Uncle Marv's IT Business Podcast (Real Talk for IT Pros & MSPs)

Andre Gilmore leads the IT Nation Evolve peer groups (formerly HTG peer groups acquired by ConnectWise in 2018) aimed at accelerating the growth of MSP partners. The peer groups are unique in their emphasis on both personal and professional development, creating an environment of closeness and trust where members can have honest discussions and "refuse to let each other fail."  The groups meet qua...

Uncle Marv kicks off the episode by introducing Peter Kujawa from Service Leadership, a ConnectWise company that benchmarks MSPs and other tech service providers on their financial and operational performance. Peter explains that Service Leadership has been collecting quarterly data from companies worldwide for 19 years to determine best-in-class metrics that drive success .  He shares how benchma...

Hey folks, Uncle Marv here, coming to you live from IT Nation Secure in Orlando, Florida! In this episode, I had the pleasure of chatting with Raffael Marty, or Raffy as he's known, from ConnectWise. Raffy is the Vice President of Cybersecurity and has been with ConnectWise for three years. We dive deep into the world of cybersecurity, especially focusing on the MSP space. Rafi shares his journey...

The episode kicks off with Uncle Marv providing updates on his recent trip to IT Nation Secure and the new podcast sponsor, TruGrid. He then welcomes Jason and Rachel Miller to discuss what makes a successful MSP.  The Millers share their experience of renovating their new office building, which was previously the Johnson City Chamber of Commerce building. They discuss the challenges they faced, i...

Uncle Marv here with the scoop from the SuperOps Super Summit. This was a tweener episode, recorded between conferences to give you the inside scoop.  First up, I caught up with Arvind, the big boss at SuperOps. He filled me in on the Summit being their 7th event, with a focus on MSP education and networking rather than sales pitches. Arvind shared how SuperOps has grown from an unknown to a recog...

ASCII was founded in the early 1980s when Alan Weinberger recognized that independent computer dealers and service providers were the smartest people in the industry, acting as trusted advisors to clients. Over 40 years later, that core vision remains - ASCII elevates managed service providers (MSPs) by leveraging the collective power of over 1,300 members and 10,000 employees across North America...

Revisiting Strategic Marketing Planning We kick things off by revisiting the concept of having a strategic marketing plan before executing tactics. Tim explains that most businesses get the sequencing wrong - you need to define your target market and ideal clients first, then identify where they are and what messaging will resonate with them. This "fuel" informs the marketing "vehicles" or tactics...

Catching Up with Rob Rae Rob reflects on his first year at Pax8, describing the experience as intense but rewarding. He's impressed by the company's commitment to the MSP channel and the executive team's vision. Pax8 has rapidly expanded to 39 countries with 5,000 partners, giving Rob opportunities to visit places like Lithuania and witness the global MSP community firsthand. Pax8 Beyond 2024 Prev...

N-able RMM Rant For two straight days, my RMM provider N-Able has been experiencing an SSO issue, preventing me from logging in or properly accessing client devices and endpoints. While I had alternate methods to connect with clients, it was still incredibly frustrating, especially for those who solely rely on the RMM for remote support. I empathize with those who were unable to work due to this i...

Nadir explains that his primary focus is understanding customer needs and ensuring that Kaseya's product roadmaps address those needs. He emphasizes the importance of building a cohesive ecosystem where different modules work together seamlessly.  One of Nadir's key initiatives is the IT Glue Copilot, which leverages AI to automate documentation management tasks. This includes creating, curating,...

Marv explains that Kaseya had been inviting him to visit their offices for several months, and he finally accepted their invitation. He clarifies that he was not acquired by Kaseya and that his MSP business and podcast will continue as usual.  During the visit, Marv had open and honest discussions with Kaseya representatives. He expressed his experiences with their products and acknowledged both p...

Cable Testing Tools Rant Uncle Marv expresses his frustration with a managed service provider who used a basic continuity tester for cable runs, leading to connectivity issues. He emphasizes the need for proper cable testing and certification tools, especially for companies offering cabling services. Cutting corners and using inadequate tools reflects poorly on the industry and can lead to subpar...

Paul identifies two major mistakes: not doing enough marketing and doing it sporadically. He explains that many MSPs start as technicians who get an "entrepreneurial seizure" and launch their own business, but eventually struggle when referrals dry up and they need to market themselves. The second mistake is running one-off campaigns that fail to generate results, leading MSPs to conclude marketin...

Brook explains that the Director of Channel Development position at ScalePad was an opportunity she couldn't turn down, given the company's leadership, platform, and team. She is excited to work under Eric Torres, VP of Channel, and Luis, Chief Experience Officer, and learn from their expertise in the industry. Her role involves being Torres' right hand, assisting with reporting, analytics, commun...

Uncle Marv and Bradley Gross begin by discussing a recent lawsuit where an MSP was sued by a law firm client for $1 million due to a breach. They note that while the initial news generated a lot of attention, the case has since gone quiet, with no further updates on the court proceedings. Gross suggests that this is likely due to the parties engaging in behind-the-scenes negotiations, as the lack...

Taher shares that one of the biggest mistakes MSPs make is trying to skip straight to lead generation without first building a strong inbound marketing foundation. He emphasizes that having a professional, conversion-optimized website, active social media presence, and personal branding are crucial for making a great first impression on potential clients. Taher explains that MSPs often make the mi...

Matt Rodela, Chief Executive Officer of Tech Marketing Engine, joins me today to discuss the common mistakes he sees MSPs making with their marketing and how to address them. The biggest mistake Matt sees is a lack of a coherent marketing plan - MSPs often try to do everything from SEO to social media without thinking about how it fits into their broader business goals. Instead, Matt recommends lo...

We start by discussing Parallels' core product, which still enables running Windows on Mac, but has expanded to support a variety of operating systems and use cases. Chris explains that Parallels is now part of the Alludo group, which also owns other well-known software brands like WinZip, MindManager, and Corel.  The conversation then shifts to Parallels' remote application server (RAS) and deskt...

The show begins with a commercial for the NetAlly EtherScope NXG, a network analyzer that supports Wi-Fi 6 and 6E. Uncle Marv then introduces the episode, mentioning that he has exclusive news to share. However, he quickly realizes that the news he had - Kaseya's announcement of their new Kaseya 365 subscription service - had already been announced the previous day at the Kaseya Connect conference...

Sean Lardo, the program manager for Pitch It, shares that this year's application process saw a record number of submissions, with a diverse group of vendors applying from various business sectors. While there were concerns about an influx of AI-focused applicants, Lardo notes that the program still attracted a healthy mix of solutions, with AI, cybersecurity, and other innovative offerings repres...

The conversation begins with a discussion on the lasting impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the workforce. According to a survey conducted by Parallels' parent company Alludo, 83% of the workforce is expected to continue working remotely in some capacity. This shift has presented significant challenges for companies that were previously accustomed to a fully in-office model. Many organizations str...

Uncle Marv kicks off the episode by sharing a story about using his NetAlly EtherScope network tester to troubleshoot a client's fiber internet connection issue, highlighting the value of having the right tools to demonstrate technical expertise. He then introduces his guest, Dave Scott, who has over 20 years of experience helping technology businesses with their marketing and growth strategies. ...

Sean and Dave share the backstory behind writing "The Pumpkin Plan for MSPs." They explain how their personal experiences and mistakes in the industry inspired them to create a book that provides practical, battle-tested advice for managed service providers. The authors emphasize that their goal was not to reinvent the wheel, but to distill the essential lessons from Mike Michalowicz's original "P...

Introducing Stack Tracker for MSPs Colin Knox explains that StackTracker goes beyond just mapping an MSP's technology stack. It focuses on the reseller aspect of an MSP's business, providing insights into the usage, costs, and profitability of the solutions they are reselling to clients. By pulling in data directly from vendors, StackTracker can show MSPs their vendor spend, revenue, and profitabi...

Lori Hardtke is a solo MSP owner who has been in the IT industry for many years, working in various roles such as IT manager at large companies like Mayo Clinic. Over time, Lori realized that she didn't want the responsibility of managing employees and decided to run her business as a solo operation, leveraging subcontractors when needed.   In 2018, Lori came across the Profit First book by Michae...