Richard Tubb's Blog, page 51

Coinbase – Buy or Sell Cryptocurrency

If you want to buy or sell cryptocurrency like BitCoin or Ethereum, which platform should you use?

Every Friday I share one of my favourite finds of the week — a website, tool or an app that has impressed me.

My Friday Favourite this week is Coinbase – Buy or Sell Cryptocurrency.

What is it?

Coinbase is a website and app that allows you to securely buy or sell cryptocurrency such as Bitcoin, Ethereum and more.

How much does it cost?

Coinbase charges a fee of 1.49% for each cryptocurrency purchase or sale. This fee goes up to 3.99% for trades made with a credit card.

Buy or Sell Cryptocurrency

Cryptocurrency has now become a mainstream method of virtual currency. Billions of people are using cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin to perform financial transactions.

I recently wrote about the evolution of cryptocurrency accounts, and now using apps such as BlockFi – you can earn interest on your cryptocurrency!

When it comes to a platform to buy or sell a cryptocurrency, I’ve been using Coinbase.

Coinbase is a secure platform that makes it easy to buy, sell, and store cryptocurrency like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and more

They are the worlds largest Bitcoin exchange and Broker.

Coinbase, an American company, describes their company mission as to “create an open financial system for the world and to be the leading global brand for helping people convert digital currency into and out of their local currency.”

It is different from traditional cryptocurrency exchanges because it allows you to buy crypto using “traditional” money such as Euro, US Dollars or Pound Sterling.

Coinbase is an exchange, but it does offer you a built-in wallet, so, you can keep your crypto on the Coinbase platform (personally, I use Coinbase to make purchases and then move my Bitcoin to BlockFi where it can accrue interest).

The Coinbase platform is a legitimate one and only offers trusted cryptos.

I’ve found that the app has a very easy to use interface, and is great for newcomers to cryptocurrency.

Unlike some exchanges, there is a lack of anonymity in using Coinbase. Depending on your outlook towards trust and privacy, you may see this as a plus or a minus.

Coinbase is also considered a slightly more expensive way of buying or selling cryptocurrencies, compared to some markets.

However, given the ease-of-use, and the high-level of trust in Coinbase, it remains my recommendation for anybody who is starting out with cryptocurrency or values reliability above all else.

How can I get it?

Visit the Coinbase website to open a free account. If you use my Coinbase affiliate link and buy or sell £77 or more of crypto, you’ll receive £7 worth of free Bitcoin.

You can also follow @Coinbase on Twitter, visit the Coinbase Facebook page, or follow Coinbase on LinkedIn.

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Earn.com – Earn Cryptocurrency by Completing Tasks
Storj Share – Earn money by sharing your hard drive space
Chip – Save money automatically and feel good about it

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Snoop – Spend, Save and Live Smarter

If you consider yourself a savvy consumer, then you’ll know the power of using technology to help you lower your bills, get the best deals on shopping and manage your personal finances effectively.

Every Friday I share one of my favourite finds of the week — a website, tool or an app that has impressed me.

My Friday Favourite this week is Snoop – Spend, Save and Live Smarter.

What is it?

Snoop is an app that is always looking out for your money. It gives you suggestions on saving money, finding the best deals and managing your personal finances.

How much does it cost?

Snoop is free to use.

Personal Finance – Spend, Save and Live Smarter

I’ve used a lot of Financial Technology (FinTech) tools in the past few years.

For instance, I’m a big fan of Plum – Save Money Automatically and PensionBee – Combine Your Pensions and Manage Them Online. Both of these FinTech tools have saved me (literally) a fortune!

So I was intrigued to try out Snoop, a new type of personal finance app.

Once you connect your bank accounts and credit cards into the app, it can show you all of your info in one place.

This isn’t a particularly new innovation, as tools like Cleo – Your A.I. friend that looks after your money can do something similar.

Where Snoop has really impressed me, though, is in the proactive suggestions (or “snoops”) it can give you for finding the best deals or saving money.

Snoop analyses your spending habits, and watches who you’re spending your money with, offering ideas on how you can save money.

It’s this personalisation that has made Snoop a favourite tool of mine.

For instance, Snoop has suggested ways for me to save on shopping and highlighted hidden fees that I (even considering I’m a savvy shopper) would otherwise have missed.

The app can also give you:-

Daily balance alerts for your bank accounts
Energy switching options, to give you cheaper utility deals
Annual insurance checks
Monitor your mobile phone bill to check for savings

Snoop shines a light on your personal finances. It’s a free tool that I’ve found genuinely useful!

How can I get it?

Visit the Snoop website to create an account and get started.

You can also follow @SnoopApp on Twitter, follow Snoop on LinkedIn, or visit the Snoop App Facebook page.

You Might Also Be Interested In

7 Awesome Apps for an Easier Life
Yolt – Control Your Personal Finances
Chip – Save money automatically and feel good about it

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Content Planning Toolkit – Plan Content That Drives Traffic

If you use content marketing for your business (and if not, why not?) then you’ll know the challenges with planning content that drives traffic. What you need is a content planning toolkit!

Every Friday I share one of my favourite finds of the week — a website, tool or an app that has impressed me.

My Friday Favourite this week is the Content Planning Toolkit – Plan Content That Drives Traffic.

What is it?

The Content Planning Toolkit is a bite-sized course that helps you break down the topics you need to cover to get leads from your content.

The course is supported by a fill-in-the-blanks content matrix and a content planning cheat sheet.

How much does it cost?

The Content Planning Toolkit costs $27 ex VAT.

Why use a Content Planning Toolkit?

If you’re running any type of business, then you should be embracing content marketing to educate and intrigue your audience.

My friend Gudrun Lauret wrote about Why Great Quality Content is Invaluable for IT Companies and this applies to any business that wants to attract leads via blog posts, podcasts, videos or social media.

But most businesses who get started with content marketing tell me they aren’t sure what to create content about!

Other businesses (like my own) who have embraced content marketing, can easily get overwhelmed with planning the type of content to produce.

This is where the Content Planning Toolkit from the team at Jammy Digital comes in.

The Toolkit is a bite-sized course that breaks down exactly what topics you need to cover to get leads from your content.

By using the toolkit, you’ll stop wasting time producing content that doesn’t get you the desired results.

[image error]The mini-course covers the 5 key topics that businesses need to cover in their content marketing. These topics, when done well, lead to better search engine rankings, more leads and sales.

In addition to the course, the toolkit includes a fill-in-the-blanks content matrix.

This matrix helps you avoid thinking up content ideas week-to-week, and enables you to create a strategy for you to plan a year’s worth of content that can generate leads for your business.

Other bonus material included in the Content Planning Toolkit includes:-

An individual content planning cheat sheet, to help you hit your goals with every piece of content.
A progress tracker to help you follow your success with blog posts, podcasts and videos.
A series of checklists for blogging, videos and podcasts.
A template for a content planning Trello board.

I’ve written before on the benefits of blogging for business, so if you’ve not embraced content marketing yet, this toolkit is the ideal way to get started.

How can I get it?

Visit the Content Planning Toolkit page to sign-up.

You can also follow the creators of the toolkit, Jammy Digital, on Twitter @Jammy_Digital, or visit the Facebook Jammy Digital page.

You Might Also Be Interested In

Common mistakes to avoid when marketing your MSP
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GlueX 2020 – A Practical Guide to Selling MSP Services Without Feeling Slimy

A heads-up that one of the biggest Managed Services events of the year, GlueX 2020, takes place on 27th-29th September 2020!

GlueX is 100% virtual this year, allowing attendees to engage directly with hosts IT Glue and other leaders in the IT Services Industry.

I’ll be speaking at GlueX 2020, and I won’t be alone!

GlueX 2020 – Innovation, Evolution, Mastery

IT Glue is fully embracing going virtual this year, with their GlueX platform set to enhance your networking experience with IT industry leaders, vendors and MSPs.

There’s a brilliant line up of speakers with incredible stories to share on a huge range of IT-focused topics.

This includes a Keynote session from Silicon Valley Entrepreneur, Guy Kawasaki who will be discussing the Art of Innovation and sharing his experience from working at Apple during its formative years.

GlueX will also feature a Keynote from the most controversial hacker of his generation, Hector Monsegur, former Head of Anonymous, following his journey from ‘Hacktivist’ to FBI Informant.

A Practical Guide to Selling MSP Services Without Feeling Slimy

I’ll be hosting a session at GlueX titled “A Practical Guide to Selling MSP Services Without Feeling Slimy”

When selling feels like selling, it can feel ‘slimy’ even if you know what you’re selling is of value. How can you sell Managed Service Provider (MSP) services without it feeling like selling?

If you’ve ever been in the audience for one of my presentations before, you’ll know that I’m big on giving practical, real-world advice — you’ll go away from this session with some advice you can apply in sales meetings straight away!

GlueX 2020 – A 3-day Managed Services event

The three-day GlueX event looks at what’s next for MSPs over a series of workshops, breakouts and sessions.

You’ll learn how to tackle the changing landscape of running an IT business, with my practical guide for MSPs selling MSP Services and discover how to Master the MSP Mindset with the illustrious leader of The Tech Tribe, Nigel Moore.

Michelle Griffin, CEO of Griffin Resources and former Head of HR for ConnectWise shares how to position your MSP for the future.

MSP Legend Gary Pica will also be presenting on Beyond MSP: The Next Evolution.

Each session builds on what we as IT industry leaders already know works, from customer service to selling to analysing the current state of the industry and its future.

You’ll learn how to empower the remote workforce, improve communication and sell during a pandemic.

How to Register for GlueX

GlueX takes place between 27th-29th September 2020.

A ticket for the 3-day event costs an amazing $99 to attend.

Click here and register for the event.

The GlueX 2020 event will be highly interactive, so come prepared with your questions and be prepared to network with your peers!

Will there be a recording of GlueX 2020?

The GlueX 2020 event session will be recorded and made available to view on-demand for registrants.

Click here and register to be notified when the recordings are available.

Prepare your MSP for the Future

Across the three-day event, you can enjoy access to the full GlueX experience, with all keynotes, breakout sessions and networking.

Hear from inspirational keynote speakers alongside industry leaders from Kaseya, Datto and of course, IT Glue to name a few.

Discover what the future looks like for MSPs, from selling to HR, cybersecurity to marketing and much more.

Get the latest information and product updates from IT Glue, with some top-secret announcements from Product Manager Hanson Do.

Will I see you at GlueX 2020? Leave me a comment below, or get in touch with your questions now!

You Might Also Be Interested In

What is your MSP’s Digital Transformation Strategy?
How IT companies can sell themselves better – TubbTalk #20
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Avast Business Cloud Security Summit 2020

A heads-up that cybersecurity leaders Avast Business are hosting their first-ever Cloud Security Summit!

It’s now been almost six months since the UK and many other European countries went into lockdown.

We’ve adapted in many areas of our lives, with the approach to our working lives changing drastically for many of us.

With a new ‘work from anywhere’ attitude, cybersecurity is now more important than ever.

For IT Solution Providers and Managed Service Providers (MSPs), the question is – are you leaving money on the table by not maximising your security offerings?

This is the question we’ll be answering at the Avast Business Cloud Security Summit, taking place 23rd-24th September 2020.

Avast Business Cloud Security Summit

Across two days, the Avast Business Cloud Security Summit will deliver online sessions which are particularly relevant in the current climate.

The short sessions will cover everything you need to know about new trends in cybersecurity for the modern business.

I’ll be joined by a host of seasoned experts such as Jaya Baloo, Avast’s Chief Information Security Officer and Fiona Challis, founder of Next-Gen Sales Training.

Whether you own a business or you’re an IT leader or security professional, these sessions will provide valuable insight into keeping businesses and employees protected against cyberthreats.

You’ll discover the latest cybersecurity trends and defence strategies.

How to Maximise Your Security Offerings

I’ll be presenting the session “Are you leaving money on the table? How to maximise your security offerings” on 24th September at 1530 BST (1030 EST).

In this session, I’ll be giving practical advice to IT Solution Providers and Managed Service Providers (MSPs) on how you can keep your clients safe and increase your profits.

As an IT provider, you’ll gain an understanding of how to apply layered security solutions, maximising your offerings and providing your clients with a comprehensive solution to cybersecurity.

How to Register for the Summit

The Summit takes place from the 23rd to the 24th of September from 10AM BST (5AM ET) each day.

The summit is free to attend.

Click here and register for the summit.

Avast Business will be looking to make this event as interactive as possible, so come prepared with your questions!

Will there be a recording of this Summit?

All the sessions from the Summit will be recorded and made available to view on-demand.

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

Ensure your MSP is aware of the latest CyberSecurity trends

Securing your client’s business is crucial, now so more than ever with changes to work habits and environments.

Discover essential industry updates on a wide range of relevant topics, for business owners, MSPs and Channel Partners alike, across two days of valuable sessions with industry leaders.

Improve the infrastructure of your organisation or that of your clients’ with valuable insights into today’s cybersecurity landscape.

Are you ready to find out how to implement more robust security strategies?

Leave me a comment below, or get in touch with your questions now!

You Might Also Be Interested In

How Do Criminals Think? CyberSecurity for MSPs – TubbTalk #69
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How To Secure Clients with a Managed VPN for MSPs

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Privnote – Send Self-Destructing Notes

Do you ever find yourself needing to send self-destructing notes — private notes containing confidential information, that could be read once, and then disappear?

Every Friday I share one of my favourite finds of the week — a website, tool or an app that has impressed me.

My Friday Favourite this week is Privnote – Send Self-Destructing Notes.

What is it?

Privnote is a web service that allows you to send self-destructing notes over the Internet. You can use it to send confidential notes that, when read, self-destruct.

How much does it cost?

Privnote is free to use.

Send Self-Destructing Notes

Thanks to the growing legions of cybercriminals who are constantly trying to steal our personal information, we’re all becoming much more conscious about cybersecurity.

I’ve written before about why you should use a strong password and I highly recommend using a password manager such as LastPass, which can make it easier to securely share passwords with friends and colleagues.

But what about those occasions when you need to send confidential information, such as a password, to a 3rd party but are worried about the data being intercepted?

That’s where Privnote can be useful.

Privnote is simple to use. It’s a secure website where you can create notes to send to others.

There’s no registration needed, and you can create notes in seconds.

Once your note is created, Privnote will give you a link.

You can share this link into an email, or private message, and send it to the person you want to read the note.

As soon as that person clicks the link, they see the note, and the link is destroyed — meaning nobody (not even the person you sent it to) can read it a second time.

After 30-days, all unread notes are automatically destroyed.

Privnote is a useful service to send passwords, passcodes or other confidential information to others in a secure fashion.

How can I get it?

Visit the Privnote website to send self-destructing notes.

You can also follow @Privnote on Twitter, or visit the Privnote Facebook page.

Thanks to Martin Huntbach of Jammy Digital for introducing me to Privnote!

You Might Also Be Interested In

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Convert Case – Convert Text to Lower Case

Have you ever accidentally left the caps lock on and typed something, but can’t be bothered to start again and retype it all? Wouldn’t it be nice to convert your upper case text into lower case, or visa versa?

Every Friday I share one of my favourite finds of the week — a website, tool or an app that has impressed me.

My Friday Favourite this week is Convert Case – Convert Upper Case Text to Lower Case and More!

What is it?

Convert Case is a website that allows you to paste any text and convert it to all UPPER CASE, all lower case, Capitalised Case, and more!

How much does it cost?

Convert Case is free to use.

Convert the Case of Text to Upper Case, Lower Case and More!

I’ve written before about my frustration with online forms that force the user to submit to a specific syntax. My rant article on “Error. Please Removes Spaces – Are you kidding me?” is one such example.

So when I stumbled across this Friday Favourite, I gave a little whoop of joy!

Convert Case is a free-to-use web-site that has one simple purpose.

You paste in your text (in any format) and the website gives you the option to convert the capitalisation of the text into a variety of formats, such as:-

UPPERCASE
lowercase
Capitalised Case
Sentence case
aLtErNaTiNg cAsE
AlTeRnAtInG CaSe

and many more!

I most often use this web site to grab headlines (which are typically all CAPITAL LETTERS) and convert the text into Sentence case.

Created by the folks at the C4DI Technology Incubator in Hull, England, Convert Case is a firm favourite in my bookmarks folder, and it’s quick and simple to use.

How can I get it?

Simply visit the Convert Case website and paste your text.

You can also follow @ConvertCase on Twitter, or visit the Convert Case Facebook page.

Thanks to the creators, C4DI Hull, for building such a useful tool!

You Might Also Be Interested In

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The Privatise MBO and CyberSecurity for MSPs

In this episode, Richard talks to Rafi Ozick, the new CEO of Privatise (best know for their Business VPN product) following a recent Management Buy-Out.

Following a recent TubbTalk episode with Paul Rosenthal, the founder of Privatise VPN, Richard finds out what led to the Management Buy-Out and what the future plans are for Privatise. Rafi also shares what he sees as the main growth area in cybersecurity for MSPs.

 

 

An Interview with Rafi Ozick
Who is Rafi Ozick? 

Rafi Ozick was the software engineering manager at Appstractor, best known for their Privatise business VPN product. Rafi’s got seven years of industry experience as a full stack developer and software architect. Following a Management Buy-Out, we can now announce Rafi as the new CEO at Privatise.

What Led to the Management Buy-Out?

Like a lot of things that have happened lately, it is an outcome of COVID-19. Due to the demand with Trusted Proxies, another product from Appstractor, the resources and focus to expand Privatise had reduced. In order to take Privatise to the next level and in a direction towards cloud security, Rafi agreed with founder Paul Rosenthal that he would lead a management buy-out.

Listen to the recent TubbTalk episode with founder of Privatise Paul Rosenthal: How to find MSP Opportunities with a Managed VPN – TubbTalk #73

The Future for Privatise VPN

Rafi explains that Privatise has been increasingly known until now for their managed VPN. The future direction is going to have a focus on a full stack network security solution and what they are calling an IT cloud based network security for MSPs.

The idea being that it will handle every part of network security from the VPN encryption, whitelisting, remote access and DNS filtering from one easy to use location. The goal is that Private will provide everything that you need in your network and internet security stack.

The timescales are fast with the first new features released within weeks of this recording! 

The Future of Cybersecurity for MSPs

MSPs are now becoming acutely aware that they’re the gatekeepers for their clients. Hackers and cybercriminals are becoming more sophisticated and are targeting MSPs because they know if they can get into an MSP, they’ve got access to all of these clients’ sites.

Rafi explains that remote work and cybersecurity isn’t just a growth area anymore, but a survival factor. “The big growth factor in cybersecurity, is really securing people who are not necessarily in the office and software based.”

You’re going to have to change your business to work around this idea that people are moving more. For some businesses it’s combining that office plus out of office cybersecurity and network security.

He explains that Privatise is unique in targeting anyone who’s working from home, and those companies where workers split their time between office and remote work. Their current and future offerings are going to be powerful in providing security for this future of work.

Connect with Rafi Ozick

Privatise
Schedule a Demo
Email: contact@privatise.com
Connect with Rafi Ozick on LinkedIn

Connect with me

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You Might Also Be Interested In

How To Secure Clients with a Managed VPN for MSPs
How to find MSP Opportunities with a Managed VPN – TubbTalk #73
How Do Criminals Think? CyberSecurity for MSPs – TubbTalk #69

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WindowSwap – Open a New Window Somewhere in the World

Vidyard – Video Messaging for Business

If you’ve ever received a video message from a business contact, you’ll know how it stands out from all the other usual emails. Video Messaging for business is powerful!

Every Friday I share one of my favourite finds of the week — a website, tool or an app that has impressed me.

My Friday Favourite this week is Vidyard – Video Messaging for Business.

What is it?

Vidyard makes it very simple to add videos into your emails, website and anywhere else.

How much does it cost?

Vidyard is free to use.

Pro Vidyard accounts costs from $15/month per user.

Video Messaging for Business

I’ve been doubling down on video messaging for business recently.

I think video is a powerful way for you to stand out from the crowd.

I’ve written about tools such as VideoAsk – Video Conversations Made Easy and Bonjoro – Powerful Personal Videos, but have found that the simplicity of Vidyard has made it my favourite tool when video messaging for business.

Vidyard is available as a Chrome web-browser extension. Once installed, you click a button and can then record a video message using your webcam.

Very quickly, the video message you have recorded is processed and hosted on Vidyards platform.

You are then provided with a link to your video (complete with an animated GIF of your video, if you choose!) which you can insert into an email or any other platform.

I have found that I can record a video message in Vidyard and have it embedded in an email and sent off in under 2-minutes.

I’ve been impressed with the on-screen notes feature of Vidyard. This means that you can type up some notes before your video recording, so you can quickly refer to them on-screen as you’re recording your video message.

You can choose to be notified when recipients view your video message.

Another feature of Vidyard is the ability to share and record your screen, webcam, or both in a single video. This is useful for creating “How to” or demonstration videos to send to others.

Video is powerful. If you’ve been hesitating to take the plunge and start using video for business, then Vidyard is your tool.

How can I get it?

Sign-up for a free account at the Vidyard website.

You can also follow @Vidyard on Twitter, visit the Team Vidyard Facebook page, or follow Vidyard on LinkedIn.

Thanks to Andrew & Pete at Atomic for introducing me to Vidyard!

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