RSPA Trusted Advisor

In Episode 133 of “The Trusted Advisor,” RSPA CEO Jim Roddy shares his insights on Critical Thinking, both as an important leadership concept as well as the six-step Critical Thinking execution process.  Critical Thinking is the process of determining what you want to accomplish (the outcomes), evaluating what you know, and determining what actions must be taken to achieve that outcome:  Fully und...

In Episode 132 of “The Trusted Advisor,” RSPA CEO Jim Roddy talks with RSPA General Counsel Atty. Jill Miller about the latest developments related to the Corporate Transparency Act.  “The Trusted Advisor,” powered by the Retail Solutions Providers Association (RSPA), is an award-winning content series designed specifically for retail IT VARs and software providers. Our goal is to educate you on t...

In Episode 131 of “The Trusted Advisor,” POS Nation VP of Customer Experience Will Atkinson, BlueStar VP of Marketing Dean Reverman, and RSPA CEO Jim Roddy analyze the 2025 RSPA Retail IT Channel KPI Study. Atkinson, Reverman, and Roddy discuss better-than-expected 2024 revenue numbers, VAR and ISV optimism for 2025, strong profit margins for solution providers, how VARs should counter “MSP Creep,...

In Episode 130 of “The Trusted Advisor,” RSPA CEO Jim Roddy talks leadership with Steve Martorelli, the Founder and CEO of VAR/ISO Turnkey Processing. Among the topics discussed are how the guiding principle of “Remarkablism” shapes Steve’s leadership approach and the organization, how to integrate your core values into day-to-day operations, and the importance of opening yourself to 360-degree fe...

In Episode 129 of “The Trusted Advisor,” RSPA CEO Jim Roddy shares insights on the important but often overlooked leadership trait of prudence. Prudence: Don’t make reckless choices. Use good judgement. Analyze, compare, calculate, and project. Accurate critical thinking (what’s true, what’s false, what’s relevant). Open-minded. Flexible. Lack of prejudice or bias. Keep things in perspective – don...

In Episode 128 of “The Trusted Advisor,” RSPA CEO Jim Roddy talks about the overlooked leadership skill of public speaking with John Vautier, a 15-year communications coach and the Vice President of Business Development for Vautier Communications. Among the topics discussed are how strong speaking skills greatly enhance a leader’s perceived competence, the foundational elements of an effective pre...

In Episode 127 of “The Trusted Advisor,” RSPA CEO Jim Roddy talks leadership with channel expert Janet Schijns, the CEO and co-founder of JSG and an RSPA Board Advisor. Among the topics discussed are leading through change, key differences between risk taking at a large company vs. a small company, the state of women in the IT channel, and why VAR and ISV leaders need to avoid “echo chambers.” “Th...

In Episode 126 of “The Trusted Advisor,” RSPA CEO Jim Roddy talks leadership with COCARD’s Dan Brattland. Among the topics discussed are the importance of being true to your distinct leadership style, the Three C’s of Leadership (staying cool, calm, and collected), how to delegate effectively, and what to do when delegation to an employee doesn’t work out. “The Trusted Advisor,” powered by the Ret...

In Episode 125 of “The Trusted Advisor,” RSPA CEO Jim Roddy talks ethical capitalism and leadership with Bob Chapman, the Chairman and CEO of Barry-Wehmiller, a $3.6-billion global capital equipment and engineering solutions company. Among Chapman’s accolades are being named the CEO of the Year by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), the #3 CEO in the world in by Inc. Magazine, and a...

In Episode 124 of “The Trusted Advisor,” RSPA CEO Jim Roddy talks leadership with two Heartland executives: Andre Nataf, Sr. Vice President of POS Distribution, and Maddie Stockwell, Sr. Director of the Heartland POS Dealer Channel. Among the topics discussed are how to navigate shared leadership responsibilities, tactics to bridge generational divides, and the importance of building a team that a...

In Episode 123 of “The Trusted Advisor,” RSPA CEO Jim Roddy sits down with John Giles, the President of ISV Round 2 POS, to talk strategy and leadership. Among the topics discussed are choosing a strategy designed to be radically different from your competition, how to implement your strategy, and the importance of frequently running tests to ensure you are the disruptor and not the disrupted. “Th...

In Episode 122 of “The Trusted Advisor,” RSPA CEO Jim Roddy sits down with Mike DeGuibert, North America Sales Manager for Epson, about his leadership journey and lessons learned. Among the topics discussed are filling the shoes of industry legend Linda Sudderth, best practices for leading a remote team, how taking notes makes you a more effective leader, and how veteran leaders can improve their...

Episode 121 of “The Trusted Advisor” features a conversation between two high-energy RSPA members: Tyler Young, the CEO/Founder of Tonic POS, and Jeremy Julian, the CRO at Custom Business Solutions. Originally aired on The Restaurant Technology Guys podcast ( www.restauranttechnologyguys.com ), Young and Julian reveal what drives them to lead others. Among the topics discussed are impact over inco...

In Episode 120 of “The Trusted Advisor,” RSPA CEO Jim Roddy sits down with Brett Bennett, Co-Founder and President of retail VAR POSitive Technology and ISV OpSuite, and Jeff Riley, CEO of ISV Retail Management Hero, about best practices for handing off leadership responsibilities. The conversation is a behind-the-scenes look at how they transitioned positions on the RSPA Board, Bennett serving as...

In Episode 119 of “The Trusted Advisor,” RSPA CEO Jim Roddy catches up with Blake Gillum, President of VAR/MSP/ISV Data Cash Register (DCR), and Thomas Greenman, President and Co-Owner of VAR Skurla’s POS Solutions. Gillum and Greeman were Trusted Advisor guests back in 2020 ( Episode 12: VAR Leadership Transitions ) to discuss their transition into company leadership roles. In this episode they t...

In Episode 118 of “The Trusted Advisor,” RSPA CEO Jim Roddy talks with RSPA General Counsel Atty. Jill Miller about the latest on cash discounting and surcharging sparked by her RetailNOW 2024 presentation “Legally Speaking: Cash Discounting and Surcharging.” RetailNOW, the retail IT channel’s #1 trade show, education conference, and networking event, attracted over 1,500 attendees July 28-30 in L...

In Episode 117 of “The Trusted Advisor,” RSPA CEO Jim Roddy delivers the 2024 RSPA State of the Industry Report. The report features eight retail IT channel macro trends and our industry’s top two competitive advantages over non-channel organizations. The State of the Industry Report was first delivered July 29 on the main stage at RetailNOW 2024 in Las Vegas. “The Trusted Advisor,” powered by the...

In Episode 116 of “The Trusted Advisor,” RSPA CEO Jim Roddy talks with Heather Philpott, the Director of Supplier Services at ScanSource, about her leadership journey and her upcoming RetailNOW 2024 panel “Elevate & Innovate: Essential Tools for Empowering Your Retail Technology Solution Business.” Philpott details VAR and ISV best practices for technology expansion and revenue diversification...

In Episode 115 of “The Trusted Advisor,” RSPA CEO Jim Roddy sits down with Kevin Spencer, President of VAR Rod Plus Solutions, to discuss his leadership journey and his upcoming RetailNOW 2024 presentation “Dynamic Leadership: Igniting Growth, Navigating Change & Empowering Teams.” Spencer shares how embracing visionary leadership has impacted his reseller organization, which actions have free...

In Episode 114 of “The Trusted Advisor,” RSPA CEO Jim Roddy draws business leadership lessons from the world of college athletics through an interview with Brian Streeter, the Director of Athletics for 27 years at Penn State-Behrend, and Dave Niland, Behrend’s head men’s basketball coach for 29 years. Streeter and Niland share the keys to their longevity as successful leaders, how they have change...

In Episode 113 of “The Trusted Advisor,” RSPA CEO Jim Roddy talks with Michel Sirois, President of BlueStar Canada and Past Board Chair of the RSPA, about his leadership journey and his upcoming RetailNOW 2024 panel “Unlocking the Secrets of Selling to a New Generation of Customer.” Sirois shares one of his sales secrets, how he developed his leadership style through “unlearning and relearning,” h...

In Episode 112 of “The Trusted Advisor,” RSPA CEO Jim Roddy talks with the co-founders of VersiTech, the parent company of Tonic POS and BOLD Integrated Payments, CEO Tyler Young and Chief Revenue Officer Gary Liu. Young, Liu, and Roddy discuss how to successfully integrate three companies into one culture, how to effectively hire and onboard new employees who enhance your culture, challenges that...

In Episode 111 of “The Trusted Advisor,” RSPA CEO Jim Roddy talks leadership with Stephen Enfield, the CEO of POS Supply Solutions. Enfield and Roddy discuss how to integrate company values throughout an organization, how to successfully onboard new hires and newly acquired companies, how successful leaders embrace “emotional agility,” and more. “The Trusted Advisor,” powered by the Retail Solutio...

In Episode 110 of “The Trusted Advisor,” RSPA CEO Jim Roddy talks leadership with brothers Brad Lucas and Owen Lucas of VAR Lucas Systems, named one of the Best Places to Work in South Carolina. Brad, the company President, and Owen, Vice President of Operations, discuss what drives them to improve their family business, what activities have expanded their leadership skillsets, why retail IT solut...

In Episode 109 of “The Trusted Advisor,” RSPA CEO Jim Roddy talks with RSPA General Counsel Atty. Jill Miller about VAR and ISV best practices related to document retention. Additionally, Miller, one of the retail IT channel’s top experts in payments, provides an update on surcharging and cash discounting.  “The Trusted Advisor,” powered by the Retail Solutions Providers Association (RSPA), is an...