Nothing Happens by Itself
Copyright © 2021 Karl W. Palachuk
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Please Join Me in Providence! |
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I know it's impossible for many people. But I also know that it IS possible for many of you.
The SMB Roadshow is 100% ON for September 16th in Providence, RI. And it features GREAT new content - and a game show.
Please check out the details and plan to join me in Providence.
Thank you.
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National Society of IT Service Providers Update
Note: We will get out a news email to the list in the next few days. If you want it, make sure you're on THAT list. You can sign up at https://nsitsp.org.
But here's a quick update . . .
We have a board to guide through the formative stage - Amy Babinchak, Rayanne Buchianico, and Erick Simpson. Three committees have for authorized. The next step is to collect application for Board and Committee elections.
For all the details, make sure you're signed up at the link above. There's lots more news as well.
Thank you to everyone who's volunteered.
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Calendar Updates
The web site has no contact information or page about who is putting on the event. If anyone knows, or has a link, please email me. Thanks.
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My brother Manuel Palachuk and I are teaming up to present my new game show WAIT? What Acronym Is That? at the Cisco Provider Elevate conference (September 14-15). Click Here for information and registration. |
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What IS a Small Business?
I was discussing something with a friend on Facebook and she made the comment, "That depends on how you define small business."
I have to say, I think this debate is always silly. It reminds me of Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart's famous comment in the Jacobellis v. Ohio pornography case. Stewart said that he could not succinctly define hard-core pornography, "But I know it when I see it."
First, what's the "universe" for these numbers? The total number of companies (firms) identified by the census is 5,996,900.
Over 60% of those businesses have fewer than five employees. (61.7%, to be exact)
89% of those businesses have 1-19 employees.
96% of them have 1-49 employees.
98% of them have 1-99 employees.
So when you hear people discussing whether "small business" is cut off at 100, 250, or even 500 employees, remember that you're really nit-picking! You're debating about a difference of about 99.4% to 99.7%.
Many of you recall that Microsoft moved SBS licensing to cover up to fifty users. That was a great move simply to eliminate having questions about licensing dominate their help lines.
Bottom line: Virtually every business you work with is a small business. In fact, it seems silly to even talk about the differences between 100, 250, and 500 employees. Why? Two reasons: First, there's just not that many companies; and second, most companies have hired in-house IT support by the time they have a hundred users.
So let's just say that we support small businesses and spend our energy arguing over Star Trek vs. Star Wars.
Of course, these are firms (companies) and not employees. The 99.7% of all businesses that employ fewer than 500 employees make up about 47% of the total workforce. That's why "big business" matters. There aren't many of them, but they buy the biggest chunk of licenses.
Consulting companies that support these large businesses (500+ employees) tend to provide commoditized, lower-quality tech support. No one actually gets paid to keep end users happy.
Technicians are evaluated on how fast they close tickets. Managers get evaluated on metrics that push the contract KPIs and not user satisfaction. And the people who sell those contracts are motivated by what maximizes the probability of renewing the contract.
And, just for the record: Star Trek.
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A little news. A Florida Man update. Fun. And good information. Check it out.
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That's all the news for now.
Have a great week.
-- Karl W. Palachuk
:-)
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Next Big 5-Week Class:
The Absolutely Unbreakable Rules of PSA
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Starts August 1oth
Updated for 2021!
The Absolutely Unbreakable Rules of PSA
Course 5W11
Taught By: Manuel Palachuk
Five Tuesdays
- All classes start a 9:00 AM Pacific
You're guaranteed to learn something that will make or save you the price of admission!
Everyone needs a PSA - Professional Services Automation tool. But in addition to simply having a PSA, you need to set it up correctly and use it wisely.
In this course, you will learn how to double your value to clients and increase your profit with these powerful golden rules of PSA Service Ticket Systems.
Coach Manuel focuses on the direct connection between your service delivery system, the value you give your clients, and your profit, and how to maximize each. He also gives an overview of Agile Service Delivery, an emerging method you must learn to stay competitive.
Whether you’re a one-person shop or have fifty employees, to be consistently profitable, you must have guidelines for how to break down the work in an organized fashion and how you will communicate with the client along the way.
You don’t have to be an MSP or even use a PSA to work efficiently and be profitable, but you do need a system and a method. These "golden" rules can be the seed for your own system if you have none, or you can adopt them in whole to enrich your existing methods. Either way, this is your opportunity to take your service delivery and your profits to the next level.
The course includes a thorough discussion of the unbreakable rules of service tickets as well as covering quality communication with every client. It will be time well spent!
Whether you're a new "Computer Consultant" or an experienced Managed Service Provider, you need to create successful processes that will propel your company forward. Nothing is more critical to making profit than having the right processes and procedures in place!
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Only $299 per student
Delivered by Manuel Palachuk, author and business coach.
Includes five weeks of webinars with related handouts, assignments, and "office hours" with the instructor. All classes are recorded for download. All classes include suggested "homework" that is totally action-focused and intended to move your company's marketing forward.
This course is intended for business owners and managers. It is particularly useful for Service Managers.
A Few Details . . .
- Each course will be five one-hour Zoom webinars
- There will be handouts and "homework" assignments
- Class webinars will be recorded and made available to paid attendees only.
- All calls start at 9:00 AM Pacific Time
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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:
Relax Focus Succeed:
SMB Community Podcast - New episodes drop every Thursday
The Killing IT Podcast - New episodes drop every Tuesday
The Cheeky Sales Coach Podcast / Video - New episodes drop every Wednesday
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Spam Works: Should You Use It? |
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Selected Recent Videos and Webinars:
Note: We started auto-posting the podcasts to YouTube. Those are not listed here as YouTube Videos since they're listed under the podcasts above.
A quick guide to my Playlists:
- Total: More than 750 videos on the Small Biz Thoughts channel
- 300+ SOP videos
- 100+ Relax Focus Success videos
Plus . . .
- Training, Courses, Seminars on Managed Services
- Product Reviews
- and more
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Small Biz Thoughts Community News
SmallBizThoughts.org
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Sales Coach Gil Cargill Was Awesome! |
On the "first Thursday" of every month we have our community Roundtable. And I *always* get an email from someone who raves about the content and informs me that they consider it the best thing about our Community.
Several people gave me great feedback on Mr. Gil Cargill. I've added some contact information and goodies into the community. So go check that out and follow-up on the great content.
And if you missed it, the recording is posted now.
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Stephanie Chandler on the SBT Roundtable
Stephanie is a LONG time friend, mastermind member, and co-conspirator. We have had several business ventures together, including co-authoring a book.
Two years ago, we published the Nonfiction Book Publishing Plan. You can find it on Amazon.
But Note: Small Biz Thoughts Technology Community members can download this book for FREE inside the Community. I made Stephanie a deal on publication: I gave her all the royalties and profits if she allowed me to give it away to everyone in my Community.
. . . I wish I'd known that it was going to be a legit best seller. Oh well. :-) No regrets.
Anyway . . . Stephanie is a great community builder. She built the biggest, best, most successful networking group on MeetUp in Sacramento. She actually gave it up because it got so successful that it was taking time away from here "real" job.
Stephanie founded and runs the Nonfiction Authors Association, the Nonfiction Writers Conference, and several training programs. But that's not her real job either. Stephanie's primary "gig" is publishing nonfiction books by authors who want to establish themselves at authorities in their field.
She's an awesome entrepreneur, author of more than a dozen books, a community builder, and a very smart person to get to know. Don't miss this Roundtable!
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The August Community Newsletter went out Friday the 30th. If you missed it, you might not be on the member mailing list. Contact Kara.
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Grab your discount code in the Community and register for free. Strangers pay full price; members always free.
The Providence, RI show is September 16th and registration is open now!
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Members get free classes! New members - remember that you get massive discounts on our classes over at Great Little Seminar. Monthly subscribers save $200 per student. Annual subscribers attend for free. Grab your discount code in the Community and then head to GLS to register for class.
If you need something, please post a question in a forum or email Kara (your Community Manager) or me.
:-)
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A Final Farewell
I met this dude in 2018 in St. Kilda, south of Melbourne. I knew there were fairy penguins at the pier, and that they come out about sunset. But I wanted to make sure exactly where they'd be, so I walked to the pier about noon and found this fella hanging out in the sunshine.
That picture has been on my phone since then. But I just got a new phone, so I'm in search of another great memory to use as my background.
I need to get back on the road.
:-)
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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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August
XCHange+
August 15-17
San Antonio, TX
ASCII Success Summit
August 18 & 19
Raleigh, NC
IT By Design Build IT LIVE 2021
Aug 30 - Sept 1
Jersey City, NJ
IT Nation (Connectwise) Evolve Peer Groups
Aug 30 - Sept 1
Gold Coast, Aus
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September
IT Nation Connect APAC - Tentative - Stay Tuned
Sept 1-3
Gold Coast, Australia
CEDIA Expo
Sept 1-3
Indianapolis, IN
ChannelPro SMB Forum - Live Event
Sept 2, 2021
Boston, MA
Cisco Provider Elevate
September 14-15
Join me Online!
Managed Services Summit Live
Sept 15th
London
SMB Roadshow - Providence, RI
Sept. 16th
Providence, RI
Join me Live!
IOTSSA Cybersecurity Expo
Sept 16th
Charlotte, NC
Techcon Unplugged
September 17-19
Chicago, IL
Midsize Enterprise Summit+
September 19-21
Dallas, TX
Channel Live
Sept 21-22
Birmingham, UK
ASCII Success Summit
September 22 & 23
NY / NJ area
James Kernan's Millionaire Mastermind Event
San Diego, CA
Sept 23-24th
IT Partners
Sept. 29-30
Disneyland, Paris
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October
ChannelPro SMB Forum - Live Event
Oct 6, 2021
Raleigh, NC
DTX 2021 (Digital Transformation)
Oct. 6-7
London, UK
DattoCon 2021
Oct 11-13
Seattle, WA
SMB TechFest
October 13-14
Anaheim, CA
SMB IT Professionals National Conference - Australia
Postponed!
. . . Maybe next year
Sherweb Accelerate
Oct 18-20
Hollywood, FL
More Info: https://info.sherweb.com/accelerate.html
Channel SEC London
October 19th
London, UK
Kaseya Connect IT
Oct 19-22
Las Vegas
Channel Company NexGen
October 24-26
Anaheim, CA
Join me Live!
Acronis #Cyberfit Summit
October 25-27
Miami, FL
ASCII Success Summit
October 27 & 28
Orlando, FL
I'm hoping there's a trip to the Gold Coast in my future. Stay tuned.
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November
Channel Partners Evolution
Nov. 1-4
Las Vegas, NV
Managed Services Summit Live
November 2nd
Amsterdam
Kaseya Connect Europe
Nov. 2-4
Amsterdam
ASCII Success Summit
November 3 & 4
Houston, TX
IT Nation Connect North America
November 10-12
Orlando, FL
IT Nation (Connectwise) Evolve Peer Groups
November 15-19
Sydney, Aus
Managed Services Summit North
November 16th
Manchester, UK
ChannelPro SMB Forum - Live Event
Nov 16, 2021
Los Angeles, CA
Women of the Channel Summit West 2021
November 16-17
Palm Springs, CA
Acronis #Cyberfit Summit
November 18-19
Schaffhausen, Switzerland
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December
Women of the Channel Summit East 2021
December 6-7
New York, NY
ASCII Success Summit
Orange County, CA - December 8 & 9
Acronis #Cyberfit Summit
December 8-9
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
James Kernan's Millionaire Mastermind Event
Dallas, TX
Dec 9-10th
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If you know of in-person events we should list, please let us know.
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January
Send us your updates!
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February
Acronis #Cyberfit Summit
February 17 - 18, 2022
Singapore, Singapore
Xchange+
February 27 - March 1, 2022
Dallas, TX
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March
Cloud Expo Europe
March 2-3, 2022
London, UK
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April
Send us your updates!
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May
Send us your updates!
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June
Send us your updates!
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July
Send us your updates!
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August
CompTIA ChannelCon 2022
August 1-3, 2022
Houston, TX
More Info: Coming after ChennelCon 2021 ;-)
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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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