Eric Torres, an evangelist at PAX8, discussed his role in community engagement and upcoming events, including the Partner Conference Beyond in Denver with 3,000 attendees. PAX8 differentiates itself from traditional distribution models by focusing on cloud marketplace services and providing value-added training programs, which have led to significant EBITDA growth for MSPs. Torres emphasized that PAX8's cloud-based services are not directly impacted by tariffs, unlike traditional MSPs. He also praised the NerdioCon conference for its growth and impact in the industry.
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Harry Brelsford 00:01
Hey, nation, nation. I'm here at the nerdiocon conference in Palm Springs. First time. Really good, bumping into some old friends with Eric Torres,
Eric Torres 00:12
how you doing? Eric? I'm doing well, how are you good?
Harry Brelsford 00:14
Hey, for those that don't know you, I know you, but very quickly your Pax eight. Where else have you been?
Eric Torres 00:23
Sure? I've been at PAX eight now for a little over five months. Prior to that, I spent two years at scale pad, and then before that, seven years at dato.
Harry Brelsford 00:35
Okay, great. And what is your what are your responsibilities at PAX eight? So
Eric Torres 00:40
on the community side. So one of the evangelists for the the organization, going out to all the events and and meeting with people and sharing all the cool things that we've been up to,
Harry Brelsford 00:53
no That sounds great. And what's what's on the what's on the road map, and 25
Eric Torres 00:59
Well, right now, all hands on deck for our partner conference beyond is happening in early June in Denver. We're looking at having 3000 attendees all getting together and a ton of great content, sales, content marketing, content tech, content, it's, it's easily the must attend event of the year.
Harry Brelsford 01:21
Yeah, no, it's, it's a good offended. It's at the gaylord Hotel, which is very nice, you know, because I, I like to walk and sweat, you know, it's one of the few hotels with a lap pool, right? Because normally they're disco family.
Eric Torres 01:36
Yeah, it's a beautiful facility and and enormous. Any, any of the Gaylords, are huge, and this one, this one was able to accommodate as large as this event is, is becoming,
Harry Brelsford 01:47
yeah, what's the secret sauce at PAX? Say, you guys have a great reputation. Again, some of the listeners may, may not know. I have my own opinion. Sure, sure
Eric Torres 01:56
it. There's no secret sauce other than listening. Listen to our partners hear what what challenges they have, what they're going through, and then adjusting what we do to help alleviate some of their their concerns, some of their issues, and help them grow. So it's really being in tune with with the MSP community and and building these relationships,
Harry Brelsford 02:16
and then you define yourself differently than traditional brick and mortar diste. So let's talk about that. What? What does Pax eight?
Eric Torres 02:25
So we are a Cloud Marketplace. Nothing against the typical distribution model, but it's very transactional and not really relationship driven, where we came aboard saying, let's, let's shake things up. Let's disrupt and create our own market here, where, where MSPs can come to to procure their their SAS licensing needs, and on top of that, adding a ton of value. Add our academy or our training programs, our curriculums, to truly help our partners grow.
Harry Brelsford 03:01
Yeah, I know I'm gonna forget his name. The gentleman from Seattle was an acquisition who's kind of helped build a consulting practice, and I didn't get that right,
Eric Torres 03:15
yeah? Rex Frank from sea level, yeah, he and I go, go back. He's an industry vet, and he's built a fantastic team, even better curriculum for MSPs and peer groups and instructor led training, virtual led training, you name it. And that's it's it's coming to to fruition for for MSPs, where those that go through it are seeing a significant growth in their EBITDA. So we're seeing upwards of 30% growth in EBITDA by just paying attention and going through and and and and and learning from from MSPs that have exited their businesses and and made some mistakes along the way, and helping other other MSPs not repeat those same mistakes.
Harry Brelsford 03:59
Yeah, and I'll ask a question, then answer it with the you know, the climate, for lack of a better word, the political climate. So I don't perceive you as a pick and pack diste, and so the tariffs I would offer maybe won't impact you as much.
Eric Torres 04:17
No word cloud licensing. So SAS based opportunities. We don't, we don't provide any hardware. So I don't believe the tariffs will impact us now. MSPs, this, this community, yes, tariffs are going to impact them. But as far as what we do and how we do it, no, I don't see that happening.
Harry Brelsford 04:38
Got about a minute left. How did you like the how'd you like the show here at nerdiocon and Palm Springs, other than the Senate fun,
Eric Torres 04:46
it's always a great time. This is quickly growing into into something somewhat of a force. I've been to it now a couple years and and just seeing the the growth and people attending, i. The content they're providing and the partnerships that are being built here. This is a a an event that I'm always looking forward to.
Harry Brelsford 05:07
Yeah, and the one thing I didn't catch, and, you know, maybe I was, I don't know, answering emails during the speeches, but I don't believe I've heard them announce where it's going to be next year. I know the one gentleman joked about it. I
Eric Torres 05:20
haven't heard where there where it's going to be next year. I know it's always somewhere fun and exotic and a good destination location, but no, I haven't heard where it is.
Harry Brelsford 05:31
Okay. Well, hey, thanks for your time. Appreciate it.
#pax8