Jonathan Philipsen, EVP of Cloud Strategy at Thrive, has been in the MSP space for a while now, and he’s noticing a shift. Work-from-anywhere businesses put a strain on employee retention and increased the need for cybersecurity services. ChatGPT is sweeping across the industry and forcing the question: are employees still necessary? Jon and Jonathan leave no stone unturned in this episode to discuss advantageous moves for MSPs, the moral dilemma of AI, and the many routes you can take with multi-cloud environments.
Podcast
The Storytelling of Solutions with Greg Richey
VARs and the distribution process have changed a lot over the past 20 years. When Cisco used to dominate the industry, it was easier to be an expert in the field. Now there are all kinds of systems available, so many companies decided to outsource. But service objectives remained the same: how do we solve this problem? Jon goes screen-to-screen with the VP of Solution Development at Telamon, Greg Richey, to discuss the impact of Digital Transformation, striking the balance between expertise and outsourcing, and scaling your ecosystem.
The Future of Services from a Leader’s Perspective with Chris Ward
The services industry is not immune from evolution. As we try to provide more and more value for clients while growing our own teams, it means the definition of “services” is always changing. Heck, it’s changed a ton even since 2020 with the rise of packaged offerings and an emphasis on recurring revenue. We had Chris Ward, Vice President at DEft, talk us through what he thinks the future of services looks like. Check it out!
The Missing Manual with Todd Kane
Todd Kane has spent the last decade helping MSPs and VARs deliver higher value to their clients while bringing their turnover down and skyrocketing their team morale. He talks Jon through the science of selling services while managing a team that performs at a high level. This episode is a great resource for anyone in a management level role at an MSP or VAR looking to sharpen their approach.
How to Thrive in the Digital Transformation Era with James Davis
Back by popular demand: the Director of Academy at Pax8, James Davis, returns to In Scope to discuss the Digital Transformation of scoping. Not only has this changed the way presales folks and engineers do their job—it’s upended all aspects of I.T. work. Join Jon and James as they break down the trend of transformational projects, the questions you should be asking your clients, and how they adapted their businesses to grow during this innovative time.
The Art of Scoping Accurately with James Davis
James Davis is the Director of Academy at Pax8, a global leader in cloud solutions. He joins Jon from Down Under to talk about arguably the most critical business function of any MSP or VAR (and something Jon knows quite well): scoping. They dive into all the inefficiencies of improper scoping and really quick fixes. They also share a few examples of just how significant an inefficient scoping process can be. Tune in to rethink the way you scope!
Recast: How to Price Your Services with Dennis Manfra
Dennis Manfra is the VP of Technical Services at IE, and he’s joining Jon to talk pricing. We know, it’s not the sexiest topic, but that doesn’t mean it’s not incredibly important. Dennis and Jon talk through two approaches to pricing: T&M and Fixed pricing. Each has its advantages and disadvantages, but they also send a message to your client and your team. Learn more about these approaches and when each one is best to use!
Recast: Transition from Presales to Postsales
How do you make the handoff from presales to post-sales? Jesse White of Katalyst explains why this is a critical question and how to handle it.
Building a Presales Team, Measuring Success with Steven Madick
Steven Madick knows a thing or two about the presales process. He’s been in this world for years, building and managing wildly success teams for a number of service providers. He talks with Jon about what makes managing presales teams so difficult, and how you can overcome those obstacles. Terms like awareness and understanding are great to say, but how can you actually execute them? And can you turn your vision into action? Dive into this episode to find the answers!
The importance of organizational buy-in during MSP go-to-market with MJ Patent from Alveo
MJ Patent is the CEO and co-founder of Alveo, a go-to-market services company specializing in the IT channel. They’ve worked with tons of IT companies, leading them on a journey to scalability and sustainability. She and Jon talk about the importance of organizational collaboration and buy-in, especially during the launch days. They also walk through several hypothetical scenarios to shed some light on how to break down the walls within a company’s silos to get on the path to long-term financial health. Trust us—you don’t want to miss this one!