A lot happened this year—around the world and also on the Frankly IT podcast.
We started 2020 as the show called Frankly MSP and kicked off the year with Frankly MSP Live in Santa Barbara, California, in early January.
It was one of the first conferences on the calendar but what we didn’t know then was that it would also be one of the last in-person events for the year! We feel so lucky to have connected with everyone in such a beautiful spot before COVID-19 sent us all home and kept us there.
In May, the podcast went on break for a couple of months, and not long after we came back from the break, we changed our name. Now we’re Frankly IT, the podcast for IT leaders everywhere.
This summer, we passed 100,000 downloads—thanks to listeners like you. Out of all those downloads, these 8 episodes from 2020 were the most popular. To keep episodes from early in the year having an unfair advantage over later episodes, we looked at downloads in the first 30 days after release.
8. Driving IT Productivity With a Top 10 List
Julie Forsythe, VP of Engineering at Auvik Networks, shares how using a Top 10 list helps build efficiency, cohesion, and job satisfaction within a technical team.
Hear this: “It’s so easy to lean away from the conflict by bringing stakeholders together and involving them in the decision-making process. But I would strongly recommend that you lean in to bringing that group together and having them work together to set up the priorities for the business.”
7. Five Painless Ways to Trim IT Costs
Consultant John O’Shaughnessy shares his top 5 tips and tricks for uncovering big cost-savings in your IT budget.
Hear this: “These are the kinds of things that creep in and they don’t jump out at you, which is why you often need a concerted effort to stop and take a look at what you’ve got. In many organizations, the process is less about a technology change. More about getting all the players to agree on a process to move forward.”
6. Making the Move to Windows Virtual Desktop
Should you move to virtual desktops? Nerdio’s Joseph Landes joins us to look at the trend, the tech, and how to know if it’s the right fit for you or your clients.
Hear this: “We think that in the not too distant future, many, many, many organizations are going to be deploying as their standard way of deploying users, they’ll be deploying using virtual desktops. So if it’s not something that you’re familiar with, we certainly recommend that you become more familiar with it.”
5. Five Hot Topics, Frank Discussion (Recorded Live)
The blue ocean of co-managed IT, seagull vendors, the infinite game of cybersecurity, and hard MSP lessons learned are all up for discussion in this straight-talking panel recorded at Frankly MSP Live 2020. Datto’s Rob Rae leads the conversation with Bob Coppedge of Simplex-IT, Vince Tinnirello of Anchor Network Solutions, and Brian Weiss from ITECH Solutions.
Hear this: “Essentially you’ve got that whole stereotypical we can do it better than your internal I.T. We’re going to come in and from an adversarial standpoint, we’re going to be more effective, more economic. Yada, yada, yada. And we’re just going to come in. That was very, very simple, very aggressive MSP 1.0.”
4. How to Step Up and Shine as the IT Service Manager
Leading the IT service team is a tough assignment. Consultant Todd Kane reviews common stumbling blocks and how to overcome them to thrive in this challenging but rewarding role.
Hear this: “The service manager needs to understand the strategy and carry that forward to the rest of the team, actually interpret that strategy and say this is ultimately what we’re trying to achieve. This is what it actually means to us. So instead of just waterfalling that message down to the team on what the goals are, they need to help the team to understand if this is where we’re going to go, this is how we’re actually going to get there.”
3. Using Soft Skills to Deliver Hard Results in Your MSP
Having trouble finding tech talent? Looking to make easier sales? Emotional intelligence could be your secret to cracking the code. Mark Copeman, author of Helpdesk Habits, shares how cultivating soft skills in your team can produce hard results in multiple areas of your business.
Hear this: “I talk quite a lot about worrying about the people on the end of the end points. Quite often in our industry we’re so focused on the end point, sometimes we forget the people.”
2. Growing Your MSP Through Acquisitions
When do acquisitions make sense for your MSP? Greg Sharp, founder of a New Zealand MSP called base 2, has done three acquisitions so far. In this on-stage interview recorded live at Frankly MSP Live 2020, Greg shares his insights on assessing prospective sellers, financing strategies, and best practices for integrating the new company into your own.
Hear this: “So I guess if finance is not your game, then get a great finance person. A good MSP should have one anyway. And it is a significant investment. I get that. But don’t let that be the hurdle. Get some advice and just pay for it part time if that’s the stage that you’re at.”
1. The Biggest Cybersecurity Threats for MSPs in 2020
What new and evolving security threats will you be grappling with this year? We dig into Trend Micro’s cybersecurity predictions for 2020 from their latest report, The New Normal. On the agenda: The evolution of ransomware and IoT attacks, deep fakes, targeting employees through their home networks, and more.
Hear this: “We’re going to see more and more cyber criminals coming from different parts of the world. They’re going to continue to improve their tactics and their techniques. They’ll shift as they need to. They’ll look at different ways of attacking the organization or attacking the person. So the new norm really is that you have to be vigilant.”
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