Richard Tubb's Blog, page 38

TubbTalk 111: M365 Cloud Secure, VoIP and Giacom: Keep Your MSP up to Date

An Interview with Matt Jarrett

Matt Jarett is the co-founder of DaMTech, which supports small businesses in the North East of England. He describes them as a hybrid MSP, offering cloud, VoIP and software solutions. However, their SMB clients also need help with CCTV, cabling and other general tech advice.

Why DaMTech Chose to Partner with Giacom

Matt explains the main reason they selected Giacom is that their portal is easier to use than similar companies. It’s responsive and quick to add licences to client accounts.

Additionally, Matt likes having a named account manager. He knows who his main contact is, it’s easy to speak to that person, and they’ve had the same account manager for a long time.

Giacom have a wide product range. Therefore, when DaMTech have a client with a specific need, it’s hard to know which option of several will be the best fit. Having someone who can quickly explain the solutions makes it much easier. 

Using M365 Cloud Solutions with Giacom

Microsoft 365 is a big part of DaMTech’s offering – they use it for backup, security and spam filters. Matt says Giacom offers a bundle called 365 Secure, which provides all the licences an MSP needs.

Plus, they provide backup with Acronis, and a mail security product called Vade. It’s easy to sell this to the customer – there’s one price to present. The client doesn’t have time for proposals; they know what they need and they want to know the price.

If the client is already with Giacom, Matt says it’s one-button press to integrate them with 365 Secure. For new clients, it’s a case of selecting secure licences instead of standard. Matt says it takes only slightly longer than if they’re existing Giacom users.

How Acronis Through Giacom Saves Time

Matt explains that everything he needs is integrated by Giacom, so he just goes and finds the licence. Then, simply select 365 Secure. The dashboard creates the Acronis and vendor accounts, and he just does some configuration to get things up and running.

Furthermore, the tool runs on its own, so he can give clients access to it when they’re ready. Some clients, Matt says, are hands-on and want to do restores themselves. For them, the portal is easy to use. And for those who want it done for them, DaMTech have easy access.

The Microsoft Cloud Offerings Matt Likes

New things are added by Microsoft all the time, so Matt says there’s a lot to keep up with. Fortunately, it’s all integrated, and there’s only a single sign on required. And there aren’t multiple charges for each product – there’s one flat fee.

Matt gives the example of a multi-site client, who uses Azure. Then, they simply sit down at a computer in any of their sites, log in and get straight into their email. “Their shared folders all appear, they don’t need multiple passwords. That, to me, is a game changer for businesses.” 

Want to know more about cloud solution provision? This article might help!

How MSPs can Secure Client Data in the Cloud

“Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) is a hot topic at the moment,” says Matt. “We use lots of different tools and services, so a password manager makes a big difference. And, we encourage our clients to do the same.”

Matt admits that there’s sometimes resistance from clients. But DaMTech are committed to rolling out 2FA to all their clients. “They don’t like change, or they don’t want to use their personal mobile for work, but we manage to overcome their objections.”

What is 2FA? Read more here.

Why DaMTech Offer VoIP Services

DaMTech’s VoIP provider offers a flexible product, which suits the differing needs of each client. Some want a desk phone, others want something portable, and some want a soft phone. VoIP fits all those scenarios.

“You can make the system as big or as small as you want. If you want to look like a big company with option menus, hold music and all that kind of exciting stuff, you can. And if you just want your phone to ring it can do that.”

Some clients are surprised that their IT provider offers telecoms – they think they need an engineer. But perceptions are changing, Matt says. “Because now it’s internet-based, people are more likely to associate the two. We get more people asking questions about how we can help.”

How to Connect With Matt JarrettDaMTechFollow DaMTech on LinkedInLike DaMTech on FacebookFollow DaMTech on TwitterFollow Matt Jarrett on TwitterHow to Connect With MeSubscribe to TubbTalk RSS feedSubscribe, rate and review TubbTalk in iTunesSubscribe, rate and review TubbTalk on Stitcher RadioSubscribe and rate TubbTalk on SpotifyFollow TubbTalk on iHeartRadioFollow @tubblog on TwitterMentioned in This EpisodeGiacomData Backup: AcronisEmail Security: VadeExclaimer: Email SignaturesYou Might Also be Interested inShould Your MSP be Selling VoIP Services?Powerful Insights From the Future of the MSP and Security SurveyA List of Backup and Disaster Recovery (BDR) Tools for MSPs

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East Midlands Tech Tribe Meet-Up – Local Networking for MSPs

With more locally-hosted gatherings gaining momentum, The Tech Tribe – The online community for Managed Service Providers, can now add the East Midlands to that list. The purpose of these groups is for Managed Service Providers (MSPs) to share their thoughts and ideas on how to grow their business.

Here is what happened at the inaugural Tech Tribe East Midlands meeting on Tuesday, 2nd May 2022.

 

What is The East Midlands Tech Tribe Meet-Up About?

The Tech Tribe East Midlands group meet on the first Tuesday of each month at a local venue in the Leicestershire area of the East Midlands.

It provides MSP and IT business owners with an opportunity to get together to discuss hot topics, air their frustrations and share their wins with their peers.

Chaired by Joe Burns of Reformed IT, and hosted by Neil Shaw of True MSP Limited at their offices in Castle Donington in Leicestershire.

The UK groups are kindly sponsored by Pax8, who cover the cost of room hire and refreshments. That means there is no charge for attendees!

The East Midlands Tech Tribe group is open to anyone who works in the Managed Service Provider (MSP) industry. You don’t have to be a Tech Tribe member, and there is no obligation to attend them each month. However, you do need to register for each event, because spaces are limited!

 

Format of the MeetingRound the Table Discussions: Concerns

Following introductions, the group had round the table discussions about any recent concerns or pain points working in the MSP industry.

Among the concerns were:

Generating new sales leadsStaff retentionDistributor pricingLearning to delegate responsibility

Everyone in the room at different stages of their journey as IT business owners. While the concerns were varied, there was a lot of advice on offer too.

 

Hot Topic: Marketing

Following the break, we talked more in-depth about marketing.

We discussed some avenues that had provided some success:

Referral marketing – being specific about the type of leads you’re looking forSeminars and webinars – better engagement, especially if you are trying to attract a specific vertical or niche marketLinkedIn – one MSP said he had a lot of success in creating a following. The aim being to make yourself known, liked and trusted

And we talked about methods which have proved less successful.

Exhibition stands – can be very expensive and provide few relevant leadsPay-Per-Click – can be expensive unless you’re marketing a niche offering

Other Discussions

In between the planned discussions, there were other points of interest raised throughout the evening.

One was on the topic of exit plans. Had anyone thought about when they’re looking to retire?

Another popular subject was around staffing; how to retain good staff, and training your best staff up to become mentors to new apprentices.

Challenge: Stepping Out of the Business

For the last part of the meeting, Joe set a challenge for the room to think about.

We had to pick one of the concerns we voiced earlier and each of us ask a question about it. Then we listened to the answers, and finally respond with one piece of advice.

The concern we chose was a complex issue, which involved the person in question being unable to step away from the business for fear that it would not be able to run without him there.

The advice given to him included:

Don’t do it all yourself – delegate responsibility to encourage ownershipDevelop the business further – put in place the systems or staff required to fill the gapTake some time away – Take a holiday to prevent burnout, and leave the phone at home In Conclusion

The meet-up generated great value for those who attended. The informal nature of it allowed for much more open conversations. As business owners, it’s great to be able to share our concerns with our peers knowing that there’s plenty of business opportunities for everyone.

There are limited space for these meet-ups to keep them intentionally small. However, if you’re interested in attending the East Midlands Tech Tribe Meet-Up, you can register on the Tech Tribe Community forum, if you’re a member. Or if you’re not, you can connect with Joe Burns on LinkedIn.

Could your MSP benefit from regular meet ups in your local area? Please leave us a comment below.

You Might Also Be Interested InThe Power of Help Through Your Local MSP Peer GroupsTubbTalk 110: Partnerships, Pax8 & MSP Growth: What You Need to KnowThe Tech Tribe Midlands Meeting

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Global MSP Day 2022: Grow your MSP without burning out

This year’s Global MSP Day is taking place on 20 May 2022. It’s a great way to connect with your peers, and to find out how other managed services businesses have done during the pandemic.

It’s an opportunity to network and learn what’s new in the IT industry. Plus, share lessons learned, successes and best practices with your colleagues.

Global MSP Day – Grow your MSP without burning out

I’m delighted to have been invited by BarracudaMSP to be their guest speaker for the day. Join us online from 3.30pm.

The landscape has changed over the past two years, with IT Solution Providers and Managed Service Providers (MSPs) having experienced quite the challenge with the pandemic and cybersecurity threats.

MSPs have been key workers, keeping the small business community running. But, it’s taken its toll and I think it’s fair to say some of us are feeling a little exhausted.

So how can we support our team and support ourselves, too?

My topic is: “Too busy to be stressed? How to help your MSP grow without burning out”. I’ll be talking about:

The growing challenge that MSPs around the world are facingThe challenge of continuously chasing growth aspirationsBalancing growth while guarding against employees becoming stressed and burnt out

And there’s more!

Celebrating Global MSP Day

Barracuda will also be sharing the results of the fifth edition of their annual report: The Evolving Landscape of the MSP Business.

It looks at global trends, challenges and opportunities, especially in the face of increased cybersecurity, as well as the impact of cloud and SaaS solutions.

Plus, independent channel organisation CompTIA are going to share details of their new cybersecurity training to help MSPs build resilience, so don’t miss that!

How to Register for the Event

The event takes place on 20 May at 3.30pm BST (10.30am EST).

Click here and register for the session.

Will There be a Recording of This Session?

This presentation will be recorded and made available to view on-demand for those who have registered.

Click here and register to be notified when the recording is available.

Get Business Growth Ideas at the Global MSP Day Event

Learn from a host of industry experts and mingle with your peers to find growth ideas you might not have considered. Find healthy ways to scale your MSP while supporting your employees at the same time. And get informed about global challenges to protect your business now.

As Barracuda SVP Neal Bradbury says: “Global MSP Day provides a forum for MSPs to connect, celebrate and position themselves for future opportunities.” Sound good? Then I’ll see you there!

You Might Also be Interested inPodcast: How to Effectively use Email Security to Keep Your MSP Clients SafeThe MSP 2022 Growth Survey ResultsBook: The IT Business Owner’s Survival Guide

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Tubbservatory Round-Up #4 – April 2022

Tubbservatory Round-Up – What is it?

Each week Richard throws a spotlight on five resources Managed Service Provider (MSPs) business owners should take note of in the IT industry. The Tubbservatory is a weekly video broadcast featuring useful articles, podcasts and events that bring value to IT business owners.

Tubbservatory Round-Up #4 – April 2022 is a collection of all of the broadcasts made in April 2022, edited together for you to watch at your convenience. In addition, the items are summarised below, with links to the resources mentioned in the video.

In this month’s episode: resources on customer retention, cybersecurity and sales goal-setting.

Tubbservatory Round-Up #4 April 2022 Video



Tubbservatory Round-Up #4: April – Week 1#1 The MSP 2022 Growth Survey Results Are In

Shannon K. Murphy of Zomentum and Dave Sutton of Wingman have collated the results of their annual growth survey.

Over 125 MSPs were surveyed, and some of the questions included:

How has the pandemic influence your decision to invest in sales and marketing?What is your level of confidence for growth in 2022?What capacity are your current workload levels at?

The trends show that there is confidence in formalised marketing strategies in the short term, but for many, long-term goals are not yet clear. It’s worth taking a look at in a bit more depth and draw your own conclusions.

You can read our breakdown of the results in the Tubblog article here.

#2 A Guide to Launching a Successful MSP Business

For many people just starting out on the road to becoming an MSP, it can be difficult to know where to start.

Akshaya Devi of SuperOps has put together a five-point guide to start a successful MSP business.

The advice within this guide, while useful to new MSPs, will also benefit existing MSPs who may be struggling to keep the right focus.

#3 How To Use Scripts To Better Your Revenue

Automation and scripting are a big part of the modern MSPs tool kit. Doron Ben Cohen of Atera has written an article which explains how to use scripts to better your revenue.

He highlights two areas to concentrate on in particular:

Pre-Sales, sales, after-sales and repeat salesPatching, updating, maintaining and optimising

He also urges you to do time and waste audits to see where the inefficiencies are.

#4 Todd Kane’s Three Degrees of Trust

In order to build an effective team within your MSP, you’ll need a team that can trust one another.

That is the topic of Todd Kane‘s latest video, where he talks about the Three Degrees of Trust.

The three degrees are broken down into the following:

Professional Trust – Do I trust you to do what the team expects of you?Personal Trust – Do I like and trust you as a person?Task Trust – Do I agree with your methods, and your approach to the work?

Todd says: “Trust is critical in understanding how the team can function, and if that professional trust is low, everything else will fall apart.”

#5 CompTIA Benelux Business Technology Community Meeting

The CompTIA Benelux Business Technology Community Meeting returned to Amsterdam on the 21st April.

CompTIA communities deliver thought leadership, help and advice through networking, face-to-face learning and collaboration.

It’s a no-brainer for any MSP to attend these events, as it’s a good chance to network with your peers in the wider European community as a whole.

Visit their events page to keep up to date with future community events.

Tubbservatory Round-Up #4: April – Week 2#1 The Smart Cloud: What Role Will AI Play in the Future Evolution of Cloud Technology?

That is the question that Robert Belgrave, UK CEO of Pax 8, asks in his recent article for the Global Banking and Finance Review.

As trends in cloud computing seem to be heading towards more automation, AI will become a powerful tool for MSPs to consider adding to their offerings.

While the cost benefits of AI optimisation are well known, the ethical issue of replacing human workers is something not to be down-played. Employers will need to reassure their staff that the technology is there to work alongside them, and not replace them.

#2 Your Mind Doesn’t do You a Lot of Favours

Author of the book Relax, Focus and Succeed and MSP expert Karl Palachuk has turned his attention to the workings of the mind in his latest article.

He explains how the mind has a tendency to play tricks on you. Altering the memories we have over time, and making up details we’ve forgotten.

This is a fascinating read, and one that will help you master the bias of your memories in influencing your present.

#3 The Modern Cloud Infrastructure E-book

Our own Richard Tubb was interviewed by Channel Vision‘s Brady Hicks about the Modern Cloud infrastructure. Specifically about the E-book he co-authored with Linode.

The alternative cloud is a great opportunity for MSP owners who want an alternative to the ‘big three’ cloud providers.

If you’re intrigued by the alternative cloud, and how tools and services such as Linode can help your MSP business, you can check out the interview here.

#4 The UK Cybersecurity Overhaul Brings a “Sword of Damocles” to MSPs

Connor Jones of ITPro reports that the Network and Information Security Regulations (NIS) that were brought in in 2018 are to be overhauled in 2022.

The standout change of NIS 2022 is that the regulations may now include managed service providers.

MSPs play a huge role in the UK’s IT infrastructure, providing core services to businesses large and small across the nation, but they’re all largely unregulated at present. NIS 2022 aims to rectify that.

UK MSPs should prepare themselves for these regulations by reading this article to understand how the changes to UK cybersecurity standards could affect them.

#5 The Museum of Endangered Sounds

Helpdesk Habits Author Mark Copeman recently introduced Richard Tubb to the fascinating Museum of Endangered Sounds.

Curated by site owner, Brendan Chilcutt (aka kidpeleus99@aol.com), this interactive wall of sounds will take you on a nostalgia trip to technology’s yesteryear.

Just some of the sounds on offer include:

The Windows 95 start up soundThe AOL AIM pingA VCR ewindingSpace InvadersAnd dial-up internet

Tubbservatory Round-Up #4: April – Week 3#1 Never Lose Another Client to a Cheaper MSP

How would you say your pricing compares to that of your competitors?

In Doron Ben Cohen of Atera’s latest article, he says it’s far too easy to get into a race to the bottom, while under-valuing the services we provide as MSPs.

It’s so easy to fall into the trap of marketing yourself as a necessary evil. Instead, look for the value in what you create, and create a message that gives the feeling that they are gaining something amazing, not taking on the best answer under the circumstances.

The key, says Cohen, is to focus on value, not time.

#2 How to Work Securely with Open Source Software

With open source making up a large portion of the software tools that MSPs use. This article, which was brought to our attention by Tubbservatory viewer Paul Croker, highlights the need to research the tools in our toolkits before we roll them out.

In this article, written by Daniel Berman, Product Marketing Director at Snyk, he breaks down the four questions you should ask before you use an open source library.

The event stream backdoor incident of 2018 was highlighted as a prime example of the dangers:

Open source libraries in the event stream toolkit were published with malicious code, and it was downloaded millions of times before the malicious code was noticed.

This is definitely one to read up on in the face of increasing cyberthreats to open source libraries.

#3 Directory of Remote Jobs for Those Affected by the War in the Ukraine

Safety Wing have pulled together a directory of remote jobs for those affected by the war in Ukraine.

If you are in any way affected by the war, and you’re looking for a remote job then the companies listed on this page will prioritise your application.

Similarly, if there are any other IT companies that would like to be added to this list, you can add yourself and any remote positions you have available here.

It’s a wonderful thing to do if you’re able to contribute, so please do so if you can.

#4 How Usecure Builds a Security-Savvy Workforce

If you’re looking to reduce your MSP client cybersecurity risk, then take a look at the latest video on how usecure builds a security-savvy workforce.

Usecure shares their human risk management vision. And that helps your clients to identify gaps in their cybersecurity knowledge.

This will help your MSP to lower the cost of support, and keep your clients safe.

#5 Adding Cybersecurity to Your Services with Sophos Managed Threat Response

Giacom invited Managed Service Providers to a Sophos hosted cybersecurity event on Thursday 28th April 2022.

The event, Adding Cybersecurity to Your Services, was held at the Nhow Hotel in London.

The aim was to help MSPs to better understand the threat landscape, and also a chance to rub shoulders with cybersecurity experts and their peers in the MSP community.

 

Tubbservatory Round-Up #4: April – Week 4#1 The MSP Owner’s Guide to Using LinkedIn to Generate Leads E-book

LinkedIn is an often overlooked goldmine of opportunities for managed service providers.

Barracuda MSP have produced an excellent e-book guide to generate sales leads.

The guide offers tips on:

Optimizing your LinkedIn profileGrowing your networkNurturing your connectionsTaking your networking to the next level#2 Nigel Moore’s Package, Price, Profit Audiobook

The Tech Tribe‘s Nigel Moore‘s excellent book; Package, Price, Profit, is now available as an audiobook.

The book is already an excellent resource for helping MSPs to package and price their services to clients.

Sadly, Nigel doesn’t provide the narration himself, but it’s well worth a listen.

The audiobook runs for just under 3 hours, and available through audible and other good audiobook providers.

#3 How to Reduce Churn: 5 Essential Customer Retention Strategies

With the rising cost of services, retaining clients has never been more important for your MSP business.

Simplesat have written a useful article on how to establish a solid foundation among your existing clients, to mitigate the risk of customer leakage.

It’s worth bookmarking this article in case you find yourself losing existing clients as fast as you’re gaining new ones.

Packed full of great tips, it advises how to calculate your churn rate. And, it takes you all the way through to implementing a solid retention strategy.

#4 Analysis of the Kaseya Acquisition of Datto

The biggest MSP news story of the last month has been Kaseya‘s $6.2 billion acquisition of Datto.

The best round-up of all the analysis, insights and information about this story can be found in Joe Panettieri‘s article on ChannelE2E.

Joe explores the greater implications of the acquisition, including market reach, employee headcount and antitrust concerns.

To sum it up, if you really want the full analysis on what this acquisition means for the MSP industry, you should check out Joe’s article.

#5 Raspberry Pi Turns 10 Years Old

Happy birthday to Raspberry Pi on reaching its ten-year-old milestone.

Launched in 2012, this little computer has become a geek and hobbyist’s dream.  Elektor Magazine‘s article highlights the incredible journey this inexpensive Linux-running device has been on over the last ten years.

Used in a multitude of applications, including:

Desktop computerRoboticsIndustrial controllerCoding learning platform

Does your MSP business make use of Raspberry Pis in your tech offerings?  We’d love to hear about how you use them in the comments.

Tubbservatory Round-Up #4: April – Week 5#1 Partnership Cheat Sheet – A Guide to Vendor Partnering

When it comes to checking out whether your partnerships with your vendors are working or not, one resource to help you figure it all out is Uptime Solutions‘ Partnership Cheat Sheet.

This guide covers the four main questions you should be asking of your vendor partners.

As always, the cornerstone of any relationship is communication. Getting off on the right foot and having a clear vision you agree on will also mitigate further risk of your relationships faltering.

#2 MSP Sales Goal-Setting

If your MSP business could use some help with sales, then check out this guide from MSP marketing expert Derek Marin.

Start with setting your sales goals, and soon your business will go from surviving to thriving.

Derek says: “The bottom line is that having clear goals is not just a tool for empowerment, it’s a tool for accountability, discipline, and it forces us to break our goals into smaller chunks that we can aim for and track.”

#3 Lessons From the Great Resignation

Finding and retaining good employees for your business has never been more challenging.

So, Karl Palachuk’s article, Lessons from the Great Resignation, should be food for thought for your IT Business.

Karl gives a number of great tips here. Including the obvious, but powerful: treating people more like people is good for your business (and people).

The jobs market is ever-evolving, and change is rarely permanent. However, the insights within this article will certainly put things into perspective.

#4 Bigger Brains e-Learning Courses

One of the best-kept secrets in managed services is Bigger Brains.

Bigger Brains provide e-learning and training resources for MSPs to share with their clients.

Owner Chip Reaves has a wealth of knowledge in the MSP industry to help bigger brains MSPs grow their business. And these courses are a great way to make your clients more savvy with the technology tools they frequently use.

#5 PC Paramedics – Helping with Relief Efforts in Ukraine

The war in Ukraine has moved us all deeply, but one MSP has taken steps to help with relief efforts directly.

Paul Dadge of UK-based PC Paramedics has been in Ukraine helping with the relief efforts, including handing out teddy bears and other essentials from Bridgetown Primary School in Cannock to children on the Ukraine/Poland border.

Richard Tubb added: “Paul, I know I speak for the whole managed services community, when I say thank you, my friend.”

Links to the Resources Mentioned in this Round-UpWeek 1The MSP 2022 Growth Survey Results Webinar ReplaySuperOps.ai – How to Launch a Successful MSP BusinessHow to Use Scripts to Better Your RevenueTodd Kane’s Three Degrees of TrustCompTIA Benelux Business Technology Community MeetingWeek 2The Smart Cloud: What Role Will AI Play in the Future Evolution of Cloud TechnologyYour Mind Doesn’t do You a Lot of FavoursThe Modern Cloud Infrastructure E-bookThe UK Cybersecurity Overhaul Brings a “Sword of Damocles” to MSPsThe Museum of Endangered SoundsWeek 3Never Lose Another Client to a Cheaper MSPHow to Work Securely with Open Source SoftwareDirectory of Remote Jobs for Those Affected by the War in the UkraineHow Usecure Builds a Security-Savvy WorkforceAdding Cybersecurity to Your Services with Sophos Managed Threat ResponseWeek 4The MSP Owner’s Guide to Using LinkedIn to Generate Leads E-bookNigel Moore’s Package, Price, Profit AudiobookHow to Reduce Churn: 5 Essential Customer Retention StrategiesAnalysis of the Kaseya Acquisition of DattoRaspberry Pi Turns 10 Years OldWeek 5Partnership Cheat Sheet – A Guide to Vendor PartneringMSP Sales Goal-SettingLessons From the Great ResignationBigger Brains e-Learning CoursesPC Paramedics – Helping with Relief Efforts in UkraineHow You Can Help

Have you recently discovered a useful resource that Richard might be interested in? Then please let us know in the comments.

You Might Also be Interested in

AI-Based Intelligent Alerting for MSPs

The MSPs Guide to Modern Cloud Infrastructure

Powerful Insights from the Future of the MSP and Security Survey

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TubbTalk 110: Partnerships, Pax8 & MSP Growth: What You Need to Know

Paul Croker is the founder of 18IT. Paul describes his business as doing IT differently, with a cup of tea and some rock and roll. He is a Pax8 partner, and explains how they support MSP growth.

He aims to make the complex simple, and seeks to help small and medium sized enterprises protect what is important to them, and to their clients.

An Interview with Paul CrokerThe Transition From Corporate IT to Business Owner

Paul says the biggest challenge to becoming a business owner was no longer being part of a big team. “There were around 200 people in my team and we’d talk daily. Moving to being a solo person meant there was nobody to bounce ideas off.

“I had nobody to help me decide how to do things, and if things go wrong there’s nobody to call. You don’t know how to move things forward, but it’s on you so you have to make it work. MSP growth is slower on your own.”

The Tools Paul uses for MSP Growth

18IT use a range of tools; some fairly standard, such as CSP with Microsoft. The business supports Apple, Mac and PC products, which each require different tools. They use ConnectWise for remote management and other areas. Paul adds that:

“We rely on our vendors to give us the right tools to be able to do the job that we need. It takes a lot of time for us to research all the options to see if a product will add value to our business.

“Our clients need certain tools that do certain things. It’s important for me to partner with the right suppliers. I work hard on building partner relationships, because I think they’re key to my business.” 

Paul’s Working Relationship with Pax8

Paul explains that his relationship with Pax8 is very different to any he’s had with other vendors. They know that he’s knowledgeable about the tech he and his clients need. They don’t sell to him, but they do support him.

“They’ve got the right products, which makes it easier to utilise. They know time is restricted for us, so they present invoices with clear breakdowns. We can see who’s had what over the previous month.”

Plus, the team have a lot of technical expertise, so customer support is excellent. Paul engages with the support department regularly. “It’s like having other people on your team. There can be an ‘us and them’ culture between MSPs and vendors. But being inclusive and breaking barriers down is a good thing.” 

How Pax8 Help Paul with MSP Growth

Paul says Pax8 do a lot to help him, but he attributes much of it to the relationship they’ve built together. He asked lots of questions about the platform right at the beginning, and Pax8 responded positively. They asked how they could help 18IT and support MSP growth.

“I showed interest in what they offered, so they were interested in me. They looked at what they could do to help the business do more. They want their MSP partners to do well, and to be part of that success.”

The Biggest Challenge in Running an IT Business

The biggest challenge was going from a standing start, says Paul. “I had a vision; I knew what to do. But how do I start? There aren’t obvious steps to follow that take you straight to being successful.

“It’s taken time to get going, build traction and find my voice. It’s not easy to get going and be a fully functional MSP. How do you stand out from the competition? MSP growth takes time too, but it’s getting there.” 

Paul’s Favourite Thing About Running an IT Business

“The IT industry is very diverse. In the corporate world, there’s a clear and defined roadmap. The toolset, budget and activities are all planned out for the year ahead. It’s straightforward.

“When you run your own business, every day is a school day. There’s always something happening that you didn’t anticipate. You’re always putting out fires and working out how to fix problems. And thinking how to stop it happening again. Solutions like Pax8 really help.”

Who Inspires Paul to MSP Growth

Paul is inspired and supported by Mike Breeze and Phylip Morgan at Pax8, and says Simon Rosemeyer has been helpful. “I’ve got people outside the IT industry as well. I’ve connected virtually with Timothy Hughes. He’s done a lot of marketing and social marketing books. I use his knowledge and information quite a lot.

“Andy Bounds is another inspiration. I’ve read some of his books and subscribe to his newsletters. They’re all fantastic and add value in their own way. My dad used to say ‘Be a sponge and absorb information from people who already know things. Then you can add your own value.’”

How to Connect With Paul Croker18ITFollow 18IT on TwitterLike 18IT on FacebookFollow 18IT on LinkedInHow to Connect With MeSubscribe to TubbTalk RSS feedSubscribe, rate and review TubbTalk in iTunesSubscribe, rate and review TubbTalk on Stitcher RadioSubscribe and rate TubbTalk on SpotifyFollow TubbTalk on iHeartRadioFollow @tubblog on TwitterMentioned in This EpisodeConnectWiseDattoPax8The Tech TribeHeimdallSentinelDropsuiteSimon RosemeyerTimothy HughesAndy BoundsYou Might Also be Interested inBuilding RelationshipsFour Key Areas Affecting Growth That Most MSPs Struggle withBusiness – it’s all About Relationships

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The MSP SuperSummit: Road to One Million

Is growth and scaling your business on your Managed Service Provider (MSP) to-do list?

Are you wondering how to do it and if you could ever hit the £1m mark?

If so, then you don’t want to miss this year’s in-person SuperSummit from SuperOps which takes place in London on 17th May 2022!

SuperSummit Talk: If I Were to Start an MSP Today…

My session at the SuperSummit will be answering a question I’m asked *all the time*… “If I were to start an MSP again today”.

We want this session to be as interactive as possible!

As a result of this, our session will be delivered in Q&A style with the wonderful Claire Jenks moderating and taking questions from the audience.

Therefore, come prepared with your toughest questions for me!

The SuperSummit Speakers

I’ll be joined at the SuperSummit by a host of industry experts including:-

Arvind Parthiban, Founder & CEO of SuperOpsMark Copeman, author of Helpdesk HabitsBen Spector, Product Manager, ZomentumPaul Green, MSP Marketing ExpertChris Timm, PSA ExpertIan Luckett, IT Business ExpertTracy Pound, Chair of the CompTIA Executive Committee

And, much more!

There will be panel discussions, inspiring keynotes, networking opportunities, access to exclusive resources, and partner discounts only available to attendees.

How to Register for the Session

The MSP SuperSummit takes place on 17 May at 1.20pm BST, live in London at The View.

Click here and register for the session.

How to get to £1m Revenue with the SuperSummit

The event as a whole is designed to inspire you to focus on growth.

As a result, we want you to go away from the SuperSummit confident about how to identify opportunities for your MSP and feel equipped to overcome any challenges!

Does £1m revenue sound good? Then make sure you grab your ticket today!

You Might Also be Interested inPodcast: AI-Based Intelligent Reporting for MSPsPodcast: Effective Outsourcing for MSP GrowthWebinar: What are the Most Powerful Next-Gen Cloud Tools for MSPs?

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Could an Automated Revenue Tool Save Your MSP Money?

As many Managed Service Providers (MSPs) will tell you, the administration involved in customer billing and licence management can be a largely laborious task if you don’t use an automated revenue tool.

This is especially true when it comes to adding new tenants onto a Software as a Services (SaaS) contract and managing quarterly billing.

What if a client undergoes a merger, suddenly requiring several new licences? Or one of your engineers has to upgrade a client PC with a new M365 licence?

How can you ensure you don’t forget to recharge the client? You need to remember to charge the correct amount to your client during your agreed billing cycle. And not short-change yourself in the process. This is where an automated revenue tool comes in.

How an Automated Revenue Tool Can Help

Instead of trying to keeping a spreadsheet up to date, or remembering to reconcile your invoices to each customer, you could use an automated revenue tool.

An automated revenue or billing tool integrated with a professional service automation (PSA) tool, allows MSPs to keep track of their subscriptions, bills and licences. This means that when one of your engineers applies a new licence to one of your clients, the automated billing tool will pick this up and apply the cost to the client’s next invoice.

This is incredibly useful because sometimes individual billing of licences can be quite complex.

Take Microsoft’s NCE licence costs as an example. Depending on which billing cycle you adopt, or agree on with your clients, the amount they pay month to month may vary as and when their older contracts phase out, and the new NCE contracts take over.

One such automated revenue tool on the market at the moment, is Zomentum Connect.

Zomentum Connect

Zomentum Connect, formerly Goolash, is specifically designed to streamline billing reconciliation.  It allows users to synchronise the SaaS licences bought by individual clients with their PSA tool. This means that the billing is seamless, which prevents revenue leakage.

To put in another way, Zomentum Connect helps you to connect the dots between what you’re selling through your sales platform, and what you’re charging in your PSA.

And it’s not just software. Zomentum Connect also allows you to programme consumption data rates too.

The platform allows you to manage your software licences, which you purchase either directly from a vendor or through a distributor. For example, in the case of Microsoft365 licences, the Microsoft Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) account supplies this information directly using Microsoft Partner APIs.

If your vendors or distributors do not use APIs, you can also import contracts into the system using an import function that uses comma separated value (.csv) files.  The files need to have their columns mapped to certain fields, but once done, the system remembers the mapping for the next time.

Linking Licences to Autotask

Once your licences are set up under the contracts, the clients can be added and linked to an Autotask account. To enable synchronous automation, the billing cycle, contract length and start date should be the same as the licence agreement.

Each contract might allow for different stock keeping units (SKUs) for different licence types.  This depends on the type of software licences the vendor provides.

In the example of Microsoft NCE licence billing, licences may be invoiced:

Month by monthAnnuallyOver three yearsAs annual contracts with monthly billing

Where you have lots of individual charges, such as telecoms, you have the ability to roll them up into a single consolidated charge.

 

Other Features

The platform allows you to apply the costs in bulk and choose the date they come into effect. Furthermore, there’s an option to apply a blanket percentage uplift. For example, if the licences have been increased by 2.4% since last year.

For further automation, you can configure it to automatically receive an update files via email. New updates will import automatically once the import fields have been mapped into the correct format.

There are many other configurable options, particularly the ability to apply trial and bundle discounts for each client, or conversely, ignore or exclude licences.

Once the setup is done for clients and vendors for the first time, the automation takes care of the rest.

To put it another way: set it, and forget it.

For more about the Zomentum Connect, and how it works, take a look at the product tour video with Richard Tubb and Ben Spector here.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Is Zomentum Connect a stand alone product or do you need to have the Zomentum Sales Platform PSA tool?

A. No. Zomentum Connect will incorporate other PSA tools as well, such as those from distributors including Giacom and Pax8.

Q. Can you connect multiple vendors to a single contract?

A. Yes. A single contract can be connected to a multiple vendors.  Thereby putting your licences together in one place for clearer visibility.

Getting started with Zomentum Connect

Zomentum Connect is available in four monthly subscription plans. One of these is the free-forever plan.

The free-forever plan includes three accounts and one integration, whereas monthly subscriptions start at $49 per month for ten accounts and one integration.

You can find out more about the plans Zomentum offer and schedule a demo here.

In Conclusion

The point of an Automated Revenue Tool is to save yourself time, and prevent loss of income.

Having access to a schedule of your licences, and where they are allocated, makes managing your resources easier.

Linking directly to a PSA like Autodesk shows all the billable information for a client in one place, which makes invoicing more accurate.

Have you experienced a loss of revenue due to mismanaged SaaS licences?  Could an automated revenue tool have helped you manage your licences better?  If so, we’d love to hear about it in the comments.

You Might Be Interested InTubbservatory Round-Up #3 – March 2022TubbTalk 108: How to Build an Effective MSP Sales and Revenue PlatformWebinar: What are the Most Powerful Next-Gen Cloud Tools for MSPs?

 

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CompTIA UK&I Community Meeting: Manchester April 2022

TL;DR: The two-day event was a chance for members of the CompTIA UK&I Community to meet, network, and participate in group sessions and workshops.

The community delivers thought leadership, help and advice, peer-to-peer learning and accreditation. And they support collaboration on a topics of interest to the community.

The event kicked off with one-to-one discussions in the Genius Café, followed by a networking dinner in the evening. The second day featured some great keynote speakers. And these were followed with break-out sessions appealing to vendors and MSPs alike.

The CompTIA UK&I Community Meeting

For only the second time since the pandemic, the CompTIA UK&I  Business Technology Community met at a face-to-face in-person event.

The event took place at:

The Lowry Hotel in Salford, Greater Manchester, UK

On the 6th and 7th April 2022

The first day consisted of the Genius Café,  with one-to-one tailored business advice sessions. And, there was the Women in Tech meeting and the networking dinner.

Then day two was: community updates, keynote speakers and breakout sessions. And there were plenty of opportunities for networking and group discussions through-out.

CompTIA UK&I Community Meeting – First Day

The opening day of the meeting was a much less formal affair, which allowed the attendees to arrive and network at their own pace.

Genius Café

The Genius Café offered a chance for members to book some one-to-one time with an expert to talk about a specific area of interest.  The subject areas included cybersecurity, marketing, sales and financial advice.

These sessions took place in the afternoon. Furthermore, they were completely free to members. And the experts were volunteers from within the community.

Women in Tech Meeting

This meeting was exclusively open to women from the community, in order for them to build a network of their peers and to share best practice.

Networking Dinner

A chance for the attendees to meet and catch-up in relaxed settings, ahead of the full day of activities to follow.

CompTIA UK&I Community Meeting – Second Day

A full day event, which featured community news, keynote speakers, group activities and breakout sessions.

CompTIA UK Business Technology Community Updates

Leanne Johnson was announced as the new Senior Manager for Community Engagement, with Estelle Johannes the Senior Director of Member Communities.

Then, Deborah Schildkraut took the opportunity to describe how CompTIA was evolving its communities’ network.

The communities are split by region across the globe. They’re in-person and member-led. Whereas in contrast the Technology Interest Groups (TIGs) are online and are open to anyone expressing an interest.

In addition, there are four committees that centre around specific areas of interest. These are: Managed Services, Cybersecurity, Emerging Technologies and Advancing Tech, Talent and Diversity.

In turn, the Communities, TIGs and Committees feed information into one another, and come under the umbrella of a Global Task Force.

 

And finally, there was a mention for Community Connect – a new system to connect CompTIA members to mentor each other, is now in its beta-testing phase and looking for volunteers.

CompTIA UK&I Community Chair Hannah Lloyd and Vice Chair Dan Scott welcomed the community’s 10th anniversary.

Hannah revealed the community initiatives for 2022:

Emerging Technologies: De-mystifying buzz words. Understanding business benefits/opportunitiesPower Skills Training: Nurture new starters and role changers in their new world of technology. Thereby helping people to become more effective in their roles
Keynote: Prepare Now for the Business of the Future

Dan Scott of Connectwise laid down the foundations for the five tenets of what will hopefully make for a successful business of the future:

SustainabilitySecurityCommunityDiversityCulture (Leadership)Sustainability

One of the biggest trends for businesses in the current climate is sustainability. There’s a push for businesses to lead by example to grow, while remaining sustainable.

By going carbon free, Net Zero or paperless you’re saying to your potential partners that you care about sustainability. And some of the biggest players in business may refuse to work with you if your sustainability policy isn’t up to scratch. Ensure your homepage has a note on sustainability and promote practicing what you preach.

Security

Three years ago, IT businesses were focused 30% on security and 70% on IT support. However today, the split is 80% on security and 20% on IT support. This shift is because of an increase in cybersecurity threats since the pandemic.

With this trend likely to continue, IT solution providers need to build appropriate, fit-for-purpose solutions that fit their client’s risk profile. Loss of data is now the primary concern for a business.

Community

It’s important to engage in the community. As a result, when you give, you often get back.

Moreover, you get the opportunity to learn from other businesses and other industries.

By including a statement on your website about your passion for the community you serve, you’re showing that you’re a go-giving business.

Diversity

It is an important fact to get our heads around, but not everyone thinks the way we do.

When we only surround ourselves with people who think like us, we create an echo chamber.

However, when we surround ourselves with people who think differently to us, we start to see how others may perceive the things we do in other ways.

In summary; learn to speak the language of others, or they’ll stop speaking to you.

Culture (Leadership)

It’s important to become a leader worth following.

“Leaders help others to grow. Build a fire with your team, not under them!”

Tendencies become patterns, which lead to consequences, which in turn become our reality.

To find out what kind of leader you are, compare where you are on the Support Challenge Matrix:

Following the keynote, the audience were invited to take part in an open discussion. The main three key points I took from this session were:

To retain good staff and help them grow, don’t give them a job. Instead, give them a role with a long-term aimGive your best people more to do or they’ll look for a challenge elsewhereEncourage engagement with goals. And adopt a mission statement that everyone wants to get behind

User Group Sessions

After a short break, we split into two groups and moved to smaller rooms for the User Group discussions.

The Vendors and Distributors session was led by Jason Kemsley of Uptime Solutions. While the session tailored to MSPs was led by Scott Riley of Cloud Nexus.

The MSP User Group Session

In the MSP User Group session, we were invited to raise topics the topics, which we would then go on to discuss.

Marketing Message – Creating the Hook

Marketing a product niche versus a vertical nicheMentioning your location in your marketingTailoring your language to your client base to show you understand their business needs

Business Automation

Tools MSPs use could benefit their clients – building a better relationship with technologyBusiness Process Optimization – could you provide this as a service too?With SaaS on the rise and IT Support diminishing – what is the future for MSPs?

Hybrid Working – Challenges

Touch points for remote workers and how to develop talent/personal relationshipsWhat works for both your business and your staffFocus on outcomes and stop watching the clock

 Trust and Reputation

The aim is to get to a position where your audience ‘Knows, Likes and Trusts’ youBe more active in your communityConduct case studies and testimonials, or employ a PR agency to do this for you

If you use a third party to conduct your surveys, you will likely get a more honest response. And even if the responses are not what you’d hope for, you can act on that information to improve your service.

Inspiring the Future

After the lunch break, there were some more updates from the CompTIA UK&I Community.

Marie Cronin reported on the government funded boot-camps. These last 6 months, and are for people who are already in a role looking to upskill and get a certification.

Leanne Johnson talked about a charity called Inspiring the Future.   It connects schools and colleges to volunteers looking to make a difference. These volunteers can help in a number of ways:

Give real-life career adviceHelp break the gender stereotypes children form at primary school ageBecome a school governor

You can find out more about Inspiring the Future here.

Keynote: Cyber Resilience

Greg Jones, Business Development Director of Datto led the afternoon keynote.

A Market Update

He began with a market update. It’s a golden age for MSPs. Despite the pandemic being a horrible experience for human beings, it has been great opportunity for technological advancement.

74% of businesses have said they’ll move to a hybrid working environment.

However, according to Datto’s 2020 State of the Channel Ransomware Report, there has been:

300% increase in reported cyber crimes since Covid-19130% increase in ransomware attacks59% MSPs said remote work increased ransomware attacks60% of small businesses who experience a cyberattack go out of business

Cyber-crime is at an all-time high.  This is a 23% increase on the previous all-time high.

And in fact, cyber-crime has overtaken crime in the real world!

The cybersecurity market is growing: £156 billion spent in 2020 will become £352 billion by 2026.

Cyber resilience is the biggest opportunity for MSPs in 2022.

What is Cyber Resiliency?

Cyber resiliency is the measure of a business’ ability to prepare for, operate through and recover from a cyber-attack. It relies on the successful ability to identify, protect, detect, response and recover quickly during a cyber event.

The three pillars of cyber resiliency are:

PeopleProcessTechnology

But true cyber resiliency is a shared responsibility between the Vendor, MSP, SMB/SME and the Supply Chain.

The strategy for best practice forms a constantly evolving cycle: Identify, Protect, Detect, Respond and Resolve.

Cybersecurity Questions That All CEOs Need to AskAre my employees properly educated about cybersecurity threats?Does our cybersecurity strategy address business risk?If we were hit by a major attack, how confident are we that our business could recover quickly?How do you determine the appropriate budget for technology risk management?What types of risks are currently threatening our network/systems?

CompTIA has some useful cybersecurity resources that can help you:

CompTIA ISAO (Information Sharing and Analysis Organisation)State of Cybersecurity ResearchMSP Trends in CybersecurityInformation Risk Assessment GuideThe Cost of Cybersecurity BreachA CEO’s Guide to Addressing Cybersecurity ConcernsData Breach Response Planning GuideThe Golden Nugget

In conclusion, the way to find out if your cyber resilience strategy is effective or not is to roleplay a worst-case scenario.

Imagine you are suddenly locked out of your own network; how vulnerable would your business be?

Write down what steps you would take to recover.

As a result of this exercise, you should be able to identify any areas of concern you need to work on.

Afternoon Breakout Sessions

After the keynote, we once again split into two groups for the break-out sessions.

This time, the options were: Awards Workshop led by Kristian Wright of InSOC, or Social Media Best Practice, which was led by Hollie Whittles of Purple Frog Systems.

Social Media Best Practice

If you’re regularly publishing digital content online, you need to have a digital marketing strategy.

As content providers, the first question we should ask ourselves is: Are we posting the right content in the right place?

Who is your ideal customer? Your choice of language is key to reaching out to your target market.

Ensure that the links within your content make it easy for your audience to find the product or services they want.

As Hollie explained in a real-life example she encountered recently:

Hollie saw an online advertisement for a purple handbag, which caught her eye.  However, when she clicked on the banner, the link took her to the bag retailer’s website homepage, instead of directly linking to the item itself.

Furthermore, she couldn’t find the item using the site search because the item was described as ‘mauve’ instead of ‘purple’.  All in all, it was a frustrating experience for the her as a consumer, and moreover it cost the retailer a sale.

To sum up, this is a prime example why you should test any links you provide in your content. Make sure they go where you want your audience to go.

The Four Main Social Media Platforms for Businesses

Next, we took a more in-depth look at the four main social media platforms:

LinkedIn – The average user is between 45 and 55 years old. The peak usage times of the day for average users are before work, lunch times and immediately after work. Posts on LinkedIn tend to be an equal mix of sales, engagement and curated content.

Twitter – The average Twitter user is 40 years old, and most activity occurs from 3pm onwards.

There are lots of tech meet-ups, which can be found via their hashtags. The ‘follow topics’ function is a useful tool, and Twitter polls increase audience engagement. Also, Twitter governance is getting better with fact check warnings becoming more frequent. There are also some useful business resources available here.

Facebook – 2.7 billion active users with a much lower average age. User engagement occurs more often in the afternoons.  Although Facebook Messenger rooms are limitless, they are not end-to-end encrypted, which mean’s they’re not a secure space.

There are some great digital courses on www.facebookblueprint.com

Instagram – 1 billion active users. Mostly views occur in the afternoons and evenings. Influencers do very well on this platform. Above all, to get the best from your Instagram, your content needs to be visually appealing.

Getting More From Your LinkedIn

To get the best out of LinkedIn, here are some quick tips:

Adjust Your Headline – Keywords used here are picked up by SEO algorithmsUploaded Images – Rename them for greater SEO optimisationYour LinkedIn URL – You can change your default URL to something more optimalAdd Sections – Create a new section in for your volunteering or showcase other talents you haveFeatured Projects – In this section you can link to up to eight URLs which will give a visual preview of work you’ve doneAdd Your Key Services – Get others to endorse you for greater credibilityThe Bell Icon – Click on the bell icon on the profile of anyone you follow to be notified any time they post

You can see what your SSI score on LinkedIn is here.

Useful ResourcesKeywordtool.io will tell you the best hashtags to use for your contentAnswerthepublic.com to find the questions that people type into Google. Therefore, it’s useful for finding the best blog titlesSearch ‘social media holidays’ online to find the days that will trend on social mediaVideo – Lumen5 is a great for creating video contentGary Vaynerchuk (@garyvee on Twitter) – a public speaker who presents videos on how to tell a story on social mediaUse a scheduling tool to schedule your content for the best times of the day, and don’t over post.  There are some good examples here.Summing Up Your Social Media Content GoalsHave a Digital Marketing PlanKnow Your Audience – Choose the Right PlatformsUse Analytics – Plan, Do, Review

Round Table Discussions and Closing Panel

Following on from the break-out sessions, there were a few subjects for the audience to discuss.

After that, we heard the parting thoughts from the closing panel.

The closing panel was moderated by Tracy Pound, the CompTIA ‘Board of Directors’ Chair. It featured contributions from Jason Kemsley of Uptime Solutions, Warren Pountain of Onebyte and Phylip Morgan of Pax8. The panel discussed the day’s events and commented on their highlights of the day.

Wrap Up

Finally, Hannah Lloyd brought the event to a close, with a big ‘thank you’ to the event contributors.

Did You Attend The CompTIA UK&I Community Meeting?

Did you attend the CompTIA UK&I Community Meeting?  What was your highlight?  We would love to hear your reactions in the comments.

If you’re interested in becoming a member of the CompTIA community, visit their website here.

You Might Also be Interested inThe 2022 List of Awesome Events for MSPsWebinar: How to Get 100 Leads in the Next 90 DaysTubbTalk 99: The Top Ways to Move Your MSP business to a Cybersecurity Focus

 

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Webinar: What are the Most Powerful Next-Gen Cloud Tools for MSPs?

Your Managed Service Provider (MSP) business is offering cloud services, but what are the next-generation cloud [image error]tools and services that you need to be aware of to help your IT business beat a march on your competitors?

If you don’t know where to even start looking for cloud tools, don’t panic!

I’m participating in a webinar organised by Superops.ai on 28 April at 4pm GMT.

Find Powerful Next Gen Cloud Tools for Your MSP

I’ll be joined by Scott Riley, owner of Cloud Nexus, one of the UK’s fastest growing cloud-based MSPs, and Mark Crall, Superops’ VP of Sales.

The session will be relaxed and informal, but also informative. It will be interactive, and we’ll be focusing on exploring the cutting edge of cloud computing and cloud tools. If you want to get ahead of the competition, you don’t want to miss this!

How to Register for the Session

Our webinar takes place on 28 April at 4pm BST (11am EST). Click here and register for the session.

As always, we make these presentations as interactive as possible, so come prepared with your toughest questions!

Will There be a Recording of This 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.

Use Powerful Cloud Gen Tools and get Ahead of Your Competition

Scott, Mark and Richard will be looking at cloud tools such as Microsoft Azure AI. They’ll explain how MSPs can use these next-gen solutions to deliver solutions faster, better and cheaper than your competitors.

Come prepared with your toughest Managed Services questions, as Richard, Mark and Scott will be making time to answer them all. Why not get ahead of your competition in 2022?

You Might Also be Interested inPodcast: How to Build a Successful Cloud Provider BusinessWhat is a Cloud Solutions Provider? My Definition of a CSPPodcast: AI-Based Intelligent Alerting for MSPs

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Tubbservatory Round-Up #3 – March 2022

Tubbservatory Round-Up – What is it?

Each week Richard throws a spotlight on five resources Managed Service Provider (MSPs) business owners should take note of in the IT industry. The Tubbservatory is a weekly video broadcast featuring useful articles, podcasts and events that bring value to IT business owners.

Tubbservatory Round-Up #3 – March 2022 is a collection of all of the broadcasts made in February 2022, edited together for you to watch at your convenience. In addition, the items are summarised below, with links to the resources mentioned in the video.

In this month’s episode: resources on hybrid working, cybersecurity, women in tech and mental health.

Tubbservatory Round-Up #3 March 2022 Video



Tubbservatory Round-Up #3: March – Week 1#1 Joshua Liberman on the Ideal Security Stack

Joshua Liberman has written a series of guest articles for SuperOps.ai on the ideal security stack.

Joshua runs a security-focused MSP in the USA called Net Sciences Inc.

These articles break down the various options available to MSPs and how to arrive at a concept that will fit their clients’ needs.

It’s definitely worth a read if you’re an MSP looking to improve your security offerings.

#2 Github Opens Security Advisory Database to Community Submissions

Connor Jones of IT Pro reports that the Github Advisory Database is now open to community submissions.

The aim of this is to further the security of their software supply chain. By allowing the community to submit their research for verification, Github are more prepared against new vulnerabilities and attack vectors.

In their blog, Github’s Kate Catlin writes:

“Github believes that free and open security data is critical to empowering the industry as a whole to best secure our software supply chains.”

#3 Ben Spector’s Partner Led Growth Podcast Series

As a former MSP owner who is now a member of the Zomentum team, Ben Spector has a wide perspective of the industry.

In his Partner Led Growth podcast series, he interviews channel industry leaders to help you to better understand the challenges of running an MSP. Some of the subjects covered so far include:

Adopting New TechnologyCyber InsuranceEmpowering a Hybrid Working Environment#4 Akamai Acquires Linode

TechCrunch have reported that tech company Akamai have acquired Linode for $900 Million.

Linode are already a keen player in the alternative cloud space with nearly 20 years’ experience in cloud computing. And with Akamai leading in edge platform technology, this could be one to watch out for.

If you’re looking to dip your toe in to the alternative cloud, Linode offer $100 free credit to MSPs that want to try it out.

#5 DTX Manchester Announced

The DTX or Digital Transformation Expo returns to Manchester on the 27th and 28th April 2022

Formerly known as the IP Expo – this event has an impressive roster of MSP vendors on the list.

Including:

CiscoThreatlockerKasperskyWatchguardand more…

And among the speakers at the event is former England and Manchester United player, Gary Neville.

Tubbservatory Round-Up #2: March – Week 2#1 UK Employees Prefer Hybrid Working – It’s Official!

Joe O’Halloran of Computer Weekly reports that the majority of UK workers prefer hybrid working arrangements.

Of 1000 adult workers who were surveyed in December 2021, during the Omicron wave of the pandemic:

57% would choose a hybrid working arrangement38% would choose to return to the office full-time5% want to remain remote working full-time

The results were part of a report produced jointly by Envoy and Sapio Research.

#2 Improving Mental Health in the Hybrid Workplace

In his latest article, Joshua Dunham of Pax8 takes the subject of hybrid working and how it relates to mental health.

He explains what the challenges are and lists some strategies for mitigating the impact on our mental health.

This includes:

Retaining a sense of communityFinding out what works for you as an individualLearning to unplug from work#3 Usecure Release Their Cybersecurity Awareness Guide

When it comes to cybersecurity, prevention is paramount.

usecure is a low-cost, high value, bite-sized cybersecurity awareness training that MSPs can share with their clients.

usecure were recently highlighted by Giacom in the 2022 Guide to Reducing Human Cyber Risk. The guide is a free PDF download and is available here.

#4 The Top 10 IT and MSP Podcasts

If you’re looking for a good podcast, Keith D. Foote of Technology Advice has put together a Top 10 IT and MSP podcasts list.

Podcasts are a great way to keep abreast of trends, tips and news in the MSP industry.

Have a look through yourself and subscribe to any that you like the look of!

#5 Women in Tech E-book for International Women’s Day

In support of International Women’s Day 2022, here at Tubblog we created an E-book celebrating the achievements of women in technology from a recent series of Tubbtalks.

The interviews contain lots of useful insights for any MSP.

A hug thank you goes to Barracuda MSP for making this project possible.

You can download the free E-book here.

Tubbservatory Round-Up #2: March – Week 3#1 Is Google Analytics Illegal in the UK and EU?

It’s the question that privacy expert Robert Baugh of Keepabl answers in his latest article.

If you use Google Analytics for your business, and let’s face it, most of us do, then you need to read this article to understand what the GDPR implications are.

You can find Robert’s article here.

#2 Cloud Nexus Present Their M365 Configuration Masterclass

If you’re looking for quick, actionable advice on how to configure Microsoft 365 properly, then check out the M365 masterclass from Uk-based Cloud Nexus.

Owner Scott Riley and his team have built one of the fastest growing MSPs and they specialise in Microsoft 365, so this pack is an amazing knowledgebase that should help your MSP save time and research in supporting your clients.

#3 Uptime Solutions Launch Mental Wellbeing Pack

Following a trend of focusing on the mental health of MSPs since the pandemic, Uptime Solutions’ mental health wellbeing pack offers some useful tips for MSP owners and staff moving towards a hybrid working environment.

Uptime’s advice, with input from mental health charity MIND, gives ideas on tackling loneliness, stress and anxiety.

If you’re looking to adopt a similar model, you need to prepare for the challenges ahead. Therefore, this pack is the perfect primer.

#4 Looking Back to Three Trends Predicted to be on the Rise in 2022

As we’re well into 2022 now, it’s worth looking back to Ryan LaFlamme of Auvik‘s article on the three MSP Trends on the Rise in 2022.

For instance, Ryan says there’s an increased need for managed security solutions. That’s just one of the suggestions, but there’s plenty more to glean here.

#5 BeMSP’s MSPCon Returns from 23rd March

MSPCon has become a tradition for French MSPs, and it returns this year from 23rd – 25th March.

This three-day online event has 24 speakers covering 6 categories.

If you missed this event, the replays can be found here.

Tubbservatory Round-Up #2: March – Week 4#1 5 Sales Tips for SMB-Focused MSPs

Cisco Channel Leader Michelle Ragusa-McBain has highlighted 5 marketing tips for SMB-focused MSPs.

With many SMBs having to quickly move to technologies that complement remote and hybrid working, the opportunities are there for MSPs who can adapt quickly.

Other tips include:

Doubling down on securityEstablishing your professional brand

You can read more of her tips here.

#2 Talking Cybersecurity Podcast from Tripwire

In the recent Talking Cybersecurity podcast from Tripwire, host Tim Erlin recently interviewed MSP cybersecurity expert Ian Thornton-Trump on disinformation and the rise of nation state attackers.

He also discussed the role social media plays in cybersecurity.

You can find the podcast and the transcript here.

#3 Nvidia Hackers Demand Open Source Drivers as Ransom

In recent cybersecurity news, graphics card manufacturer Nvidia has recently been hacked by a group called Lapsus$.

Their ransom was an unusual one. They demanded the release of open source drivers.

For the full story, check out the Mental Outlaw YouTube channel’s video here.

#4 Todd Kane’s MSP Service Manager Training Package

MSP expert Todd Kane has recently released his service manager boot camp training package.

The training aims to help your service delivery manager become a best-in-class leader for your MSP business.

It includes all the KPI metrics you need to manage, as well as how to retain and attract talent to your business.

#5 Linode’s Hackathon League

If you’re looking to get your geek on, alternative cloud provider Linode has recently partnered up with Major League Hacking for their hackathon league.

Linode sponsors hackathons all over the world, so if you would like to host an event, check out Linode’s offer of support.

How You Can Help

Have you recently discovered a useful resource that Richard might be interested in? Then please let us know in the comments.

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The post Tubbservatory Round-Up #3 – March 2022 appeared first on Richard Tubb.