MSP 1337 | Cybersecurity Education & Security Guidance

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, "I got this." Compliance misunderstandings - Attempting to check a box when asked to have a risk mitigation strategy, and last... Customization over productization - which translates to compliance solutions, must be tailored: one-size-fits-all packages often fall short.

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 client that has unique needs you don't want to pass up.