MSPmentor

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Topics Covered: The podcast runs about 15 minutes and has four main sections:

00:49: Dell PartnerDirect: The story so far
05:21: Dell Global partner strategy
07:29: Acquisitions: Sorting out Silverback, Everdream, MessageOne and EqualLogic
13:01: What's ahead for Dell partners?

Other Highlights: Davis describes how partners can contact him directly with questions; and he touches on new initiatives that will lower deal registration requirements to $25,000 (from the current minimum of $50,000); plus a push toward IT certifications for vertical markets (health care, federal government), MSPs and ISVs.

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MSPmentor Editorial Director Joe Panettieri interviews SugarCRM Co-founder and CEO John Roberts. In this discussion, we cover:

1. SugarCRM's business and technology strategy, especially the role of open source in business applications
2. The growing number of customers that use SugarCRM in an on-demand or software-as-a-service (SaaS) configuration.
3. SugarCRM's partnering strategy.
4. SugarCRM's potential IPO plans for 2010.

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MSPmentor Editorial Director Joe Panettieri speaks with Justin Crotty, VP of Services, North America, Ingram Micro. Justin oversees Ingram Micro Seismic, a portfolio of managed services platforms that VARs can embrace and rebrand as their own.

During our discussion, we cover:
1. Ingram Micro Seismic: What is it?
2. Will managed services suffer from commodity pricing?
3. How does Ingram Micro's MSP strategy differ from other distributors, such as Tech Data?
4. What are the key pieces of information VARs should consider before choosing an MSP platform or MSP partner?

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MSPmentor Editorial Director Joe Panettieri speaks with Mike Cooch, CEO of Everon (www.everonit.com), a managed service provider that partners with regional solutions providers to ensure national on-site support.

During our discussion, we cover:
1. Optimizing your business for growth.
2. Key themes Cooch expects to hear at the MSPAlliance's Managed Services Summit (he's a guest speaker).
3. Adding hosting and software as a service to your MSP portfolio.
4. The economy: How is Cooch feeling about sales, revenue for mid-2008.
5. Business transformation: How do you build a 30-person managed service provider (MSP) business with national reach?

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MSPmentor Editorial Director Joe Panettieri speaks with Cheryl Snapp Conner, managing partner of Snapp Conner PR (www.snappconner.com), which represents high-tech companies and MSPs, such as DirectPointe.
During our discussion, we cover:
1. Why should small businesses and MSP start-ups care about PR strategies?
2. How are Web 2.0-type technologies, including blogs and social networks, impacting the PR landscape?
3. Should MSPs start their own blogs?
4. How can MSPs find and evaluate potential PR firms?
5. What are the biggest PR-related mistakes MSPs and small technology companies make?
6. How can MSPs measure the ROI of their PR programs and PR representatives?

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MSPmentor Editorial Director Joe Panettieri speaks with Mitch York, an executive coach who leads "Executive to Entrepreneur Coaching (www.e2ecoaching.com). During our discussion, we cover:
1. Should you launch your own business?
2. How much cash should you have put aside before launch?
3. What type of personalities thrive best in a start-up business?
4. Is it smart to launch a business in a weak economy?
5. Popular entrepreneur "myths" you must ignore.

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MSPmentor Editorial Director speaks with Bob Cagnazzi, founder and CEO of BlueWater Communications Group, one of North America's fastest-growing Cisco partners. The discussion covers:
1. Unified communications converging with managed services
2. Apple's iPhone integrating with unified networks
3. Whether the economy is impacting corporate IT spending