Tubbservatory Round-Up – Tools and Resources for Your MSP
Each week, Richard throws a spotlight on five resources Managed Service Provider (MSP) business owners should take note of in the IT industry. The Tubbservatory is a weekly video broadcast featuring useful articles, podcasts and events that bring value to IT business owners.
Tubbservatory Round-Up #14 – February 2023 is a recap of all of the Tubbservatory episodes made during the month of February. All edited together for you to watch at your convenience. The items are summarised below, with links to the resources mentioned in the video at the end of this article.
This month’s topics include: Cybersecurity, Marketing, Maintaining a Decent Work/Life Balance and ChatGPT.
Tubbservatory: The February 2023 Round-Up Video
Tubbservatory Round-Up #14: February – Week 1
#1 Linode Partner Roundup – January 2023
Unlock the power of Kubernetes, Leadership Insights from George Conrades and a cameo from our very own Richard Tubb and the Not an MSP Show team are all part of the latest MSP Update from James Steel of Linode.
James is absolutely killing it with these videos which are informative, amusing and they are a must-watch for MSPs.
#2 Work-Life Integration: Mastering the Balancing Act
A podcast that caught my ear recently was the No Filter MSP Show from SuperOps, featuring my Not an MSP Show co-host, Andrew Moon.
Moon, a.k.a. the Orange Nomad, shares advice on the challenges of work-life integration and managing the balancing act, plus tips on using Linkedin for MSP sales.
#3 A Third of IT Decision Makers Rely on Gut Feel When Choosing a Network Operator
Did you know that almost a third of IT decision makers rely on gut feel when choosing their network operator, reports Joe O’Halloran of Computer Weekly magazine.
Among the top-line findings was that business leaders ranked trustworthiness, professionalism, and experience as the top reasons for selecting a network operator.
Now this article is worth reading and bearing in mind when MSPs sell network solutions to businesses.
#4 The Top Security Risks for MSPs and their Clients 2023
What are the top security risks facing MSPs in 2023?
Well, that’s the topic that Acronis explores in this powerful article for ChannelE2E magazine.
Top three on the list of threats are:
- The human factor
- Falling to follow security procedures
- Re-using passwords
If you want to be serious about cybersecurity in 2023, then I’d encourage you to read this article.
#5 CompTIA Benelux Community Meeting – 15th February 2023
Utrecht in the Netherlands is the location, and the 15th February is the date for the next CompTIA Benelux Community Meeting.
Chris Fabes of Lenovo will be delivering a keynote presentation, with MSPs from all over Europe expected to attend.
Tubbservatory Round-Up #14: February – Week 2
#1 Discover, Manage and Secure Your SaaS Tools with Augmentt
How many Software as a Service (or SaaS) applications do you think your MSP clients use?
Given that end users can simply sign up for SaaS applications by using their credit card, these apps are known as “Shadow IT” and many MSPs struggle to manage this aspect of their client’s business.
A tool to help with Shadow IT that I’m hearing great things about is Augmentt.
Augmentt helps MSPs to discover, Mnage and most importantly, secure SaaS tools.
Founded by former N-Able Technology industry veterans Gavin Garbutt and Derik Belair, Augmentt is a tool to keep your eye on.
#2 Book: Go Givers Sell More by Bob Burg and John David Mann
A book I’m highly recommending to MSPs is “Go Givers Sell More” by the wonderful Bob Burg and John David Mann.
If you find sales a struggle, then this book may change your perspective from persuading people to buy from you, to simply providing value to others.
Highly recommended.
#3 6 Ways to Make a Better First Impression With Potential Clients
When it comes to selling, you only get one chance to make a good first impression.
So I’d recommend any MSP read this article from Zomentum on 6 Ways to Make a Better First Impression With Potential Clients.
Many of these should come as no surprise, but it’s sometimes the obvious things that are easily overlooked.
The article is a quick, but powerful read. Highly recommended!
#4 LastPass Tells Customers: Hackers Stole Encrypted Password Vaults
Dev Kundaliya of Computing reports that LastPass is telling customers that hackers were responsible for stealing encrypted password vaults.
Knowing that many MSPs recommend LastPass to their clients, will you start looking for a replacement password management tool? Leave a comment below and let me know your thoughts.
#5 Video: CompTIA Gave Me a Voice When I Didn’t Believe I Had One
“CompTIA gave me a voice when I didn’t believe I had one.” – So says Hannah Lloyd in this wonderful video about CompTIA.
Lloyd, Vice President of Channel Sales at inSOC, talks about ADHD and being a woman in a male-dominated industry.
Thank you, Hannah, for sharing your story.
Tubbservatory Round-Up #14: February – Week 3
#1 Video: Global MSP Partner Panel on M365 Security by SkyKick
A video that caught my eye was the Global MSP Partner panel on M365 Security.
Organised by M365 Security Management platform, SkyKick, this on-demand session gives MSPs a global perspective from 4 leading Partners on how they secure Microsoft 365, monetise it, and bring peace of mind to their clients to drive acquisition and retention.
#2 Cybersecurity Predictions for 2023 by Scott Campbell of CompTIA
Talking of security, the team at CompTIA went out to the MSP industry to ask business owners and experts about their cybersecurity predictions for 2023.
Scott Campbell of CompTIA highlights that a failure to manage customer expectations will spur litigation.
A sobering warning that MSPs need to be proactive in securing their clients’ networks.
#3 UK Businesses Are Being Urged to Move Away from ISDN in 2023
Now, I can’t believe I’m about to say this, but UK businesses are being urged to move away from ISDN in 2023.
Yes, ISDN!
Research shared by Joe O’Halloran at Computer Weekly magazine warns that as analog switch-off approaches, only 15% of SMEs and 20% of large businesses have plans in place to migrate to an alternative technology.
Surely this is an opportunity for MSPs to help clients with their connectivity.
#4 Video: MSPs – Limit Your Work-in-Progress
MSPs. Limit your work in progress! That’s the advice from Managed Services expert Todd Kane in his latest video.
MSPs often struggle with having too many tickets to work on at one time. In this short video, Todd shares some simple tips to help limit the overwhelm by limiting your work in progress (WIP).
#5 Tech Show London Returns on 8th and 9th March 2023
March 8-9th sees the return of Tech Show London.
Taking place at ExCeL in England’s capital, the two-day event brings together five leading technology events:
Cloud Expo Europe, DevOps Live, Cloud & Cybersecurity Expo, Big Data and AI World, and Data Centre World.
There are plenty of keynote speakers and exhibitors to keep you busy and registration is free.
Tubbservatory Round-Up #14: February – Week 4
#1 Webinar: Barracuda MSP Hosts the Great ChatGPT Debate
AI is a topic being discussed by many MSPs right now, so a session that caught my attention is: The Great ChatGPT Debate: New Age Hacking or Cutting-Edge Technology?
Hosted by Barracuda MSP, this session gives:
- A quick overview of what ChatGPT is
- How hackers might leverage this new technology
- How to ensure your clients are protected from any potential risks associated with AI technologies
- And How technologies like ChatGPT can automate Managed Services business processes
This webinar is now available to view on demand.
#2 Pax8 Launch Their Pro Services Offering
One of my top tips for MSPs is to focus on your core competencies and to buddy up with other technology companies to provide complementary services.
With this in mind, I was very intrigued to hear that Pax8 have launched their Pax8 Professional Services offering!
Pax8 Pro Services allows MSPs to add extra bandwidth and expertise to your team, thereby allowing you to focus on growing your business.
Some of the solutions Pax8ProServices will offer MSPs include:-
- Cloud architecture and enablement
- Migration services
- Security strategy and enablement
- And custom projects
This is definitely an offering for MSPs to become familiar with!
#3 Done is Better Than Perfect: Standard Operating Procedures for MSPs
When it comes to standard operating procedures (SOPs), ‘Done’ is better than ‘perfect’, says MSP expert Karl Palachuk in his latest video.
Many MSPs struggle with creating SOPs, processes and documentation. However, this video is a valuable reminder that getting started is half of the battle.
#4 What to do if You Have Been Made Redundant
Sadly, redundancies are an expected part of modern IT, with such layoffs typically happening in the corporate IT world.
However, these layoffs do give opportunities for managed service providers to find new talent.
This article, from outsourcing experts Uptime Solutions, offers some great suggestions for IT professionals who have lost their job.
MSPs should pay attention to this article for how it offers advice, and well as acting as a draw for talent.
#5 Acronis Cyber Foundation Programme: Celebrating Five Years of Achievement
Big congratulations to the Acronis Cyber Foundation Program which is celebrating five years of achievement!
The Acronis Cyber Foundation Program was founded in 2018 with the goal of making education available to all. Over the past five years, the program has been able to achieve remarkable results by building 23 schools in 22 different countries around the world, benefitting more than 5,500 children.
Thank you, Acronis and the managed services community.
Links to the Resources Mentioned in this Round-Up
From Week 1
- Linode Partner Roundup – January 2023
- Work-Life Integration: Mastering the Balancing Act
- A Third of IT Decision Makers Rely on Gut Feel When Choosing Their Network Operator
- The Top Security Risks for MSPs and Their Clients in 2023
- CompTIA Benelux Community Meeting – 15th February 2023
Mentioned in Week 2
- Discover, Manage and Secure Your SaaS Tools with Augmentt
- Book: Go Givers Sell More by Bob Burg and John David Mann
- 6 Ways to Make a Better First Impression With Potential Clients
- LastPass Tells Customers: Hackers Stole Encrypted Password Vaults
- Video: CompTIA Gave Me a Voice When I Didn’t Believe I Had One
Week 3
- Video: Global MSP Partner Panel on M365 Security by SkyKick
- Cybersecurity Predictions for 2023 by Scott Campbell of CompTIA
- UK Businesses Are Being Urged to Move Away from ISDN in 2023
- Video: MSPs – Limit Your Work-in-Progress
- Tech Show London Returns on 8th and 9th March 2023
And Week 4
- Webinar: Barracuda MSP Hosts the Great ChatGPT Debate
- Pax8 Launch Their Pro Services Offering
- Done is Better Than Perfect: Standard Operating Procedures for MSPs
- What to Do if You Have Been Made Redundant
- Acronis Cyber Foundation Programme: Celebrating Five Years of Achievement
How You Can Help
That’s all from the Tubbservatory Round-Up for February 2023!
Is there a useful tool or resource that you’ve spotted, that you think may interest us?
Please let us know in the comments.
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I'm a small business owner, technical writer and blogger, with 15 years experience in corporate IT. I frequently attend MSP peer groups and create content relevant to IT service providers and business owners.
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