I got a note from long-time SMB icon and community builder Harry Brelsford about the new Cannetech Expo, June 21-24 in Fort Lauderdale. See the details at https://images.tmcnet.com/mkt/blast/cannatechexpo/CannaTech-EMail-May31.html

The speakers for this event include several familiar faces. Check out the whole site at https://www.cannatechexpo.com/.

-- -- --

We have FIVE entries so far. Contest ends June 15th. There are real cash prizes (well, Amazon cash). Give us your ideas. Details and entry form at https://www.nsitsp.org/logo-contest/. No cost to enter. Submit your concept today!

NSITSP YouTube . . . Last week, I asked folks to subscribe to the NSITSP YouTube channel so we can grab a custom URL. Thank You!

You did it. You can now find the NSITSP on YouTube at www.youtube.com/nsitsp.

-- -- --

The "Hybrid work" discussion continues to evolve. As the author of Relax Focus Succeed, I am extremely gratified that quality of work and quality of life discussions are now taking place at many levels and not just at sparsely-attended HR meetings.

In case you're keeping score cards, there are several pieces to this puzzle. There are workers who graduated from high school or college around 2020 and have never worked outside their home. Some love it. Some want to spend time in an office because that's the only social life they have.

There are workers who excel in a loser environment because they don't have the stress from commuting, juggling family duties, or a boss looking over their shoulder. At the same time, there are people who wonder how culture will be built and maintained without in-person contact. The same concern applies to career advancement.

Of course there are still plenty of jobs where people have to show up and do the work in person. And there are managers who simply don't know how to set goals, manage employees, and build culture with a remote workforce.

Bottom line: This will be an evolving discussion for many years to come. I can't wait to read the first five books on the subject. No, I won't write one. But if you find one, let me know.

-- -- --

Due to a random update oddity, I recently had to re-connect my Amazon Kind and Audible accounts to the apps in my iPad.

That brought to mind all the books I've read and recommend that I haven't posted anywhere. So I created a task for myself to update the "Reading List" page at Relax Focus Succeed. See https://www.relaxfocussucceed.com/reading-list/.

So look for new titles there. And if you haven't read everything that's already there, dig in.

I try to read one book per week. And I listen to audio books on top of that. But I often find that the audio input is combined with other activities (gardening, woodwork, painting, etc.), so I miss things. As a result, I've made a habit of listening to audio books three times through before I feel like I really consumed them.

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We ask folks to ask their vendors to attend the big meeting Amy Babinchak and I are holding on June 15th. Please help out the NSITSP and ask your vendors to be there as well.

You - and your vendor partners - can find out more at https://www.nsitsp.org/events/vendor-introduction-to-the-nsitsp/

Or just click on the Learn More button at the top of any page on that site.

From time to time, I'm going to try to post a note about peer groups you might want to join or explore. I'll start with my long-time friend and sometime collaborator James Kernan.

To learn more about James' Mastermind Peer Groups please visit: 

FREE 30 day trial for any SMB Community Member ($297value) AND FREE one on one 

Onboarding with James Kernan ($497value)

 

Our mission is simple. Kernan Consulting empowers small-business owners to grow themselves, their teams and their profits using practical, proven and trusted business wisdom. If you want to learn how to create a winning company culture, grow a team of passionate and loyal workers who will help you win. If you want to learn how to market and sell better than your competition, and compensate your people in a way that motivates them to achieve more, then Kernan Consulting is for you. It’s practical, applicable advice that can transform your business and help you become an incredible leader who others will gladly follow.

Kernan Consulting, Inc. is an international award winning management consulting company. They have become one of the most successful consulting firms in the country, primarily serving Information Technology Value-Added-Resellers or MSP’s. Its core competencies include Coaching, Advising and Mentoring programs like the Mastermind CEO Peer Groups, Leadership, Sales Training and its One-on-One Consulting Programs. Since 2006, over 500 businesses in six different countries have successfully been coached through their programs.

 

 

Note: Kernan Consulting is an advertiser in this newsletter. This is not a paid placement.

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I don't have any! I do expensive coaching for companies that large enough to make lots of changes and not lose focus on the day-to-day jobs that keep them profitable.

And I have a membership group at www.smallbizthoughts.org - - for businesses of any size that want complete access to my library of materials AND regular educational and business-building topics.

I love peer groups an have been a member of several over the years. They are a great way to grow your business, get new ideas, and talk to peers who are facing the same challenges you are. But I don't have time to run them. That's hard work and I'm fundamentally lazy. :-)

Final note on my personal YouTube channel . . .

Thank you also for subscribing to my channel at youtube.com/smallbizthoughts.

We are currently getting 16,000 to 18,000 views per month, mostly from our huge collection of SOP videos.

We just passed 4,500 subscribers, so we have more subscribers than BitDefender, Datto, N-Able, or Kaseya. And we'll probably overtake Connectwise subscribers later this week.

We'll all playing at the small end of the huge YouTube market. But it still feels good.

That's all I have this week. I hope you have a great week and a great June!

- Karl P.

:-)

Based on the book, Project Management in Small Business.

Taught By: Karl Palachuk, author and coach

- Five Tuesdays - May 31st - June 28th

- All classes start a 9:00 AM Pacific

This course will cover the most important aspects of project management for small business. It is intended for computer consultants, VARs, and managed service providers. Whether you sell projects on a Time-and-Materials basis or flat fee, it is critical to manage them successfully. Successful projects are more than simply profitable. Successful projects make you look good. They make the client more productive and potentially more profitable. They help you build a positive relationship.

Tuition includes the book in PDF format along with all associated downloads.

This course is intended for consultants who are new to project management as well as those who have been running projects for years and would like to take a serious step up to the next level of professionalism and profitability.

This is an intensive webinar course over a five-week period. All assignments are voluntary, of course. But if you want feedback on assignments, please complete assignments during this course and email them to the instructor.

You will learn:

ITSP University Certification:

Meets Certification Requirements for:

This class will be recorded. Each unit is generally posted within 24 hours of the live class. These recorded units will become the On-Demand class and you’ll have lifetime access to it.

Unit 1 Setting the Stage – What is a Successful Project?

Unit 2 Project Planning, Quoting, Selling

Unit 3 Closed Loop Execution

Unit 4 Staffing and Repeatable Success

Unit 5 Implementing Your PM Process

Delivered by Karl Palachuk, author of Managed Services in a Month and many other books for MSPs – managed service providers.

SMB Community Podcast - New episodes drop every Thursday

The Killing IT Podcast - New episodes drop every Tuesday

Deep Dive into Facebook, YouTube, and LinkedIn

Our YouTube tech channel is now reaching over 15,000 views per month. Subscribe today and don't miss a thing!

You can always check out my YouTube Channel and subscribe at https://www.youtube.com/smallbizthoughts

OR my Relax-Focus-Succeed Channel at https://www.youtube.com/relaxfocussucceed

If you haven't seen the latest news video, check it out here.

That's it for this week. I'll see you at the meeting on Thursday.

Thank you!

:-)

Worst boat parking job of the day. Notice the one guy is standing in the water.

We didn't see the accident. But we passed the aftermath twice. Hard to see here, but the closer boat is on top of the back of the other boat.

This calendar lists two kinds of things: LIVE in-person events from any organization that focuses on the SMB consulting community; and MY events, whether live, webinar, etc.

Of course: Everything here is subject to change based on Covid. Click the links for the latest details. Please send updates so we can post them.

June 6-9

San Francisco, CA

More Info: https://www.rsaconference.com/usa

Texas

June 7th

More Info: https://events.channelpronetwork.com/

June 7-9

Location TBD

More Info: https://www.womentech.net/women-tech-conference

June 12-16

Las Vegas

More Info: https://www.ciscolive.com/us.html

June 14-15

London

More Info: https://www.channelevolutioneurope.com/

June 15-16

Long Beach, CA

More Info: https://asciievents.com/

June 21-24

Fort Lauderdale, FL

More Info: https://www.cannatechexpo.com/

June 23-24

Chicago, IL

More Info: https://kernanconsulting-mastermind.mykajabi.com/mastermind-event

July 21

Anaheim, CA

More Info: https://www.smbtechfest.com/karl

July 27-28

Toronto, ON

More Info: https://asciievents.com/

More Info: https://connect.comptia.org/channelcon/home

More Info: https://blog.smallbizthoughts.com/2022/03/heads-up-making-non-roadshow-roadtrip.html

More Info: https://blog.smallbizthoughts.com/2022/03/heads-up-making-non-roadshow-roadtrip.html

More Info: https://blog.smallbizthoughts.com/2022/03/heads-up-making-non-roadshow-roadtrip.html

Charlotte NC

Aug 9

More Info: https://events.channelpronetwork.com/

August 21-23

Denver, CO

More Info: https://event.thechannelco.com/xchange-plus-august

August 23-24

Miami, FL

More Info: https://asciievents.com/

Sept. 12-15, Orlando

More Info: https://www.themspsummit.com/

Washington DC area

Sept 8th

More Info: https://events.channelpronetwork.com/

More Info: https://dattocon.com/

IOTSSA Cybersecurity Expo

Sept. 14-15 --> was January 18 - 20, 2022

Phoenix

More Info: https://www.iotssa.com/cybersecurity-expo-phoenix/

September 28-29

Parsippany, NJ

More Info: https://asciievents.com/

Sept. 29-30

Omaha, NE

More Info: https://kernanconsulting-mastermind.mykajabi.com/mastermind-event

October 4-5

Dallas, TX

More Info: https://asciievents.com/

October 20

Anaheim, CA

More Info: https://www.smbtechfest.com/karl

More Info: https://www.smbitpro.org/smbit2022/

So Calif

Nov 3rd

More Info: https://events.channelpronetwork.com/

November 7 - 9

Miami, FL

More Info: https://acronis.events/summit2022/

November 9 - 11

More Info: https://www.connectwise.com/theitnation/connect-na

Dec. 8-9

Las Vegas, NV

More Info: https://kernanconsulting-mastermind.mykajabi.com/mastermind-event

View this and previous newsletters at