Uncle Marv’s IT Business Podcast: Practical Business Advice for MSPs and IT Professionals
Uncle Marv’s IT Business Podcast: Practical Business Advice…
Running a managed service provider (MSP) or IT services business takes more than technical expertise. You need to win customers, grow revenue, protect profitability, manage vendors, deliver great service, and keep up with a changing IT industry. That’s where Uncle Marv comes in.

Hosted by longtime IT business owner Marvin Bee, aka Uncle Marv, the IT Business Podcast delivers practical business advice, real-world lessons, candid conversations, and industry insights to help MSP owners, IT service providers, IT consultants, system administrators, and technology professionals run their businesses better, smarter, and faster.

Topics include MSP business growth, pricing and profitability, sales and marketing, managed services operations, cybersecurity, compliance, Microsoft 365, cloud services, automation, service desk efficiency, vendor management, technology stack decisions, and customer relationships.

Hear from experienced MSP owners, IT business leaders, industry experts, and technology vendors about what works, what doesn’t, and what it takes to build a stronger IT business. Get an honest look at industry trends, vendor claims, emerging technologies, and the decisions that affect your customers, your team, and your bottom line.

Whether you’re starting an MSP, growing an established IT services company, managing client networks, or looking for better tools and smarter ways to work, Uncle Marv brings the conversation back to what matters: practical knowledge you can put to work.

Run your business better, smarter, and faster.
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July 3, 2023

521 PitchIT Vendor Spotlight: ChatStyle

521 PitchIT Vendor Spotlight: ChatStyle
Uncle Marv’s IT Business Podcast: Practical Business Advice for MSPs and IT Professionals
521 PitchIT Vendor Spotlight: ChatStyle

Guest: Chris Dix, Founder/Chief Geek of ChatStyle.
ChatStyle.ai is a messaging solution for MSPs that supports omnichannel communication, including web chat, SMS, Slack, and Teams.

In this episode of the IT Business Podcast, Marvin Bee and Sean Lardo discuss the ConnectWise Pitch It program for 2023, which is a Shark Tank-style competition for innovative startup vendors. The finalists will compete for a grand prize of $70,000 at IT Nation Connect. They introduce Chris Dix, the founder and CEO of ChatStyle.ai, one of the contestants in the competition. ChatStyle.ai is an AI assistant that integrates messaging with ConnectWise and other tools, providing an omnichannel approach for businesses. It allows technicians to handle customer messages from various platforms like Teams, Slack, SMS, and more, while ensuring all information is integrated into the PSA system. The AI component helps technicians by providing helpful hints and guiding customers through relevant questions. The ultimate goal is to unify customer communication channels and streamline the ticketing process for MSPs.

Website: https://chatstyle.ai/

Time Stamped Highlights:

  • 01:00: Introduction to the ConnectWise Pitch It program for 2023.
  • 02:45: Overview of the competition structure and prize distribution
  • 04:22: Introduction of Chris Dix, founder and CEO of ChatStyle.ai
  • 06:05: Discussion on the integration of messaging channels with ConnectWise and other tools
  • 08:20: The benefits of using ChatStyle.ai for MSPs, including unified platform and ticket creation.
  • 10:12: How AI comes into play, assisting technicians with relevant information and guiding ticket processes
  • 12:26: ChatStyle.ai's journey, learnings from the channel, and maturing the tools.
  • 14:07: The importance of connecting with MSPs and reaching a wider audience.
  • 16:00: Integration with various MSP tools and accommodating different workflows.
  • 18:05: Closing remarks and well wishes for the competition.

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PitchIT is an annual accelerator program created by ConnectWise in 2018 to incubate growth in startup integration partners dedicated to the MSP space. The company is offering small companies the chance to take part in a 16-week program where participants receive a thorough business assessment, gain coaching from industry experts, earn placement on the ConnectWise marketplace, engage in co-marketing and more.

The finalists are selected to present their solutions on the center stage at IT Nation Connect. The PitchIT 2023 program is officially underway, and 27 companies have been selected to participate in the program.

Interested but still have questions? Email PitchIT@ConnectWise.com.

Join the PitchIT waitlist for next year: https://www.connectwise.com/theitnation/pitchit

Sean Lardo
Chris Marks Profile Photo
Chris Marks

Outbound Product Manager

Chris is a Principal Outbound Product Manager at Parallels. He’s an experienced public speaker with a passion for the power of community engagement. He spends time discussing with customers and channel partners about how their businesses are coping with fundamental shifts in working practices alongside rapid changes in the way services are being consumed; how organisations remain competitive in this environment and how we can work together to deliver simplified, more agile services to allow them to do so.

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