We Need an Office

We Need an Office

- Lessons Learned, Episode 28

I need to preface this post with an important point: As a rule, you should delay getting an office outside the home for as long as possible. Most IT consultants will never need one for business reasons ever. I say "for business reasons" because you may need one simply to get work done without distractions.

Having said that, when you need an office, you need an office. In our case, we had grown to having one fulltime and on part-time tech, a part-time administrative assistant, and myself. Meeting at my home office was not ever part of the plan. The techs and I often met at a coffee shop and planned our day from there. 

But it was obvious that we needed a place for equipment and supplies to live, and that I need to move paperwork-related things to an area we all had access to.

Luckily, I was started what would become the local IT consultant's group, so I knew people. A friend ran a programming business. They had an office that was barely used, and it had a conference room. It was actually the perfect example of what we *didn't* need: It was nice and pricey, and had amenities we didn't need.

But they had a spare office with a locking door within their office space. So I rented that. It was a few hundred dollars a month with no internet or phone lines included. That's okay. We could set up a network as needed, and we'd already figured out how to get by with cell phones and an automated attendant.

We had that space for less than a year when we grew to the point that we needed a real office of our own. The one settled on was exactly what we did need: It was warehousey, off the beaten path, with four walls and pretty much nothing else. 

It did have a small lockable office. I gave that to the admin, and promoted her to office manager. A locked file cabinet in that locked room held personnel files, client contracts, and whatever else we had that needed to be under lock and key. 

Eventually, we'd add a locking storage closet that we built and the landlord puttied and painted. And we built a small server room in the back with a through-the-wall air conditioner and a bunch of dedicated 30-amp circuits. We'll return to this room in a future post.

The new office was very large and very open. As I was getting into the book publishing business, we used book shelves to create a "wall" separating that business from the tech business. About 200 square feet was dedicated to Great Little Book. About 1,000 was for KPEnterprises (my IT company).

One of our clients offered us some office dividers if we hauled them away, so we happily did that. These created our tech bullpen with great long bench and desks for several technicians. My desk was shared with a large table we got somewhere. I just had a space near the front of our warehouse-like office. The

All in all, it was a very comfy, usable space. No two chairs or desks matched. But they all worked fine. Eventually, we did buy good ergonomic chairs for everyone.

The rent was cheap and the landlord loved us. We had that office for more than eight years. I think the rent was $1,100/month when we moved out. It took up about 1/3 of the first floor of a two-story building. The second story was all artist studios and one photographer.

Much of the history of my first IT company is tied to that building and that office. Today, it's owned by a cider mill, run by the guy who had a first-floor space on the opposite end of the building from us, back in the day.

Over the years, we've only had a few offices. We definitely needed an office when we were growing like crazy. We even considered finding additional space, at one point. But people and circumstances lead us in another direction. That's a story for another day.

Would I Change Anything?

I started by saying that you should delay getting an office for as long as possible. I still think that's true for most people. It just makes sense financially. It was the right decision for us.

If I could roll back the clock, I would do exactly what we did. Our office was never intended for clients to visit. We sat around the big table a lot, but no client ever did. I think we had one client visit one time ever. Our business model was based on going to their business, not having them come to ours.

By any measure, this office was inexpensive. If there's one thing I'd change, it would be this: I would have *kept* that office when I sold the business, and rented part of it to my old company. Instead, Mike moved us to a much smaller office for a little less money. Oh well.

Our office was definitely humble and not a marble showcase. And it definitely got the job done.

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All comments welcome.

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Episode 28

This Episode is part of the ongoing Lessons Learned series. For all the information, and an index of Lessons Learned episodes, go to the Lessons Learned Page. https://blog.smallbizthoughts.com/p/lessons-learned-blog-series.html

Leave comments and questions below. And join me next week, right here.

Subscribe to the blog so you don't miss a thing.

:-)

Updated for Members: The Roadmap on Client Roadmaps

Over at the Small Biz Thoughts Technology Community, we have thousands of resources - and we know that means you might get lost or overwhelmed. So, we've created "Roadmaps" to help you get started on specific topics. Members can find all of our roadmaps by simply going to https://www.smallbizthoughts.org/resource-library/roadmap/ (log in first).

Our most popular roadmaps are:

• The Service Department Roadmap
• The Service Manager Roadmap
• The Hiring and Employee Onboarding Roadmap
• The Marketing Roadmap

Each of these is a "place to start" with a given topic. It's a place where we can bring together a book chapter, an audio program, a mini-class, some checklists, etc. Each roadmap contains some great resources that will get you headed in the right direction.

Of course, each also links out to related products, whole books, longer training, and so forth.

Yesterday, we posted the one-hour training on Client Engagement in an Uncertain Economy. Of course it's posted as stand-alone content for members, but we've also added it to the Roadmap on Client Roadmaps. 

We've bundled up the webinar along with questionnaires, checklists, and other training options. Members can view the webinar in our on-screen viewer, which works across all your devices - and remembers where you left off when you bounce from one device to another. Check it out today.

As always: Download those resources and customize them for YOUR business. 

Nothing happens by itself.

Members: Check it out today.

Non-members: Now's a great time to join. Memberships start at only $799.

:-)

Karl Takes a Vacation

Karl Takes a Vacation - 

- Lessons Learned, Episode 27

I was in business for about five years when I took my first real vacation. I'd taken plenty of time "off" before, but this was to be a disconnected vacation.

At the time, I had one part-time employee, Jim. He knew all my clients, and they knew him. He was not always sure about how to solve problems, and he relied on me a great deal. It was the perfect situation in which many business owners would simply say, "I can't take a vacation; the business can't run without me."

But I was willing to give it a try for three reasons:

1) We had a great system. We had rock-solid processes, which were documented. And, therefore, I had great confidence that I could be gone for fourteen days without a true emergency.

2) I had more confidence in Jim than he had in himself. He was talented. He was experienced. And even though he relied on me a great deal, some of that had to do with self-confidence rather than lack of troubleshooting skills.

3) Although I was mostly out of touch, I was also in a nearby national forest, so I could scamper down the hill and be at a client's office the same day. And I would be in phone range within an hour.

This was back when cell phones were quite reliable in cities, but were unusable in truly rural areas. (I actually wish were still the case, for the most part.)

And while I learned that our processes were as good as I suspected, and that Jim was as good as I suspected, I also learned another important lesson on that trip.

We were staying in a cabin on Lake Tahoe, inside a national park. The cabin had electricity and running water, but no stove or cooking facilities. There was no heat as these cabins are regularly buried in snow during the winter, so people only stay there in the non-frozen months.

Once a day, normally after dinner, I walked up to the public road from our camp and used a public phone to check my voicemail. I got a report from Jim every day. And almost message was upbeat and positive. But there were also several frustrated messages explaining a problem, describing what he'd tried, and asking for help. And the very next message said that he had tried one more thing, researched something, or just plain figured it out.

In other words, even when very frustrated, he learned that he could figure things out. I stored this little bit of knowledge to help me manage future technicians. Sometimes, people have to stop asking for help ALL the time and just take a deep breath, then go at it again.

I failed to mention one other piece of advice I had given Jim before I left:

You don't need to get help from me alone. Feel free to contact Microsoft, Intel, HP, and even one of our competitors in the local IT user group. You have lots of resources we've built over the years as relationships. Manufacturers and distributors have warranties and guarantees. We're a Microsoft partner. You're not alone.

You're never alone in this job.

In the end, I never had to drive down the mountain. We never cut our vacation short. And for the next three summers, we went back to that same camp. And I checked my voicemail less and less each time.

It's true that people who start IT consulting businesses tend to be the most technically knowledgeable, and they are more familiar with the clients' systems. But it's NOT true that your team can't get along without you.

You can - and you MUST - take vacations. You need to recharge your batteries. You also need to spend time with your family. Nothing happens by itself. That includes growing your technicians' independence and building a sustainable business that you can run for decades without having a hear attack.

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All comments welcome.

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Episode 27

This Episode is part of the ongoing Lessons Learned series. For all the information, and an index of Lessons Learned episodes, go to the Lessons Learned Page. https://blog.smallbizthoughts.com/p/lessons-learned-blog-series.html

Leave comments and questions below. And join me next week, right here.

Subscribe to the blog so you don't miss a thing.

:-)

Stop Creating BAD Documentation!

 I prefer learning from the written word. But I often to turn to video as well. But time and time again, I realize that I'm just not getting what I need - because the "how to" is horrible. Each of these formats has a primary problem, although it manifests differently. And the primary problem has an ironic cause.

Documentation is ultimately just a specific kind for communication. The primary function of all communication is to transfer information (or opinion). The factors that define successful communication are clarity and brevity. Unlike fiction or even commentary, documentation requires clarity and brevity. No one wants an 800-page novel about how to set up a remote access to a storage device.

The Primary Problem

The biggest mistake people make is to skip steps. And the most important step that gets skipped is usually the first step. If you keep any eye out for it, you'll see it again and again. The documentation assumes that you're logged in to the program you want and you have the correct page or document open.

This is because the person the person writing the document is 1) very knowledgeable, and 2) in a hurry. You'll notice this, in a written document, when you ask yourself, "Where am I supposed to be and how did I get there?" For example, if a document begins:

"From the FILE menu, select the folder ..."

Wait. What? Which file menu?

I know it seems simplistic, but the ultimate GOAL of documentation in the long run is to save time and money by handing the documentation to someone who is competent and let them execute it. To do this, they need to know exactly where they start and then go click-by-click.

In video tutorials, you'll see that someone clicks through a lot of stuff while they're talking about something else or doing the introduction. So you see them click on a project folder, right-click, open a document, go to the dashboard, select and option ... And then the dialog and visual are in sync. 

In this case, you find yourself rewinding 30 seconds again and again in order to figure out what they did zip-zip-zip as second nature. The video "watch time" is through the roof because you keep watching a tiny portion of it over and over. At this point, you should realized that you need to look elsewhere. If you can't get past the first minute without rewinding five times, the rest of the video will be torture.

The Irony is that documentation is supposed to save you time in the long run. But if the documentation is poorly written or poorly demonstrated, it wastes a great deal of time. Documentation is the ultimate example of: Take time to do it right!

It's also a great example of one of the absolutely unbreakable rules of service delivery - Slow Down, Get More Done. A little extra time spend on documentation will save massive amounts of time down the road.

Comments welcome.

:-)

Hiring a Great Administrative Assistant

Hiring a Great Administrative Assistant 

- Lessons Learned, Episode 26

Long ago, I started sharing one of the most powerful (and most ignored) pieces of advice I can give: Hire an administrative assistant as soon as you can, and before you hire a technician.

Depending on where you live, and where you outsource, the cost might be as low as $100/month. For someone working remote in the Philippines or India, the cost will obviously be on the lower end of the scale. 

For someone in the U.S. who actually comes to the office, it will probably be in the range of $20-$30 per hour. At 10-20 hours per week, that's $200-$600 per week.

I only give those number so you have some ballpark of what we're talking about. I hired my first admin, Jennifer, for $200 per work. And quickly began referring to her as my $200 miracle. Today I pay my admin $30/hour and I buy her time in ten-hour blocks.

And what does an admin do for you?

• To start, they makes sure bills get put into the system. So, you can Open Xero or QuickBooks and see accounts payable at a glance. Ideally, they'll have the skill s to help make sure you're using Xero/QuickBooks properly.
• They balance the checkbook(s)
• They pick up the mail from the mailbox
• If you still receive checks, they deposit them in the bank
• If you still bill in arears, they prod people who are slow to pay (via email, phone calls, resending invoices, etc.)
• They print all the invoices from your PSA or CRM for review
• They help you to make sure your newsletters and marketing email get started - and finished. If you have a postal campaign, they stuff envelopes, applies postage, deals with the details for bulk mail.
• If you hold seminars or events, they handle the coffee and pastries
• They keep track of all the office supplies, a order supplies as needed
• They do all the tedious bits of new employee onboarding: First day check-in, payroll processing, and printing all kinds of stuff I don't even keep track of any more. 
• They proofread everything
• When something breaks, they call the landlord or the fix-it place
• And pretty much anything else you can think of
• When there's too much for her to do, she supervises someone else to help get it all done
• They verify that technicians have filled out their time cards properly at the beginning of every day (for the previous day)

Even a very small business has a boatload of paperwork and details that are NOT the labor needed to send out quotes, hold sales meetings, bring clients in the door, and sell by the hour at $150-$200/hour.

When we had twelve employees, one was the office manager (Jennifer moved into that position) and three more were administrative assistants. They handled setting up cloud accounts such as O365 - because they're far more detail oriented than technicians, and cost a lot less.

Hiring the Right Person

It took me several tries before I developed the perfect system for finding the right person. I've hired men and women for this job. Old and young. And lots of stay-at-home parents as well as college students. Once you have the system down, the right person is easy to find and it's not an overwhelming task. 

See the sample posting below.

Here's what you want:

• Someone with experience
• Someone who is eager to work and not afraid to take initiative
• Someone who has some interesting experience not directly related to this job*
• NOT someone who is only looking for a fulltime job that makes about $50,000 per year
• As for skills, they should be comfortable with computers and have actual skills or training in Word, Excel, and your financial tool. Pretty much everything else can be on the job training. 

You don't want to plough through 300 resumes that all look the same after a while. 

Note: * That "interesting" bit above is often an opportunity to bring someone with a seriously different perspective into your business. They might own a "side-gig" business, or have an artistic flair. The last three superstars I hired all had side gigs. One turned out to be a weight lifter!

Check out the model ad below. Here's why that ad works so well:

• It's different and interesting. You don't want a hundred identical applicants; you should not be just another job post.

• The ad makes it look like this is a really big, complicated job. In truth, it's not that bad. But the ad helps people filter themselves out.

• The ad has a "hidden" request. People who are actively spamming the universe with resumes will not see it. Those who do get a stupendous bonus.

• The ad encourages diversity with a simple promise: "Everyone is welcome here! If you value diversity and enjoy working with a wide variety of people all over the world, you'll fit in well."

• I ask people to NOT send a resume or they will be disqualified. This eliminates 97% of all applicants. I ask for a short note about why I should ask for the resume. This takes thought and energy. Most people don't have that. In my opinion, this is the single best indicator of a high quality candidate.

Of course, you will need to do a bit of extra work in the beginning. Training takes time. You'll need to side-check their work until you're comfortable.

But here's the promise: If you hire a miracle admin, they only need to free up enough of your time to bill two additional hours per week to pay for it. At the end of a month, you'll have someone who relieves you of ten hours per week AND gets more things done than you do in two weeks. Your business will be able to get that newsletter out on a regular basis. Invoices will go out when they're supposed to. Expenses will be properly entered. And more.

Final note on part-time workers. We live in an era where people seem bent on criticizing everything at first glance, and I've had several fulltime-only candidates criticize me to for abusing workers simply because I want to hire a part-timers. Here's the reality.

The largest groups of people who fit into this category are 1) Parents with young kids; 2) College students; and 3) Older folks who are trying to get their own business off the ground. 

The parents want to get the kids off to school, do some work, and then get back to the kids in the afternoon. The students need to fit their strange schedules into a job that give them flexibility - and a week off for finals. And, of course, the gig workers just need flexibility and little money.

All of these people bring great skills, good education, a large portion of motivation, and a different perspective. All of those are good for you and your business. You are not taking advantage of these people. You are providing the unusual, hard-to-find, flexible job that they can't find anywhere else.

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Sample Administrative Assistant Posting:

Part Time Administrative Assistant and Marketing Admin

Please read the whole ad before you respond. Thanks.

20 hours per week. Perhaps more. Start working in my well appointed home office. Eventually, work from home will be an option. 

Looking for someone who is very comfortable with Internet-based services. You don't need to know all these things, but you must be able and willing to learn:

- PayPal

- Web-based store front

- File sharing services

- US Postal Service online 

- Social media platforms and tools

- Zoom.us webinar and meeting portal

- WordPress 

- Constant Contact

- Xero or QuickBooks 

 -- Input invoices 

 -- Create vendor Bill-Pays

 -- Check PayPal and Stripe for any new transactions and input those into 

 -- Receive payments / apply to invoices

 -- Make deposits

General Job Duties: 

- Order processing from clients 

- Scanning business cards into Excel or database

- Typing

- Maintaining inventory of supplies

- Scheduling meetings

- Updating forms

- Copying

Personal duties include getting coffee, filling car with gas, etc. Whatever needs to be done.

Qualifications: 

Must have experience with Microsoft Word, Excel, and Outlook. Other office products helpful. Adobe suite is a plus.

Must be good with numbers and be good with details. 

Excellent organizational and interpersonal skills along with good verbal and written skills are required. 

Super Bonus Qualifications that Might Really Help:

- Experience managing order processing and fulfillment

- Previous work with confidential client information

- Excellent communication skills 

- Ability to work unsupervised for extended periods of time

- Ability to sneak the word Stupendous into your application

- Bookkeeping (or at least QuickBooks)

The bottom line:

This is a very small but dynamic company. We have one fulltime employee, one part-timer, and a number of outsourced people who provide specialized services. It's a great, fun place to work. Generally low stress. You must be able to tolerate humor in the workplace. You will have a full desk setup with a good computer, monitor, and printer.

I am extremely flexible. So if you need to run errands, take care of kids, etc. that's okay. I know this is a low-paying job and not your highest priority. But I hope you'll love it here and help us grow to the point where we have to have you fulltime.

Do Not Send Your Resume!

Send one or two paragraphs telling me why I should ask for your resume.

Compensation: $18/hr - 20 hrs/wk

There will be a review after the 60 day probationary period.

NOTE: Everyone is welcome here! If you value diversity and enjoy working with a wide variety of people all over the world, you'll fit in well.

Location: College Greens / near Sac State

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All comments welcome.

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Episode 26

This Episode is part of the ongoing Lessons Learned series. For all the information, and an index of Lessons Learned episodes, go to the Lessons Learned Page. 

Leave comments and questions below. And join me next week, right here.

Subscribe to the blog so you don't miss a thing.

:-)

The Time Has Come for IT Mentoring

I have long believed that the various fields within "IT" are missing an important element. Broadly speaking, it would be defined as apprenticeship or a formal mentor/mentee relationship. 

Today I am announcing a new Reddit discussion at:

https://www.reddit.com/r/ITMentor/

Here's what's up:

I had some early jobs in HUGE corporations, but have spent most of my IT career in smaller companies, including companies I've owned. In the last thirty years, I've worked with thousands of IT consultants all over the world. And I've worked with employees of companies of all sizes. 

One of the most important things missing in our industry is a well-defined path (or set of paths) from newbie amateur to experienced professional. It sorta mostly just happens. But the lack of clear paths that are generally accepted means that we have too much reliance on "sink or swim" as a way to pass career-focused knowledge from successful people to in new hires.

Many, many people in various IT-related groups are employees who are overwhelmed with the lack of training, lack of good SOPs, and bad management. They are overworked and hate their jobs. They could "just" improve themselves despite their environment, but that's easier said than done. Connecting with mentors can give them advice, encouragement, and perspective.

Today I am starting a new Reddit around mentoring in the IT industry. I was actually surprised to find that one did not exist. And I'm embarrassed that it took me so long to step up. I was actually surprised to find that /ITMentor was available. Join us:

https://www.reddit.com/r/ITMentor/

This Reddit makes no attempt to create a formal program, but merely to facilitate more discussion about IT career paths, and how "older" (more experienced) folks can help "younger" (less experienced) folks make the most of working in IT. The big goal, of course, is to help mentees become more professional, avoid unnecessary mistakes, and embrace this wonderful industry as a powerfully good part of their life. 

Improving our profession begins with a commitment to building pathways to professionalism. Mentoring can be a powerful tool in that endeavor. 

My audience includes tens of thousands of people who are seasoned professionals. That is, generally older and more experienced. I encourage you to join this Reddit and lurk a bit. If you are ready to jump in and volunteer to help, please do so. But even if you're just curious, we would love to have you.

Everyone has something to offer. You can Google all the drawbacks of mentoring (lack of confidence, time commitment, etc.). But the absolute truth is: Your experience matters. It can help someone. And even if your advice is limited to a few posts in the conversation, someone will find that useful. I promise.

Regular readers will know that I have a love affair with the SMB IT community. I love finding people who want to help others. And I love finding people who just need a little advice and encouragement to get to the next step on the ladder. And I love bringing these people together in communities, courses, and even in-person events.

Since the day I discovered this global community (at SMB Nation way back in the day), I have been amazed with how openly people help each other. I honestly feel sorry for the people in IT who hate their jobs and feel stuck. Connecting with someone who loves their job and loves their career is a great way to help those people both personally and professionally.

Helping people step up to mentoring and helping those in need to find mentors is a natural, long-overdue endeavor. 

Please check it out. Please join us. Please ask for help if you need it. Please offer assistance to those who ask. It really is a big step toward professionalism for everyone.

I welcome your feedback here, of course. But I much prefer you join our Reddit and contribute to conversation.

Thank you for being part of this awesome global community.

- Karl Palachuk

- Smallbizthoughts.org

/ITMentor - https://www.reddit.com/r/ITMentor/

Feedback? Put it in the Reddit.

:-)

Hiring a "First" Employee, Take Two

Hiring a "First" Employee, Take Two

- Lessons Learned, Episode 25

In Episode 21, I talked about my first attempt to hire an employee. See https://blog.smallbizthoughts.com/2025/03/trying-to-get-that-first-employee-take.html.

Having failed to do it right the first time, I went more slowly the second. I decided to hire a part-time tech who would work as needed. Having set that intention, it didn't take long before someone came along who was willing to do just that. 

Al was newly-minted with a Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP) certificate and looking to figure out how to get into IT consulting. He was not young, but he was eager. Best of all, for me, he was willing to tag along for free and work when I need an additional pair of hands. 

This quickly moved into about twenty hours per week. But it was sustainable because I wasn't committed to a full forty hours plus benefits.

Lesson for newbie consultants: MANY business owners worry that they have to hire someone fulltime or nothing. Be flexible and you'll get something. Note: Al hung out with me for about a year as he worked to grow his own business. He honed his skills.

And when he left, I had learned that a part-time tech was both manageable and good for helping someone launch their career. So I had a system and went looking only for someone interested in part-time. Of course I found one easily. 

Another lesson for me is that there will always be an unlimited supply of people trying to break into this industry. You might have the technical skills, but all the details of working a job, taking notes, and making it repeatably successful have to be learned.

As revenue grew with this extra pair of hands, I revisited my real need: I hadn't become "too busy" with tech support. I had become too busy with paperwork, billing, collections, opening the mail, getting out newsletters on time, and all the front office stuff that makes a business run.

That's when I started looking for my first administrative assistant - who would eventually stay with me for eight year. But that's a story for next time.

All comments welcome.

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Episode 25

This Episode is part of the ongoing Lessons Learned series. For all the information, and an index of Lessons Learned episodes, go to the Lessons Learned Page. 

Leave comments and questions below. And join me next week, right here.

Subscribe to the blog so you don't miss a thing.

:-)

Never Lose Money on a Project Again - Class Starts April 22nd

Highly Successful Project Management

Five-Week Course Starts April 22nd

https://www.itspu.com/all-classes/classes/highly-successful-project-management/

Taught by Karl W. Palachuk, Author and Coach

Five Tuesdays - April 22 - May 20,

Register Now!

All classes start a 9:00 AM Pacific

This class will help you:

• Never lose money on a project again!
• Keep projects on time and inside the scope
• Learn to manage client expectations around projects
• Learn to manage employees for profitable projects
• Quote projects so each is more profitable than the last

This course covers 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 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 a the next level of professionalism and profitability.

Topics to be presented include:

• Different kinds of project management; What’s best for this job?
• Tools to Use for managing your projects
• Documentation at all stages
• After the Project
• Checklists of all kinds
• Project Planning, Quoting, and Selling
• Why Projects Go Wrong
• The Scope is Everything
• Closed Loop Project Management
• How an Ant Eats an Elephant
• Managing Projects in Your PSA
• Microsoft Project
• Client Training
• The Evaluation Process
• Managing Time / Managing Employees
• Outsourcing Options
• Creating Repeatable, Successful Projects
• Building an Action Plan that works

Overview of the Course

Unit 1:  Introduction / Setting the Stage

Unit 2:  Project Planning, Quoting, Selling

Unit 3:  Closed Loop Execution

Unit 4:  Repeatable Success

Unit 5:  Implementing Your PM Process

Includes five weeks of webinar classes with related handouts, assignments, and "office hours" with the instructor.

This course is intended for business owners and managers. It is particularly useful for the Service Manager or Operations Manager.

Only $399

A Few Details . . .

Each course will be five one-hour webinars 

There will be handouts and "homework" assignments

If you wish to receive feedback on your assignments, there will be instructor office hours

Class calls will be recorded and made available to paid attendees only.

Questions? Email [email protected] 

:-)

The Absolutely Unbreakable Rules of Service Delivery - a great audio book!

Looking for a great audio book?

I humbly submit The Absolutely Unbreakable Rules of Service Delivery. This is NOT a 60-page self advertisement or a one-good-idea-and-done monograph. This is a five hour audio book that you'll probably want to listen to more than once.

The Absolutely Unbreakable Rules of Service Delivery is filled with practical advice and some true best practices that will serve you well no matter what the economy does! See the table of contents below.

AND there are lots of options for accessing the audio book:

• Audible listeners can grab it for one credit on Amazon: https://amzn.to/42ABNFW

• You can learn all the details, read a sample, and purchase on our dedicated site: https://www.smallbizthoughts.org/member-content/the-absolutely-unbreakable-rules-of-service-delivery/

• Order it from our SBT store: https://store.smallbizthoughts.com/product/the-absolutely-unbreakable-rules-of-service-delivery/

• ... and, of course, Small Biz Thoughts Community members get this and all of our books free inside the community. https://www.smallbizthoughts.org/member-content/the-absolutely-unbreakable-rules-of-service-delivery/

Exactly what are these rules? The chapter titles give you the story, below. For all the juicy details, grab the audio book. Of course it's also available in paperback, pdf, or ebook formats.

Table of Contents

I. Successful Service Delivery

1. The Rules for Success

2. Success is a Habit  

3. Never Stop Learning 

II. Branding is Everything You Do

4. The KPE Way

5. Documentation and the E-Myth  

6. The Way You Do Anything

III. General Rules for Successful Service Delivery 

7. Prioritize Everything 

8. Do Not be Interrupt-Driven

9. Slow Down, Get More Done

10. Know What You Know

11.The Competition is Irrelevant  

12. We Only Work with People We Like  

IV. Rules for Client Management 

13. Define Your Ideal Client – and Go Get Them  

14. Don’t Have Both Sides of the Conversation

15. You're Not Responsible for Every Lost Dog that Shows Up on Your Doorstep

16. We Cannot Care More about the Client’s Business Than They Do 

17. Every Client is On a Service Agreement

18. Evaluate Your Pricing Once a Year 

V. Rules for Managing Employees

19. Have an Administrative Assistant 

20. Have a Formal, Detailed Hiring Process

21. Hire Slow; Fire Fast

22. Culture is Built from the Top Down

23. You Can't Control People (But you can control your processes) 

VI. Rules for Billing and Finance

24. Control Billing and Cash Flow

25. Get Prepaid for Everything

26. All After-Hours Work is Billable

27. It's Not Our Responsibility to Save the Client’s Money

28. You Don’t Have to Pick Up Every Nickel You Find 

29. If a client has a past-due balance, their service is cut off 

VII. Rules for Service Tickets195

30. Track ALL Time Inside Your Business 

31. All Work is Done on a Service Ticket

32. Every Ticket is Massaged Every Time It's Touched

33. Every Job Has a Scope

34. Document Absolutely Everything 

VIII. The Bigger, Bigger Picture 

33. Relax Focus Succeed™

36. Why Does Your Business Exist?  

37. The Culture of Success 

What's on YOUR Spring reading list?

:-)

Client Engagement in an Uncertain Economy - Webinar May 7th

Join me for a free educational (and entertaining) webinar:

Client Engagement in an Uncertain Economy - How to Protect Your Client Base, Grow Your Income, and Build Stronger Client Relationships 

May 7th

9:00 AM Pacific

Register at: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_cuw7R7I8RTamdW8thJencQ

Literally no one knows what’s next. No business owner has certainty about the business environment in the year ahead. But that doesn’t mean you need to be ruled by fear. As an IT consultant, you are in a unique position to help your clients make the most of their technology in the months and years ahead.

Join us for an educational and entertaining webinar on how to build stronger client relationships in uncertain times. You really can strengthen client relationships when they are overwhelmed with FUD – fear, uncertainty, and doubt. As an advisor, a true consultant, and a technology professional, you can help them spend money (and save money) strategically. You can help them reach their goals, and your company will be better off for the effort.

Join us:

May 7th – 9:00 AM Pacific / Noon Eastern

60-minute Zoom webinar

Note: While scheduled for 60 minutes, we’ll stay as long as there are questions.

What Do We Do?

One of the absolutely best things you can do for your clients is to help them. And one of the best ways to do that is to have regular, ongoing strategy meetings. I call these roadmap meetings. Some people call them QBRs, although few clients will hold them quarterly.

This webinar with help you:

• Begin “never-ending” conversations with clients and prospects
• Where roadmaps and strategic meetings fit in the sales process
• The slow sales process (a GREAT low-sales/no-sales approach to perpetual income)
• The power of being a true advisor
• Making money in a tough economy
• Taking the long view of client relationships
• Moving from “network checkup” to ongoing client relationships
• Building never-ending relationships with clients (old and new)

This webinar includes lots of handouts, and pointers to resources that will help you make the most of your ongoing strategic meetings.

Who should attend:

• Owners
• Managers
• Sales folks
• Marketing folks
• (And it wouldn’t hurt for senior technicians either. Just sayin.)

About Karl W. Palachuk

Karl W. Palachuk has been an IT Consultant since 1995 and is one of the pioneers of the managed services business model. He is the author of more than twenty books, most of which are focused on running a successful IT consulting practice.

Karl founded the Small Biz Thoughts Technology Community in 2018. He maintains four blogs, including Small Biz Thoughts and Relax Focus Succeed, and produces several podcasts, including the SMB Community Podcast and The Killing IT Podcast. In 2021, Karl founded the National Society of IT Service Providers – NSITSP.org – where he now serves on the Board of Directors and the Professional Development Committee.

Sign up today!

https://mspwebinar.com/client-engagement-in-an-uncertain-economy/

:-)

Announcing - Small Biz Thoughts Peer Groups !!!

 After many inquiries, and months of preparation, I am happy to announce

Small Biz Thoughts Technology Community
Peer Groups by Kernan Consulting

This program begins May 1st, but you should sign up NOW. Sign up at: https://kernanconsulting.com/millionaire-mastermind-peer-groups/

We are constantly asked whether we have peer groups. I have always had to say that we do not.

My approach has always been that there are plenty of peer groups out there, so there's no void for me to fill ... until now.

James Kernan and I have been working together for almost ten years. We've been in mastermind groups together. He teaches some of our most popular courses. And he's active in the Small Biz Thoughts Community.

He HAS been running peer groups that whole time. 

Now we've taken that collaboration to the next level. James runs amazing Mastermind Peer Groups. Many of our members are in his peer groups.

Beginning in May 2025, James will be offering special peer groups exclusively for members of the Small Biz Thoughts Community. These groups are focused on financial success and group knowledge sharing - with a difference.

Small Biz Thoughts Peer Groups by Kernan Consulting will consist of groups of non-competitive business owners meeting together weekly for accountability and monthly for training, coaching and networking. Quarterly offsite meetings are also part of the program.

Two Great Groups Together!

The advantages of this killer combo are:

1) All group members must be members of the SBT community, which means everyone will have access to all of our content plus all of James' content. That's huge + huge! It also means that groups can do a deep-dive to all of this content with no additional costs.

2) One of the key elements of peer groups is to build trusting relationships with other business owners. Between meetings in the peer groups and meetings/forums/etc. inside the SBT Community, members will be able to have frequent contact throughout the month - plus use our resources to develop deeper communication and interaction.

3) Access to both James and me. We have very consistent views on how to build and run successful IT companies. And we each have deeper knowledge in certain topics. So no matter what you're looking for, you rely on two coaches in a addition to your peer group. This also means what you can request one-to-one meetings with either of us.

Whatever you need to address a specific challenge - peers, resources, or coaching - you'll find it in the Small Biz Thoughts Peer Groups by Kernan Consulting.

Who Can Join?

Membership is limited to members of the Small Biz Thoughts Technology Community. 

Luckily, that's a great community at any time. Starting at just $799/year, it's the best deal of any community built for IT consultants. Contents include ALL the best-selling books on managed services, plus a massive  collection of downloads, checklists, calculators, videos, books, and more - PLUS a free 5-week course of your choice.

Space is LIMITED and, unfortunately, we cannot accept everyone who applies.

Groups will be formed so that members do not compete in the same metro areas. James starts with a waitlist. When there are at least eight people signed up for a group, he will arrange the first group meeting. Ideally, groups will be 10-12 in size. This provides for a good working environment even if attendance is less than 100%.

James and I will be talking more about this, but you can get started today by signing up at: https://kernanconsulting.com/millionaire-mastermind-peer-groups/.

Note a SBT Community Member? Join today at https://smallbizthoughts.org/.

:-)

The Worst Technical Mistake I Ever Made

The Worst Technical Mistake I Ever Made 

- Lessons Learned, Episode 24

We've all made mistakes. It's part of learning. But some mistakes are bigger than others. Luckily for me, my biggest technical mistake did not cause a client to lose everything, or for me to lose a client.

There is a bit of "humble brag" here as well. But that doesn't diminish the absolute stupidity of what I did.

The scenario: The client had a server with a RAID-5 array and we got an alert that a drive had failed. The server worked "fine" with one failed drive, just a bit slower than normal. We did not have a spare because they were about $300 at the time, and the drives were not hot-swap.

We ordered a drive to be shipped overnight and developed a plan.

Our plan was pretty standard.

1. Verify that the backup is good. A full restore would take a long time and was not optimal, but we can't start a process that might lose data until we know we have a known good backup.

2. Take the backup out of rotation until we have two new post-replacement backups. Just to be super safe.

3. Power down the server.

4. Install the new drive and verify that an array rebuild is working.

What happened.

The backup was good. We informed the client of the process and then powered down the server. I removed the old drive.

When I went to install the new drive, it did not slide in easily. I wiggled it a bit and then gave it a good push.

That's when the world went into slow motion as I saw a small "something" fly by. It was metal. I removed the drive and discovered that I had sheared the top off of a tiny capacitor on the drive circuit board.

Freeze. Panic. 

Options:

1) Client has at least one more day of living-on-the-edge with degraded performance.

2) Begin the restore from backup, which would also involve an immediate day of unplanned downtime.

3) Fix that drive so they can be up while we wait for the replacement.

In all cases, I just ate the cost of the drive.

Relax. Focus. Succeed. I took a walk around the block. That's when I realized that I'd soldered thousands of capacitors over the years. I can fix this.

I went to an electronics store and bought a replacement capacitor, a soldering iron, and some solder.

Of course, I had to come clean to the client. My contact (John, the operations manager) was a great guy, and fairly technical. He thought I might be insane, but agreed to assist.

John held the light as I un-soldered the remnants of the capacitor and then soldered the new one in place. We made sure everything on the circuit board was nice a flat and installed the drive.

The array started rebuilding immediately and I ordered another replacement.

The aftermath.

First, as I said, I have lots of electronics background and experience. And I did take that drive home and use it in my systems. But I don't have so much skill that I could say with certainty that I hadn't over-heated something with my non-robotic soldering. 

I believed it was not right to install a "fixed" drive when the client bought a brand new one. So I ate that cost. (The fixed drive worked fine for three years and then got rotated out of existence.)

Second, as soon as the drive array was rebuilt, we took two good backups before we broke the array and replaced the new-but-fixed drive. That caused additional downtime. After the array rebuilt again, and we had a verified backup, I considered the incident closed.

Third, I wanted the billing to be fair. I charged for the one hour I had estimated. All other time was essentially rework or fixing my mistake. I charged the client for one drive, but not for two. I did write lengthy notes in the ticket explaining everything. I'm sure no one but John understood them.

We had a great reputation with the client, and this was a minor annoyance for them. Luckily, they had two isolated networks. One ran the part of the company that provided services to clients and brought in all the money. The one with downtime was only used by five people in the office. They had significant downtime, but no revenue was lost.

I consider this my worst technical mistake ever because it was 100% my fault. I did it. I could have avoided it. I felt completely helpless. I will never forget how I was filled with terror when I saw the top of that capacitor fly off the drive. 

It was truly and objectively a stupid thing to do.

And it was completely avoidable. One of my absolutely unbreakable rules of service delivery is Slow Down, Get More Done. If I had taken just thirty more seconds, I would have avoided all of this drama, downtime, and expense. I had a rock solid plan. And my impatience broke the plan.

It's hard to use an incident like this to fix a process. But we did. Now, when we install equipment that slides in, we first verify that everything is in place and that the equipment slides easily with no parts sticking up. I don't think I've ever seen something like this again. But, as they say:

Once bitten, twice shy.

All comments welcome.

-----

Episode 24

This Episode is part of the ongoing Lessons Learned series. For all the information, and an index of Lessons Learned episodes, go to the Lessons Learned Page. https://blog.smallbizthoughts.com/p/lessons-learned-blog-series.html

Leave comments and questions below. And join me next week, right here.

Subscribe to the blog so you don't miss a thing.

:-)

Selling Programming - For Better or Worse

Programming - For Better or Worse

- Lessons Learned, Episode 23

In my last "real" job, I oversaw one programmer who specialized in COBOL and the programs running on our HP 3000 mini, and one programmer who specialized in SQL running on the brand new Windows Servers. I also managed two outsourced programmers who were building our new service entirely in C/C++ and SQL on the Windows platform.

There has always been a lot of money in creating customized programs. In fact, that's pretty much why computers existed from their founding until the 1990's. There were a few general-purpose programs, like word processors, but they didn't dominate the market. Custom built programs and databases were the primary reason businesses bought computers.

The part of this process I enjoyed most was database design. You would never hire me to do the programming because it would be inefficient, but I could visualize the databases, how they interacted, and all the steps to get information in and out of them. After all, that's what the real work of my graduate degrees was all about - since my field was political and social research.

So, when I started my first consulting business, "programming" came with me. I found lots of clients that had been sold various customized database programs over the previous ten years (or more). And just as with the hardware and software, these programs had been sold and then abandoned. The programmers were hard to get ahold of, and only interested in new jobs rather than maintaining the installed base.

Worst of all: When patches and updates were applied to hardware, operating systems, and related software, these old programs began to have failures. This is inevitable when the programs are not updated but everything around them is.

I'd come from a world where annual maintenance was roughly 20-25% of the purchase price of the programming. And while that was a painful price to pay, it meant that my stuff got fixed fast when there was a problem. Now that I was on the selling side of the equation, that maintenance seemed like a better deal.

I tip-toed into programming by fixing things here and there, which required me to hire hourly programmers. As a result, there wasn't much profit. Quickly, I turned to updating programs. This was my most direct recent experience.

We took old programs, like DBase IV databases, and converted them into Microsoft SQL, C+, and even Access if needed. Updating old Access databases to SQL was the most fun.

Before long, my old SQL programmer Bill came calling, and I hired him right away. We knew we worked well together. I knew he understood a very complex environment, and we trusted each other.

For about five years, we designed and he built a series of fresh from-the-ground-up systems that made clients more efficient, and extremely sticky due to the (reasonable) twenty percent maintenance fees we charged. We actually charged a declining fee over time as the likelihood of bugs appearing went down significantly with use. 

Just as with any maintenance contract, we applied all the necessary patches and fixes. So occasional bugs were introduced and fixed. But this was easily covered by the maintenance fees. And it kept us fresh in the clients' minds.

And then Bill had a stroke.

Apparently, it's common that stroke survivors temporarily lose the ability to read. That's what happened to Bill. He could touch-type, but he couldn't read what he'd typed. And since most errors in programming boil down to typos, he was unable to work for some time.

In the meantime, I had a couple of big projects underway, a new one sold, and several under maintenance. So I had to have a programmer! I interviewed a few candidates and hired Greg.

Greg worked out great. Clients loved him. He was more expensive, but he did top-rate work. And then, just after his first year anniversary, he took me to lunch. He told me that he had had a mild heart attack the week before I hired him! 

Greg was about forty at the time, so very young for a heart attack. And he felt guilty for hiding it, but he knew that I'd just lost a programmer to a stroke. What he didn't know is that my father had his first heart attack at age forty and died of a heart attack at age fifty. So this really made me sit  down and think.

In the meantime, I had hired John to retool and modernize all of our web sites. (That's another story for another blog post.) John could handle some straight-forward C+ coding, but his love was on the Joomla/HTML/CSS side of things. This functionality allowed us to significantly improve the visual appeal of our database work without relying on a series of "outside" web designers.

We continued to do programming work together, but I gradually stopped signing new programming contracts. We did take on some new projects with existing clients, but gradually let that part of the business fade away.

My reasoning was two-fold. First, *I* could not do this work, so I had to rely on employees or contractors. Second, having managed programmers for about ten years, I also realized that I needed a team that worked well together and was large enough to both assist each other and allow team members to take vacations and fill in for each other.

Rather than take my IT infrastructure business off on a tangent, I decided get back to my primary mission and move away from programming as a side business. It wasn't my passion, and I was distracting myself by trying to run both sides of the business.

This is not the only time I decided to shrink my offering. It felt like I was at a crossroads: Either grow the programming business or get out. So, I handed off the clients to one of the programmers to manage, and I contracted for support for existing maintenance agreements, knowing they would gradually fade away with time.

Sometimes, a source of income can grow to be a separate, profitable division within your company. But you should always understand the commitment you're willing to make. The more you "stick to your knitting" and focus on what you do best, the more success you'll have going forward.

For me, moving away from programming made the most sense. And, in the end, it made the most money.

All comments welcome.

-----

Episode 23

This Episode is part of the ongoing Lessons Learned series. For all the information, and an index of Lessons Learned episodes, go to the Lessons Learned Page. https://blog.smallbizthoughts.com/p/lessons-learned-blog-series.html

Leave comments and questions below. And join me next week, right here.

Subscribe to the blog so you don't miss a thing.

:-)

"Relax Focus Succeed" is Born

"Relax Focus Succeed" is Born

- Lessons Learned, Episode 22

A few episodes back, I mentioned that I had been diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis, which greatly affected my ability to work. I started my Relax Focus Succeed newsletter in 2002 (You should subscribe at https://www.relaxfocussucceed.com).

Later that year, I started the RFS blog. My first first blog post laid out my basic philosophy and plan. I didn't realize it at the time, but that blog post was eventually to become the first draft of my book Relax Focus Succeed, first published in 2007!

While living with and coping with my chronic disease, I discovered one of the most valuable habits I've ever developed: Taking time in the morning to be quiet, quiet my mind, take stock of how I'm doing, consider the day ahead, and then: Read and Write.

Part of this routine was directly related to the disease and to pain management. Meditation and mindfulness had led me to start meditating. And in the early years of the disease, I was too stiff and sore for the first hour or two after waking to do very much physical activity. So I sat in a chair and read and wrote.

Eventually, that regular practice became introspective. As my business improved and grew, despite my short work days, I realized that I was achieving more than many people while working a lot less. I was adding clients and "computers under management" at a steady and sustainable pace. 

I was doing in thirty hours per week what most people were not achieving in fifty hours per week.

"Had To" Was Not The Answer

They say necessity is the mother of invention. And you might be tempted to say that I was simply doing what had to be done. But my experience tells me that sincerely desiring something at the highest level, combined with no change in behavior, results in . . . you guessed it . . . no change in results.

I also have a collection of college degrees in the behavioral sciences, so I am a firm believer that actions and behavior are directly related to results and outcomes. Something in what I was doing, including working a shorter schedule, was creating a great deal of success.

I added self-examination journaling to my routine, which eventually led to my personal formula for accomplishing two things at once: Balancing my work and life, and being more successful as a result.

Let me be clear: I didn't set out to create more work/life balance. That just happened as a result of my behavior. It took me a long time to connect all the dots and figure out which way the causal arrows pointed. 

Obviously, the disease was not causing success. But the disease led to specific behaviors, and the behaviors caused BOTH the work/life balance and the success in my business.

So, my RFS blogging and newsletter are a result of me working through the pieces of this puzzle. Over time, the RFS newsletter grew to have a mailing list almost as large as (and sometimes larger than) my technology newsletter. After a few years of synthesizing my thinking on all this, I started writing the book Relax Focus Succeed.

I thought that would be my first book, but it turned out to be my third. But that's a story for another day.

If there's a lesson here, it's that you should take time to seriously examine your life and work. They are directly related. And no matter how you might want to believe they're not connected, they absolutely are. Both are worth examining in detail. 

Do you have a philosophy of how your personal and professional lives are connected to each other and affect each other. If not, today's a good day to start. I humbly recommend my Relax Focus Succeed blog as a place to start.

All comments welcome.

-----

Episode 22

This Episode is part of the ongoing Lessons Learned series. For all the information, and an index of Lessons Learned episodes, go to the Lessons Learned Page. https://blog.smallbizthoughts.com/p/lessons-learned-blog-series.html

Leave comments and questions below. And join me next week, right here.

Subscribe to the blog so you don't miss a thing.

:-)

Gozynta Launches a Great New Podcast

Heather Johnson, CEO of Gozynta has launched a new podcast focused on MSPs and the challenges (and victories) that got them where they are today.

As the Spotify podcast site says, 

"Every MSP has a journey with challenges, lessons, and big wins. The MSP Growth Podcast is where MSP owners and leaders share their real stories, from the struggles they have faced to the strategies that helped them build something great."

I love stories about how we got here. And I've always believed that none of us could have planned the path that got us to where we are. This podcast is a great example of the lessons learned by successful MSPs along their paths.

In each episode, Heather Johnson dives into firsthand experiences from MSPs who have been in the trenches. What worked, what didn’t, and the lessons that fueled their success. 

Get a taste with their first episode: 

https://open.spotify.com/show/0BPDoPXYEPTIBSHmbYK3z6?si=e8ad115291c54123

(Soon to be available on other podcatchers as well.)

For a great introduction and discussion of this episode, see the Gozynta blog at https://www.gozynta.com/blog/mspgp001.

- - -

If YOU have a good story or two to contribute, you can volunteer to be interviewed by Heather. Sign up to be on an episode at https://calendly.com/mspgp/schedule

:-)

We found the Pot of Gold! Valuable Free Things for MSPs

We found the Pot of Gold at the end of the rainbow. Well, sorta.

Our last "MSP Freebies" give-away was very successful, so we're doing it again. This time, we have sixteen give-aways!

The IT community is filled with people who practice a "give-first" approach to working with MSPs and ITSPs. These free resources are designed to help folks like you with your business while also opening the door to meaningful connections with leaders in the community.

Over the years, I’ve seen how valuable these kinds of resources can be. For example, my "famous" 68-point checklist has been a go-to freebie for readers for years (Check it out at this link to our store). Inspired by that success and the generosity of others in the IT space, I reached out to my network with a simple question: Do you have something valuable to share with MSPs and ITSPs?

Once again, the response was overwhelming. And now we've put together a collection of these resources for you. (see below) 

The total value of these give-aways is more than $7,800! All available for the asking.

There are no hidden sales or agendas here—just genuine offers from people who care about supporting the IT community. To claim these freebies, all you need to do is engage: click the links or fill out a forms.

Is there a catch?

No. 

These resources are offered in the spirit of giving first, with no requirement to sit through a webinar or sales pitch. 

Of course, many of these contributors hope you’ll find value in their work and stay connected, but that’s entirely up to you. 

Check out the list below. I think you'll recognize many people who seem to give and give and give. I assure you that any new-to-you names on the list are just as generous with their time and talent.

Here's How It Works:

Explore the offers below. If one or more looks interesting, follow the instructions.

• Please use a legit email, if requested. These folks have put out an effort to be part of this program. And they are giving you something of real value.

• Be patient. It might take some effort to organize a coaching session or receive a postal mailing. And some are in other time zones and countries!

• Say thank you! If you find something particularly helpful, close the loop and say thank you! A quick note or shout-out on social media is also a great way to express your appreciation.

With all the big bucks in our industry these days, it's good to remember the people who focus on community first and giving first. Yes, they still need to sell *stuff* and make a living. But the give-first approach is a great way to make new friends and build meaningful relationships.

I'd love to hear your feedback about this program - and don't forget to check out MY give-away as well!.

Thank you. - Karl P.

---------------------

The Great Free Stuff

From: Karl W. Palachuk / Small Biz Thoughts

FREEBIE

IT Consultant's Newsletter Primer and Starter Kit by Karl W. Palachuk - $19.95 Value

OR use the coupon code to save $19.95 on any purchase from our store.

DETAILS 

Perhaps the most powerful marketing tool you will ever have is your monthly client-facing newsletter – But too many small businesses never have one! This handy guide shows you how to create an easy, useful, and low-maintenance newsletter that will serve you for years to come.

HOW TO CLAIM 

Use code FREENEWS25Q1 at https://store.smallbizthoughts.com/product/newsletter-starter-kit/

CLAIM BEFORE . . . 

Offer expires April 30, 2025

-- -- --

From: Dave Seibert / SMB TechFest

FREEBIE 

Full conference pass for Karl's community - $897.00 Value 

DETAILS 

SMB TechFest is created by a Microsoft MVP & Partner like you.. for you. A full conference pass for you featuring latest speakers, panels, meals, open bar, IT Mixer, Breakout sessions (Security, Sales, Marketing, Operations, Leadership). Attend Onsite or Virtual. Ranked a top 50 Channel Conference. 4 events per year. Attend and receive the full conference video recording afterwards to share with your team. Win cash, prizes, learn latest solutions, and network to learn from peers while gaining more business.

HOW TO CLAIM 

Register at https://www.smbTechFest.com/Go/Karl

-- -- --

From: Dave Sobel / The Business of Tech

FREEBIE 

Three Months Free of Patreon Access -- Access interview episodes early! - $75 Value 

DETAILS 

Here’s your chance to explore the full Business of Tech experience at no cost! For three months, you’ll enjoy:

• Early Access to Videos: Be the first to watch my latest insights and updates before anyone else.

• Exclusive Q&A Time: Get a special link to schedule one-on-one time with me to ask your questions and explore ideas.

• Full Website Access: Dive into the entire Business of Tech website, including every story and resource available."

HOW TO CLAIM 

Just follow the special link. https://www.patreon.com/mspradio/redeem/537B7

-- -- --

From: Rayanne Buchianico / ABC Solutions LLC

FREEBIE 

Strategic Action Plan for MSP Profitability - Value: $500 

DETAILS

Complete our Baseline Assessment to score your IT firm in 5 categories, including pricing, service, and finance. In return, you will receive a comprehensive Strategic Action Plan with 39 key strategies and the exact steps to take to build more profits and time into your MSP. The more honest you are in your self-assessment, the more valuable the Action Plan will be. 

HOW TO CLAIM 

Fill out the form: https://form.jotform.com/243485209578165

-- -- --

From: Loren Williams / PCs for People 

FREEBIE 

No-Charge Certified Data Deletion and e-waste disposal - $400.00 Value

DETAILS 

PCs for People will dispatch a truck and team to pickup de-comissioned computer equipment from you or your clients. We will securely delete all data and provide you with a certification of data deletion upon request. We do this to fuel our non-profit mission of bridging the digital divide.

*Geographical restrictions and minimum quantities apply.

HOW TO CLAIM 

To claim this give-away, head to https://www.pcsforpeople.org/schedule-a-pickup/

-- -- --

From: Erick Simpson / MSP Mastered®

FREEBIE 

The MSP Mastered® AI Lead Generation and Sales Toolkit for MSP Growth Playbook - $15.99 Value

DETAILS 

In The MSP Mastered® 20-Page AI Lead Generation and Sales Toolkit for MSP Growth Playbook, you will unlock the power of AI for your lead generation and sales strategy with invaluable insights, tools, prompts, and workflows to enhance your strategies.

HOW TO CLAIM 

Use Coupon Code : MSPMAICheatSheetFree! at https://bit.ly/MSPMAISalesPlaybook

-- -- --

From: Heather Johnson / Gozynta

FREEBIE

Get 1 Month Free in the Gozynta Growth Community! - $50 Value

DETAILS

Unlock access to the Gozynta Growth Community (formerly The Eureka Community)—a hub for MSPs packed with proven processes, customizable templates, and expert guidance to help you streamline operations and scale your business.

For a limited time, we’re giving you 1 FREE MONTH to explore everything our community has to offer!

Access hundreds of ready-to-use MSP processes and customizable templates

Watch videos to get tips and learn from other MSPs

• Get expert insights and strategies

• Collaborate with like-minded MSP leaders

HOW TO CLAIM

Use coupon code: GOZYNTAGROWTH at https://theeurekacommunity.com/

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From: Scott Millar / IT Rockstars

FREEBIE

St. Patrick’s Day Special: Get Lucky with a Free MSP Listing! - $1,788 Value 

DETAILS

As part of Karl’s St. Patrick’s Giveaway, I’m offering a FREE listing on MSP Near Me—the high-ranking directory for IT support searches. Normally worth $1,788, this listing boosts your visibility, helping local businesses find you fast. Don’t leave your success to luck—claim your spot today and let MSP Near Me bring the pot of gold (aka leads) straight to your business!

HOW TO CLAIM 

Offer ends soon—grab it before it disappears like a leprechaun. https://mspnear.me/add-your-business/ 

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From: Paul Green / MSP Marketing Edge

FREEBIE 

MP3 of a new book called MSP marketing: Start Here - instant access, no opt-in - $9.99 Value

DETAILS

MSP marketing expert Paul Green has written a new book. "MSP marketing: Start Here" helps you set up an easy marketing system to generate leads for your MSP.

It's on Amazon as a paperback and Kindle. EXCLUSIVE to Karl Palachuk, you can get the MP3... which isn't currently available ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE WORLD

It's only 44 mins long. And you can access it now without any need to opt in or even provide an email address.

HOW TO CLAIM 

This is a download link to grab the MP3. https://f001.backblazeb2.com/file/MSP-Marketing-Edge-resources/MSP+marketing+-+Start+Here.mp3

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From: John Risko / MSP CFO and Accounting

FREEBIE 

Two Hours Free Consultation with an MSP CFO - $700 Value

DETAILS

MSP CFO and Accounting is offering two free hours of CFO consulting to help MSPs improve profitability through improved financial reporting and processes. Receive guidance in one or more of the following areas: creating accurate, monthly GAAP-compliant financial statements, integrating your PSA with QuickBooks Online, implementing a comprehensive reconciliation of billable users and licenses, and developing reports that inform confident decision making. 

HOW TO CLAIM 

To redeem, follow the link and fill out the form. Offer limited to first 10 respondents. https://mspcfoandaccounting.com/exclusive-offer-for-msps

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From: Ronnie Parisella / MSP Foundry

FREEBIE 

Strike Gold with ChatGPT! MSP Foundry’s $750+ Giveaway Awaits - $750 Value

DETAILS

Take a deep dive into your MSP business in the Forge and get tailored recommendations to strengthen your operations with AI and cutting-edge tools.

Book a 1-hour session with our industry experts and walk away with three or more powerful insights you can implement right away.

HOW TO CLAIM 

Visit www.mspfoundry.com to schedule your session today -- include the code word "Freebie" in the Notes.

Offer Expires: March 31, 2025. Visit https://mspfoundry.com/

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From: Bob Nitrio / Ranvest Associates & LogicTree IT Solutions, Inc.

FREEBIE 

FormsTrackR: Build Custom Automated Workflows for You and Your Clients and Generate New Consulting Revenue Streams - $620 Value

DETAILS

FormsTrackR is a powerful SaaS system that automates important data collection, delivery, reporting, analysis and management by exception. Use digital forms to make workflow automation a reality while easily building solutions for unlimited applications.

Get your free 90-day subscription of our Advanced plan, a free 1-hour setup and business consultation, a free e-book on workflow innovation, and additional free information – a $620 value for FREE! Use them to improve your business AND to add a new service to your solution stack that positions you as a business consultant for your clients.

HOW TO CLAIM 

Visit https://www.ranvest.com/MSPs

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From: Amy Babinchak / Third Tier

FREEBIE 

Defender + Intune Continuing Education - $100 Value

DETAILS

Each month Microsoft loads Defender and Intune with new features, moves and changes. Our continuing education program keeps you up to date and learning in the mode you prefer! Monthly newsletters with how-to articles. Plus a monthly online training! Read, watch or demo and never fall behind again.

HOW TO CLAIM 

Your first two months free with this code: CE2025 at https://www.thirdtier.net/product/defender-intune-continued-learning/

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From: James Kernan / Kernan Consulting

FREEBIE 

30-day membership - Mastermind Peer Groups - $1,391.00 Value

DETAILS

Join successful, like-minded MSSP/MSP peers from around the US to share, learn, motivate and grow your business.  

We meet monthly for 1 hour over zoom and have access to our training and document vaults. Also includes a FREE pass to our quarterly Q1 event in Dallas Texas March 27-28th!

HOW TO CLAIM 

Visit https://kernanconsulting.com/contact-us-page/

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From: Terry Hedden / Marketopia LLC

FREEBIE 

MSP Sales Training - Free 2 Week Unlimited Pass - $49 Value

DETAILS

Simply go to www.thegrowthmachine.com and register for the Teach You program and use the amazing marketing platform with over 100 campaigns plus our renowned sales training for MSPs absolutely free for 14 days. Cancel and owe nothing!

HOW TO CLAIM 

Visit https://thegrowthmachine.com/pricing-new

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From: Michael Siggins / ChannelPro

FREEBIE 

ChannelPro Ultimate Guide to Running a Profitable MSP - $500 Value

DETAILS

More valuable than a pot o'gold! ChannelPro is offering you our Ultimate Guide to Running a Profitable MSP - completely free. It includes strategies to upsell and cross-sell, boosting efficiency, improving cash flow and more. Our mission is to help you succeed. Enjoy this valuable resource!

HOW TO CLAIM 

Visit https://www.channelpronetwork.com/2025/02/26/ultimate-guide-to-running-a-profitable-msp/

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Thank You for checking out these offers. I hope you found many useful.

Once again, if you find this valuable, and we get good feedback, we'll continue to put together these great community offers.

As always, I would love your feedback. Is this kind of "Free Valuable Stuff" campaign worth receiving? Send me a note.

. . . and have a great Spring!

All my best . . .

• Karl W. Palachuk, Small Biz Thoughts

:-)