Erick and Rich discuss N-able’s product plans, the importance of thinking big about new opportunities in today’s changed IT landscape, and a handy new invention for people prone to walking into walls while gazing at their smartphone.

On the road again—and loving it—in the Lone Star State, ChannelPro’s Joel Zaidspiner checks in with AnswerConnect, CyberGuard360, and MSP360.

Who needs icing in the middle of their cake when they can enjoy a nice thick layer of raw baking flour instead? Actually, don’t answer that question. Just sit back and listen as Matt, Rich, and their guest host, MSP consultant Ronnie Parisella, mull over Gradient MSP’s freshly launched “data hygiene” product, Axcient’s new online-only file sync and share system, and Augmentt’s latest cloud management solution.

Erick and Rich discuss startup Gradient MSP’s first step toward building a channel pro “data intelligence” platform, explain why the best managed services sales pitch involves no selling at all, and ponder an “invisible sculpture” recently bought for 15,000 Euros.

He’s on the road and face to face with vendors again! Listen in on Joel Zaidspiner’s recent chats with Axcient, Cloudwerxe, OITVoIP, and ReachOut Technology.

There are lots of good reasons to be a channel pro. If golf isn’t one of yours, you need to listen to this week’s show, in which Matt, Rich, and guest host Andrew Sampson, of solution and managed service provider SAAI, discuss forthcoming partner resources from D&H, rising hardware prices, a new automated management solution from Extreme Networks, and ChannelPro‘s latest Vendors on the Vanguard list.

Erick and Rich discuss D&H’s new partner investments, possible hardware price spikes, using security bundles to boost margins, and soap made from snail slime, which turns out to be an actual thing.

Matt flies solo with guest host Manuel Palachuk, business coach and author of Getting to the Next Level: A Blueprint for Taking You and Your Business to the Top, this week, who somehow manages to turn the show into a drinking game.

In honor of this week’s RSA security conference, Erick and Rich discuss four security tech trends, why you should make time for industry newsletters and emails, and a tech-savvy child who hacked his mom’s Amazon Prime account to order 918 boxes of popsicles.

Get ready for a sucker punch of IT news, views, and insights. Joined by guest host Vince Tinnirello, of Anchor Network Solutions, Matt and Rich chew over IT Glue buying TruMethods, Pax8 buying Sea-Level Operations, Sophos entering the XDR market, and Cytracom adding team texting to its UCaaS solution. Then your hosts catch up with Darren Gottesmann of Ingram Micro for a look at the crazy year behind us and the “golden age” we may be entering now.

Erick and Rich mull over the latest case of a big vendor buying an MSP consultancy, run through the benefits of getting your LinkedIn profile right, and marvel at the farmer who accidentally shrank France.

Erick and Rich discuss IT Glue going big on virtual CIO services by acquiring TruMethods, share a book tip every leader should read, and marvel at the guy who wants to exchange fees he paid in cryptocurrency last year for far less valuable dollars.

Hungry for IT insights? Good, because Matt, Rich, and guest host Ro Kolakowski, founder of 6th Street Consulting, have a heaping helping for you on this episode, spanning from D&H’s new esports and gaming business unit to Intel’s outlook on the year ahead, BitTitan’s emerging “data synchronization as a service” plans, and the characteristics that make great MSPs great, according to Service Leadership’s Paul Dippell.

Erick and Rich are intrigued by BitTitan’s “data synchronization-as-a-service” strategy, certain you should do quarterly business reviews internally as well as with customers, and amused by the guy now walking from LA to San Francisco in a bear costume.

Actually, SCSI is an interface. Not sure who this bear is. Neither are Matt, Rich, and returning guest host Dave Seibert of managed service provider IT Innovators and the SMB TechFest event series. They do, however, have plenty to say about the change of channel chief at Microsoft, the latest firewalls from Sophos, the pending SYNNEX/Tech Data merger, and work-from-home security stacks.

Erick and Rich discuss the strategic importance of the latest firewall from Sophos, the strategic wisdom for channel pros of paying attention to customer experience, and the strategic genius of Natty Light’s new alcoholic popsicle.

Proof of life! Matt’s back after a three-week absence, but Rich is apparently being held for ransom. That’s how it looks on video towards the end of the show, anyway. Before then, he, Matt, and guest host Amy Babinchak of Harbor Computer Services and Third Tier discuss Microsoft’s new channel chief, Datto’s new commerce solution, the challenges of virtual sales calls, and the future of healthcare IT.

Erick and Rich ponder whether SMBs are being too easy on their security vendors, explain why now’s the time to revise your COVID safety protocols, and shudder at the slithery surprise two Australian grocery shoppers found in their lettuce.

In this episode, our virtually roving reporter talks cyber-insurance and marketing with Inskyber and Marketopia.

This week, Erick and Rich discuss Datto’s new quoting and procurement solution, building client phase sign-offs into your project plans, and what happens when a tiger mom gets her hands on deepfake technology.

Dig into a second helping of on-the-spot interviews from the latest Channel Strong road tour of America, this time with channel pro attendees of those events.

Back on the road again, if only briefly, ChannelPro’s Joel Zaidspiner checks in with Acronis, BVoIP, Compliancy Group, Nerdio, Pax8, RocketCyber, and Snom about their latest road trip across America.

Join Erick and Rich as they ponder the significance of Ingram Micro buying a PSA vendor, advise you to take a fresh look at your mission, vision, and values, and marvel at the guy who donated some old sweaters and $42,000 in cash to Goodwill.

If it feels like an obstacle course out there these days, you’re not alone. With Matt on vacation this week, Rich is hosting the show solo for the first time ever. Wonder how he’ll do? While the suspense builds, you’ll hear Rich and returning guest host Michael Goldstein, of LAN Infotech, discuss Ingram Micro buying a PSA vendor, Acronis introducing an innovative licensing model, and business tips from two superstar providers of cloud and managed services.

Any time is a good one to discuss cybersecurity these days, and your host Joel Zaidspiner proves it in his conversations with Acronis and Cobalt.