SMB Community Podcast

Host Karl attended the ChannelPro Live event in Columbus, Ohio. He interviewed two folks who are doing some cool things.

Wayne Small from Australia is retooling himself and his business to take a new approach to the Virtual CISO Role. Rather than just take a few vendor-focus courses, or training based on a standardized checklist, Wayne is working through a master's degree program in security that focuses on security at the highest and most technical level. We discuss the details.

Mark Moreno has a very interesting (and rare) niche. He focuses on companies who are solidly in the 25-100 desktop range but have massive revenue and enterprise-level budgets. This niche brings some unusual problems dues to the larger nature of the projects. But money is not one of the issues! Mark talks about how he got started. Interestingly, he still only does work with people who signed managed service agreements with these folks.

Mark is also working with Harry Brelsford on the MSP Rescue shows. Stay tuned to https://msprescue.pro/ for more information.

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Our upcoming events and more:

MASTERMIND LIVE – Tampa, FL – June 27-28th http://bit.ly/kernanmastermind

Use “EARLYBIRD” as the coupon code to save $200!

Check out Amy’s weekly newsletter!

Sign up now: https://mailchi.mp/thirdtier/small-business-tech-news

Kernan Consulting “Weekly Tips”!

Sign up now: https://kernanconsulting.com/

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Sponsor Memo: Huntress

Today’s SMB Community Podcast is brought to you by Huntress Managed Security. Cybersecurity is more than software—it’s also the expertise needed to effectively fight against today’s evolving threat landscape.

Huntress Managed Security is custom-built to provide human expertise and save your clients from cyber threats. Huntress’ suite of fully managed cybersecurity solutions is powered by a 24/7, human-led SOC dedicated to around-the-clock monitoring, expert investigation, and rapid response.

While you focus on growing your business, we provide first response to hackers. Huntress has the #1 rated EDR for SMBs on G2 and a partner support Satisfaction score average of 99%.

To start a trial today, visit https://huntress.com/karl

:-)

*Due to a small error, we are re-releasing this episode that was originally set for January 19th, 2024. Thanks for understanding. :-)

1.) Should you update your GOALS and OBJECTIVES every year?

The short answer? Yes.

Email James ([email protected]) for his one page business plan exercise.

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3.) Notes on The News

Is Connectwise a sinking ship?

https://www.msptechnews.com/business-news/is-connectwise-a-sinking-ship/

The best click-bait of the year....so far!

And MAJOR CONSUMERS SEVER RELATIONS WITH HACKED BRANDS?

Ransomware attacks in 2023 surged by 95% year-over-year, with 1,278 victims identified on leak sites - already surpassing both 2021 and 2022 totals...

https://www.msptoday.com/topics/msp-today/articles/458119-majority-consumers-sever-ties-with-hacked-brands.htm

2.) Five Minutes with a Smart Person: Erick Simpson

Erick Simpson is an MSP Business and Channel Growth Expert, MSP Influencer and MSP Thought Leader

A pioneer and leader in the managed services industry, Erick Simpson built and sold one of the very first MSPs in the industry and grew and coached a channel of 30,000 IT Solution Providers through their MSP transformation with his MSP Mastered® Methodology for managed services business performance improvement.

Erick is an MSP business & channel growth expert, influencer, thought leader, speaker and author with 4 best-selling books and 50 white papers to his credit, and his strategies and programs help MSPs overcome business challenges to realize consistent, profitable managed services recurring revenue growth. His M&A expertise has helped dozens of MSPs sell their businesses at the highest valuation or expand through acquisition.

He delivers strategic MSP market analysis services and builds and improves channel programs for IT vendors and distributors, and helps recruit and enable their channel partners through his thought leadership podcasts, webinars, workshops and event keynotes and breakouts.

Erick’s industry recognition includes Channel Futures’ 7 Thought Leaders Defining the MSP Market, Jay McBain’s 100 Most Visible Channel Leaders, 2 Time ChannelPro 20/20 Visionaries, 2 Time MSP Mentor 250 and SMB Nation’s SMB 150 award recipient.

Check out Erick's new community:

https://mspmastered.com/

https://ericksimpson.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericksimpson/

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Check out Amy's Intune class:

https://www.thirdtier.net/2023/11/29/learning-intune-a-six-month-course/

Our upcoming events:

AUSTIN TX – MASTERMIND LIVE (March 28-29th)

http://bit.ly/kernanmastermind

https://kernanconsulting-mastermind.mykajabi.com/mastermind-event

Use “EARLYBIRD” as the coupon code to save $200!

Irvine CA - SMB Techfest (Feb 8th-9th)

Make sure you catch Amy at SMB Techfest!

https://www.smbtechfest.com/events.asp

Our Social Links:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-kernan-varcoach/

https://www.facebook.com/james.kernan

https://www.facebook.com/karlpalachuk/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/karlpalachuk/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/amybabinchak/

https://www.facebook.com/amy.babinchak/

Host Amy and Host James catch up and catch a tan. 1.) MSP Question of The Week What is the best business structure for new MSPs? See: https://www.toptal.com/finance/interim-cfos/c-corp-vs-s-corp#:~:text=Compared%20to%20traditional%20S%20or,it's%20taxed%20as%20a%20corporation --- 2.) More Tech Layoffs? EY Announces Layoffs in Response to Economic Struggles See: https://www.channele2e.com/news/ey-announces-layoffs-in-response-to-economic-struggles "Less than a week after Broadcom finalized its $61 billion acquisition of VMware, layoffs began. This is a familiar pattern for the company, which followed a similar playbook with its acquisition of CA Technologies in 2018. Overall, it's estimated Broadcom will cut about 2,000 employees post-acquisition. Google, Amazon, Snap, Splunk, LinkedIn, Cisco, MariaDB and SecureWorks all recently announced layoffs. Other mass layoffs recently included Intel, Wish and LinkedIn in the San Francisco Bay area. At the beginning of September, Rapid7 announced a restructuring plan following disappointing second-quarter results, resulting in the layoffs of about 18% of the company’s workforce. Similarly, AppSec firm Snyk laid off 128 people in April. Cloud security vendor Zscaler announced layoffs after what it called a rough fiscal second quarter. Software tools giant Atlassian laid off 5% of its workforce as it “shifted priorities.” ----

Our upcoming events:

AUSTIN TX – MASTERMIND LIVE (March 28-29th)

http://bit.ly/kernanmastermind

https://kernanconsulting-mastermind.mykajabi.com/mastermind-event

Use “EARLYBIRD” as the coupon code to save $200!

Irvine CA – SMB Techfest (Feb 8th-9th)

Make sure you catch Amy at SMB Techfest!

https://www.smbtechfest.com/events.asp

Our Social Links:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-kernan-varcoach/

https://www.facebook.com/james.kernan

https://www.facebook.com/karlpalachuk/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/karlpalachuk/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/amybabinchak/

https://www.facebook.com/amy.babinchak/

Host Karl caught up with Dima Kumets, Principal Product Manager at Huntress Labs focused on their Security Awareness Training product. It was an entertaining interview!

This interview focuses on the Security Awareness Training product, which features a truly engaging way for end users to learn about phishing attacks and other threats that arrive through email. Karl and Dima introduce you do the archvillain Didi and her role in educating clients - without irritating or alienating them!

About Dima Kumets: Prior to joining Huntress, Dima was the product lead on OpenDNS (acquired by Cisco and now Cisco Umbrella.) He leverages his 20+ years of experience in technology to help partners grow their security practices and better protect the small and medium size businesses we all rely on.

Partners can learn more at https://huntress.com/karl to sign up for a free trial.

And, MSPs can sign up for the "Neighborhood watch" program that gives you free internal use licenses for all products.

Thanks to Huntress for sponsoring this podcast.

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Our upcoming events and more:

Register for James’s upcoming class at ITSPU!

5W22 – MSP Professional Sales starts April 23rd. Sign up now: https://www.itspu.com/all-classes/classes/msp-professional-sales-program/

MASTERMIND LIVE – Tampa, FL – April 27-28th http://bit.ly/kernanmastermind

Use “EARLYBIRD” as the coupon code to save $200!

Catch James at the SMBTechfest!

SMBTechfest – Irvince, CA – May 9-10th

https://www.smbtechfest.com/index.asp

Check out Amy’s weekly newsletter!

Sign up now : https://mailchi.mp/thirdtier/small-business-tech-news

Our Social Links:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-kernan-varcoach/

https://www.facebook.com/james.kernan

https://www.facebook.com/karlpalachuk/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/karlpalachuk/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/amybabinchak/

https://www.facebook.com/amy.babinchak/

https://thirdtier.net

https://www.youtube.com/@ThirdTierIT

Sponsor Memo: Huntress

Today’s SMB Community Podcast is brought to you by Huntress Managed Security.

Cybersecurity is more than software—it’s also the expertise needed to effectively fight against today’s evolving threat landscape.

Huntress Managed Security is custom-built to provide human expertise and save your clients from cyber threats.

Huntress’ suite of fully managed cybersecurity solutions is powered by a 24/7, human-led SOC dedicated to around-the-clock monitoring, expert investigation, and rapid response.

While you focus on growing your business, we provide first response to hackers.

Huntress has the #1 rated EDR for SMBs on G2 and a partner support Satisfaction score average of 99%.

To start a trial today, visit https://huntress.com/karl

In the final episode of the calendar year 2024, Amy and James sit down to discuss the final MSP Question of the week as well as current events and news.

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1.) MSP Question of the week: How often should you and your business attend channel events?

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2.) Notes on the News

1. Tiktok will be banned from the U.S. starting on January 19, 2025. Will they be forced to sell or shut down?
2. Cryptocurrency Bitcoin prices have surpassed $100,000 for the first time in history. How will President-elect Trump's administration handle this? https://www.cnn.com/2024/12/04/tech/bitcoin-100k-trump-hnk-intl/index.html
3. Broadcom ,AT&T have reached a settlement in the VMWare legal dispute https://www.ciodive.com/news/broadcom-att-vmware-settlement-licensing-support-lawsuit/733763/
4. On the move - Channel moves of executives moving/going

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3.) 5 Minutes with a Smart Person: Jason Rorie from Triad Resource LLC

Jason Rorie, a seasoned IT and Cyber Security professional with over two decades of experience, has launched a visionary new venture in the realm Cyber Security. Triad Resource, LLC focuses on security within Governance, Risk, and (GRC), both Federal and Commercial sectors. Rorie who has been in IT and Cyber Security for over 20 years, brings a wealth of experience to Triad Group. The company's mission is to empower organizations with the knowledge tools needed to enhance their Cyber Security posture, ensuring Confidentiality, Integrity, and (CIA) data.

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New Book Release: I'm proud to announce the release of my new book, The Anthology of Cybersecurity Experts! This collection brings together 15 of the nation's top minds in cybersecurity, sharing real-world solutions to combat today's most pressing threats. Whether you're an MSP, IT leader, or simply passionate about protecting your data, this book is packed with expert advice to help you stay secure and ahead of the curve. Available now on Amazon! https://a.co/d/f2NKASI

Sponsor Memo:

Since 2006, Kernan Consulting has been through over 30 transactions in mergers & acquisitions - and just this past year, we have been involved in six (6).

If you are interested in either buying, selling, or valuation information, please reach out.

There is alot of activity and you can be a part of it.

For more information, reach out at kernanconsulting.com