Business Speak

Harry Brelsford and Ann Westerheim (https://www.linkedin.com/in/annwesterheim/) discuss their experiences at the Zero Trust World event in Orlando, highlighting the importance of community and networking in the tech industry. Ann, a veteran in the field, emphasizes the value of attending events to stay updated, meet new vendors, and strengthen partnerships. They touch on the stress and burnout in the tech sector, comparing it to high-stress military roles. Ann mentions her upcoming participation in the Global Technology Industry Association (GTIA) events in Chicago and San Diego, where she will discuss cybersecurity and receive an award for their new trust mark based on CIS controls.

During the last major recession (2007-2009 financial crisis) I profiled Regus in Cupertino CA in the Silicon Valley and it's a sweet spot for companies downsizing (and it was also a social gathering for tired old guys that wanted to get away from momma and play business by day). And it was right next to a Indian lunch buffet!!!

In the old days when knights were bold and kings owned all the gold, the co-worker space pitch in my eyes was to avoid the sticky Starbucks table syndrome. 

SMB Nation (Austin, TX) has partnered with Technology Reseller (Vancouver, WA) to expand their joint portfolio to offer more solutions for Small and Medium Business (SMB) partners who are Managed Services Providers (MSP).

The partnership effectively doubles the audience with a strategic pen stroke. That consolidation results in more efficient solution delivery for the SMB MSP community sponsors to get better results and greater awareness. This is a new way to reach a qualified audience. 

Harry Brelsford interviews Matt Linn, co-founder and COO of Thread, an AI service desk that automates non-billable resources on the service desk, making them billable and reducing service costs through agentic workflows. Linn shares his background from a 10-year career with an MSP in New York City. Thread is announcing a new round of fundraising at the Series A stage to accelerate R&D and build faster. The company emphasizes its unique brand and customer-centric approach, showcasing this through creative booths at events. For 2026, Thread plans to enhance product offerings with better context for agents, more auto resolutions, and zero-touch tickets.

Mike Hanauer, a consultant specializing in MSPs, discussed his recent activities, including his role as Chief Revenue Officer at Total and the relaunch of his consulting firm, Green Lake. He focuses on interim leadership for MSPs and post-acquisition integration, emphasizing the importance of retention and proper pricing and packaging. Harry Brelsford, a board member of a community private equity group, shared his experiences with post-acquisition integration and the resilience of the MSP sector. They both highlighted the critical role of MSPs in protecting small and medium businesses, especially during economic uncertainties.

Dan King, from Clever Path IT in Wyoming, discussed his company's recent acquisition, transforming from K2 Technologies (not the skis lol) to a much broader mission, aiming to establish a platform in the Northwest United States. They focus on a diversified client base, including healthcare, accountants, attorneys, architects, and engineers. King emphasized the importance of adapting to technological changes, such as AI, and the ongoing consolidation in the industry. He also mentioned their participation in IT Nation and the Evolve event, highlighting the significance of these gatherings for MSPs. King plans to attend Channel Con again in July 2026 and the Right of Boom conference in February 2026.

Harry Brelsford and Peter Kujawa discussed the IT Nation Global Connect 2025 event, highlighting its success in venue, content, and food. Peter detailed the Service Leadership benchmarking reports, including the annual profitability report and the new compensation benchmarking report. He emphasized the importance of primary research and accurate data. Peter also outlined his expanded role, including running Service Leadership and managing IT Nation events. The conversation covered the event's focus on AI and practical applications, positive feedback on event changes, and ConnectWise's focus on platform delivery and AI integration. Peter concluded with plans for upcoming Evolve meetings in Portugal.

We’ve seen this movie before in the small and medium business (SMB) managed service provider (MSP) community: economic anxiety based on emotion. One example? The 2007-2009 Great Recession financial crisis. But here’s the deal, as you will see below, the data doesn’t lie and the short story above the pay line is that MSPs anticipate growth in 2026. We’re essentially a counter cyclical niche in the technology economic segment. Hopefully by the end of this report, rational behaviors will defy those 3am scary panic attacks. 

What’s Your Side Hustle?

Some of us are loud and proud about having a side hustle. Others are shy and don’t promote this hidden jewel. And finally there are those that are side hustle celibate among us LOL! 

In this goofy economy where opportunities are being reimagined every day for reasons ranging from A.I. to global economic protectionism, it’s prudent to revisit your business portfolio. Should you expand your market participation to incorporate a side-hustle or three?

Harry Brelsford, at Channel con in Nashville, interviews Carrie Erwin, National Sales Manager of ImageStar, a wholesale distributor of IT business hardware, including print consumables, scanning software, AV equipment, and computers. ImageStar, based in Middletown, Connecticut, with a warehouse in Memphis, Tennessee, has been in business for 35 years. Carrie discusses the impact of tariffs on pricing and the shift in the market towards diversification, particularly in the print industry, as businesses adapt to the end of Windows 10 and the rise of Windows 11. She also mentions Dynabook's new channel partner program for MSPs.

Harry Brelsford and Dave from Montreal discussed their experiences at Channel Con 2025 in Nashville. Harry shared his brother's background at McGill University and his own diverse tech portfolio. Dave, with a background in technology since 1995, now represents Defense X, a company focused on browser protection in cybersecurity. They highlighted the unique family-friendly atmosphere of the conference, contrasting it with more traditional tech events. Dave emphasized his role on the advisory board, working on documentation to help MSPs and participating in charitable activities like building guitars for aspiring musicians in Tennessee. Both agreed on the importance of community and giving back.

Harry Brelsford and William Kapes discuss their experiences at a conference held at the NASA Space Center. William's company, Integra Tech, is part of the Lyra ecosystem, which includes over 120 companies under the Evergreen Services Group. They focus on professional services organizations, particularly in industries like accounting, legal, and medical. Integra Tech has offices in Austin, Dallas, Los Angeles, and Eau Claire, and supports clients both remotely and geographically. William praises the Thread AI event for its useful service desk tools and rapid product updates. He appreciates the smaller, interactive conference format over larger, less engaging events.