SolarWinds MSP Blog

MSP Business

How to boost the value of your business

ORLANDO – Best-selling author John Warrillow told a quick story about two brothers who ran a business selling elevators for high-end hotels. But when the financial crisis of the early 1990s struck, the brothers were forced to lay off their workforce.

“They said, ‘This is crazy. We have to get out of this business,’” Warrillow said during Tuesday’s MAX 2014 U.S. Customer Conference keynote at the Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorld. “So they looked at their model. It’s sexy to install elevators for Donald Trump. But nobody wants to service them.”

MSP Business

Do the hard work - It pays well

MSP Business

What's on the menu? (Day 2 primer)

ORLANDO – Even if you don’t believe that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, do yourself a favor this morning: Eat up.

You’re going to need the fuel.

It’s Day 2 of the MAX Orlando Customer Conference at the Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorld. GFI MAX stuffed the slate, which starts with the networking breakfast from 8 to 9 a.m.

Here are some of the big-ticket items on today’s menu:

MSP Business

Handy pointers for growing your business

ORLANDO – Pains are typically associated with growing, and Jim Hunton said he experienced his share in the early days of building his managed services business.

“My presentation is on a lot of the things I didn’t do right,” Hunton, the founder and owner of Arizona-based Onsite Technical Services, said at the start of his MAX 2014 U.S. Customer Conference session, which offered advice for growing from a one-person shop.

MSP Business

Suffering from a communication breakdown?

ORLANDO – You may have the gift of gab. But what you’re saying to potential customers – or what you’re failing to communicate – makes all the difference in your ability to seal the deal.

So says sales coach Paul Kenny of Ocean Learning.

“We often focus really heavily on what we do, the technology and the products,” Kenny said during his keynote address at the MAX 2014 U.S. Customer Conference inside the Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorld. “What we don’t focus enough on is what it all really means to the customer, or what the customer really values.”

MSP Business

Forbes to MSPs: 'Things don't stand still'

ORLANDO – Are you standing still?

Managed service providers (MSPs) need to ask themselves that very question, which requires an understanding that today’s trends and market conditions continue to change - and fast. It’s crucial to the future of their businesses.

MSP Business

Greetings from Orlando! (Day 1 primer)

ORLANDO – Greetings from Central Florida and the Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorld, site of the United States leg of this year’s GFI MAX conference series.

MAX Orlando starts today at 1 p.m. GFI MAX Director of Partner Community Dave Sobel will deliver a brief “welcome and greeting” to attendees, followed by the GFI MAX keynote from General Manager Dr. Alistair Forbes (1:15 to 2:15 p.m.).

MSP Business

DEFCON 2014: America Reboots

MSP Business

Why you need to put yourself in your clients shoes in sales meetings