Richard Tubb's Blog, page 24

Bonusode: The AI-Files: A Synthesised Message From Richard Tubb (Almost!) to MSP Listeners

Could you tell the difference between a synthesised voice from a human one? And if you knew the speaker was AI generated, would you keep listening or switch off?

An Experiment With AI-Generated Synthesised Voice Recordings Trying out an AI Synthesised Voice

In a unique bonus episode of TubbTalk, I discuss why I want to do an audio version of my popular MSP Insights newsletter.

I explain that many MSPs prefer to listen rather than read. If you’re busy or commuting, it’s easier to have audio on in the background.

But, as recording audio content is time-consuming and sometimes draining for me, I prefer to write an update instead, as I explain in this podcast episode.

Except the voice you hear in this episode is not me speaking at all. 😲

What you’ll hear is a synthesised version of my voice, created with an Artificial Intelligence-based voice cloning tool called Descript.

And it turns out that using an AI synthesised voice means I’m in good company!

Our community Manager Steve reliably informs me that Arnold Schwarzenegger uses on on “Arnold’s Pump Club.”

So if I get good feedback on this show, can I say that “AI’ll be back”?! 🤓

Could Using an AI Synthesised Voice Save Time in Your Day?

What do you think? Revolutionary or world-destroying?

Would you use voice cloning in your own business?

And, would you enjoy listening to a recording knowing it wasn’t really the person you follow but a voice created with AI?

Would this technology save you time, either as a content creator or content consumer?

Let me know in the comments or get in touch. I promise the real Richard Tubb will reply! 😄

How to Connect With MeSubscribe to TubbTalk RSS feedSubscribe, rate, and review TubbTalk on iTunesSubscribe and rate TubbTalk on SpotifyFollow TubbTalk on iHeartRadioFollow @tubblog on TwitterMentioned in This EpisodeAI voice generator and text to speech tool: ElevenLabsYou May Also be Interested inPodcast: AI, The Future of Managed Services and Pax8 for MSPs: What You Need to KnowHow AI is Narrowing the Inclusion Gap and the Opportunities for MSPsClever Ways AI is Being Leveraged to Empower Customer Experience

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Celebrating the Winners of the SuperOps MSP Awards 2023

I was delighted to be invited to be part of the judging panel for the second annual SuperOps MSP Awards, which took place at the end of 2023! It was a great experience, and all the entrants deserve recognition for their efforts. However, there could only be 10 winners! Read on to learn more about them.

What are the SuperOps MSP Awards?

First held in 2022, the SuperOps MSP Awards are a way to champion and celebrate the best and brightest talent in the tech space. As SuperOps themselves say:

“It’s time hard-working MSPs stepped out of the shadows and into the spotlight. The Awards are a gala not merely of victory, but a celebration of unyielding spirit.

“Every single nomination we received was a testimony to MSPs being champions of their work. Being an MSP is definitely not easy and we want to say ‘Thank you for your service’. Not ALL superheroes wear capes.”

The Judges and Our Process

It was great to join some of the best-known names in the IT space, especially as I’m good friends with most of them! But we had our work cut out for us – there were over 250 nominations in 10 different categories.

My fellow judges were:

Author and speaker Karl PalachukMSP marketing expertPaul GreenMSP growth expert Ian LuckettSpeaker and author Fiona ChallisMSP and channel growth expert Dave SuttonFounder, CEO and executive leader Amy Luby

We were looking for MSP owners who worked hard to go above and beyond for their clients. Or they had a great product, or were active in the community. So you can imagine it was a tough call to choose only a handful of winners!

The SuperOps MSP Awards Winners of 2023

And here are the winners, runners-up and those who received a special mention!

Emerging MSP of the YearWinner: Reformed IT – a Nottingham-based MSP with a cybersecurity focusRunner-up: Peak Technology Solutions – an MSP based in Cleveland, OhioSpecial Mentions: Agile Networks – IT for architects specialists; and About IT – a Belgian IT management companyVertical MSP of the YearWinner: Compex IT – Birmingham-based IT supportRunner-up: MSP Lab – IT for indpendent schoolsSpecial Mention: CoWorkTech – comprehensive IT services for co-working spacesSolo MSP of the YearWinner: BV Tech LLC – custom IT solutions for SMBs in the San Antonio areaRunner-up: Snap.IT – comprehensive IT support and consultancy in NottinghamshireSpecial Mention: Ryan Foster Tech Consulting LLC – MSP and IT support for schools and SMBs in Jersey City, NJMSP with the Best Use of AIWinner: Dunedin IT – IT and cybersecurity support in EdinburghMSP with the Best Onboarding ProcessWinner: Caerphilly-based Team Metalogic – offering strategic IT partnershipsBest MSP BlogWinner: Compex IT – Birmingham-based IT supportRunner-up: syn-star – reliable and affordable IT support and telecoms in HampshireSpecial Mention: Farmhouse Networking – IT and outsourced MSP support in OregonThe Customer Experience ChampionWinner: systemagic – people-focused IT support, Bradford-on-AvonRunner-up: Grace Solutions – Cambridge-based tech services companyMSP with the Best Work CultureWinner: Caerphilly-based Team Metalogic – offering strategic IT partnershipsRunner-up: complete IT infrastructure services from Oaktree IT in RomfordSpecial Mentions: Certified IT and cyber experts StartTech, based in Shropshire; Hertfordshire-based BIT Solutions, offering managed IT and cloud solutions; Bold IT – professional IT support and services in StaffordshireMSP with the Best Security PracticesWinner: Reformed IT – a Nottingham-based MSP with a cybersecurity focusRunner-up: Hertfordshire-based BIT Solutions, offering managed IT and cloud solutionsSpecial Mention: Cyber threat defence from West Computers in Mississippi; California-based Tech Guardian, leveraging the latest technology solutions for clientsWoman Contributor of the YearWinner: Amanda Stewart of Illuminate Technology – IT services and consulting in MidlothianRunner-up: Erica Martinez Rose of Orlando-based IT support and services Tech Rage ITSpecial Mention: Michelle Coombs MSP coach and consultant at The Tech Leader Network, Birmingham

 

Will There be a SuperOps MSP Awards 2024?

Yes there will! You can nominate yourself, and the process is very straightforward. Find out more here (scroll to the end).

You Might Also Be Interested InThe Road to £1 Million – The SuperOps SuperSummitTubbTalk 132: What Every MSP Should Know to Run and Grow a Successful BusinessThe Two Top Most Powerful Trends for MSPs in 2024

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Breakthrough Ways Of Selling Cybersecurity Solutions To SMBs

Selling cybersecurity solutions is all about understanding the risk to your client’s business.

In this webinar from security experts Huntress, they explored the threat landscape facing small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) today. Then, they explored the ways managed service providers (MSPs) can bolster their tech stacks without breaking the bank or overloading your engineers.

Andrew Meier of Huntress covered the topics with Morgan Aspinall, Product Manager for Halo PSA, and Harry Boyne from UK MSP Chalkline Solutions.

Introduction

When it comes to packaging and selling cybersecurity, it’s important to be aware of the multitude of threats facing the small and medium-sized (SMB) market today.

Hackers today operate as businesses, and they can do so on a much larger scale than most MSPs, or their clients. Furthermore, artificial intelligence (AI) has opened up opportunities for us as technology providers, but it’s also done the same for threat actors.

So, when it comes to educating our customers, how can we demonstrate the need for good cybersecurity practices? And when we do so, how can we carry this out so that it’s not intrusive or expensive for them?

We should ask ourselves, what happens if they object or refuse to comply? Are they worth the risk to our reputation, or should we cut them loose?

And how can we utilise our professional services automation (PSA) tool or ticketing system to keep on top of alerts?

Speakers:

Andrew Meier, Sales Engineer, Huntress

Morgan Aspinall, Product Manager, Halo PSA

Harry Boyne, Co-Founder & Technical Director, Chalkline Solutions

 

 

 

Hacking as a Business

Cybercrime is rapidly growing as a business.

According to the 2023 IC3 Report, over the last five years:

3.26 million complaints (reports of hacks) were received by the Internet Crime Complaints Centre$27.6 billion in losses were reported

Cyber criminals earn their money through numerous methods, or attack vectors, and there’s a whole ecosystem where data is gathered and brokered and tools engineered for malicious purposes.

And just like a modern business, they have excellent customer service teams.

They’re even hiring! With all the conditions you’d expect with a normal day-to-day job, such as leave entitlement.

Artificial Intelligence is Raising the Stakes

Adoption of AI chatbots has upped the game for threat actors, which has made phishing much easier, and more widespread.

Harry and Morgan said they were using AI in their businesses, though finding it hit and miss. AI is making accessibility much easier, especially for threat actors. Andrew said that we need to be smarter and faster in detecting and responding to threats.

Educating Your Customers When Selling Cybersecurity Solutions

The speakers discussed ways we should be educating customers about the type of threats we’re facing today.

Some of the key takeaway here were:

It’s important to use straight-forward relatable language.It’s much easier to explain threats to customers who have already been a victim of cybercrime.Explaining it in terms of the risk to their business and the consequences of not acting on it is a good start.If you can demonstrate how a compromise could affect their bottom line it could provoke them into taking steps to become more secure.

When it comes to cybersecurity, people, processes and technology are the three tenets that go hand-in-hand.

Framing the Need for Security and Strategic Recovery

Starting with a recognised framework can help you start the conversation with your customers:

The NIST framework structures security into five areas: Identify, Protect, Detect, Respond and RecoverCIS controls – a prescriptive, prioritised, and simplified set of best practices that you can use to strengthen your cybersecurity postureCyber Essentials – is a UK certification to show that an organisation has achieved the minimum level of protection is cybersecurity

When an event does occur, having better security in place means better controls around recovery.

Depending on the level of compromise, there could be just a few steps you need to take, or there could be whole areas you need to quarantine and restore.

Therefore it’s essential that you discuss with your customers a priority plan. This lets you know what you need to focus your efforts on getting operational again first. This is what resiliency is all about.

For any customer you onboard, you need to ensure that they opt-in to a minimum security stance, and they keep up their obligations.

It’s as much a risk to your reputation as it is to theirs if they don’t act on your recommendations, and suffer a serious attack as a result.

Selling cybersecurity solutions is as much about risk to your customers as it is to you.

Delivering Your Cybersecurity Solutions and Services

Andrew said that regardless of what’s in your stack right now, there is no excuse to not do what you can with what you’ve got. There’s no need to try to boil the ocean.

You can make a good start by following these steps:

Conduct a risk assessmentLeverage your existing partnershipsArm your team

The speakers discussed what’s best when it comes to keeping customers safe and the impact to their businesses.

Harry said that the landscape is changing so quickly, and it can be hard to keep up with all the updates we need to deliver. However, by not telling customers exactly what’s in our stack, we have the ability to make changes to it fairly quickly if the visible impact to their business is minimal.

The client has to come first and you need to have their best interests and the user experience in mind too.

As well as the customer, your team also needs to be behind your stack. Plus, they should have confidence in their toolsets.

Some of the common tools used in security stacks are:

PSA Tool or Ticketing SystemAntivirusManaged Detection and Response (MDR)DNS SecurityFirewallMulti-Factor Authentication (MFA)Password Management

Morgan Aspinwall gave us a brief demo of Halo PSA in how it records and manages a security alert ticket, from assignments and escalations to workflows for actions and responses. However, we ran out of time to explore it in any great detail.

Selling Cybersecurity Solutions Conclusion

The stakes are continually being raised by threat actors, and as MSPs we are challenged to not only to develop more robust stacks, but to sell these expensive solutions to customers.

The secret to this is: we can start by ensuring we demonstrate the standards shown in security frameworks. And to impress upon customers that what we offer is a way of reducing the risk to their business financially, operationally and reputationally.

Furthermore we need to make sure we have the confidence in the tools we are using to protect our customers. One of the best ways to do this is to use the tools to protect our own businesses first.

You Might Also Be Interested InUntold Cyber Attack Stories: A Shocking Perspective for MSPsBonusode: The Most Exciting News for MSPs Coming Out of Microsoft IgniteMy 3 Words for  Unleashing a Powerful 2024 

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The MSP Opportunity in Up-Serving and Cross-Selling

Uncover the untapped revenue potential in your MSP business.

Learn the art of strategic upselling, reducing support costs, and increasing profits.

Discover the power of “up-serving” over traditional selling, and transform your business growth strategy. Dive in now and revolutionise your approach to client relationships and revenue generation.

Introduction

In my work with IT Solution Providers and Managed Service Providers (MSPs), I regularly ask business owners what their biggest challenge is.

The answer they give me is typically “finding new clients”.

As a former MSP owner myself, I totally understand this challenge!

Doing consistent, quality marketing to prospective MSP clients is time-consuming and often frustrating.

But what if I told you that instead of having to find new clients, you are sitting on a potential goldmine of revenue with your *existing* clients?

Lowering the Cost of Support and Increasing Revenue

How many services do you offer to your existing clients?

At a guess, there will be:

Your core Managed Service offeringCloud-based backup and Disaster Recovery solutionsDark Web monitoringWeb Content FilteringEmail HostingEmail Backup and ArchivingNetwork Management

… And probably a dozen other services and solutions you could offer your clients.

Now, how many of your clients take *all* the solutions and services you offer?

Probably not too many, right?

Yet if you were to educate all of your clients — or even a good portion — I’m betting that not only would your revenue increase substantially, but thanks to your clients being better protected, the cost of supporting those clients would drop thanks to fewer support tickets.‍

So, by upselling and cross-selling solutions, you’d lower your cost of support contracts and increase your revenue.

So why aren’t more MSPs doing this?

Upselling can Feel Like a Dirty Word

When you mention sales to most MSP owners, it comes with certain negative connotations.

Salesmen are seen as snake oil merchants, trying to persuade customers to buy something they don’t need.

Yet the vast majority of MSPs I know came into the IT industry because they enjoy helping and serving people.

This reminded me of the time I had the opportunity to interview Bob Burg.

Bob is the renowned co-author of the best-selling book The Go-Giver: A Little Story About a Powerful Business Idea and a globally respected sales coach (you can check out our conversation at How Being a Go-Giver Can Increase Your Sales).

Bob coined the phrase “up-serving” and I love this term because it perfectly captures what we, as MSP owners, are looking to achieve with our clients.

That’s why I think we need to redefine the word “selling” to “serving,” and as a result, instead of looking to upsell or cross-sell to our clients, we learn the benefits of up-serving our MSP clients.

 

How Can I Begin Up-Serving My Clients?

Earlier in this article, I mentioned that you probably have dozens of solutions or services you *could* offer to your clients.

But just how do you keep track of which clients are taking which services?

Well, when I ran my own MSP business, we went old-school on this concept!

I put up a whiteboard in our office, and across the bottom axis, I wrote every client’s name.

Then, down the left axis, I wrote every solution or service we offer.

Finally, in the grid I’d created, I went through and put a green tick where a client already took that solution or service from us, and a red cross where there was an opportunity to help that client with an up-served solution.

Thankfully, nowadays, you don’t have to use such basic solutions, as there are tools that can help.

Focus On A Solution Per Month

Once you have your sales plan in place, then I’d recommend you focus your marketing efforts on promoting a single solution each month.

For instance, the first month you could focus your marketing on educating clients on the value of a Backup & Disaster Recovery (BDR) solution.

The next month, you could focus on why voice-over-IP (VoIP) solutions provide better quality call management.

Each month, you’re trying to convert more of your existing clients to your solutions — looking for opportunities to increase the revenue you generate from the client *and* lower your cost of supporting that client.

As a side note, one additional great benefit to this process is that the same marketing can be used to promote your services and solutions to *new* clients, too! So, if you’re struggling to do consistent marketing, this methodology will help you.

A double whammy!

Conclusion

The vast majority of MSP businesses are working hard to win new clients.

Yet the reality of their business is that they probably haven’t maximised the value of their existing client relationships!

By up-serving your clients, and educating them on the full range of services and solutions you could help them with, you’ll find that you increase your revenue.

And, as a result of your clients taking more of your services, you’ll notice that they are better protected and log fewer support tickets with you. So, you’ll increase the profit of your support contracts.

Up-serving clients is a win-win. It increases your revenue, reduces your cost of supporting a client, and makes your client more “sticky” too.

So as you approach your business growth strategy, before pursuing new clients, consider the goldmine of revenue you’re already sitting on!

You Might Also Be Interested InThe benefits of learning how to Up-Serve your clientsThe Upselling Process – Secret Tips for SuccessHow your MSP can manage a very large client

 

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TubbTalk 144: How MSPs can Learn From The Illustrious Leader of The Tech Tribe

In this episode, I speak to Nigel Moore, the illustrious founder of The Tech Tribe. It’s community for forward-thinking MSPs looking to network, collaborate and learn from their peers. And its members have access to marketing, training, expert panel discussions and more.

An Interview With Nigel Moore Why People Join the Tech Tribe

Nigel explains that there are some online forums for those in the IT business that aren’t as supportive, such as Reddit. “The advice given out isn’t always accurate, it’s anonymous, and there’s often bullying. Our community is pay to play, and you can’t be anonymous.

“When people pay to play and show up as themselves, they tend to show up better. We provide clear community guidelines, so people can show up in the best way possible for themselves and others. All of that weeds out the people who are only there to make themselves look good.”

Why The Tech Tribe Attracts Industry Experts

The Tech Tribe community is full of experienced people who have built and sold successful MSPs. Often, they are now on the vendor side of the industry. “But they love giving back and sharing their experiences.

“But they’re also building their own authority, introducing people to their products in a helpful way and taking feedback on board. There are a lot of members who just like to hang out, add value or point people the right way.”

Nigel’s Advice on How to Run a Successful MSP Without Working Long Hours

“Running a business is challenging, and you’ll find there are lots of things you should work on to grow the business. But it all comes down to where you are right now and the biggest challenge you’ve got.

“I learned a great concept from Dan Sullivan, which is that what’s going on in your business is always constrained by one thing. So that could be your marketing, speed of delivery or of execution.

“You need to find and fix it so the pipe can open up and get things flowing again. You also need to focus on the highest priority and leave the rest. And be determined to get up every day and work, no matter how hard it feels.”

How to Grow a Strong Team Culture

Nigel highlights things such as transparency and trust as being important to a strong team culture. “ I work incredibly hard to make my team feel supported. And I make sure to spend time with them too, even though we’re remote and in different time zones.

“I make sure they’ve got everything they need to be happy and successful in their role and access to help if they need it. I don’t want anyone to not enjoy their job. Of course, sometimes we make mistakes or clients aren’t happy, but we support each other. I don’t get mad at them.”

How to Tackle Difficult Conversations

As business owners, difficult conversations are unavoidable. But Nigel says that talking in a professional way when we disagree can lead to us doing good things. Although he actively avoided conflict when he first started out in business, he eventually realised that it can be good.

If you give people the space, trust and respect to discuss things, Nigel says, then one person might come round to the other’s way of thinking. Or perhaps meet in the middle. And if you have staff experiencing conflict, you have to support them to work through it too.

“Growth happens when someone brings up a tough topic but those around them know they’re safe to respond appropriately without feeling attacked. Polite discourse and conflict resolution is something you get better at over time, and that makes you a better leader.”

How They Deal With Disagreements in The Tech Tribe Community

Because the Tech Tribe community is made up of both MSPs and vendors, sometimes an MSP owner has shared a bad experience about a vendor who’s also a member of the group.

Once or twice, vendors threaten legal action if the comments aren’t removed. “But my response every time is, ‘that’s a legitimate customer with a legitimate problem.

“‘You can choose to respond appropriately and we’ll support you with that. And it shows the industry how you deal with complaints. Or you can be rude or ignore them, neither of which will look good.’

“But on the other hand, we don’t support vendor-bashing just for the sake of it. We hide the post with a note to say that the comment didn’t add value to the conversation.”

How Nigel Overcame Addiction to Grow a Successful Business

Nigel is very open with talking about addictions he had in the early years of running a business, the struggles these led to and how he was able to eventually overcome them to grow his business.

There were a couple of causes for these. Firstly, as a young, man, he and his friends would drive around and do ‘stupid stuff’. His very close friend, who had a lot of problems, ended up taking his own life.

“By the late 2000s, I’d been working for a guy for several years which was like an abusive relationship. I had crazy beliefs about myself, and although I left the role and set up my own business, I really struggled.

“It led me on a downward spiral where I was drunk every day and abusing substances at the weekend. I was trying to escape my reality and I ended up in hospital after overdosing twice. I had suicidal thoughts.

“What led to my recovery was meeting my wife and realising that I was being stupid. I didn’t want to die, but I hated my life. I finally went to the doctor and he gave me antidepressants. But they made me feel awful.

“In the end, I gradually reduced the amount of drinking I did each day. I stopped taking drugs after I’d been hospitalised, and I slowly stopped smoking too. I don’t recognise the Nigel I used to be.

“Part of the reason I started the Tech Tribe was because I knew that other people were struggling too. And I wanted them to have a safe space where they could find support and know that they weren’t alone.”

Nigel’s Mentors and Inspirations

Nigel says he’s had different mentors at different phases of his life, starting off with the person who hired him for his first tech job to the person who became his first client when he set up his MSP.

“When I pivoted to selling my MSP, I took inspiration from amazing coaches like Taki Moore and James Schramko. But as well as those whose programmes I took, I also had unofficial mentors.

“Those are the people who have no idea who I am, but whose work I absorbed and learned from. That’s people like Dan Sullivan, Marcus Lemonis, Karl Palachuk and of course, Richard Tubb.

“I’m inspired reading books from people outside of the industry or when I hear a weird idea that excites me. I try to learn from community leaders, too, so that I can make the Tech Tribe even better.”

How to Connect With Nigel MooreThe Tech TribeFollow Nigel on TwitterConnect with Nigel on LinkedInFollow Nigel on FacebookHow to Connect With MeSubscribe to TubbTalk RSS feedSubscribe, rate and review TubbTalk in iTunesSubscribe and rate TubbTalk on SpotifyFollow TubbTalk on iHeartRadioFollow @tubblog on TwitterMentioned in This EpisodeNigel’s previous appearance on TubbTalkAuthor and business expert Karl PalachukMSP Community: CompTIAMSP Community: ConnectWise EvolveMSP Community: TruPeerMSP Community: ASCIIMarketing and sales tool: GrowablyMSP Community (Australia): SMBiTMSP marketing expert: Paul GreenMSP coach: Andrew MoonMSP sales expert: Jennifer BleamIT coach: Pete MathesonMSP Sales Whisperer: Paul LloydJamie Warner at InvarosoftList of MSP peer groupsOnline coach: James SchramkoBook: James Schramko: Work Less, Make More: The Counter-Intuitive Approach to Building a Profitable Business, and a Life You Actually LoveCIA Ops by Robert CraneThe Strategic Coach: Dan SullivanCollaboration tool: ClickUpHealth research: ZoeOnline therapy: BetterHelpAwareness day (Australia): Are You OK DayDisabled Surfers AssociationGreat example of doing video marketing, via John FisherTaki Moore: Million Dollar CoachBusiness expert: Marcus LemonisBook: Ray Dalio: Principles: Life and WorkAsset management firm: Bridgewater AssociatesBook: Michael Gerber: The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don’t Work and What to Do About ItBook: Geno Wickman: Traction: Get a Grip on Your BusinessBirmingham homeless charity: NetworkfourYou Might Also be Interested inPodcast: The Top Ways to Move Your MSP Business to a Cybersecurity FocusWhy Mental Health is a Key Pillar to Success for IT BusinessesPodcast: Why are You Building an MSP Business, Really?

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Untold Cyber Attack Stories: A Shocking Perspective For MSPs

The cyber attack stories we hear as Managed Service Providers (MSPs) are often the ones we’re a little bit embarrassed about mentioning. Because our IT defences, or those of our peers, are compromised.

As MSPs, we are constantly being told by software vendors all about the best practices for providing great cybersecurity for their clients. However, not all MSPs put this advice into practice as effectively as others.

What do we do when something slips past the defences? And what about new customers who come to you after they’ve already suffered a cyber attack?

CompTIA’s UK and Ireland Community staged a really informative event on cybersecurity, giving a full 360 degree perspective of a cyber attack.

This article captures some of the highlights.

Untold Cyber Attack Stories: An Introduction

The event took place at Millennium Point in Birmingham, UK, on Thursday the 18th January 2024. Although the meeting took place across an afternoon, there was much to cover in the time.

The meeting started with welcome introductions from the UK & Ireland Community Director, Leanne Johnson.

Then, Zeshan Sattar, CompTIA’s Senior Director of Learning and Skills Certification, gave an overview of their Cyber Ready Programme. It’s a six-month free programme aimed at getting returnees and the unemployed trained, certified and into cyber careers.

The programme is looking for candidates from Lancashire, West Yorkshire and the West Midlands.

With a particular focus on hard-to-reach groups, such as:

WomenEthnic minoritiesNeurodiverseThose affected by poverty

Cyber Attack Stories: Threat Landscape Update: Where Are We Now?

Datto‘s Greg Jones stated why cybersecurity was important to all of us, and why it’s integral to all businesses and their success.

We are living in a golden age of tech. It’s a great time to be an MSP with £50bn being spent worldwide on the cybersecurity market.

However, attacks on the rise, and here are some of shocking statistics Greg shared:

300% increase in reported cyber crimes since the Covid pandemic92.7% ransomware attacks have nearly doubled59% of MSPs said remote work increased ransomware attacksCyber Attack Stories Threat Landscape Highlights

Some of today’s cyber threats include:

Hybrid Environments – 74% of SMB/SMEs are still operating a hybrid environment – a huge opportunity for bad actorsUnsecured Public Networks – Secure business data is being transmitted across public and home networksSmaller Businesses Targeted – Ransomware is targeting SMBs and MSPs more and more, moving away from large enterprisesCybercrime on the Rise – It overtook real-life crime a few years agoAI, Generative AI and Machine Learning – They have enabled bad actors to accelerate their attacksLogin Credentials Bought and Sold – Either on the black market, or blue collar workers asked to install a device for cryptocurrencyUnpatched IoT Devices – Exploits through unpatched or unchanged passwords on smart devices are on the rise

Threats are coming from a variety of different sources too.

Not just organised crime collectives and nation state attackers, but hacktivists, insider threats, and developer syndicates are all looking to capitalise on exploits in your systems and software.

Time allocated in your business to conduct a security audit is time well spent, so don’t leave it.

Set a date to conduct one today!

Untold Cyber Attack Stories: The BIG Customer Hack

Andrew Allen of Aabyss shared with delegates a personal story about a business that approached his MSP following a devastating cyber attack.

He started his story by saying that while the MSPs in the room were pretty good at what they do, there are many others out there that aren’t as good.

A credit union, who wasn’t a client at the time, called into Andrew’s helpdesk looking for help. They were desperate and looking for someone who could assist them in the wake of a cyber attack.

The credit union’s previous IT company had abandoned them, and data had been missing for months. They were hoping that Aabyss could provide a magic panacea to sort it all out.

After some investigation, it turned out that their previous IT provider had left a port open on their firewall, which gave the cyber attackers easy egress into the credit union’s data.

They ransomed the data, demanding a huge fee. The police advised them to just pay it, off the record.

Fortunately the CEO of the credit union had managed to keep paper records of transactions, but it still took a couple of weeks to roughly put things right. It was a lot of stress for the staff, but the community came together to support them.

Andrew was happy to say that despite harsh penalties from the Financial Conduct Authority from the gross negligence of losing customer data, the credit union is still going today, and still a customer of Aabyss.

Understanding the Why and What Behind an Attack

Lewis Warner of Pentiq gave a presentation explaining the terminology associated with cyber attacks and the ways to reduce the risks against these attacks.

Risk = Asset+Vulnerability+Threat 

For example:

An asset could be customer dataA vulnerability could be an unpatched zero-day software exploitA threat could be malware

Cyber Threat Actors (CTAs) are participants or groups engaging in hostile or malicious actions using computerised systems, devices or networks.

Some CTAs include:

Cyber CriminalsHacktivistsNation StateTerroristsInsider Threats

Thinking Like an Attacker

Lewis said that to think like an attacker, you’ll need to be aware of the places you can find information to make your hacking attempts easier.

Data that make hacks easier can be found all over the internet.

On the surface web (company website and social media), you can find out contact information, job vacancies, deployed technologies, etc.

The deep web holds more sensitive information, usually safeguarded, such as legal documents, medical records and academic information.

The dark web is where you find illegally brokered information on the black market, or sensitive financial data.

Compromised passwords are a common way for attackers to gain access to your data. Passwords can be cracked a number of ways:

Brute forceKey loggingData breachesShoulder surfingStealing passwords

Never use the same password across multiple systems, and always change the default administrator password.

Misconfigured or unpatched servers are another way for attackers to gain easy egress. Ensure you have automated patch management in place to prevent those known exploits being used by attackers.

More Good Practice TipsKeep configuration up-to-dateHave user access controls in placePractice good password hygieneAnd attend events like this one for greater awareness!

Untold Cyber Attack Stories: The BIG MSP Hack

Greg Jones talked to Ken Roulston of EX2 Consultancy about a particularly nasty cyber attack his company suffered following an acquisition of another MSP.

Ken paid the ransom of £0.5m, but the total cost came to about £1m in the end, due to lost business.

Ken has over 40 years of experience in the IT industry, and he started his MSP in 2009. He grew his business through the acquisition of smaller MSPs.

Picking a Rotten Apple

In 2021, after integrating an acquired business, he suffered a hack three days after announcing the takeover publicly. It appeared that the hackers had done their research over a number of months and chose their moment to strike.

They had made a copy of their data and threatened to sell it on the dark web if the ransom wasn’t paid.

After a little investigation, Ken realised that the data was gone, and the backups were missing too. Not only had the data been stolen, but the compromised system’s data structures had been trashed too.

After paying the ransom, it took Ken’s team a full two weeks to rebuild the systems working day and night.

Though the acquired MSP hadn’t done anything wrong, per se, their security practices could have been much more robust. A combination of lacklustre security practices and human error were found to be the root causes of the hack.

Untold Cyber Attack Stories: MSP Q&A

Q: How did your staff react to what was going on at the time?

The stress affected the engineers almost to the point of PTSD. Ken brought it external counsellors to help them to cope with the excessive workload.

In the end, it was one of the factors that contributed to Ken’s decision to sell his business.

Q: How did you communicate with the hackers?

Ken’s Technical Director did most of the communicating via the dark web. They operated 24/7 in shifts  and gave out a helpline chat for any questions.

When they consulted with a government advisor after being hacked, the advisor told them that this group were one of the more reputable ones. As in, if you were to pay them, they would actually give the data they took back.

Just like a major corporation, their reputation matters to them. Ken remarked, it was laughable, given what they’re doing for a living.

Q: Did you have cyber insurance?

The acquired company didn’t have any cyber insurance in place because the CEO didn’t trust any providers to try and get out of paying a claim.

Q: Was it the worst two weeks of your life? How did it affect you?

Ken said he took the incident far too personally, and the stress of it affected his marriage and his mental health.

Q: How has it helped the business?

The business invested much more in technology to reduce the likelihood of an attack, and developed a more robust response plan.

Cyber Attack Stories: Lessons Learned

He advised us in the room to practice what we preach and ‘eat our own dog food’ when it comes to cybersecurity.

During the acquisition, Ken did due diligence on all aspects of the handover process, with the exception of the technical details, which he took on faith. However, he’s learned why you should not take shortcuts when it comes to the technical side. It was an expensive, but important lesson.

Now Ken is giving back to the industry by sharing his awful experience. Hoping that by doing so, he might help others.

Cybersecurity Focus on the West Midlands

Holly Whittles from Purple Frog Systems gave a presentation on cyber crime in the West Midlands, and the resources that are being spent to make digital safety for businesses more robust.

Some of the highlights mentioned included:

The Cyber Quarter – a security collaborative hub based in Hereford

The West Midlands Cyber Resilience Centre – a resource dedicated to protecting businesses in the West Midlands

The West Midlands Five-Year Digital Roadmap, dedicated to:

Securing access to digital opportunities for all, especially those in povertySharing and using data to improve people’s livesBecoming the UK’s best connected regionRealising the potential of digital to transform the local economy and build economic resilienceUsing digital public services to build a fairer, greener and healthier region

What Happens in the Event of a Cyber Attack from an Insurance Perspective

Clear Insurance Group’s Trevor Cornbill delivered a walkthrough of what you should do in the event of a cyber attack so as not to invalidate your claim.

To avoid the chances of your claim being denied, Trevor advised that you:

Conduct regular reviews to make sure you have the right amount of coverProvide a detailed and accurate description of your businessMake sure you have a clear understanding of the questions and what’s expected of youWhat Happens in the Event of a Claim

Trevor explained the five steps that occur from when a ransom demand is received.

Stage 1: Notification

As soon as you receive notification of a hack or a ransom, you need to call your insurer immediately. That is so that a case can be raised and a team assigned to work with you in the background.

Stage 2: Assessment

What needs to be done. Legal requirements and public relations. Notify your customers. This service can be done by your insurers.

Stage 3: Forensics

A deep dive to see how the bad actors got access. What was taken or compromised, and what can be done to prevent it in future.

Stage 4: Recovery

Getting your business back on its feet again. Restoring backup data, and putting measures in place to make your environments more secure.

Stage 5: Settlement

Loss of income/revenue can be covered by your policy in the final settlement.

Trevor said that all MSPs should encourage their clients to take out a cyber insurance policy.

What You Need in Place from a PR Perspective

Another thing to do when you are the victim of a cyber attack is manage public relations. Rahme Memet from TechComms gave us an overview of crisis management, and why we should have a plan ready for when the worst happens.

She described a PR crisis as any kind of negative public attention.

This can be:

TechnologicalPersonalFinancialOrganisationalNatural Disaster

Reputational damage is so much more common thanks to newsjacking on social media.

An good example of this was the Gender Pay Gap Bot that did the rounds on Twitter.

If any Twitter account tweeted with the hashtag: “@IWD2023”, the @PayGapApp would retweet the tweet with the company’s gender pay gap information according to government data.

Another significant PR disaster occurred when the Silicon Valley Bank released a statement about recent losses in March 2023.

To their customers, it looked like they were in a financial freefall. Even though, at the time, the bank was still cash positive at the time.

As a result, following the statement release, customers quickly withdrew their money and the bank collapsed in 36 hours.

Having an Effective Crisis Management Plan

A good crisis management plan covers two aspects:

Respond and manage the incidentCommunicate with your clients

When responding to a crisis caused by a cybersecurity incident, you should:

Establish the FACTSDevelop a CLEAR communication planCommunicate IMMEDIATELY and effectivelyMONITOR and evaluate the effectiveness of your communications

You PR Crisis Management Plan should anticipate the questions your customers and shareholders are going to ask.

And remember that whatever answers you give, must be truthful. Else you risk even further reputational damage further down the line.

Untold Cyber Attack Stories: Resources and Event Takeaways

CompTIA’s Wayne Selk gave us an overview of some of the ways CompTIA’s cybersecurity programmes can help.

All businesses are focused on risk, and the key to growth and increasing our revenue is reducing that risk. He talked about the supply chain, skills gap and legislation, and how CompTIA can help solution providers.

 

Then, Kyle Torres of Sophos rounded off the event with a recap of the key takeaways.

He raised an interesting point about whether or not we should be accepting clients without adequate cyber insurance, and how we should be educating clients on risk, rather than selling them on what areaas of their business our cybersecurity product can protect.

He proposed that perhaps we should be looking to offboard clients who aren’t prepared to take cyber security seriously.

Untold Cyber Attack Stories: Event Conclusion

It’s easy to sell clients on how well your products can protect their data and systems. However, it’s not always easy to tell them what they should have in place for when those defences fail.

Yet, those failovers are exactly what every business needs in place for when the inevitable happens. How resilient, or how quickly can your business get back on its feet after an attack?

What cost are you prepared to pay? How capable is your PR machine in limiting the damage to your reputation, and is your insurance cover appropriate for your needs?

This was a great example of why the CompTIA Community are so good at holding events that open up the dialogue on why cybersecurity is so important. To hear frank accounts of when things go bad, and what to do in the terrifying circumstances of suffering a breach.

You Might Also Be Interested InThe Two Most Powerful Trends for MSPs in 2024TubbTalk 143: How to Navigate the Cybersecurity Landscape: A Comprehensive Guide for MSPsFive Powerful Security Tips for Keeping Data Secure This Christmas

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Webinar: The New Normal: AI-Powered Novel Email Threats

Today’s MSPs are constantly having to adapt to new risks to their networks and those of their clients. The rise of AI, coupled with increasingly sophisticated cybersecurity attacks, has led to a new threat: AI email threats.

So what can you do about it? Well, for starters you could join me for an expert discussion, hosted by Barracuda MSP, on 6th of February at 4pm GMT (8am PST/11am EST).

The New Normal: AI-Powered Email ThreatsAs Barracuda explain: we are now in a world where AI is increasingly familiar. And the cyber criminals who attack your business using email are adjusting their techniques.So how can you secure your users against these sophisticated threats? First, it’s important to be aware of the changing security landscape that’s emerging in the ‘new normal’.

But the good news is, you can use AI and machine-learning to make sure your email security is effective.

What You’ll Learn About AI Email Threats

During our discussion, Barracuda’s Senior Director, Product Marketing, Nishant Taneja, will discuss:

How cyber criminals are using AI to develop novel email attacks that are undetectable by traditional security solutionsHow these phishing techniques exploit online tools, special characters, and image-only emails to evade detection and commit fraud or credential theft leading to data breachesHow to ensure your email security is effective using AI/machine-learning technologies to secure your emails, users, access, and data

How to Register for the Session

Our webinar takes place on Tuesday 6th of February at 4pm BST (8am PST/11am EST). Click here and register for the session.

Will There be a Recording of the Session?

This presentation will be recorded and made available to view on-demand. Click here and register to be notified when the recording is available.

Ready to Take Proactive Steps Against AI Email Threats?

If you want your MSP to be the go-to expert support for clients trying to prevent AI email threats, then you need to know the dangers. Join me and a panel of industry leaders to find out more. And let me know if you sign up!

You Might Also be Interested inPodcast: How to Effectively use Email Security to Keep Your MSP Clients SafeTech Priorities in the Cloud, Security and AI From MSS North 2023The Two Top Most Powerful Trends for MSPs in 2024

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Webinar: SonicWall Channel Forecast 2024

Did you know that 82% of companies made the decision to invest in partnerships of all kinds in 2023? And at the same time, the cybersecurity industry grew by 20%.

So what should that tell us as proactive managed services owners? That’s a question I’ll be exploring as part of Sonic Wall’s ‘Cafe Biz’ event on 1 February. You can join us virtually at 2:30pm to hear from a panel of global thought leaders.

Channel Forecast 2024

SonicWall offer a strategic partnership to clients. Their experts look after cybersecurity so clients can focus on business growth.

The Cafe Biz Global Thought Leaders Channel Forecast 2024 is a way for SonicWall to bring together IT industry experts to discuss hot topics and share their advice with the audience.

So why strategic partnerships? Well, SonicWall say that due to restricted spending and economic uncertainty, there’s now a major transformation in how companies go to market:

New customer buying journeysMore integrated solutionsSurging subscription programmesConsumption-based billing models

And all of these point to effective partnering being key to survival and success.

How to Register for the Session

Our webinar takes place on Friday 1st February at 2:30pm GMT (9am EST). Click here to register for the session.

Will There be a Recording of the Session?

This presentation will be recorded and made available to view on-demand. Click here and register to be notified when the recording is available.

Stay Up-To-Date With Cybersecurity Partnerships at the Channel Forecast Webinar

What should you know about strategic partnerships, cybersecurity and changing business practices?

Join me and other technology channel visionaries on 1st February. We’ll discuss future trends and share actionable advice on how to thrive in the changing tech market in the new year.

Want your MSP to be ahead of the curve in 2024? Then sign up for this webinar today! And let me know in the comments if you’re coming along!

You Might Also be Interested inPodcast: Partnerships, Pax8 and MSP Growth: What You Need to KnowHow to Keep Smart in Cybersecurity With Your IoT Smart DevicesFive Powerful Security Tips for Keeping Data Secure This Christmas

The post Webinar: SonicWall Channel Forecast 2024 appeared first on Tubblog: The Hub for MSPs.

The Two Top Most Powerful Trends for MSPs in 2024

As I look to the new year ahead of us, it’s clear to me that the Managed Service industry will experience big changes. To be prepared, I recommend finding out the trends for MSPs in the year to come.

Specifically, two huge obstacles — and opportunities — will present themselves to MSPs, and they are both linked.

Here are my insights into the two top trends for MSPs in 2024.

#1 Artificial Intelligence and Automation

The first obstacle/opportunity is Artificial Intelligence (AI) and automation.

Thanks to services such as ChatGPT, AI went mainstream last year.

The growth of AI-based tools is stunning, and yet, many Managed Service Providers (MSPs) I speak to still see AI as a possible, not a must-have – something that they can look into at some undetermined point in the future.

In reality, 2024 will see forward-thinking MSPs utilise AI-based tools to do things faster, better and cheaper than their competitors.

For instance, at the tail end of 2023, I had a raft of MSPs calling me to ask my opinion on moving from their legacy PSA/RMM products to AI-based platforms like SuperOps.

In a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) market that saw blood in the water in 2023, with investors withdrawing funding and forcing SaaS companies to make dramatic cutbacks, SuperOps raised $11m of funding and launched a global expansion. No mean feat.

When MSPs are struggling to recruit top quality talent, why wouldn’t you utilise tools that can allow you to do service desk work intuitively and bypass grunt work with automation?

AI-Powered MSP Tools for 2024

Here are just three AI-powered MSP tools to keep an eye on in 2024:-

CrushBank – An AI-based knowledge management system that can augment and enhance legacy PSA toolsMSP Bots – A data-driven process automation platform enabling MSPs to create bots to handle boring, repetitive tasksSuperOps – A Combined PSA/RMM platform for MSPs built from the ground up on AI-based automationMSPs helping clients with AI

But AI won’t just be a tool that MSPs use internally.

This year, I think the most progressive MSPs will look to help their clients utilise AI to do things faster, better and cheaper too.

For instance, the news coming out of Microsoft’s Ignite conference was that the company are going “all in” on their Copilot AI-based tool.

Forward thinking MSPs will be looking to help their clients adopt Microsoft Copilot for Microsoft 365 to solve complex work tasks in one place.

Make no mistake about it, if your MSP doesn’t embrace and share these AI-based tools with your clients, then your clients will find their own path to these tools.

If you want to learn more, then Kristen Fehrenbach of Pax8 recently joined Tamim Chowdhury of Microsoft in an excellent video entitled “Unlocking Copilot: Live Demo & Expert Insights“.

In my opinion, MSPs collaborating with partners like Pax8 will help accelerate their understanding of AI-based tools and their growth.

And it’s the subject of partnering that leads us to our next obstacle/opportunity for MSPs.

#2 Cybersecurity

The second obstacle/opportunity for MSPs in 2024 is cybersecurity.

As a result of AI, the cybersecurity sector is accelerating beyond the capabilities of many MSPs who just can’t keep up with determining what is good from what is bad.

As the Huntress SMB Threat Report for 2024 shares, threat actors are moving away from malware-based attacks and are focusing on abusing legitimate tools and systems.

Therefore, MSPs need to extend their threat detection beyond their current scope.

If all this sounds like a nightmare, that’s why MSPs are taking routes such as partnering with outsourced Security Operations Centres (SOC) or specialist Managed Service Security Providers (MSSPs) to help mitigate the cybersecurity load.

Plus, as a former MSP owner myself, trust me when I share that when it hits the fan (and, sadly, it will) you want experts in your corner to help you deal with the situation.

I regularly ask the question Why do IT outsourcers not outsource more?

As the pace of cybersecurity threats becomes more than the majority of SMB-focused MSPs can handle, outsourcing is an obvious solution.

The bottom line here is, if you’re planning on “business as usual” in 2024, then you’re in for a rude awakening.

Conclusion

If there’s one constant in the world of IT Managed Services, it’s that everything changes.

As the owner of an IT Solutions Provider or Managed Service Provider (MSP) business, I’d highly recommend you get ahead of the curve and research the trends for MSPs in 2024.

Modern AI-based MSP applications might feel cutting edge, but they will very quickly be seen as standard fare.

Additionally, seek out a security partner today to help you manage your cybersecurity response.

One thing is for certain, though. Every Tuesday, like clockwork, you’ll hear from me in my MSP Insights email to the MSP community, and every Friday, without fail, you can check out the Tubbservatory with the top five resources to help your MSP grow. That’s not going to change. 🙂

What’s your opinion?

What do you think? Are there any AI-based tools that you think I should become aware of? What Cybersecurity changes are you seeing?

Leave a comment below or get in touch. I’m a real-human being and respond to every comment!

You Might Also Be Interested InHow AI is Narrowing the Inclusion Gap and the Opportunities for MSPsWebinar: Chilling Cybersecurity Horror Stories from the Professionals at HuntressPodcast: Why a Cybersecurity First Service Mentality Keeps MSPs on Top of Cyber Trends

The post The Two Top Most Powerful Trends for MSPs in 2024 appeared first on Tubblog: The Hub for MSPs.

Tubbservatory Round-Up #24 – December 2023

Tubbservatory Round-Up – Tools and Resources for Your MSP

Each week, Richard diligently scouts for must-have resources, curating a selection tailored for IT Managed Service Providers (MSPs) to stay ahead of the game.

Step into the Tubbservatory – your go-to video with carefully chosen articles, podcasts, and events, all serving as a treasure trove for fellow IT entrepreneurs.

Introducing Tubbservatory Round-Up #24, your December 2023 edition. As we bid farewell to the year, we’ve gone above and beyond to compile this month’s episodes for your viewing delight, ready for you to enjoy at your convenience.

Access the links to these valuable resources at the conclusion of this post, marking the grand finale for the year.

This month’s topics include: AI, Cloud Portability, Cybersecurity, Books, Podcasts, Video’s, Bloppers and Blunders.

Tubbservatory: The December 2023 Round-Up Video

Tubbservatory Round-Up #24: December – Week 1

 

#1 What Does AI Really Mean for MSPs?

What does AI for MSPs really mean?

This short video from SuperOps.ai polls attendees at the recent Channel Partners event in Las Vegas to hear people’s hopes, fears and concerns about AI.

Take 3-mins to watch this video to understand how your peers are thinking about AI.

#2 What Can Copilot’s Earliest Users Teach Us About Generative AI at Work?

And talking of AI, unless you’re living under a rock, you’ll be aware Microsoft are going all-in with their AI platform, Copilot.

But What Can Copilot’s Earliest Users Teach Us About Generative AI at Work?

This article from Microsoft shares some insights on Perceived productivity gains of Copilot, Copilot’s impact on meetings, email, information search, and writing, and much more.

This is well worth a read for any Microsoft partner.

#3 Unleash Your Cloud Potential With Billy Thompson, Akamai Cloud Computing

Cloud Portability. What does it mean?

Well, a video that caught my attention was from Billy Thompson, Solutions Engineering Manager at Akamai Linode. Thompson shares the importance of cloud-native approaches that are also cloud-agnostic, allowing businesses to harness the full potential of the cloud while avoiding vendor lock-in.

This is a video well worth watching.

#4 Matt Solomon’s Last Week in IT Series

MSP industry rock star Matt Solomon recently launched his “Last Week in IT” series on LinkedIn.

Each week, Solomon shares the top trending companies and products in Managed Services, plus much more.

Check it out!

#5 Huntress’ Tradecraft Tuesday

And finally, if you’re not attending the monthly Tradecraft Tuesday from Cybersecurity specialists, Huntress, you’re missing out on some valuable advice!

Tradecraft Tuesday is a live monthly webinar blending breaking security news, hands-on demonstrations of offensive and defensive security techniques, and much more. 

These sessions pull back the curtain to teach you how hackers hack—and what you can do to stop them

Tubbservatory Round-Up #24: December – Week 2

 

#1 Decoding the Future of MSPs: Verticalization & Multi-Vertical Support | Pax8 – The Game

MSPs are told they should focus on verticals, but what does that really mean?

A video that caught my eye is Decoding the Future of MSPs with Matt Lee and Dominic Kirby of Pax8.

Lee and Kirby explore why verticalization is becoming a game-changer in the MSP industry and how it can help MSPs cater to specific industry needs with precision.

This video is well worth watching.

#2 The Case for Considering AI as a Powerful Tool in Managed Services

It’s time MSPs thought about AI, writes Akshaya Devi of SuperOps.

Devi is at pains to stress this is not yet another “The future of AI is here” article, but instead they share why MSPs need to embrace AI now.

#3 Can AI Replace Humans? Why MSPs Shouldn’t Lose The Human Touch

On the subject of AI, can AI replace humans?

Well, this article from Brandon Sadler at Inbay explains Why MSPs Shouldn’t Lose The Human Touch.

Ensuring your business holds that human touch is vital to keeping customers feeling valued and listened to, writes Sadler.

#4 The channel reacts to this week’s OpenAI drama

And still on the subject of AI, Kelsey Rees at CRN looks at how The Channel has reacted to the recent OpenAI drama.

Rees reports that Rob Pooley, solutions director at Saepio shares that he believes “The traditional tech mentality of ‘move fast and break things’ is a dangerous culture for AI development.”

What do you think? Let us know in the comments below.

#5 The 2024 List of Awesome Events for MSPs

And finally, if you’re looking at planning your attendance at events in 2024 but not sure where to start, we’ve got your back!

Our Awesome List of MSP Events has been updated for 2024. If you’ve got any events you think should be listed, leave us a comment below or get in touch!

Tubbservatory Round-Up #24: December – Week 3

 

#1 Recommended Books for MSPs

We kick off this week with an amazing newly released book, “Success Frames: Why learning from success is the key to understanding what motivates and inspires us”

In this book, author Rob Hatch provides a practical framework for understanding our unique motivations, habits, and behaviours that enable us to accomplish anything and develop a personal framework for future success.

Highly recommended.

#2 Cyber Security Report for 2024

Hornet Security have just released their Annual Cyber Security Report for 2024.

The Cyber Security Report is an annual analysis of the Microsoft 365 threat landscape, shaped by real-world data meticulously collected and studied by Hornetsecurity’s dedicated Security Lab team.

Download this report now for insights and actionable advice on how to respond and help protect your MSP client’s in 2024.

#3 Tech Marketers Uncorked

A Podcast that caught my ear is the Tech Marketers Uncorked Podcast by Kathryn Strachan of Copyhouse.

Each episode, Kathryn sits down with a different tech marketing leader each episode, sharing a glass of wine and delving into their experience and insights.

Subscribe on your favourite podcast player now!

#4 The Ultimate Video Toolkit

From Podcasts to video, and with video being such an important part of IT business marketing, the free “Ultimate Video Toolkit” from Harrison Cantel could be very useful to MSPs!

This free toolkit includes everything you need in order to hit the ground running with making videos, whether it’s equipment that’s been holding you back, or the right tools for editing, this guide has got you covered.

#5 12-days of Christmas Competition

And finally, if you’re not already a subscriber to the awesome SmarterMSP website, then Barracuda MSP are running a 12-days of Christmas competition where new subscribers to the site can win a Nintendo Switch.

Subscription is free, and SmarterMSP contains some really useful, regularly updated MSP information — so this is a win-win!

Go and subscribe now!

Tubbservatory Round-Up #24: December – Week 4

 

#1 Juan Fernandez’s Post

We kick off this week with big news as high-growth vendor SuperOps.ai have announced the launch of their new US-based team!

Amongst other hires, SuperOps have named former MSP, Shark Tank Winner and industry veteran Juan Fernandez as Channel Chief, while former MSP Nancy Henriquez will be the new Head of US Community for SuperOps.

SuperOps are definitely a company to watch in 2024!

#2 Uptime Solutions

An insight that caught my eye was from Jason Kemsley of Uptime Solutions on LinkedIn.

Jason shares the statistic that on average, people tell 11 people about a bad experience they had, but only share good experiences with 3 people.

Remember that every interaction with your client’s and prospects can make a difference.

If you’re not already following Jason Kemsley on LinkedIn, then I’d recommend doing so as he regularly shares valuable insights.

#3 Gemini Ultra AI

If you missed the announcement of Google’s new Gemini AI system, then prepare to have your mind blown!

On Twitter, Rowan Cheung helped demonstrate how Gemini can understand real-time content such as live video and human speech. With new data and sensors, Gemini will be able to observe, discuss and act upon occurrences in the real world.

This is truly game changing stuff!

#4 Pen Tests v Vulnerability Assessments

When it comes to Cybersecurity, do you know the difference between Penetration Testing and Vulnerability Assessments?

Well, Fiona Whyte of Endida has a superb short explanation in her latest video.

These two types of tests often get compared but in reality they are worlds apart. Only a Pen Test will show you what is truly exploitable.

#5 Team Tubb Takeover – Christmas 2023

And finally, it’s Christmas, and that means the Team Tubb Takeover!

Every day between now and Christmas, my colleagues Gudrun Lauret, Lara Johnson, Pascal Fintoni and Stephen McCormick will be sharing their festive best of the year from Team Tubb in 2023!

You can also find games, a quiz and a Spotify playlist for Christmas!

Have the team been naughty or nice? You’ll have to find out by visiting the page!

Tubbservatory Round-Up #24: December – Week 5

As, it’s Christmas Week, here at the Tubbservatory, we thought we’d take a break from showing you what’s hot in Managed Services, and instead leave you with something special.

So, get ready for a rollercoast of bloopers and blunders, as Richard proves, it’s not always easy to articulate his words on camera!

Thanks to everyone who has contributed and supported the Tubbservatory in 2023.

I’m looking forward to being back in the Tubbservatory for 2024.

See you next year!

 

Links to the Resources Mentioned in this Round-Up

From Week 1What Does AI Really Mean for MSPs?What Can Copilot’s Earliest Users Teach Us About Generative AI at Work?Unleash Your Cloud Potential With Billy Thompson, Akamai Cloud ComputingMatt Solomon’s Last Week in IT SeriesHuntress’ Tradecraft TuesdayMentioned in Week 2Decoding the Future of MSPs: Verticalization & Multi-Vertical Support | Pax8 – The GameThe Case for Considering AI as a Powerful Tool in Managed ServicesCan AI Replace Humans? Why MSPs Shouldn’t Lose The Human TouchThe Channel Reacts to this Week’s OpenAI DramaThe 2024 List of Awesome Events for MSPsWeek 3Recommended Books for MSPsCyber Security Report for 2024Tech Marketers UncorkedThe Ultimate Video Toolkit 12-days of Christmas CompetitionWeek 4Juan Fernandez’s PostUptime SolutionsGemini Ultra AIPen Tests v Vulnerability AssessmentsTeam Tubb Takeover – Christmas 2023

How You Can Help

And there you have it, concluding Tubbservatory Round-Up #24 as we step into a new year!

Do you have something incredible to share? Whether it’s an outstanding tool or a mind-blowing resource, we’re all ears! Drop your insights in the comments below, and let’s continue to foster the free flow of knowledge. Your input is highly valued!

You Might Also be Interested inRemanufacture-as-a-Service as a More Sustainable Alternative for MSPsTubbTalk 138: How to Become the Go-To Threat Operations Expert for MSPsWebinar: Chilling Cybersecurity Horror Stories from the Professionals at Huntress

The post Tubbservatory Round-Up #24 – December 2023 appeared first on Tubblog: The Hub for MSPs.