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During the dot-com implosion, I lost my job and started asking myself hard questions about my professional life. Fast forward to present day, and some of you may be feeling career anxiety amid the recent US housing market and Wall Street meltdowns.
My experiences from 2001 to 2003 shaped much of my current-day career thinking. Somewhere along the way, I picked up the book “What Should I Do With My Life: The True Story of People Who Answered the Ultimate Question,” by Po Bronson.
I highly recommend the book to anyone rethinking their business strategies and professional priorities. Here’s why.
The MSPAlliance and The Utility Company, which specializes in managed services franchises, have inked a partnership. The agreement extends certain MSPAlliance benefits to Utility Service Provider franchisees.
According to a joint press release, the franchisees are now eligible for:
For many entrepreneurs and executives, emotions don’t have a place at work. I have met and worked for many senior managers who expect employees to show up in uniform, ready to play, with their game face on. I have also been that manager at times—the one with his own problems who just wishes everyone would do their jobs without complaint and let me do mine.
If only people-management were that simple! In fact, emotions rule in the workplace, whether you want to admit it or not. You think the fight your top tech expert had last night with her husband doesn’t affect you? That you can turn your back when one of your salespeople tells you he’s being ridden so hard by his sales manager that he can’t focus? That it’s not your problem when a customer made your customer service manager break into tears? Read More >
An economic crisis can be scary. But silent leadership can compound employees’ fears. Savvy managed service providers (MSPs) like masterIT, ranked No. 6 on our MSPmentor 100 list, are working overtime to communicate with their employees during these stressful times.
Without sugar coating the financial meltdown, masterIT CEO J. Michael Drake sent a reassuring memo to his staff on Sept. 28. In it, Drake conceded that the US economy faces some real challenges. But he also provided considerable positive reinforcement to his staff, describing why masterIT remains well-positioned for growth.
Here’s a look at portions of Drake’s memo to team members: Read More >
The US unemployment rate jumped to 6.1 percent in August, its highest level in five years, according to the New York Times. Meanwhile, anecdotal evidence suggests that successful managed service providers continue to grow.
Those two conflicting trends represent an opportunity for talent-starved MSPs.
Sometimes, I find the most innovative managed service providers where I least expect them. A case in point: I visited Sytec Business Solutions — a managed service provider in Raleigh, North Carolina — on August 15. The company occupies an old Victorian home a few minutes from the heart of the city. There’s nothing flashy about Sytec Business Solutions or its headquarters.
But perhaps that’s the point: Instead of spending big dollars on a costly headquarters, the company seems to be plowing money into training, help desk and custom solutions for its customers. Here are some examples of what Sytec is doing right.
There are roughly 8,000 managed service providers in the United States, and the typical managed service provider generates $3.9 million in annual revenue.
Here are some other fast facts about typical MSPs, according to a presentation delivered today at the Ingram Micro Seismic Partner Conference in Chicago. Read More >
As managed service providers seek to outsource work to one another, you’ll need to do your homework before signing on the dotted line. Generally speaking, I believe most managed service providers are honest, hardworking entrepreneurs. But there are a few horror stories in the managed services sector — the most famous one involving former Compulinx Managed Services CEO Terrence Chalk. Read More >
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