SMB Community Podcast

SMB Community Podcast

Podcasts, articles, and reference materials for Managed Service Providers. Brought to you by James Kernan and produced by Kernan Consulting.
Exploring the Four-Day Work Week
SMB Community PodcastMay 09, 202537:3451.59 MB

Exploring the Four-Day Work Week

Overview: In this episode of the SMB Community Podcast, hosts Amy & James dive into the concept of a four-day work week for IT professionals. They explore the pros and cons, including staggering staff schedules and focusing on productivity. The hosts also discuss how the current economic climate mi...

Strategies For Selling Your Business
SMB Community PodcastMay 01, 202527:0937.3 MB

Strategies For Selling Your Business

Overview: Join hosts Amy and James in this episode of the SMB Community Podcast as they delve into the best practices for selling your Managed Service Provider (MSP) business. Learn about the emotional and financial facets of selling an MSP, the importance of having a clear exit strategy, and ensur...

Navigating Growth and Strategic Planning for MSPs
SMB Community PodcastApril 30, 202544:5461.66 MB

Navigating Growth and Strategic Planning for MSPs

Overview: In this week's episode of the SMB Community Podcast, hosts James and Amy are back to discuss various aspects of running a successful MSP. They start by diving into the MSP question of the week about creating an org charts for small teams. Both hosts emphasize the importance of delineating...

Embracing EOS and Navigating Industry Challenges
SMB Community PodcastApril 17, 202528:2739.08 MB

Embracing EOS and Navigating Industry Challenges

Overview: In this episode of the SMB Community Podcast, hosts Amy and James are back! The main topic revolves around the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) and its benefits for small to mid-sized MSPs, particularly those with five or more employees. James shares his expertise and insights into ...

Exploring Leadership as a Level 1 Tech
SMB Community PodcastApril 10, 202524:3233.69 MB

Exploring Leadership as a Level 1 Tech

Overview: In this episode of the SMB Community Podcast, hosts James and Amy are back to discuss a range of topics relevant to IT professionals. They start with a question about leadership for entry-level tech employees, emphasizing that leadership can be demonstrated at any level. The conversation ...

AI Tools: Which One Is The Best?
SMB Community PodcastApril 03, 202522:5431.45 MB

AI Tools: Which One Is The Best?

Overview: In this episode of the SMB Community Podcast, hosts Amy and James discuss a variety of news and trends that affect the MSP community. Key topics include Google's acquisition of cybersecurity firm Wiz for $32 billion, the impact of tariffs on tech prices, and how MSPs can use this informat...

Enhancing Workplace Efficiency with AI: Interview with Zulfiya Forsythe of Omadli Group
SMB Community PodcastMarch 27, 202524:3433.73 MB

Enhancing Workplace Efficiency with AI: Interview with Zulfiya Forsythe of Omadli Group

Overview: In this episode of the SMB Community Podcast, host James Kernan from Kernan Consulting interviews Zulfiya Forsythe, CEO and founder of Omadli Group, about the transformative power of AI in the workplace. Forsythe shares her unique journey from accounting to tech, highlighting the developm...

Rebranding and Future Growth: An Interview of MJ Shoer of GTIA
SMB Community PodcastMarch 20, 202523:2732.21 MB

Rebranding and Future Growth: An Interview of MJ Shoer of GTIA

Overview:  In this episode of the SMB Community Podcast, James Kernan interviews MJ Shoer of GTIA, formerly known as CompTIA. MJ shares his extensive background in the IT industry, having transitioned from an MSP owner to a key figure at CompTIA and now GTIA. They discuss the reasons behind the reb...

Strategizing MSP Growth: Windows 10 End of Life
SMB Community PodcastMarch 14, 202528:5239.65 MB

Strategizing MSP Growth: Windows 10 End of Life

Overview:  In this episode of the SMB Community Podcast, hosts Amy Babinchak and James Kernan dive into how IT professionals can leverage the end-of-life schedules of Microsoft Windows 10 to generate new business. This week, they emphasize the importance of planning and maintaining a regular upgrad...

Offshoring vs. Local Hiring: Where to Find Success
SMB Community PodcastMarch 06, 202533:3446.09 MB

Offshoring vs. Local Hiring: Where to Find Success

In this Thursday episode of the SMB Community Podcast, hosts James Kernan and Amy Babinchak discuss recent events and trends in the IT and business world. Amy details her recent speaking engagement at the M365 Community Days event, highlighting the importance for MSPs to network with internal IT pr...

Maximizing Industry Events: Tips, Trends, and Insider Insights
SMB Community PodcastFebruary 27, 202523:3032.27 MB

Maximizing Industry Events: Tips, Trends, and Insider Insights

Overview: In this episode of the SMB Community Podcast, hosts James and Amy discuss effective strategies for making the most out of attending industry events. They highlight the importance of sitting with different people at meals, asking questions during sessions, and breaking the ice in socially a...

Business Valuations: What is My Worth?
SMB Community PodcastFebruary 20, 202541:0656.44 MB

Business Valuations: What is My Worth?

Overview: In this episode of the SMB Community Podcast, hosts Amy Babinchak and James Kernan discuss various topics including the aftermath of the Super Bowl, the trends in mergers and acquisitions, and the effectiveness of Microsoft Action Pack programs. They explore the potential of AI in increasi...

Enhancing MSP Success: AI, Customer Retention, and Industry Trends
SMB Community PodcastFebruary 13, 202543:4760.12 MB

Enhancing MSP Success: AI, Customer Retention, and Industry Trends

Overview: In this episode of the SMB Community Podcast, hosts James Kernan and Amy Babinchak discuss the transformative impact of AI on MSP sales and efficiency, emphasizing AI's potential to double market size and help MSPs manage new applications. Amy announces the start of her new AI class. This ...

How Should I Answer My Client Calls? Live vs. Attendant
SMB Community PodcastFebruary 06, 202542:1057.91 MB

How Should I Answer My Client Calls? Live vs. Attendant

Overview: In this episode of the SMB Community Podcast, hosts Amy Babinchak and James Kernan discuss winter weather conditions across the Midwest, then transition into tech news, including rumors of a potential acquisition involving Intel. The conversation shifts to insights on compliance for manag...

MSPs and the Evolving Tech Environment: Reselling Hardware & Software
SMB Community PodcastJanuary 30, 202531:2443.13 MB

MSPs and the Evolving Tech Environment: Reselling Hardware & Software

In this episode of the SMB Community Podcast, hosts Amy and James discuss the dynamics of reselling computer hardware and software for MSPs, emphasizing the importance of building trust with clients. They highlight recent changes in market leadership among PSA and RMM tools, with Kaseya overtaking ...

Exploring AI Tools in Marketing and Sales
SMB Community PodcastJanuary 23, 202525:0734.48 MB

Exploring AI Tools in Marketing and Sales

In today's episode of the SMB Community Podcast, hosts Amy Babinchik and James Kernan dive into the best AI tools for marketing and sales, including popular choices like ChatGPT and Gong. They discuss the latest news in the IT industry, such as Fred Voccola's abrupt resignation from Kaseya and the ...

Unlocking the Potential of DMARC: An Interview w/ Mike Anderson
SMB Community PodcastJanuary 16, 202515:1320.91 MB

Unlocking the Potential of DMARC: An Interview w/ Mike Anderson

In this Thursday episode of the SMB Community Podcast, host James Kernan talks with Mike Anderson, Director of Global Channels for EZDMark. They discuss the importance of DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance) in improving email deliverability and protecting domains fr...

Compliance in the New Year: Interview with Mike Semel
SMB Community PodcastJanuary 13, 202534:2847.34 MB

Compliance in the New Year: Interview with Mike Semel

In today's episode of the SMB Community Podcast, host James Kernan interviews Mike Semel, a prominent expert in cybersecurity compliance. Mike shares his extensive background in the IT industry, dating back to the 1970s, and discusses his transition from being an MSP to becoming a top compliance co...

Channel Predictions for 2025
SMB Community PodcastJanuary 11, 202523:3332.35 MB

Channel Predictions for 2025

1.) MSP Question of the week: What are your channel predictions for the new year of 2025? --- 2.) Notes on the News Microsoft is planning to invest about $80 billion in fiscal 2025 on developing data centers:  https://edition.cnn.com/2025/01/03/tech/microsoft-ai-data-centers/index.html Last week, t...

Business Plans/Goals: How Often Should These Be Updated?
SMB Community PodcastJanuary 03, 202524:2633.55 MB

Business Plans/Goals: How Often Should These Be Updated?

To kick off the new year, hosts James and Amy discuss business plans & goals, this week's MSP question of the week, as well as year-end news. --- 1.) MSP Question of the week: When should a business update their business plan and goals? --- 2.) Notes on the News Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger has resigned...