About Georg Dauterman:Georg believes in the fusion of technology and creativity. With a background in both fields, he started his career in IT departments of publishing and advertising agencies, realizing the critical need for tech aligned with business goals. Joining Valiant in 2004, Georg's expertise and passion for efficiency brought industry recognition. He holds a history degree from Queens College and serves on Datto's Global Partner Advisory Board. Beyond his leadership role, Georg enjoys exploring culinary skills, fitness, and outdoor adventures with his family.

About Megan Quick:Megan is a member of the Valiant Marketing & Sales team, assisting in demonstrating the value of our services and ensuring positive experiences for prospective clients. When not working with technology, she is a theater production manager and performer, producing her own comedy shows, and is an avid writer. Megan has a B.A. in Theater from Sewanee: The University of The South.

What you'll learn about in this episode:

• Why managed IT is important for creative and PR agencies, and how secure IT infrastructure protects client data and supports creative work.
• The biggest challenges agencies currently face, including compliance risk, cybersecurity gaps, and inefficient systems.
• How master service agreements can expose agencies to hidden legal and data security risks.
• Why agencies undervalue data from client information to employee and financial records, and how you can protect it.
• How poor IT processes create friction in onboarding, offboarding, and day to day operations.
• Common mistakes growing agencies make, including using high-level executives for basic IT tasks.
• When to hire a managed service provider and the signs you've outgrown DIY IT.
• Three steps to take to strengthen your agency's IT foundation, including system audits, cloud security reviews, and documented onboarding processes.