Hello Karl,

Baby Watch

On the very personal front, I'm eagerly awaiting the birth of my first grandchild. Baby Emma should be here any day (any minute). This is her first executive decision, so she'll show up when she wants to.

I promise not to post 1,000 pictures. :-)

-- -- --

Please Vote NOW!

I know it's easy to put things off. Please don't delay voting in the NSITSP election.

Click Here to go to https://nsitsp.org/elections.

After log in, I promise it will only take 60 seconds to cast your votes.

I am proud that we are completing our second year of elections and that we have more candidates for the Board of Directors than we have opening. This is a huge indicator that the NSITSP has arrived as an important organization in the IT consulting community.

Now go vote!

If you're NOT a member - I sincerely ask you why not. The National Society has almost 1,000 members already and is a true not-for-profit committed to improving the professionalism and reputation of our industry. And member is not at all expensive. Check it out at https://nsitsp.org/join

New Book . . . and a lot more . . .

The IT Consultant's Year of Intention

We are in the final stages of completing a new book: The IT Consultant's Year of Intention - A

Workbook Dedicated to Your Success.

This is truly more than "a book" - it's a form-filled workbook to help you organize the year ahead. It is NOT just a simple business planner. It is guide to a successful year in your SMB IT consulting business.

Book release will be in October. Presales start NOW. This 150-page workbook will sell for only $29.95 (which is a great deal).

You can save an additional $5.00 if you order now! No code. Just order before October 10th. Buy now at

https://store.smallbizthoughts.com/product/the-it-consultants-year-of-intention/

Note: Small Biz Thoughts Technology Community members should NOT order this book. You will receive it free inside the community before it is released to the public. Keep an eye out for the "Final Friday" newsletter on September 29th.

Exercises include annual and quarterly goals as well as a series of monthly activities that will help you along the path to making your goals come true. Among the forms in the book you'll fine:

• Budget Sample 20xx.xlsx
• Company Goals for Next Year.docx
• Conference Notes.docx
• Event Evaluation Notes.docx
• Event Follow-Up Checklist.docx
• Monthly Performance Notes.docx
• Monthly Tune-Up Notes.docx
• Monthly Tune-Ups.docx
• Prime Questions.docx
• Report on Goals from the Current Year.docx
• Webinar Notes.docx

AND There's a Class!

Along with the book launch, we are holding a special series of classes and launching our new accountability group program - Breakouts. The series will kick off with four classes:

Members can find details and register FREE here:

https://www.smallbizthoughts.org/event-calendar/year-of-intention-class-and-breakout/.

Classes will be held

• November 9
• November 16
• December 7
• December 14

In each meeting, we'll walk through some pieces of the workbook, then have interactive discussions and a planning session related to the materials. Some attendees will then be part of an ongoing Breakout group that continues meeting into 2024. This will NOT be an never-ending peer group, but have a definite ending point. Having said that, I suspect some members will continue to get together when the formal meetings have come to an end.

Please note: Anyone and everyone is welcome to use the book. Only SBT community members have access to the classes and Breakouts.

Tid Bits . . .

I'm not sure why my Fall has become so busy, but I certainly am. In the next few weeks, we have a major new book launch. AND we're doing classes around that in the SBT Community. AND we're using those classes to launch a new type of group in the Community ("Breakouts"). AND I'm teaching a revised version of the Service Agreements course starting tomorrow. And then I'm headed to Perth, Melbourne, Fiji, Southern California, and Hawaii.

In October we have a HUGE announcement inside the SBT Community.

And somewhere along the way, a baby shall be born and she shall call me Grandpa. Not right away, of course, but eventually.

Have a great week.

• Karl P.

:-)

Join me live at . . .

• Beerfest - October in Perth, Australia

• SMB IT Pro Conference - October 27-28 in Melbourne, Australia

• MSP Rescue - November 29th in SoCal

• ASCII event - December 7 in Waikiki, HI

• Karl's 2024 State of the Nation report for SMB IT - Register Now

Links below in the events calendar - or at WhereInTheWorldIsKarl.com.

Has the world changed any since you revised your agreements?

Service Agreements for SMB Consultants

Taught by Karl W. Palachuk

Author, Coach, and Community Builder

- Five Tuesdays

- September 19th - October 17th

Register Now - Only $399*

(Only $349 with code below)

BONUS: Class registration includes a free copy of the latest version of Service Agreements for SMB Consultants

Service agreements are not about the services you provide – they’re about your relationship with your clients. We’ll also look at various options, including a 2-page “terms of service” as well as managed services, programming agreements, and more.

Based on the best-selling book Service Agreements for SMB Consultants, this course covers everything you need to know about developing your service agreements. And the book subtitle is important, too: A Quick Start Guide to Managed Services.

Most IT Professionals sign – or don’t sign – contracts for the wrong reasons. Most think contracts are intended to draw battle lines for when you have a disagreement with your clients. In fact, that piece of the relationship is almost always outside the contract! We’ll explore why you really need contracts or service agreements.

Service agreements are not about the services you provide – they’re about your relationship with your clients. We’ll also look at various options, including a 2-page “terms of service” as well as managed services, programming agreements, and more.

Tuition for this course includes the ebook version of the newly revised and expanded Service Agreements for SMB Consultants! That includes all the downloads from the book as well.

Only $399 - only $349 with code

Five Hours of Great Training

Top Take-aways:

• Define Yourself and Your Relationships
• The Language of Service Agreements
• The Service Agreement Construction Kit
• A Sample Credit Agreement
• Boilerplate: A Sample Service Agreement
• Flat Fee or Managed Services Part
• The Managed Service Agreement
• Getting Help and Managing Agreements
• Managing Your Service Agreements

PLUS lots more.

This class is filled with great advice and tips on running your I.T. company and moving into the world of recurring revenue with managed services.

Here are the specifics of what you'll learn, week by week:

Unit 1 Introduction and Defining Relationships

Unit 2 Money, Money, Money

Unit 3 The Parts – Part 1

Unit 4 The Parts – Part 2

Unit 5 Managing Contracts ... and Relationships

Delivered by Karl W. Palachu, author of Service Agreement for SMB Consultants and Managed Services in a Month.

Includes five weeks of webinar classes with related handouts, assignments, and "office hours" with the instructor.

This course is intended for business owners and managers. It is particularly useful for the Owner or Operations Manager.

ITSP University Certification:

Meets Certification Requirements for:

• Management
• Service Management

This class will be recorded. Each unit is generally posted within 24 hours of the live class. These recorded units will become the On-Demand class and you’ll have lifetime access to it.

Register Now - Only $399*

Save $50 with code above

Note: * Members of the Small Biz Thoughts Technology Community attend at no additional charge. See details in the Community

Small Biz Thoughts Blog:

• NSITSP Voting Ends Friday - Do IT Now
• Service Agreements - Revised Class starts September 19th
• What does it take to be get a Service Manager Specialist Certification?
• Recorded: Manuel Palachuk talks about The Culture Imperative - on the SBT Roundtable

SMB Community Podcast - New episodes drop every Thursday

• Burned by the “Big Guys” with Jason Miller of BitLyft
• What is EOS?
• What's Best - Remote or in the Office?
• Social Events with MSP Clients

National Society of IT Service Providers News Blog

• It's Time to Vote - And Brag about It
• A Good Reception with Larger Consultants
• Materials available from the AI working group
• Open Q&A on Legislation

Relax Focus Succeed:

• Tips on Tipping from a World Traveler
• Take a Stand - It's Your Brand!
• What Are You Worried About?
• Set It and Forget It - The Worst Mistake You Can Make

.

Selected Recent Videos and Webinars:

• The Five Most Important Elements of Your Overtime Policy
• Intro to Profit First
• SBT Community News September 2023
• Service Tip: Remember What You Control
• RFS: Eating Fish and Overcoming Habitual Certainty

Our YouTube IT Consulting channel now has more than 9,200 subscribers and 712,000 views! Subscribe today and don't miss a thing! https://www.youtube.com/smallbizthoughts

OR my Relax-Focus-Succeed Channel at https://www.youtube.com/relaxfocussucceed



Next on the SBT Roundtable: Jayson Duncan on Using Storytelling Your Marketing

Join us via Zoom on

Thursday

October 5th

Jayson Duncan is the founder and Chief Storyteller of Miller Farm Media. Helping your marketing efforts increase revenue. From marketing strategy, branding, website design, cinematic award-winning video production, and digital advertising to social media management on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. Trusted by small and large brands such as Microsoft, Google, and Nestle since 2000.

No registration necessary. Members can always find the Roundtable link in your dashboard.

-- -- --

All New Book!

Members: Do not order the book.

You'll get it free in the Community.

Our official launch date for The IT Consultant's Year of Intention is October 9th.

But remember: YOU always get my new books free of charge inside the Community.

Keep an eye on the What's New area of the Community site. And, of course, the new book will be available in the Book Resources section as soon it's released.

My goal is that you'll use this new book for some serious planning for the next year. AND we're going to have a set of members-only classes to go through the book together. Plus, that will be the kick-off of a new program in the Community. Details soon!

We look forward to helping you in the weeks and months ahead!

Here's the last Community News video:

Note: If you're not sure whether you're good at staying in the center of your lane, drive down a freshly painted street. Spotted in Sacramento.

Oh . . . And that's never coming off.

:-)

September

Midsize Enterprise Summit Fall 2023

September 17-19

Houston, TX

More Info: https://www.thechannelco.com/events

ASCII Edge 2023 

September 20 & 21

Chicago, IL

More Info: https://events.ascii.com/

CanIT Con

Sept 24-26

Banff, Alberta, Canada

More Info: https://www.canitcon.ca/events/canitcon-2023-banff-1

Sandler Partners National Summit

Sep 18-21

Huntington Beach, CA

More Info: https://summit.sandlerpartners.com/2023

James Kernan's Millionaire Mastermind Quarterly

Sept 28-29

Scottsdale, AZ

More Info: http://bit.ly/kernanmastermind

November

ChannelPro CyberSecurity Strategies

Nov 1-2

Los Angeles

More Info: https://events.channelpronetwork.com/content/2023-events-registration

IT Nation Evolve Business Leaders

November 6-8, 2023

Orlando, FL

More Info: https://www.connectwise.com/theitnation/evolve/agenda

Nerdio Training Camp

Nov 14-15

Austin, TX

More Info: https://getnerdio.com/nerdio-training-camp/#trainingregister

IT Nation Sales and Service Leaders

November 28 - December 1, 2023

Nashville, TN

More Info: https://www.connectwise.com/theitnation/evolve/agenda

MSP Rescue from SMB Nation

November 29th

Los Alamitos, CA

More Info: https://msprescue.pro/

Join me Live!

:-)