Episodes

With some of the recent events in the ransomware space, I had a chance to hear firsthand from Dave Alton of Strategic Integrated Resources. I asked the question, "What is concerning you today?" This discussion has some action items that you can do with your own clients. Whether you are dealing with business email compromise, wire fraud, or are just worried about a vendor, you will want to listen in as Dave shares. Also, stay tuned to the end. ChannelCon and the Tech Degenerates preday is less th...

Cybersecurity Insurance and Risk Management are generally conversations we avoid in the ITSP space, but with recent events, Matt Lee and I sit down to talk about how the two complement each other, the pitfalls, and some tips for protecting yourself through both.

With more than 30 ITSPs through their first assessment cycle, I wanted to take some time to get feedback on why it is an important process for any ITSP. A raw conversation with someone who will pull no punches on providing feedback as it pertains to the Trustmark and the history of what Trustmarks have come out of GTIA for its members. Charles Love of ShowTech Solutions provides significant insights that allow everyone to find at least one nugget.

The challenges and opportunities facing Managed Service Providers (MSPs) in 2025 are ever-changing, and the twists and turns keep any MSP on their toes. As I sat down with Brian Rodgers of Aeko Tech, we discussed several topics and found ourselves hitting on a recurring trend: the ever-evolving role of AI in business operations. Here are the four areas we covered: Client Education - If they don't understand the why, they tend not to comply. Entrepreneurial Resistance - You have heard it before, ...

Where does my data go? What data was sent across the API? How do we separate the signal from the noise? Pedro Castillo of Onum and I sit down to talk about what might be the subsequent transformation of data processing since Akamai came on the scene. Onum's mission is to address the challenges in data management and cybersecurity. Enjoy our raw conversation, which just got captured; we agreed to share it immediately.

A fireside chat with George Bardissi of bVoIP and me at the 1Stream by bVoIP Partner Gathering. Mistakes we made, the challenges we overcame, and then we jump into some interesting questions ranging from AI and Insurance to the Cybersecurity Trustmark and how it benefits MSPs. This is a different format and was recorded with a live audience.

Sitting with Henry Tim of Tech Degenerates and Phantom Technology Solutions to talk about GRC platforms. What makes it a GRC platform? How important is a GRC in my MSP? These questions and several others are tackled, and I think we have found some answers.

There has been a lot of buzz over the last 12 months surrounding the use of GenAI. We are all familiar with the likes of ChatGPT, Perplexity, and others, but what is the real value of AI when used correctly? I sat down with Alex Heublein of NETSURIT to talk about how they take an approach with their clients that involves democratizing AI and automation.

With ITN Secure right around the corner, I sit down with Matt Topper of ConnectWise to talk about Community. What does it mean to share in a community? Matt Topper and others at ConnectWise are bringing the community to their partners. GTIA and Tech Degenerates... Whether you are in a community, peer group, or part of an association, this is for you. When multiple groups come together to share, everyone benefits.

Over the years industry events have evolved. I remember the earily 2000s and it was very partner focused, Community, Vendors shared their roadmaps and you heard directly from those that were running the inititiatives. Join me as Charles Love of ShowTech Solution and I look at the changes and how we are seeing a glimplse at a new future of smaller micro events and more community.

Remember the first time you implemented an RMM tool? Did you buy a tool at a show to take advantage of the show special? Charles Love of ShowTechsolutions and I will walk through the history of vendor shows and discuss how much has changed as we approach 2025.

Tools galore, shiny object syndrome, must there be a tool for that? Then we get caught up in our day-to-day, and perhaps we forget about a tool or a tool feature, and we begin looking to solve another challenge. I get to sit down with Augie Staab of TD Synnex. We have a great discussion around right sizing your tech stack as an MSP and what it means to partner and work with organizations like TD Synnex to help fill in areas of your own MSP where you might lack expertise or are taking on a new cl...

How many videos and quizzes have you taken to show your skills at avoiding phishing emails and other types of Business Email Compromise? Have you been shamed or had to watch additional training videos? I know that in our world of email overload, it isn't a matter of if, it is a matter of when we might fall for one of the masterfully crafted phishing emails due to AI and other trickery. Join me as I discuss this and more with Craig Taylor of Cyberhoot.

I recently had a chance to chat with Robert Smith of Intellisystems on what it means to be an MSP in today's Threat Landscape. Gone are the days of installation, configuration, and watching. Today, it is patch, patch again, be proactive, investigate, and educate. It is a 24/7/365. Take a trip with us down memory lane as Robert sets us up for what it means to be an MSP today. Intellisystems finished going through the GTIA Cybersecurity Trustmark, which has played into their future strategy.

GRC Tools seem to be coming out of the woodwork continuously. A few of them have been finalists in ConnectWise PitchIt over the past few years, and they are all unique in their own way. Recently, GTIA announced the addition of ControlMap, ComplianceScorecard, Sure-Shield, and others coming in to host the Trustmark. I wanted to get some perspective on why it is so important for MSPs working on their own cybersecurity maturity to do so using a GRC Platform. Thanks to Matthew Fisch of FortMesa, I t...

MSSPs in the Healthcare vertical face many challenges and opportunities. I sat down with Russell Teague of Fortified Health Security to discuss providing Cybersecurity services in the healthcare space and how it stands out from other verticals. If you are an MSP or MSSP, this is a great opportunity to further explore unique service offerings.

Navigating Frameworks and implementing the controls and safeguards within can be quite daunting. I sit down with Matt Lee to talk through the taxonomy project that so many have worked on and how it helps break down expectations so that one can be successful. Without visuals, as this is a podcast, join us as we try to articulate verbally what this all means.

Attending my first Communities and Councils Forums (CCF) under the new brand Global Technology Industria Association was easily the best ever. An annual event with polos and no logos. I sit down with Charles love of Showtech Solutions to go down memory lane and reflect on why CCF is so important to our Channel Community. "If you want to go somewhere with like minded individuals and be involved in the industry that we've worked so hard to protect, then CCF is for you." - Charles J. Love

Cybersecurity doesn't happen overnight. It is a maturity process that often struggles with forward progress when the business core values are unclear or no longer aligned. I sit down with Jessica Millhiser of JMills Consulting to talk about the health of a business and the things that need to be in place for growth. We talk Policy, Process, and Procedures, and we cover the bases on good business books. Enjoy!

Human risk within any organization is often not given enough attention when it comes to monitoring and tracking the behavior of employees, such as phishing attempts, security training, etc. I sat down with Mathias Zeumer, North America Channel Manager at usecure, to talk about their approach to security awareness training, share a few horror stories, and discuss how vendors like usecure and others are starting to map their products/services to frameworks and having that checked or validated by a...

If you are pursuing the GTIA Cybersecurity Trustmark, you will want to tune in. Matt Lee of Pax8 and I discuss the taxonomy and prompts that drive success in breaking down safeguards into actionable and obtainable tasks.

In recent weeks, we have seen the drama surrounding TicTok, Red Note, DeepSeek, and many other technologies that, in many cases, are used without any regard for the repercussions of using them for good or bad. I sit down with Charles Love of ShowTech Solutions to talk about where we are today after hearing his projections for 2025... is it too soon to check in? Then we suddenly found ourselves talking about the challenges of how AI, custom applications and perhaps what was once called shadow IT.

If you have ever worked with Construction Management, Manufacturing, Healthcare, and others where the technology that is in place is no longer supported. How do you help them move forward and when is it appropriate to continue to use legacy technology? Join me as I sit with Jeff Borello of Andromeda Technology Solutions to chat about successful approaches and knowing, in some cases, when to walk away.

Whether you travel domestically or internationally, there are things you can do to protect yourself. VPNs, Public Wi-Fi, and other considerations as you travel for work or life are some of the topics I discuss with my friend Clay Johnson. You might find that this episode is worth sharing with clients, friends, and family as we tackle security at a personal level.