In this installment of Peer to Peer: Off the Cuff, we’re talking with Charles Swihart, founder of Preactive IT Solutions in Houston. In our January issue, Charles wrote about how the ability to speak the same language as his customers in the engineering and construction industries helped him develop a vertical specialty that has driven growth for his business and enabled him to expand to other vertical industries. Charles shares three tips for developing a specialization you can build on, which include addressing specific customer pain points and hitting all the right notes in marketing campaigns. After he serenades you out to his rendition of “Fly Me to the Moon,” check out his full story in our January issue here.
Acer America
Acer America Corp. is a computer manufacturer of business and consumer PCs, notebooks, ultrabooks, projectors, servers, and storage products.
Location
333 West San Carlos Street
San Jose, California 95110
United States
San Jose, California 95110
United States
WWW: acer.com
ChannelPro Network Awards
hello 2
hello 3
Video
February 4, 2021 | Colleen Frye
Peer to Peer: Off the Cuff with Charles Swihart
Charles Swihart, founder of Preactive IT Solutions and amateur crooner, developed a vertical specialty then drove growth by hitting all the right notes in additional service offerings and marketing campaigns.
Related Resources, Video
How do I build an MSP referral program that truly works?
June 5, 2026 | ChannelPro Network
Create a referral program that works for your MSP. This guide offers tips on structuring, launching, and sustaining a program.
Artificial Intelligence (AI), Business Strategy, Cloud, Hardware, Industry Events, Managed Services, Networking, Partner Programs, Research & Trends, Security, Software, Storage & Backup, VoIP/UCaaS
MSP trends: Quick bytes for busy channel executives
June 5, 2026 | ChannelPro Network
Stay ahead of your competition with these insights on strategies, industry trends, and channel news. Want to go deeper? Click to “take a bigger byte.”
SonicWall’s Michael E. Crean: Avoid these mistakes to boost your MSSP’s valuation
June 5, 2026 | Jonathan Browning
MSSPs can increase valuation by mirroring SonicWall’s success and avoiding these critical mistakes.
Why your MSP’s AI strategy isn’t working and 5 ways to fix it
June 4, 2026 | Chris Day
ScalePad CEO Chris Day shares tips on how you can create a winning AI strategy for your own business.
Artificial Intelligence (AI), Business Strategy, Cloud, Hardware, Managed Services, Networking, Security
MSP Answer Center
June 4, 2026 | ChannelPro Network
MSP Answer Center is your go-to resource for real answers to real business challenges. We’ve covered everything from pricing to staffing to security, and we’re just getting started.
Free MSP Resources
Business Tools
Editor’s Choice
Autotask PSA: One solution to run your IT business
June 10, 2026 | ChannelPro Network
Autotask PSA helps IT teams centralize day-to-day operations in a cloud-based platform built for visibility and efficiency.
Why your MSP’s AI strategy isn’t working and 5 ways to fix it
June 4, 2026 | Chris Day
ScalePad CEO Chris Day shares tips on how you can create a winning AI strategy for your own business.
MSP Answer Center
June 4, 2026 | ChannelPro Network
MSP Answer Center is your go-to resource for real answers to real business challenges. We’ve covered everything from pricing to staffing to security, and we’re just getting started.
Free download: The MSP guide to achieving real AI operational value
June 1, 2026 | ChannelPro Network
Download this guide to gain a practical framework for evaluating AI opportunities and reducing operational bottlenecks.
ChannelPro Special Report: Edition 2, 2026
May 20, 2026 | ChannelPro Network
ChannelPro’s latest digital publication delivers tactical insights and real-world stories for IT providers.
IT Nightmares #003 – Municipal Mayhem | Guest Norbert Doeberlein
May 8, 2026 | ChannelPro Network
Norbert Doeberlein discusses the terrifying reality of municipal IT and the business-first mindset needed to survive.