Nothing Happens by Itself
Copyright © 2022 Karl W. Palachuk
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Greetings!
A few days ago, I was on a Zoom call with Righter Kunkel, head of the #Cyberfit Academy at Acronis. He described this time of year quite accurately:
"Welcome to December 2nd. January 1st begins in four hours."
That's about what it feels like. My short list of things to do includes finishing the teaching of the revised Cloud Services in a Month course, prepping the 2023 teaching calendar, and two end-of-year webinars.
PLUS - we are doing a complete revamp of the SMB Community Podcast. Stay tuned for a major announcement!
And, of course, we have all the standard end-of-year stuff. Speaking of which . . . If you haven't seen my End of Year Checklist presentation, you can watch now and get the downloads for free! Head over to MSPWebinar.com.
That site has about ten videos, including really great information. All free. Most include downloads (linked there). No obligation.
This will be my 14th Annual State of the Nation address. Don't miss it!
-- -- --
I know you're at least as busy as I am, so I appreciate the time you take to attend all these webinars, classes, etc.
If nothing else, register for these events so you get reminders, recordings, and downloads.
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What Does It Mean to Work ON Your Business?
I was in a meeting not too long ago when someone mentioned a common business concept that I've heard a million times (literally) and several people didn't know about it. The concept was explained, and we all moved on.
But it stood out to me. These were all successful business owners. They were smart and engaged. They clearly knew a lot about business. How could this concept escape them?
Like so many things in life, there are many roads to success. There are many pathways to education.
I hope you've heard the phrase "Work ON your business, not IN your business." This is derived from the philosophy of Michael Gerber and The E-Myth Revisited. In every business, someone needs to work in the business. They deliver the goods and services. They make the widgets, etc.
But in successful businesses, someone also needs to work ON the business. Someone needs to fine tune the strategy, the planning, the goals, the mission, and so forth. In other words, someone has to constantly be fine-tuning and creating the business model that has to be executed.
For most business, it's the owner that creates the business model, the vision, and the mission. But as the example above demonstrates, that process of working on your business can be very different for different people. Here are some ways that people work on their business:
- Reading constantly (or listening to audio books)
- Listening to podcasts
- Reading "magazine" web sites related to business
- Peer groups / coaching groups
- Joining professional communities
- Really expensive coaching programs
- Attend conferences and events
- Participate in online forums
- Take format training (multi-hour classes with exams)
- Which can be online or in the physical world
- Read newsletters or subscription emails
- . . . And more
I think everyone does some combination of these, based on their time availability and personality. But there's one element that takes business self-improvement to the next level - and it's available in lots of places:
Interacting with Other Business Owners
If you think about all those ways of consuming knowledge to be like DNA, then the healthiest way for your business to evolve is to mix up some of that mental DNA with other mental DNA. Luckily, this is available in many places (user groups, communities, conferences, etc.) and only requires one special element: Willingness to share your ideas with others.
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Every once in a while, I stumble across someone (or a group) that refuses to share their business ideas. They don't want to give away their secrets. They don't want anyone to know their business model. They think others have more to gain from their knowledge than they have to gain from others.
This is never true.
"Secret Sauce" is sold in a clear glass jar with the ingredients labeled on the back.
In other words, there are no secrets. Other than the recipe for Coke or the Colonel's chicken, most businesses have no secrets. In fact, they simply have different levels of awareness and execution.
Awareness comes from reading, education, talking to other business owners, going to conferences, joining communities, and . . . all the things listed above. In other words, being part of the industry you're in: Participating as an owner with other owners in your line of business.
I obviously take the opposite view of seeking the Secret Sauce. I share everything I can about what I think makes a business successful. I engage in conversations to test the truth of my beliefs, and then I change my mind (and my ways) in order to continue up to the next level.
In a world that's constantly changing, I believe a constant engagement in your own improvement is the only path to long-term success in business. But please don't do it haphazardly!
I encourage you to take some time and write down your process for working on your business. How do you learn best? Where do you participate? How do you interact with other IT business owners? How do you process that information and integrate it into your business?
Here's the interesting bit: You already do this! You might not be aware of how you're doing it, but you do it. So the next step is to self-analyze and become conscious of how you work on your business. That way, you can put some focus on the process of improving your business, and then you can improve the process.
Just some thoughts on a sunny winter day in California.
Feedback welcome.
:-)
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Two Webinars - One Registration
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Tackling the Employee Challenge
Do Not Miss This!
Finding and Keeping Great Employees in 2023 is part webinar and part conversation about the realities of our current employment environment, with some thoughts about long-term and short-term strategies.
Webinar 1: Dec 7, 2022 at 9:00 AM Pacific
Webinar 2: Dec 14, 2022 at 9:00 AM Pacific
One registration for both.
For both webinars, I'm planning to leave time within the 60 minute slot to answer questions. But I'm also planning to go to 90 minutes if the questions keep coming. Some folks will drop after 60 minutes to get to their next meeting, but I'll stay as needed.
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First Webinar: Strategies for the next five year
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The December 7th webinar begins a conversation about the realities of our current employment environment, with some thoughts about long-term and short-term strategies. And it will have a bit of employment philosophy thrown in.
I will share some strategies for finding those great employees that are in short supply - and will be in shorter supply in the years ahead.
This webinar is open to all, and all related handouts and materials will be shared with all attendees. It will also be posted for viewing after the event. Register now so you don't forget.
One registration for both.
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Second Webinar: SOPs for searching, hiring, and onboarding new employees
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In the December 14th webinar, I'll take all the leftover questions from the first webinar and then proceed to talk about all the SOPs you need to have in place before the new employee's first day on the job. This includes creating job descriptions, job ads, candidate questions and evaluation forms, getting ready for employee onboarding, and more.
This second webinar will be open and free to everyone, BUT the recordings, handouts, slide deck, and written SOPs will only be available inside my community. In other words, if you're not a member, you better attend in real time. (Or join, of course.)
One registration for both.
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Lots of events added to the calendar this week. Keep sending me your updates.
Thank you for your support. Please share this newsletter!
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You Only Missed Two Classes
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Sign up today. You can catch the recording and Join Us Live tomorrow!
Cloud Services in a Month - Applying the Book
You’re guaranteed to learn something that will make or save you the price of admission!
Taught By: Karl W. Palachuk
Newly Revised Course
- Five Tuesdays: Nov. 22 - Dec. 20
Based on the best-selling book Cloud Services in a Month, this course will give you the information, forms, processes, and motivation to move full force into providing Cloud Services. Much of the focus is on designing and developing a package of services you can sell to every single client. As Karl describes it: The core technologies that every client needs.
Tuition for this course includes the ebook version of Cloud Services in a Month. That includes all the downloads from the book as well.
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You will learn:
- Everyone's a Cloud Service Provider
- Tip Toe Into the Clouds?
- The Latest Tools and Options
- Cloud Computing in the Small Business Space
- Right Sizing Your Offering
- What is the Cloud?
- Assessing Client Networks
- Money-Making Homework - Network Assessments
- Create a Cloud Service Offering
- Sneak Peek: The Cloud Service Five-Pack
- The Absolute Basics
- Plan Changes and Updates
- Transactions, Customers, and Clients
- Price Strategies
- Managed Services and Cloud Services
- Building a Bundle that Works
- Break/Fix and Hybrid Models
- Create A Three-Tiered Pricing Structure
- Migrating to the Cloud
- One Service at a Time
- Managed Service Tools and the Cloud
- Storage Migration
- Email Migration
- Microsoft Office
- Money-Making Homework - Migration Plans
- Backups, DR, and Continuity
- Basic Backups
- BDRs
- Business Continuity
- Running Your New CSP Business
- The Right Tools for the Job
- Your Standard Offerings (Your Catalog of Services)
- Staff Requirements for Cloud Services
- Client Onboarding
... And 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 cloud services.
Includes five weeks of webinars with related handouts, assignments, and "office hours" with the instructor. All classes are recorded for download.
This course is intended for business owners and managers. It is particularly useful for the Service Manager or Operations Manager.
ITSP University Certification:
Meets Certification Requirements for:
- Management
- Service Manager
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.
Class Content
Unit 1 Setting the Stage for Cloud Services in Small Business
Unit 2 Introducing the Cloud Five-Pack Formula
Unit 3 Implementation, Sales, and Variations
Unit 4 Cloud Migration Strategies and Procedures
Unit 5 Maintaining, Evolving, and Integrating Cloud Services Over Time
Note: * Members of the Small Biz Thoughts Technology Community attend at no additional charge. See details in the Community
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All the Resources That Are Fit to Print
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Recent Blog Posts, Podcasts, and Videos
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Small Biz Thoughts Blog:
SMB Community Podcast - New episodes drop every Thursday
The Killing IT Podcast - New episodes drop every Tuesday
National Society of IT Service Providers News Blog
Relax Focus Succeed:
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Selected Recent Videos and Webinars:
Our YouTube IT Consulting channel now has more than 615,000 views!
Subscribe today and don't miss a thing!
A quick guide to my Playlists:
- Total: Over 860 videos on the Small Biz Thoughts channel
- 350+ SOP videos
- 265+ Relax Focus Success videos
Plus . . .
- Training, Courses, Seminars on Managed Services
- Product Reviews
- and more
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Community News
SmallBizThoughts.org
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December Roundtable Was Awesome
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Entertainer and Mentalist Paul Draper delivered as promised at last week's SBT Roundtable.
This appearance was not recorded because of our contract with Paul. That's just another reminder that members should be attending live!
We also announced our Member of the Year and our Community Leader of the Year!
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Join Us This Thursday - and every Thursday - on Zoom
The link is always in your dashboard. Log in, click your name, and plan to join us live on Zoom.
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We meet on Zoom every Thursday at 9am Pacific / Noon Eastern. Join us!
Thank you!
:-)
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Here's a promo I haven't seen before. If you want the paired sock, you need to attend the event.
Problem (for me): I don't want a pair of sox that look like that!
:-)
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What's Here?
This calendar lists two kinds of things: LIVE in-person events from any organization that focuses on the SMB consulting community; and MY events, whether live, webinar, etc.
If you have live events on your calendar that may be useful to others in the SMB Community, please let us know. We'd be happy to list them.
Of course: Everything here is subject to change based on Covid. Click the links for the latest details. Please send updates so we can post them.
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December
Cybersecurity & Cloud Ezxpo
Dec. 1, 2022
London, England
Microsoft 365 Conference
Dec. 4-9, 2022
Las Vegas, NV
Blackhat Europe 2022
Dec. 5-8, 2022
London, UK
More info: https://www.blackhat.com/eu-22/
Cisco Live!
Dec. 6-9, 2022
Melbourne, Australia
Karl Webinar: Finding and Keeping Great Employees in 2023 - Part 1
December 7 - 9AM Pacific
Join me online!
James Kernan's Millionaire Mastermind Quarterly
Dec. 8-9
Las Vegas, NV
Karl Webinar: Finding and Keeping Great Employees in 2023 - Part 2
December 14 - 9AM Pacific
Join me online!
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January
Send me your events !!!
Karl's 14th Annual State of the Nation Address for SMB IT
January 11th - 9:00 AM Pacific
Join me Live Online!
:-)
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February
ChannelPro Summit
Feb. 1-2
Dallas (Southwest)
Cisco Live!
Feb 6-10, 2023
Amsterdam
MSPExpo
Feb 14-17, 2022
Fort Lauderdale, FL
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March
ChannelPro Summit
Mar. 8-9
Dulles, VA (Mid-Atlantic)
CloudExpo Europe
March 8-9, 2023
London, UK
Gartner CIO Leadership Forum
March 14-15, 2023
Londong, UK
James Kernan's Millionaire Mastermind Quarterly
March 30-31
Orlando, FL
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April
HIMSS
April 17-21
Chicago, IL
CyberSecurity Expo
April 20, 2023
Bristol, UK
The IT Sales And Marketing Boot Camp
April 11-14, 2023
Nashville, TN
RSA Conference
Apr. 24-27, 2023
San Francisco, CA
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May
ChannelPro Summit
May 9-10
Chicago (Midwest)
2023 SMB Online Conference!
May 17-18
Zoom
Online - Stay Tuned for Details - but mark your calendar now.
Join Me Live Online!
:-)
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June
Cisco Live!
June 4-8, 2023
Las Vegas, NV
IT Nation Secure
June 5-7, 2023
Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center
Orlando, FL
ChannelPro Summit
June 7-8
San Jose, CA (West Coast)
Infosecurity Europe
June 20-22, 2023
London, England
James Kernan's Millionaire Mastermind Quarterly
June 29-30
Denver, CO
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July
ChannelPro Summit
Aug. 9-10
Newark, NJ (Northeast)
CyberSecurity Expo
July 13, 2023
Manchester, UK
:-)
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August
Send me your events !!!
:-)
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September
ChannelPro Summit
Sept. 6-7
Boston (New England)
James Kernan's Millionaire Mastermind Quarterly
Sept 28-29
Omaha, NE
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October
ChannelPro Summit
Oct. 10-11
Atlanta (Southeast)
Acronis #Cyberfit Summit 2023
Oct. 16-18
Miami, FL
dattoCon 2023
Oct. 2-4, 2023
Miami, FL
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November
Send me your events !!!
:-)
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December
James Kernan's Millionaire Mastermind Quarterly
Dec 7-8
Phoenix, AZ
:-)
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Note: If you know of any in-person event for SMB Consultants, please send info to karlp@greatlittlebook.com.
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Small Biz Thoughts is a subsidiary of Great Little Book Publishing Co., Inc.
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