Thoughts and Thank You

=== Guest: Meredith Payne, TD SYNNEX, Vice President, Digital Growth & Customer Success

• Website: https://www.tdsynnex.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meredithnpayne

=== Resources / Books / Podcasts / Apps

• Partner with TD SYNNEX: https://www.tdsynnex.com/na/us/en/partnerfirst.html
• MSP Evolve: https://site.tdsynnex.com/msp-evolve/p/1
• PartnerFirst Digital Bridge: https://www.tdsynnex.com/na/us/digital-bridge/ai-agent/
• Agent Bridge: https://news.tdsynnex.com/news/td-synnex-unveils-ai-that-works-alongside-partners-expanding-partnerfirst-with-agentic-capabilities/
• PartnerFirst MCP Connector: https://news.tdsynnex.com/news/td-synnex-unveils-ai-that-works-alongside-partners-expanding-partnerfirst-with-agentic-capabilities/
• PartnerFirst Customer Lifecycle Offering: https://news.tdsynnex.com/news/td-synnex-unveils-ai-that-works-alongside-partners-expanding-partnerfirst-with-agentic-capabilities/
• TD SYNNEX Inspire: https://www.tdsynnex.com/na/us/inspire/
• Fall for Greenville: https://www.fallforgreenville.net/
• Falls Park on the Reedy: https://www.greenvillesc.gov/falls-park

=== SPONSORS:

• Technology Partner, NetAlly: https://www.itbusinesspodcast.com/netally/
• Technology Partner: Bvoip: https://www.itbusinesspodcast.com/bvoip
• Travel Partner: TruGrid: https://www.itbusinesspodcast.com/trugrid
• Digital Partner, Designer Ready: http://itbusinesspodcast.com/designerready

=== SHOW MUSIC:

• Item Title: Upbeat & Fun Sports Rock Logo
• Item URL: https://elements.envato.com/upbeat-fun-sports-rock-logo-CSR3UET
• Author Username: AlexanderRufire
• Item License Code: 7X9F52DNML

=== Connect with Uncle Marv

🌐 Website: https://www.itbusinesspodcast.com/
🎙 Host: Marvin Bee
🛒 Uncle Marv’s Amazon Store (gear & tools I recommend): https://amzn.to/3EiyKoZ
☕ Support the show: https://ko-fi.com/itbusinesspodcast

If you found value in this episode, share it with another MSP, IT provider, or tech entrepreneur. Your support helps keep practical, no-nonsense IT business conversations coming every week.

Before you buy another AI tool or help a client deploy agents, take a hard look at the environment supporting them. Recording from Greenville, South Carolina, I talk with Joseph Vlajcic about what happens when businesses chase individual AI use cases without considering how those systems will work together. We discuss why disappointing returns can come from more than choosing the wrong tool. Sometimes the surrounding infrastructure needs attention first.

Joseph walks through AI running in the data center, public cloud, and at the edge, with the network connecting all three. That brings up questions MSPs need to ask about traffic, access, security, and visibility. I also raise something we haven’t spent enough time discussing: we’re watching AI-driven threats coming in, but what about the activity our own AI tools generate going out?

We wrap up with the business conversations that can be harder than the technical work. How do you handle clients who want AI but resist your recommendations? What belongs in the discussion around service agreements? And what should you never promise about an AI future nobody can fully predict? Joseph brings it back to segmentation, identity, patching, and making investments that support the use case in front of you.

=== Guest: Joseph Vlajcic, TD SYNNEX

• Title: Vice President, Cisco.
• Website: https://www.tdsynnex.com/na/us/cisco/sso/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joseph-vlajcic-6099136

=== Companies / Vendors / Products / Books

• TD SYNNEX: https://ir.tdsynnex.com/overview/default.aspx
• Cisco: https://www.cisco.com/
• FinOps Fusion: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20261008565728/en/TD-SYNNEX-Introduces-FinOps-Fusion-to-Optimize-AI-Token-Spend-Across-Cloud-and-Core-Infrastructure
• Amazon Bedrock: https://aws.amazon.com/bedrock/
• Claude Mythos Preview: https://www.anthropic.com/glasswing

=== Resources / Training / Initiatives

• Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA): https://www.cisco.com/site/us/en/learn/training-certifications/certifications/enterprise/ccna/index.html
• Project Glasswing: https://www.anthropic.com/project/glasswing

=== Events / Conferences

• TD SYNNEX Inspire: https://www.tdsynnex.com/na/us/inspire/

=== SPONSORS:

• Technology Partner, NetAlly: https://www.itbusinesspodcast.com/netally/
• Technology Partner: Bvoip: https://www.itbusinesspodcast.com/bvoip
• Travel Partner: TruGrid: https://www.itbusinesspodcast.com/trugrid
• Digital Partner, Designer Ready: http://itbusinesspodcast.com/designerready

 === SHOW MUSIC:

• Item Title: Upbeat & Fun Sports Rock Logo
• Item URL: https://elements.envato.com/upbeat-fun-sports-rock-logo-CSR3UET
• Author Username: AlexanderRufire
• Item License Code: 7X9F52DNML

=== Connect with Uncle Marv

🌐 Website: https://www.itbusinesspodcast.com/
🎙 Host: Marvin Bee
🛒 Uncle Marv’s Amazon Store (gear & tools I recommend): https://amzn.to/3EiyKoZ
☕ Support the show: https://ko-fi.com/itbusinesspodcast

If you found value in this episode, share it with another MSP, IT provider, or tech entrepreneur. Your support helps keep practical, no-nonsense IT business conversations coming every week.

Saving money on AI does not mean much if you are still using it the wrong way. That was one of my biggest takeaways from TD SYNNEX Inspire in Greenville, South Carolina. Erick Simpson joins me to unpack the announcements that caught our attention, including FinOps Fusion and Agent Bridge. We discuss the potential to better understand AI spending, reduce manual work around quoting and ordering, and spot client opportunities that get buried when we are busy putting out fires. I also explain why I want to see the AI spending conversation go beyond cutting costs to improving prompts, automations, and results.

The vendor floor gave us another reason to rethink what we bring to clients. Ergonomic workspaces, healthcare carts, branded device cases, and other hardware sparked conversations we do not usually have at MSP events. Before the recap, I share how I moved a client’s Access-based application to V2 Cloud, what was still unfinished, and how a $15 cable helped another client avoid replacing an external drive. And yes, Erick and I get into the swag, including a few things I will actually use.

=== Guest: Erick Simpson, MSP Mastered / Channel Mastered

• Website: https://ericksimpson.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericksimpson

=== Companies / Vendors / Products / Books

• V2 Cloud: https://v2cloud.com/
• TD SYNNEX Inspire — official conference site. https://www.tdsynnex.com/na/us/inspire/
• Channel Mastered — About. https://channelmastered.com/about/
• MSP Mastered — official site. https://mspmastered.com/
• Digi — TD SYNNEX Inspire 2026 event overview. https://www.digi.com/resources/events/2026/td-synnex-inspire-2026
• TD SYNNEX — PartnerFirst agentic capabilities announcement. https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20261008201780/en/TD-SYNNEX-Unveils-AI-That-Works-Alongside-Partners-Expanding-PartnerFirst-with-Agentic-Capabilities
• TD SYNNEX — FinOps Fusion announcement. https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20261008565728/en/TD-SYNNEX-Introduces-FinOps-Fusion-to-Optimize-AI-Token-Spend-Across-Cloud-and-Core-Infrastructure
• TD SYNNEX — Space Tech Initiative announcement. https://news.tdsynnex.com/news/td-synnex-launches-space-tech-initiative-to-help-partners-capitalize-on-the-growing-space-economy/
• Uncle Marv’s IT Business Podcast — FinOps Fusion coverage. https://www.itbusinesspodcast.com/blog/td-synnex-launches-finops-fusion/

=== Swag Mentions

• Ergotron: https://www.ergotron.com/en-us/
• KIOXIA: https://americas.kioxia.com/en-us/
• Kingston Technology: https://www.kingston.com/en
• Omnissa: https://www.omnissa.com/

=== SPONSORS:

• Technology Partner, NetAlly: https://www.itbusinesspodcast.com/netally/
• Technology Partner: Bvoip: https://www.itbusinesspodcast.com/bvoip
• Travel Partner: TruGrid: https://www.itbusinesspodcast.com/trugrid
• Digital Partner, Designer Ready: http://itbusinesspodcast.com/designerready

=== SHOW MUSIC:

• Item Title: Upbeat & Fun Sports Rock Logo
• Item URL: https://elements.envato.com/upbeat-fun-sports-rock-logo-CSR3UET
• Author Username: AlexanderRufire
• Item License Code: 7X9F52DNML

=== Connect with Uncle Marv

🌐 Website: https://www.itbusinesspodcast.com/
🎙 Host: Marvin Bee
🛒 Uncle Marv’s Amazon Store (gear & tools I recommend): https://amzn.to/3EiyKoZ
☕ Support the show: https://ko-fi.com/itbusinesspodcast

If you found value in this episode, share it with another MSP, IT provider, or tech entrepreneur. Your support helps keep practical, no-nonsense IT business conversations coming every week.

Recurring revenue is nice. Recurring profitability is what pays the bills. I sat down with Augie Staab, Director of MSP Sales at TD SYNNEX, at Inspire in Greenville, South Carolina, to talk about the difference. We dug into cybersecurity stack standardization, what makes a vendor offering truly useful to MSPs, and why letting every customer pick a different tool can undermine your business. Augie also explained how TD SYNNEX’s dedicated MSP sales team and new MSP ARC program aim to help partners identify gaps and make better business decisions.

Stop building a different stack for every customer

I asked Augie about selling cybersecurity as a service rather than simply reselling a product. She pointed to a familiar problem: customers request their preferred vendors, and the MSP keeps making exceptions. Her advice was to standardize around technologies you understand, know the industries you serve well, and build something you can deliver repeatedly. The lesson is straightforward: recurring sales alone don’t prove your service model is profitable.

=== Guest: Augie Staab, TD SYNNEX, Director of MSP Sales

• Website: https://www.tdsynnex.com/na/us/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ritapena

=== Companies / Vendors / Products / Books / Events / Organizations

• Become a Partner: https://www.tdsynnex.com/na/us/en/partnerfirst.html
• TD SYNNEX Inspire: https://www.tdsynnex.com/na/us/inspire/
• TD SYNNEX MSP Sales: https://www.tdsynnex.com/na/us/smbconnect/msp-sales/
• TD SYNNEX PartnerLINK: https://www.tdsynnex.com/na/us/PartnerLINK/
• TD SYNNEX MSP Evolve: https://site.tdsynnex.com/msp-evolve/p/1

=== SPONSORS:

• Technology Partner, NetAlly: https://www.itbusinesspodcast.com/netally/
• Technology Partner: Bvoip: https://www.itbusinesspodcast.com/bvoip
• Travel Partner: TruGrid: https://www.itbusinesspodcast.com/trugrid
• Digital Partner, Designer Ready: http://itbusinesspodcast.com/designerready

 === SHOW MUSIC:

•  Item Title: Upbeat & Fun Sports Rock Logo
• Item URL: https://elements.envato.com/upbeat-fun-sports-rock-logo-CSR3UET
• Author Username: AlexanderRufire
• Item License Code: 7X9F52DNML

=== Connect with Uncle Marv

🌐 Website: https://www.itbusinesspodcast.com/
🎙 Host: Marvin Bee
🛒 Uncle Marv’s Amazon Store (gear & tools I recommend): https://amzn.to/3EiyKoZ
☕ Support the show: https://ko-fi.com/itbusinesspodcast

If you found value in this episode, share it with another MSP, IT provider, or tech entrepreneur. Your support helps keep practical, no-nonsense IT business conversations coming every week.

Using fewer AI tokens doesn’t automatically mean you’re saving money. I sat down with Andre Van der Post, Vice President of Cloud Solutions at TD SYNNEX, at Inspire in Greenville, South Carolina, to talk about FinOps Fusion and what it takes to manage AI spending beyond the token count.

We get into infrastructure costs, poorly written prompts, governance, and the opportunity for MSPs to help clients make smarter decisions. Andre also gets honest about what’s still being built. The takeaway: managing AI costs means understanding the business value, not just watching usage.

=== Guest: Andre Van der Post, TD SYNNEX

• Website: https://tdsynnex.com
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrevanderpost

=== Companies / Vendors / Products / Books

• Sign Up for an account at TD SYNNEX: https://www.tdsynnex.com/na/us/en/partnerfirst.html
• FinOps Fusion: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20261008565728/en/TD-SYNNEX-Introduces-FinOps-Fusion-to-Optimize-AI-Token-Spend-Across-Cloud-and-Core-Infrastructure
• TD SYNNEX Inspire: https://www.tdsynnex.com/na/us/inspire/
• Microsoft Copilot: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/copilot
• Google Gemini: https://gemini.google.com/
• AI Token Consumption Assessment: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20261008565728/en/TD-SYNNEX-Introduces-FinOps-Fusion-to-Optimize-AI-Token-Spend-Across-Cloud-and-Core-Infrastructure
• Unified Visibility Dashboard: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20261008565728/en/TD-SYNNEX-Introduces-FinOps-Fusion-to-Optimize-AI-Token-Spend-Across-Cloud-and-Core-Infrastructure
• AI Spend Optimization Recommendations: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20261008565728/en/TD-SYNNEX-Introduces-FinOps-Fusion-to-Optimize-AI-Token-Spend-Across-Cloud-and-Core-Infrastructure

=== SPONSORS:

• Technology Partner, NetAlly: https://www.itbusinesspodcast.com/netally/
• Technology Partner: Bvoip: https://www.itbusinesspodcast.com/bvoip
• Travel Partner: TruGrid: https://www.itbusinesspodcast.com/trugrid
• Digital Partner, Designer Ready: http://itbusinesspodcast.com/designerready

=== SHOW MUSIC:

• Item Title: Upbeat & Fun Sports Rock Logo
• Item URL: https://elements.envato.com/upbeat-fun-sports-rock-logo-CSR3UET
• Author Username: AlexanderRufire
• Item License Code: 7X9F52DNML

=== Connect with Uncle Marv

🌐 Website: https://www.itbusinesspodcast.com/
🎙 Host: Marvin Bee
🛒 Uncle Marv’s Amazon Store (gear & tools I recommend): https://amzn.to/3EiyKoZ
☕ Support the show: https://ko-fi.com/itbusinesspodcast

If you found value in this episode, share it with another MSP, IT provider, or tech entrepreneur. Your support helps keep practical, no-nonsense IT business conversations coming every week.

Dr. Lorne Lavine, better known as The Digital Dentist, joined me to talk about building an IT business that serves one vertical and serves it well. Before becoming an MSP owner, Lorne practiced periodontics, which gave him a real advantage when he started helping dental offices with technology, software decisions, networks, HIPAA, and cybersecurity.

We talked about how he grew through credibility, referrals, writing, speaking, and staying focused on dentists instead of trying to support every kind of business. There are some solid lessons here for any MSP: niche down, understand the customer’s world, do profitable risk assessments, avoid racing to the bottom on price, and build your role around the work you actually enjoy doing.

=== Guest: Dr. Lorne Lavine, The Digital Dentist

• Website: https://www.thedigitaldentist.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/digitaldentist

=== Shout Outs

• Robin Robins / Technology Marketing Toolkit: https://www.technologymarketingtoolkit.com/
• Jennifer Bleam: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-bleam/
• Nigel Moore / The Tech Tribe: https://thetechtribe.com/

=== Companies / Vendors / Products / Books

• Henry Schein: https://www.henryschein.com/
• Patterson Dental: https://www.pattersondental.com/
• Carestream Dental: https://www.carestreamdental.com/en-us/
• Open Dental Software: https://www.opendental.com/
• Curve Dental: https://www.curvedental.com/
• Planet DDS: https://www.planetdds.com/
• DentalTown: https://www.dentaltown.com/
• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: https://www.hhs.gov/
• Office for Civil Rights, HHS: https://www.hhs.gov/ocr/
• Dentrix: https://www.dentrix.com/
• Dentrix Ascend: https://www.dentrix.com/products/dentrix-ascend
• Open Dental: https://www.opendental.com/
• Denticon: https://www.planetdds.com/denticon/

=== SPONSORS:

• Technology Partner, NetAlly: https://www.itbusinesspodcast.com/netally/
• Technology Partner: Bvoip: https://www.itbusinesspodcast.com/bvoip
• Travel Partner: TruGrid: https://www.itbusinesspodcast.com/trugrid
• Digital Partner, Designer Ready: http://itbusinesspodcast.com/designerready

 === SHOW MUSIC:

• Item Title: Upbeat & Fun Sports Rock Logo
• Item URL: https://elements.envato.com/upbeat-fun-sports-rock-logo-CSR3UET
• Author Username: AlexanderRufire
• Item License Code: 7X9F52DNML

=== Connect with Uncle Marv

🌐 Website: https://www.itbusinesspodcast.com/
🎙 Host: Marvin Bee
🛒 Uncle Marv’s Amazon Store (gear & tools I recommend): https://amzn.to/3EiyKoZ
☕ Support the show: https://ko-fi.com/itbusinesspodcast

If you found value in this episode, share it with another MSP, IT provider, or tech entrepreneur. Your support helps keep practical, no-nonsense IT business conversations coming every week.