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January 22, 2016 by Brian Sherman
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December 22, 2015 by Brian Sherman
What would your business be worth if you were no longer in charge? That’s a question many entrepreneurs fail to ask until they get close to retirement or simply need to cash out quickly.
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December 10, 2015 by Tim Herbert
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November 25, 2015 by Nancy Hammervik
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August 6, 2015 by Brian Sherman
Don’t ever overlook the fact that as a vendor your partners almost always have options, especially in the cloud era where it’s become easier to shift allegiances and swap out solutions. What can suppliers and distributors do to better enable their partners?
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August 4, 2015 by Brian Sherman
During the CompTIA Cloud Community’s meeting at ChannelCon 2015, members of the group’s leadership team discussed the real opportunities and issues that “born in the cloud” businesses face today.
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August 3, 2015 by Brian Sherman
ChannelCon 2015 attendees share their security tales of horror and what they did (or could not do) to rectify the situation.
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July 9, 2015 by Brian Sherman
Creating a service that’s both beneficial to your clients and profitable for your business isn’t an easy task; it requires careful research and, in many cases, some trial and error.
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June 23, 2015 by Miles Jobgen
Just as you would insist your accountant be certified, or your plumber be bonded and insured, or your taxi driver be current on her license and testing; you should insist your IT service provider carry an independent validation.
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June 16, 2015 by Lorna Garey
While the channel has many nuances and differing practices, it continues to play a significant role in the success of many tech companies. Lorna Garey offers valued insight and key observations from her first few months at the helm of Channel Partners.
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June 4, 2015 by Carolyn April
Do you know what managed services means? How does it differ from conventional, enterprise-focused outsourcing? How can MSPs and internal IT departments co-exist and complement one another?
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April 6, 2015 by Samantha Ciaccia
Millennials don’t often have the experience to identify their own weaknesses. Hear from CompTIA Future Leaders Community Champion and Datto Channel Engagement Manager Samantha Ciaccia on why.
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February 24, 2015 by Brian Sherman
There’s no room for complacency when it comes to commoditization, but most channel companies aren’t built to win a pricing war. The best alternative is to know your company’s priorities, add services and expertise where you can, and stay focused on your goals. Fair-weather plans will leave you scrambling for an identity, and you don’t want to end up like Radio Shack.
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February 18, 2015 by Brian Sherman
Wearable technologies — while interesting and sometimes intriguing — might not seem like the right fit for your business, but because of competition and the continued commoditization of this type of technology, there’s no better time to explore viable and profitable solutions in this space.
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January 21, 2015 by Dave Sobel
Successful MSPs focus on operational process discipline, have a deep understanding of customer requirements, and understand market conditions and technology progress, according to CompTIA Vendor Advisory Council member Dave Sobel. In this piece, he outlines what makes a successful MSP practice and a focus on business agility creates perpetually valuable business model.
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January 6, 2015 by Seth Robinson
From the digital wallet to gadget equilibrium, our senior director of technology analysis Seth Robinson offers his take on the end-of-year trends in tech, and what they mean for 2015.
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December 15, 2014 by Carolyn April
The education market is a good target for today’s channel, according to CompTIA’s study, “The Changing Classroom: Perspectives from Students and Educators on the Role of Technology.” As educators realize the benefits to student performance, achievement mandates and overall efficiency, IT will continue to increase in importance—and spending.
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October 23, 2014 by Carolyn April
It’s no longer enough to simply build a better mousetrap — to succeed you’ve got to build out the entire business, according to CompTIA’s 4th Annual State of the Channel report. Read how managed services and cloud business models are impacting sales and marketing efforts, plus the nontechnology challenges the channel is facing.
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October 15, 2014 by Brian Sherman
Onboarding a new client is the perfect opportunity to both set and manage expectations while nurturing and developing your professional relationship early on. From a welcome gift to salient points about necessary hardware upgrades, give your new clients what they need to trust you and your services.
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August 5, 2014 by Mary Ellen Grom
In today’s complex business environment, a strategic marketing plan can help you make sense of the chaos — especially when it’s coupled with a strategic business plan.
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August 5, 2014 by Lisa Fasold
The majority of companies grow by referral, but you can’t control your business if you live off referrals, according to Chris Wiser, CEO of TechSquad. During his talk at ChannelCon’s Managed Services Community meeting, he offered a series of quick marketing tips for channel firms.
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July 23, 2014 by Brian Sherman
The portfolio prospects for solution providers have never been brighter, from advanced cloud solutions to the Internet of Things. But with so much effort required to transform an IT business — and the considerable time and fine-tuning it takes to prepare a new VAR offering for a full-scale rollout — providers, vendors and distribution executives should be investing time and attention into their future products and services.
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June 20, 2014 by Emily Matzelle
IT pros from all over the country are preparing for ChannelCon, CompTIA’s annual gathering for industry training, peer-to-peer learning and partner networking. The event’s comprehensive channel training is always a draw, and we’ve spelled it out for you in this A to Z guide to ChannelCon, scheduled for August 4 to 6 in Phoenix.
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February 26, 2014 by Matthew L. Evans
This Black History Month, CompTIA notes the contributions of Aaron Woods, director of U.S. solutions providers, relationship and partners at Xerox and the first African-American member of the CompTIA Board of Directors. Woods is an ardent supporter of TechVoice – CompTIA’s public advocacy grass roots network – and the IT industry. “Being the first of anything usually brings with it some concerns as to how you will be viewed by others,” Woods said. “As it ...
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November 12, 2013 by Brian Sherman
With many managed services providers admitting that their technology skills are far deeper than their business acumen, the processes required to create those critical organizational development plans may be quite unfamiliar. The talents essential to build and sustain these IT companies can be quite diverse, so MSPs either have to undergo training to acquire those capabilities or hire new employees with those specific proficiencies. Regardless of the method they adopt, those consistent investment ...
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