Business Speak

Those that know me and the SMB Nation community understand I get my best stories in the hallways and the flyways just outside the formal conference curriculum. Part of that is because I never was a great student. Part of it is the meetings are best without a scripted PowerPoint deck and PR talking points! 

By: Annabelle Short 

When it comes to starting a business, you might be a pro…

But, what about when it comes to working through all the legal issues you must consider as an entrepreneur when launching your start-up?

We have all seen it happen to at least one good person…

Rather it is in politics or small business – someone makes a huge mistake and loses it all.

But, the ironic part about the entire situation is that the mistake was totally avoidable. And, as an outsider, you could totally see that.

Startups usually run on a shoestring, which means that they have limited marketing budgets. In order to reach their target audience and boost their business, startup owners have to be very creative and use every possible digital marketing strategy they have at their disposal. There are lots of cost-effective tactics that can be used, but having a well-defined strategy is essential for their implementation and success. If you do everything properly, you can expect a 50% increase in conversion rates.

By: Pedro Hernandez | May 18, 2017

A Power BI content pack allows Dynamics 365 customers to gain new insights into their business processes.

New solution brings the high quality and reliability of expensive MPLS networks to low-cost broadband with baked in enterprise security

Wilmington, DE– June 20th, 2017 – My Digital Shield (MDS), a leading provider of Security-as-a-Service (SECaaS) for small businesses, announced today the release of OmniWAN, a SD-WAN solution tailored to small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs).

Alicia Sandino

Entrepreneurs and small businesses are getting on board with a virtual phone service. Its mobile-friendly capabilities and business-focused features are just a few of the alluring aspects of this business communication service. Not too long ago,if you were an entrepreneur you had to rely on your personal cell phone plan and phone number to stay in touch with prospects and clients, keeping you from establishing a professional image.

Thoma Bravo LLC, a leading private equity investment firm, today announced that it has acquired Continuum, a premier global IT management platform for Managed IT Service Providers (MSPs), from Summit Partners. Financial details of the deal were not disclosed. 

Continuum, headquartered in Boston, is an international firm that provides MSPs with the platform, services and processes

Posted on May 19, 2017 by Jeff Shuey

Does the gig economy encourage the rise of the Uber Specialist?

Where Uber Specialist means a person with deep and specific skills.

Note: This has NOTHING to do with the car service.

Effectively this is the market and model for independent consultants since the dawn of time. Where someone has a unique skill that people are willing to pay for.

As I write this sequestered on Bainbridge Island, I’ve just returned from DattoCon 2017 in Denver. This was the fifth installment of this partner conference and, to cut to the chase, I will repeat. Ironically this was my first DattoCon conference; I’ve tracked the firm for ten years all the way back to the basement. In those days, I could call and Austin McChord, founder and CEO, answered the phone directly.

This past week I received an announcement that Bainbridge Technology Solutions was closing its doors on Winslow Way (“Main Street”) on Bainbridge Island. It’s been a storefront institution for over a dozen years; a welcome man cave to pick up parts, order a new system and most importantly, receive expert repair services. It joins other recent closures such as an office supply store (“Paper Products) just down the street.

At the recently completed Sage Summit in Atlanta, I enjoyed a 1:1 meeting with George Foreman, boxing legend, following his keynote address to several thousand attendees. My question was simple – it was about advice for my 18 year old son who is an Eagle Scout and will start at CalPoly this fall studying information systems.