Erick and Rich share hot takes on Kaseya’s earth-shaking acquisition of Datto, discuss the smart way to deal with FUD when change comes to the vendor landscape, and greet some unexpected visitors, live and on the air!

Listen up as Joel Zaidspiner checks in with Curricula, PC Matic, and ThreatAdvice, live from Austin, Texas.

Erick and Rich ask why channel pros aren’t talking about blockchain more, urge you to stop giving away services out of the kindness of your heart, and marvel at the people in Dallas who scanned a random QR code in the sky recently and got Rickrolled.

You’ve got to pity those poor accountants. Bad enough they’ve got all those tax returns to complete this time of year. Now they’re getting the cold shoulder from channel pros too.

Erick and Rich explore Cytracom’s bold move into secure networking, explain why watching Google for local ransomware stories can help MSPs land new business, and question why anyone would want to take their house plants with them on vacation.

It takes all kinds, folks, and you’re welcome to join us at ChannelPro Weekly no matter how much hair you have. Or don’t. Or what color it is.

Erick and Rich discuss what Microsoft’s huge partner program changes mean for its channel, explain why team-building events are more important than ever, and ponder how drunk you’d have to be to leave your dentures at a bar and never retrieve them.

Some matchups are competitive. Others not so much. And when it comes to bacon versus, well, anything, Matt, Rich, and returning guest host Brian Weiss, of ITECH Solutions, are in lockstep agreement.

Erick and Rich urge you to get in on compliance services even if you’re a regulatory newbie, explain why dumping low margin services regularly is a good idea, and make plans to place an order for Iron Mike Tyson’s ear-shaped cannabis edible.

Erick and Rich dive into the upbeat numbers in this year’s ChannelPro State of the Channel report, explain why ticket escalation rate is a KPI, and ponder why anyone would think sneaking reptiles across the border in your pockets is a good plan.

Live from sunny Mexico, our Joel Zaidspiner checks in with Blackpoint Cyber, CrewHu, and ScalePad.

It’s dangerous out there, ma. Always use toofah. If you don’t believe me, take it from Matt, Rich and returning guest host Lawrence Cruciana, of Corporate Information Technologies. They and this week’s interview guest—Grayson Milbourne, security intelligence director at Webroot—have plenty to say about ransomware-as-a-service, Log4j threats, and a bunch of other reasons why none of us can have too much toofah these days.

Erick and Rich tally up the reasons why direct-to-cloud BDR is on the rise, discuss a new and better way to sell BDR, and agree that the man who discovered a pearl worth thousands of dollars in his clam dinner is the good news story we need right now.

Live from the first ASCII Group event of the year, Joel Zaidspiner checks in with Binox MSP, HelpDesk.tech, and Redstor.

So maybe mom DOES love us best, but can you blame her? We’ve got Matt, Rich, and returning guest host Luis Alvarez, of leading-edge solution provider Alvarez Technology Group, here to discuss Nerdio’s melding of virtual and physical resource management, ThreatLocker’s innovative new network access control product, Pax8’s network security distribution deal with WatchGuard, and the secrets to thriving in the post-endpoint era of managed services.

Erick and Rich discuss the big integration news from Nerdio, explain why ensuring you have the service capacity you need to keep up with growth in advance is a wise idea, and celebrate the GOAT goat who assisted sheriff’s deputies in Virginia on an arrest.

This show’s going out to all of you who care about managed services, cybersecurity, and working with distributors. Except for YOU, Larry. Jerk.

Erick and Rich size up the strategic alliance between Nodeware and SOCSoter, explain why leading with security is a winning sales strategy these days, and suggest the perfect gift for next year’s Valentine’s Day: cologne that smells like French fries.

If you thought your customers have bigger threats to worry about these days than ladders, you’ll be thinking again by the end of this episode featuring Matt, Rich, and their returning guest host, certified ethical hacker and MSP Michael Cocanower. You’ll also hear their thoughts about the latest revisions to Dell’s partner program, the new security executives at ConnectWise and NinjaOne, the latest developments in ransomware as a service, and the latest headaches associated with cyber insurance.

Erick and Rich discuss what the red-hot M&A market means for MSPs, why you should spell out roles and responsibilities for your employees in writing, and why stealing a car so you can find the one you parked someplace now forgotten is usually a bad idea.

Live from the recent 7 Figure MSP conference in Phoenix, Joel Zaidspiner checks in with Gradient MSP and SuperOps.ai.

Don’t worry. If you haven’t collected enough box tops to get the coveted ChannelPro Weekly secret decoder ring, you’ll still enjoy this week’s episode, in which Matt and Rich are joined by returning guest host Corey Kirkendoll, of 5K Technical Services. The three of them discuss LogMeIn becoming GoTo and making a push into the channel, Unitrends launching its first small office BDR appliances, and the secrets to picking an MSSP.

Erick and Rich are intrigued by LogMeIn’s corporate makeover as GoTo, eager for you to freshen up your marketing materials for the age of hybrid work, and impressed by the chicken who somehow snuck into a high-security zone at the Pentagon.

Back on the air, though not yet back on the road, ChannelPro’s Joel Zaidspiner checks in on the latest from Cisco and channel newcomer Tribu.

Mmmm, nothing beats the intoxicating aroma of good salesmanship. Listen to Matt, Rich, guest host Lisa Shorr (of Secure Future Tech Solutions and Shorr Success) speak with sales expert Keith Lubner (of Sales Gravy), and you’ll see what we mean.