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Reflecting on the past

by Stuart Selbst on May 15, 2012 1:07 PM

As I sit here in Kauai, HI on vacation I have some down time to reflect on the past. As many of you many know, I am here with my wife Loree to celebrate our... More »

When is it time to fire a client?

by Stuart Selbst on May 9, 2012 9:47 AM

About 5 - 6 years ago I took part on a panel moderated by Nine Lives Media ( MSP Mentor , The VAR guy ) editor, Joe Panettieri at a CompTIA event to discuss when... More »

Taking time off is key to running a successful business.

by Stuart Selbst on May 8, 2012 1:14 PM

This week I read an article in MSPmento r written by my friend Joe Panettieri titled, "HTG Peer Groups Dallas: How's Your Home Life?" It really got me thinking about my life, travel and time... More »

Disaster Recovery is more than a product, it is a service.

by Stuart Selbst on April 25, 2012 1:20 PM

If you follow me on Twitter or Facebook , you know that recently I had a bit of an issue with my Lenovo laptop. It kept giving me the dreaded blue screen of death (... More »

The Art of the Reset Question

by ChannelPro-SMB on April 18, 2012 10:33 PM

When a business meeting or conversation gets off to a rocky start, it's time to push the reset button by asking one simple seven-word question.
By Andrew Sobel & Jerry Panas

Debunking the Top 6 Myths of Cloud Backup

by ChannelPro-SMB on April 18, 2012 9:13 AM

Cloud backup is surrounded by myths and misconceptions. Debunking those myths will help gain a better understanding of the importance of online backup. By Matthew Dornquast

Google's GDrive: Not Yet Available and Already Behind the Times

by Cecilia G on April 17, 2012 1:26 PM

What it could be. What it shouldn't bother being. What it won't be. By Andres Rodriguez

Vendor MDF Funds...are you getting your share?

by Stuart Selbst on April 9, 2012 1:42 PM

Did you know that many of your vendors have MDF money available to you? In case you don't know what MDF is, I had better provide you with the definition. MDF stands for "Market Development... More »

Looking for sales in all the wrong places.

by Stuart Selbst on March 29, 2012 2:43 PM

Quite often I hear something like this, "Hey Coach, I am having trouble finding new business, can you help me?" My initial response to that is sure, let's schedule a call. Well my friends, those... More »

World Backup Day is quickly approaching: Are your clients prepared?

by Stuart Selbst on March 26, 2012 9:27 AM

My good friends at Intronis are making everyone aware of World Backup Day , which is observed on March 31, 2012. On the eve of April Fools' Day, World Backup Day reminds us to back... More »

Awards and Accolades: Do they really make a difference?

by Stuart Selbst on March 20, 2012 11:36 AM

Over the past couple of weeks IT industry leaders, many of them very good friends of mine, have been actively campaigning to win a place on the SMB150 . While I believe that peer and... More »

The Great Margin Divide: Amazon vs. Infrastructure Systems Vendors

by ChannelPro-SMB on March 14, 2012 7:01 AM

Selling raw cloud storage is a business perfectly suited to an online retailer, and one infrastructure systems vendors are unlikely to win. Here's why. By Andres Rodriguez

Give Veterans an IT On-ramp with Troops To Tech Careers

by Comptia Blog on March 13, 2012 9:45 AM

Veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars are returning to our communities—more than 1 million active-duty personnel are slated to join the ranks of America's 22 million veterans during the next five years—and they need jobs.

Spam Soap turns 10!!

by Stuart Selbst on March 9, 2012 11:37 AM

Spam Soap , a leader in email security, celebrates with it's active community their tenth anniversary. Over the previous decade, Spam Soap has risen from a small start up whose initial focus was to add... More »

Stu 2.0, the transformation, 1 year later

by Stuart Selbst on February 29, 2012 3:28 PM

I can't believe that yesterday was the 1-year anniversary of my bariatric surgery . It's amazing how quickly a year can go by. Many of you who have known me for a while and saw... More »

It's time to Jumpstart your MSP Business !

by Stuart Selbst on February 28, 2012 10:45 AM

You spoke, I listened. I am so excited to announce the new jump-start program from Stuart Selbst Consulting called 5 for Five ! If you are an MSP who wants and needs MSP coaching but... More »

Axcient and HP take it on the road

by Stuart Selbst on February 24, 2012 7:10 AM

Join HP and Axcient executives, thought leaders, and peers at one of five cities along the HP/Axcient Cloud Roadshow . These power-packed one day events are dedicated to providing valuable business tips and insider advice... More »

Karl Palachuk to Host 3-Day Online Conference for Computer Consultants

by Stuart Selbst on February 15, 2012 8:12 AM

My friend and best-selling technology author Karl Palachuk announced today that he will be holding a 3-day online conference for computer consultants in June. The conference will focus on building successful business processes and will... More »

Ulistic helps Phoenix MSP generate new business through effective website marketing

by Stuart Crawford on February 14, 2012 12:40 PM

Your website must be an extension of your business. This is what Phoenix, AZ MSP Phoenix Computer Specialists (PCS) determined before reaching out to Ulistic, an MSP business development consulting firm. "We were not getting... More »

IBM Recruits with Virtual African Job Fair

by E. Hom on February 14, 2012 9:28 AM

We've really become an interconnected world, where geography is no longer a dealbreaking influence on our social circles and networking. IBM has identified Africa as a future growth market, where Google, Samsung, LG, and Huawei... More »

Keeping Client Passwords Secure and Under Control

by Stuart Crawford on February 13, 2012 10:24 AM

In today's world of heightened security, full body scanners at airports and CCTV watching every move, it is remarkable how passwords are still kept in the minds of our engineers, in Excel spreadsheets or in... More »

Executive Toughness

by SalesManagementGuru on February 12, 2012 11:08 AM

Executive Toughness This week’s blog is a book review: Executive Toughness: The Mental Training Program to Increase your Leadership Performance by Dr. Jason Selk published by McGraw Hill. Why am I adding this to my... More »

Microsoft Announces Date for Release of Windows 8 Consumer Preview

by Stuart Crawford on February 10, 2012 3:04 PM

Finally. Those who have been waiting with bated breath for the date when Microsoft would make the consumer preview of Windows 8 available can breathe a sigh of relief. On Feb. 29, 2012, Microsoft will... More »

Cybersecurity Legislation Predictably Unpredictable on Capitol Hill

by Comptia Blog on February 8, 2012 5:03 PM

The 2012 legislative session started off looking very promising for the passage of cybersecurity reform — then suddenly the landscape shifted. On privacy and intellectual property issues, we saw the Internet companies flex lobbying muscle... More »

Are you hiring the right salespeople?

by SalesManagementGuru on February 6, 2012 8:31 AM

How to Take Emotion Out of the Sales Hiring Process and Hire the Best Salespeople It’s the number one job of sales management and it is the most difficult, if you hire effectively the job... More »

5 Tips for Building Your Business in a Tough Economy

by ChannelPro-SMB on May 18, 2009 1:02 PM

It's time to take stock of your business and make a plan for not only addressing your customers' needs, but growing your business at the same time.
By Randall Cochran

The Move to Managed Services: A Cautionary Tale

by ChannelPro-SMB on June 3, 2009 8:19 AM

The switch to managed services entails a complete shift in your operations. If you don't embrace that, you're setting yourself up for failure. There is no magic bullet.
By Jon Nitto

How to Separate Yourself from the MSP Pack

by Akash Saraf on December 15, 2009 2:13 PM

Ideas for distinguishing your company from other managed services providers.
By Akash Saraf

Virtual Desktop Security: Simply Complex

by ChannelPro-SMB on September 11, 2009 3:20 PM

A virtual desktop infrastructure eliminates some security risks, but it introduces new complexities that can wreak havoc on a company's security stance if you don't prepare for them in advance.
By Eric Hanselman

New Opportunities for Ethernet

by ChannelPro-SMB on November 30, 2010 11:19 AM

A new breed of Ethernet that can withstand extreme temperatures, dust, vibration, and other elements is opening up opportunities for channel pros in nontraditional locations.
By Hilton Nicholson

The Pros and Cons of Smartphones at Work

by Colleen Frye on February 4, 2010 12:57 PM

If your clients don't ask you about supporting employees' smartphones, bring up the subject--and be sure everyone knows the rewards and the risks.
By Colleen Frye

Obama: Pro Channel?

by Michael S on October 6, 2009 8:28 AM

Obama: Pro Channel?
I was rushing through the airport in D.C. recently and ran into him...

Keep looking for new, better & even basic services

by FrankR on June 11, 2009 11:00 AM

My son’s recent completion of his sophomore year of high school, drivers license test, and my soon to be skyrocketing insurance bills has our family thinking about how he can start making some money and... More »

Cloud Computing: How Cloud Computing Shifts the VAR Model

by Colleen Frye on December 29, 2010 1:05 PM

Managed services is an ever-changing field, and the recent rise in cloud computing means that SMB IT service providers need to reexamine the VAR model.
By Colleen Frye

Channel Speak: How to Win New Customers

by Pat Taylor on January 19, 2010 12:06 PM

For the best part of the last quarter, I was ’on the road’ meeting with channel companies across the country. I learned a lot about today’s channel business from system builders and integrators in the... More »

Channel Speak: Deathly Afraid of Service

by Pat Taylor on April 8, 2009 5:55 PM

April 08, 2009 Channel Speak: Deathly Afraid of Service I have a friend who enjoyed a lot of success integrating systems for law offices. He has great relationships with his customers, but was resistant to... More »

Winning Business in a Losing Economy

by ChannelPro-SMB on April 14, 2009 1:47 PM

With the right services and messaging, there are real opportunities for IT providers of all stripes to grow revenues in an economic downturn. Here's how.
By Erick Simpson

Customer Service Is Job One: 5 Tips for Retaining Valuable Clients

by ChannelPro-SMB on June 25, 2010 11:37 AM

If you want to retain clients and grow your business, outpace the competition with exemplary customer service.
By Michael Schwab

You Can Make 'Green' by Offering Green

by Charla R. Johnson on August 26, 2009 2:53 PM

It may sound counterintuitive, but reducing waste and lowering power usage not only saves money for clients, but puts more of it in your pocket.
By Charla Bunton-Johnson

Channel-Speak: The Extra Mile

by Pat Taylor on September 6, 2009 5:21 PM

September 2, 2009 Channel Speak: The Extra Mile (Part 3 of a three-part series titled Sales Savvy for the IT Channel) In the last blog, we talked about prospecting as an essential and often neglected... More »

Channel Speak: When Others Must Sell

by Pat Taylor on April 2, 2009 8:07 AM

April 02, 2009 Channel Speak: When Others Must Sell "Nothing happens until a sale is made." This old sales maxim has never been truer than it is right now. It seems so obvious: until sales... More »

Why You Should Integrate Your RMM and PSA Systems

by Akash Saraf on October 29, 2009 3:53 PM

Linking RMM and PSA results in a single, tied-together view of technical and business data.
By Akash Saraf

4 Top Considerations for New MSPs

by Akash Saraf on December 2, 2009 7:37 AM

Several key things to keep in mind when launching a managed services practice.
By Akash Saraf

Channel-Speak: A Frightful Vision

by Pat Taylor on December 2, 2009 8:26 PM

System builders here and abroad are increasingly aware of the uncertain future of the Channel. It all started a couple years ago at the Intel Solutions Summit when Paul Ottelini, President and CEO of Intel,... More »

Is the Cloud Ready to Handle True Enterprise Storage?

by ChannelPro-SMB on September 25, 2011 6:58 PM

Is cloud storage ready for prime time? The answer is an unqualified yes, and here's why.
By Andres Rodriguez

Highlights: Cisco Partner Summit in Boston

by Michael S on June 2, 2009 10:06 AM

Day 1 Highlights: Cisco Partner Summit in Boston...more financing; less cumbersome MSP program; focus on SMB opps

HP Invests to Jump-Start SMB Market Share Growth

by ChannelPro-SMB on March 4, 2011 5:42 PM

The global computing giant leverages massive infrastructure, simplicity, and marketing funds to attract SMB resells.
By Beth Vanni

Arlin Sorensen and the team at HTS continue to grow, thrive

by Michael S on July 23, 2009 11:39 AM

There has been a change at the top at Heartland Technology Solutions (HTS), with Connie Arentson named as president of HTS; she will now be responsible for the company's day-to-day business activities. Connie most recently... More »

Be Earth-Friendly, Socially Conscious, and Dispose of Old Stuff the Easy Way

by Cecilia G on December 18, 2009 9:06 AM

KOM Networks teams with Dell, collecting old storage devices and raising money for Feed the Children.

Brian Wiser Looks at Q1 for Ingram Micro and the Year Ahead for VARs

by Geoff O. on June 5, 2011 1:39 PM

"The role of the VAR will become much more integral to the companies they serve," predicts Ingram Micro's Brian Wiser, in a conversation about his company's success thus far in 2011, promising technologies for the year, and what's on the horizon for VARs and MSPs.
By Geoffrey Oldmixon

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