Uncle Marv's IT Business Podcast (Products, stories, and tips for the MSP and IT Professional)

In this episode of the IT Business Podcast, our guest is Karla Reffold, COO of Orpheus Cyber, a company specializing in vulnerability prioritization and risk ratings. Karla explains how their platform helps organizations improve their security by predicting which vulnerabilities are likely to be exploited in the future, saving time and resources. She also discusses how Orpheus Cyber assists with supply chain management by providing risk ratings for suppliers. The episode concludes with the host expressing excitement about meeting Karla at IT Nation Connect.

Highlights:

• The Pitch It 2023 program is a Shark Tank-style competition sponsored by ConnectWise.
• Orpheus Cyber offers vulnerability prioritization and risk ratings.
• Their platform predicts which vulnerabilities are likely to be exploited in the future, saving time and resources.
• Orpheus Cyber's platform also helps with supply chain management by providing risk ratings for suppliers.
• The platform eliminates the need for time-consuming and incomplete questionnaires.
• Maintaining up-to-date vulnerability scans and considering supply chain management are crucial for MSPs.
• Orpheus Cyber's solution is efficient, fast, and cost-effective, especially for small to medium businesses.

Website: https://orpheus-cyber.com/

=== 

PitchIT is an annual accelerator program created by ConnectWise in 2018 to incubate growth in startup integration partners dedicated to the MSP space. The company is offering small companies the chance to take part in a 16-week program where participants receive a thorough business assessment, gain coaching from industry experts, earn placement on the ConnectWise marketplace, engage in co-marketing and more.

The finalists are selected to present their solutions on the center stage at IT Nation Connect. The PitchIT 2023 program is officially underway, and 27 companies have been selected to participate in the program.

Interested but still have questions? Email [email protected].

Join the PitchIT  waitlist for next year: https://www.connectwise.com/theitnation/pitchit

=== 

#ITBusinessPodcast #MSP #Connectwise #PitchIt #VendorSpotlight #ConnectWise #ITNationConnect #SharkTankCompetition #Startups #MSPs #Cybersecurity #VulnerabilityPrioritization #RiskRatings #SupplyChainManagement 

=== 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.

In this episode of the IT Business Podcast, Uncle Marv interviews Norm MacConkey from B2B Toolbox, formerly known as MPS Toolbox. B2B Toolbox provides a turnkey e-commerce solution for ConnectWise resellers, allowing them to create an online storefront and sell a wide range of products, including IT hardware and software. The platform enables customers to easily browse, select, and purchase products without the need for direct interaction. B2B Toolbox also offers marketing services to help drive traffic to the resellers' websites. The episode discusses the benefits of offering e-commerce capabilities and emphasizes the importance of capturing revenue from hardware and software sales that might otherwise go to larger retailers like Amazon. The host and guest express their enthusiasm for B2B Toolbox's participation in the ConnectWise Pitch It competition and their hope to be selected as one of the finalists.

Highlights:

• The 2023 ConnectWise Pitch It program is a Shark Tank competition for innovative startup companies that can support the mission of managed service providers (MSPs).
• The first-place winner receives $70,000, the second-place winner receives $30,000, and the third-place winner receives a fictitious prize (mentioned humorously in the podcast).
• B2B Toolbox (formerly MPS Toolbox) provides a turnkey e-commerce solution for ConnectWise resellers, enabling them to create an online storefront for selling a wide range of products.
• Customers can easily search, browse, and purchase products from the resellers' websites without the need for direct interaction.
• B2B Toolbox offers marketing services to help drive traffic to the resellers' websites and increase online sales.
• The platform allows resellers to exclude products or categories they don't want to sell and ensures customers have access to products suitable for their business needs.
• B2B Toolbox emphasizes the importance of capturing revenue from IT hardware and software sales, which can account for a significant portion of customer spending.

Website: https://theb2btoolbox.com/

=== 

PitchIT is an annual accelerator program created by ConnectWise in 2018 to incubate growth in startup integration partners dedicated to the MSP space. The company is offering small companies the chance to take part in a 16-week program where participants receive a thorough business assessment, gain coaching from industry experts, earn placement on the ConnectWise marketplace, engage in co-marketing and more.

The finalists are selected to present their solutions on the center stage at IT Nation Connect. The PitchIT 2023 program is officially underway, and 27 companies have been selected to participate in the program.

Interested but still have questions? Email [email protected].

Join the PitchIT  waitlist for next year: https://www.connectwise.com/theitnation/pitchit

=== 

#ITBusinessPodcast #B2BToolbox #eCommerceSolution #ConnectWiseResellers #ManagedITServices #ITHardware #ITSoftware #OnlineShopping #BusinessSolutions #MSPs #PitchItCompetition #ITNationConnect

=== 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.

In this episode of the IT Business Podcast, Uncle Marv and Sean Lardo discuss the upcoming Pitch IT competition by ConnectWise. They introduce Tim Golden from ComplianceRisk.io, who talks about their platform called Polygon, which provides governance as a service for MSPs. Polygon helps MSPs streamline their policies, procedures, and compliance documentation, making it easy and efficient to manage at scale. Tim explains how Polygon integrates with various tools, including ConnectWise, Fort Mesa, and Microsoft Graph API. He also shares advice for MSPs just starting out in compliance and highlights the policy packs available on their platform. 

Highlights:

• Pitch It competition sponsored by ConnectWise aims to find innovative startup vendors aligned with MSPs' mission and growth.
• Polygon by ComplianceRisk.io offers governance as a service, streamlining compliance documentation and processes for MSPs.
• Integration with ConnectWise, Fort Mesa, Microsoft Graph API, and other tools enhances data management and documentation.
• Advice for MSPs starting in compliance: pick a framework (e.g., CIS, CompTIA's Trustmark) and start documenting gradually.
• Policy packs in Polygon facilitate documentation, including HIPAA and FTC policies.
• Reminder to vote for ComplianceRisk.io in the Pitch It competition on August 29th.

=== Websites Mentioned

• ComplianceRisk.io - The website of Compliance Risk, offering governance as a service and compliance consulting for businesses. 
• ConnectWise 
• https://www.cisecurity.org: CIS (Center for Internet Security) - A nonprofit organization providing guidelines and best practices for cybersecurity. 
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/graph/overview: Microsoft Graph API - A RESTful API provided by Microsoft for integrating with various Microsoft services and data.

=== 

PitchIT is an annual accelerator program created by ConnectWise in 2018 to incubate growth in startup integration partners dedicated to the MSP space. The company is offering small companies the chance to take part in a 16-week program where participants receive a thorough business assessment, gain coaching from industry experts, earn placement on the ConnectWise marketplace, engage in co-marketing and more.

The finalists are selected to present their solutions on the center stage at IT Nation Connect. The PitchIT 2023 program is officially underway, and 27 companies have been selected to participate in the program.

Interested but still have questions? Email [email protected].

Join the PitchIT  waitlist for next year: https://www.connectwise.com/theitnation/pitchit

=== 

#ITBusinessPodcast #MSPs #PitchItCompetition #GovernanceAsAService #ComplianceRisk #PolygonPlatform #Cybersecurity #AssetManagement #DocumentManagement #ITNationConnect 

=== 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.

In this episode of the IT Business Podcast, Uncle Marv continues the summer series for the Connectwise Pitch It program. He interviews Walter Contreras from Binox MSP, who shares his experience as an immigrant and the development of Binox. 

Binox MSP is a Sales and Marketing solution for MSPs (Managed Service Providers) that provides human verified B2B leads, along with an exclusive PSA (Professional Services Automation) to CRM (Customer Relationship Management) bi-directional sync and marketing automation to help convert those leads into customers. Binox MSP integrates with ConnectWise PSA, Datto Autotask PSA, Kaseya/BMS, Synchro, and Halo. It sends leads to Infusionsoft, HubSpot, and other CRMs.

Binox focuses on lead generation and provides human-verified data to help MSPs target prospects effectively. Walter emphasizes the importance of maintaining a personal connection with prospects and believes that Binox enhances the human capacity in sales processes. The conversation highlights the various features of Binox, including website reveal, browser extension, and SMS texting. 

Highlights:

• Binox MSP is a revenue growth platform designed for MSPs, providing lead generation and CRM features.
• Binox offers human-verified data and contact information for targeted prospects.
• The platform integrates with ConnectWise and provides bi-directional synchronization.
• Marketing automation tools and partnerships, like MyMatrix, are available within Binox.
• Binox's browser extension helps identify decision-makers and provides contact information.
• The platform includes a built-in dialer and SMS texting feature for efficient communication.
• Walter emphasizes the importance of taking action and building personal connections with prospects.
• Binox aims to enhance the human capacity in sales processes rather than replacing it with AI.

Website: https://binoxmsp.com/

=== 

PitchIT is an annual accelerator program created by ConnectWise in 2018 to incubate growth in startup integration partners dedicated to the MSP space. The company is offering small companies the chance to take part in a 16-week program where participants receive a thorough business assessment, gain coaching from industry experts, earn placement on the ConnectWise marketplace, engage in co-marketing and more.

The finalists are selected to present their solutions on the center stage at IT Nation Connect. The PitchIT 2023 program is officially underway, and 27 companies have been selected to participate in the program.

Interested but still have questions? Email [email protected].

Join the PitchIT  waitlist for next year: https://www.connectwise.com/theitnation/pitchit

=== 

#ITBusinessPodcast #MSP #Connectwise #PitchIt #VendorSpotlight #BinoxMSP #LeadGeneration #CRM #MarketingAutomation #SalesProcess #Data #HumanVerifiedData #Integration #BrowserExtension #SMSMarketing #ITNationConnect #Orlando

=== 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.

Wayne Creamer from Symoda joins the podcast to discuss their client-facing customer service platform. Symoda aims to improve the customer experience for MSPs and their clients by providing better communication, self-service solutions, and a focus on the client's overall support experience. The platform integrates with popular PSAs like ConnectWise and Autotask, allowing MSPs to create and update tickets directly within the app. Symoda also plans to harness AI to automate tasks and provide a more seamless experience for end users.

Key Takeaways:

• Symoda is a client-facing customer service platform that improves the customer experience for MSPs and their clients.
• The platform integrates with popular PSAs like ConnectWise and Autotask, allowing MSPs to create and update tickets directly within the app.
• Symoda aims to automate tasks and provide self-service solutions to improve efficiency and reduce friction in the support process.

=== Websites Referenced

https://symoda.com/

=== 

PitchIT is an annual accelerator program created by ConnectWise in 2018 to incubate growth in startup integration partners dedicated to the MSP space. The company is offering small companies the chance to take part in a 16-week program where participants receive a thorough business assessment, gain coaching from industry experts, earn placement on the ConnectWise marketplace, engage in co-marketing and more.

The finalists are selected to present their solutions on the center stage at IT Nation Connect. The PitchIT 2023 program is officially underway, and 27 companies have been selected to participate in the program.

Interested but still have questions? Email [email protected].

Join the PitchIT  waitlist for next year: https://www.connectwise.com/theitnation/pitchit

=== 

#ITBusinessPodcast #MSP #ConnectWise #PitchItProgram #SharkTank #StartupInnovators #MSPSupport #ChannelProgram #Symoda #CustomerService #MSPCommunication #PSAIntegration #AutomatedTasks #CustomerExperience #MSPClient 

=== 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.

In this episode of Uncle Marv's IT Business Podcast, Marvin Bee and Sean Lardo discuss the ConnectWise PitchIT program, a Shark Tank-style competition for emerging and innovative vendors. They are joined by Naren Sathiya from Telivy, a company that automates cybersecurity risk assessments. Telivy helps identify and analyze cyber liabilities across various security areas and offers remediation plans through partner vendors. They also assist MSPs in educating clients about their cyber liabilities and can help save on insurance costs. The episode highlights Telivy's focus on risk advisory for MSPs and the growing importance of digital risks for small businesses.

=== Websites Referenced

https://www.telivy.com/

https://www.ycombinator.com/companies/telivy

=== Highlights

• Telivy automates cybersecurity risk assessments and helps identify and analyze cyber liabilities.
• Telivy offers remediation plans and works with partner vendors for assistance.
• They help MSPs educate clients about their cyber liabilities and save on insurance costs.
• Telivy emphasizes the role of MSPs as risk advisors and the increasing importance of digital risks for small businesses.

=== 

PitchIT is an annual accelerator program created by ConnectWise in 2018 to incubate growth in startup integration partners dedicated to the MSP space. The company is offering small companies the chance to take part in a 16-week program where participants receive a thorough business assessment, gain coaching from industry experts, earn placement on the ConnectWise marketplace, engage in co-marketing and more.

The finalists are selected to present their solutions on the center stage at IT Nation Connect. The PitchIT 2023 program is officially underway, and 27 companies have been selected to participate in the program.

Interested but still have questions? Email [email protected].

Join the PitchIT  waitlist for next year: https://www.connectwise.com/theitnation/pitchit

=== 

#ITBusinessPodcast #ConnectWise #PitchIT #ITNationConnect #ITNation #Cybersecurity #MSPs #VendorSpotlight #RiskAdvisory #DigitalRisks #Automation

=== 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.

In this episode of the IT Business Podcast, Marvin Bee is joined by Lynn from ASCII and Technology Attorney Bradley Gross. They discuss the ASCIII Edge event in Tampa Florida, and the upcoming Taste of Success, which are local dinner learns organized by the ASCII group. The dinner learns offer an intimate setting for MSPs to network and learn from industry experts like Bradley Gross and Corey from new so. The hosts emphasize the importance of keeping the events small and conversational. The podcast concludes with plans to expand the Taste of Success to more locations in the future.

Highlights:

• ASCII group organizing local dinner learns called the Taste of Success for MSPs in Minneapolis and Denver.
• Taste of Success Dinner Learns provide an intimate setting for networking and conversations.
• Bradley Gross is known as the "Batman" of the MSP attorney industry.
• The events are intentionally kept small for better conversations.
• Plans to expand dinner learns to more cities in the future.

=== 

The ASCII Edge conference was held in Tampa, Florida on June 21-22, 2023. The conference is designed for MSPs (Managed Service Providers) to come together, share best practices, and learn from one another's experiences. The event was held at the Hilton St. Petersburg Carillon Park. There were private peer meetings of ASCII members, networking opportunities, and time to meet with sponsors. The conference also had a focus on cybersecurity, with a private meeting about the Conceal secure browser extension.

#asciiedge #podcast #itbusinesspodcast

=== 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.

In this episode of "Uncle Marv's IT Business Podcast," we took a deep dive into the Microsoft 365 Journey to the Cloud. We covered everything from enhanced email protection to customizing conditional access policies for top-notch security.

But that's not all! We also discussed the benefits of utilizing Teams Channels for client communication and monitoring. And of course, we couldn't forget about the failed conditional access and password issues that can sometimes pop up.

Now, let's talk about the highlights of this episode:

• Moving a client to Microsoft 365 Business Premium for enhanced email protection.
• Importance of customizing conditional access policies for enhanced security.
• Utilizing Teams Channels for client communication and monitoring.
• Discussion on failed conditional access and password issues.

Timestamps:

• 10:11 - Moving a client to Microsoft 365 Business Premium for enhanced email protection.
• 19:26 - Importance of customizing conditional access policies for enhanced security.
• 27:48 - Utilizing Teams Channels for client communication and monitoring.
• 48:41 - Discussion on failed conditional access and password issues.

=== 

Websites and Resources: 

• Skyline IT Management: https://skylineitmgmt.com/
• Microsoft 365 Copilot: https://tinyurl.com/2x25wnxe
• Migrate your content to Microsoft 365: https://tinyurl.com/2y3ebpa2
• Migration for your Microsoft 365 Tenants: https://tinyurl.com/5xepc6f4
• Florida Man Throws BBQ Grill at Police: https://tinyurl.com/ybfkm9z6

=== 

#ITBusinessPodcast #Microsoft365 #ITproviders #cloudmigration #BusinessStandard #BusinessPremium #AzureAD #Intune #conditionalaccess #securitypolicies #phishingpolicies #dynamicgroups

=== 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.

In this podcast episode, Marvin Bee and Dinah Giles from Skyline IT Management discuss various topics related to Microsoft 365 and cloud migration. They cover subjects like licenses, cloud adoption, client criteria for migration, hybrid scenarios, customization and branding, and the cost considerations of transitioning to premium licenses. They also touch upon topics like calendar sharing and deploying Windows 10 using cloud configuration. The episode concludes with an invitation to a live show  July 12, 2023 where they will answer questions from the audience. 

Highlights:

• Discussion on licenses and the difference between standard, basic, and premium licenses.
• Importance of cloud migration for IT providers and the potential for business expansion.
• Considerations for selecting clients who are interested in moving to the cloud.
• Customization and branding options available in Microsoft 365.
• The security benefits of customization and branding.
• Exploring the deployment of Windows 10 and customization through Azure AD and Intune.
• Cost considerations and options for annual commitments and discounts.
• Explanation of the hybrid model and the steps involved in moving clients to the cloud.
• The importance of setting up domains and configuring DNS settings.
• The benefits of using Microsoft 365 for small businesses.
• Mention of a live show on July 12th for further discussions and Q&A.

=== 

Websites and Resources: 

• Skyline IT Management: https://skylineitmgmt.com/
• Microsoft 365 Copilot: https://tinyurl.com/2x25wnxe
• Migrate your content to Microsoft 365: https://tinyurl.com/2y3ebpa2
• Migration for your Microsoft 365 Tenants: https://tinyurl.com/5xepc6f4

=== 

#ITBusinessPodcast #Microsoft365 #ITproviders #cloudmigration #BusinessStandard #BusinessPremium #AzureAD #Intune #conditionalaccess #securitypolicies #phishingpolicies #dynamicgroups 

=== 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.

In this episode of "Uncle Marv's IT Business Podcast," the hosts discuss the importance of tailored content and videos for MSPs. They emphasize the need for guidance in creating content that aligns with an MSP's model, clients, and goals. They also highlight the value of being involved in meetings and providing guidance for implementing marketing plans. The hosts stress the importance of fair compensation for content production and goal alignment. The episode concludes with a discussion about the MSP Corner website and the supportive community it offers.

Highlights:

• The hosts provide guidance on creating tailored content and videos for MSPs.
• They emphasize the value of being involved in meetings and providing guidance for marketing plans.
• Fair compensation for content production and goal alignment is discussed.
• The MSP Corner website and its supportive community are highlighted.

=== 

List of Websites and Resources Mentioned in the Podcast:

• MSP Corner - https://mspcorner.com/
• Single Point of Contact - https://singlepointoc.com/
• A Definitive Guide to Cybersecurity by Gregory Morawietz - https://amzn.to/46IHToU

=== 

Hashtags:

#MSPCorner #ContentCreation #VideoMarketing #MarketingPlan #SEOBestPractices #DigitalFootprint #WebsiteOptimization #SalesGoals #MarketingGoals #LeadGeneration #OnlinePresence #BusinessGuidance #TailoredContent #MarketingStrategies #Webinars #SocialMediaMarketing #DigitalMarketing #OnlineAdvertising #KeywordResearch #AdWords #SearchEngineOptimization #MarketingEducation #VendorEngagement #CaseStudies

=== 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.