614 Community: MSP Unplugged

00:04 - Uncle Marv

You. Hello friends, uncle Marv here with another episode of the IIT business podcast, the show for it professionals, where we talk shit, we talk sm now we try to help each other out by providing product stories and tips to help you run your business better, smarter and faster. This is the Wednesday live show presented by net ally. It is going to be a fantastic show. I do believe I've got my good friends Paco and Rick sitting in the green room. We're about ready to kick it off.

01:15

I've got no real major announcements, except to say that if you're with AT&T, you better check your stuff, because 70 million AT&T customers got some crap leaked online. So an archive that allegedly contains information on 73 million AT&T customers has leaked onto the open internet. As of Sunday, a user posted the five gig archive in a hacking forum. So check your stuff now. Let's get on to the show, and I am not going to waste any time because we might run out of time with these two. I'm going to be bringing to the stage my good friends Paco LeBron and Rick Smith from MSP Unplugged. Gentlemen, how are we doing?

02:13 - Paco Lebron

oh, you know what I like to say, uncle Marv better than good, better than most all right, and Rick, what was?

02:18 - Uncle Marv

a little peace out now.

02:19 - Rick Smith

But doing good doing good, glad to be here. Thanks for having me all right glad to have you guys here.

02:29 - Uncle Marv

Uh, paco, by the way, is sporting the logo of one of our supporting show partners here super ops, super charge your operations and super charge your business. They are also sponsors of the Florida man segment. That, uh, it'll be interesting to see what we come up with tonight. And of course, our live show is sponsored by computers. Done right, managed services in Venice, Florida, your go-to destination for all your computer needs. So looks like we got a packed house. We've even got people in the chat throwing out uh, let's see what we got here.

03:10

Mr. Keith nelson, my pro tip of the day, uncle Marv’s podcast goes well with a smoke to whiskey and fine cigar. All right, thank you much, sir. And who else in the chat? There there's Giles. Uh, ed Roberts couldn't agree more. I'm working on the last of this. Well, or preserved, by the way, I'm getting on the bourbon kick. The wife pointed out to me just before I came down to the office she's got one of those hg tv renal shows on and she said, like three of the last four or five houses, they are building display cases for the bourbon in these houses. So, wow, I'm like we're not doing that. So, guys, we are here to talk about community, but before we do that, of course, I want to ask about you. You both are not only leaders in the community, but you're doing your own thing with the MSP, so let me ask how that's going. And uh, let's start with uh going top to bottom, left to right. My good friend Paco, how are things with prodigy texts?

04:23 - Paco Lebron

uh, things are good.

04:24

We uh, we made some significant changes in the beginning of the year so we are expanding our help desk operations so we're building that out here in, uh, Venezuela.

04:35

So we're actually doing that for ourselves and along with some updated operational efficiencies, as we said. But, um, really kind of the big two changes, or at least kind of what's front of mind for us, is cloud and ai, specifically co-pilot and, depending on how all these skews and things that Microsoft comes out with, um, that's kind of what we're going to be leaning in here for the next probably ten to going on 16 months, um, and then cloud, where, if we're going to really embrace that cloud pc or with the windows 10 end of life happening next October, so those are kind of the two forefronts and just making sure that what we have currently is what should we have as far as our stack and operational stuff. But that's what we got here, so we'll be doing some hiring here soon. We've got some significant changes possibly happening soon and um, but yeah, that's kind of where we're at. Uh, kind of looking at the next wave to see what's going on for managed services and MSP's in my area all right.

05:41 - Uncle Marv

So let me ask the question, in case people are wondering what does it mean to be building out help desk services in villasuelas, Venezuela? I mean, are you actually just, you know, taking over a little office there, throwing a bunch of people in doing a help desk service? Are you running out of part of a data center? What does that actually mean?

06:00 - Paco Lebron

sure. So we're partnering with a hiring agency that's out down there. There's a shared office room that we're running out with our team, so right now we have two. The plan is to hire two more with a dispatcher, to kind of have that camaraderie.

06:14

So you know, for those that don't know, my MSP has always been remote and international, since we expanded back in 2020, when it was just myself, and so with that, we've realized that a lot of nuances of communication, um, you know, the day to day, hey, what's going on has been missed. And so, with my two technicians right now, um, we did have to separate with one, but added a new one. They've now have built a great rapport, being in the same city and being able to really dive into not only knowledge sharing but also being able to help those as well. And then leveraging um like co-pilot for the language dialects when communicating to our clients via tickets or b uh, communicating internally helps with that collaboration.

07:02

But, yeah, basically we're working with a hiring agency over there. Um, they are our assets, meaning they work for us, they're dedicated to us, they're not shared with any other MSP or any other outfit. Um, our equipment, our gear and uh, yeah, that's uh how we're uh building that out. Uh, john Dubinsky had a really long and stretch of training and helping structure a lot of that before his departure, and so now we're kind of picking up that ball of what he has left all the real great foundation and expanding on that as we move forward all right.

07:34 - Uncle Marv

Far cry from where we were many years ago when uh, coming out of that CompTIA conference and UnConvention and early days, yep, big things, big things. All right, rick renactis technology. What's happening over in jersey?

07:52 - Rick Smith

you ain't doing nothing paco's doing. We ain't that good. No, we're working. We're trying to expand the. The key factors this year is proficiency and efficiency. So that is really what the focus is this year um trying to improve the processes, be more efficient, um, so that we can take on that next level. We're at that cusp where we're ready to move to the next level, but we're really need just to make sure we can handle what's coming. So, um, that is where we are. That's really the goal this year. I'm using the same uh, come, I guess we call the company paco that uh that you're using for the same hiring agency. Yeah, same hiring agency. Okay, for additional help, but, um, I'm just moving at a slower pace than paco is, but, uh, I'm really one. You know the focus this year. I know he's on me about it. Come on, man, come on. No, no I just.

08:54 - Paco Lebron

I just want to make sure that you're not lying to these people that I'm bigger than what you say I am.

08:58 - Rick Smith

There's no difference in what any of us are doing here I just oh, no, no, no, I'm just saying well, you know, we're all in stages, right?

09:06 - Uncle Marv

so I'm at the same stage as you, my friend yeah, but you might hit that little uh, that you might hit that number before any of us yeah, right, we'll see. But you know, again, it's that uh, it's, it's.

09:20 - Rick Smith

It's that constant struggle, is that constant goal, just taking one step at a time?

09:24 - Paco Lebron

you don't have to be. No, I'm not sorry that'll be the inside. That'll be the inside joke for those who attended tech con last year.

09:29 - Rick Smith

Uh huh, but you know that that's just where I'm at, that's where um just trying to make it happen. Keep it going. And uh, as everybody who a lot of people who know me knows, um, I don't know if I broadcast this, but come a couple of years from now, I want to be on a plane somewhere on my birthday, six and a half years from now, my birthday, taking a month long vacation somewhere on a beach yes, and when I come well, I don't know about a beach, I'm not a beach guy, but uh somewhere relaxing.

10:03

And when I come back I will no longer be the CEO of Renactus Technology. I'll either be a consultant or a guy to just collect a little bit of money from it, but uh, uh at some point I'm going to you know, x.

10:17 - Uncle Marv

I mean not no time soon, so you know so you might want to take a listen to uh, episode 613 of the it business podcast, where I had Rayanne on talking about exit strategies yeah, it'll be something I think about in the future.

10:34 - Rick Smith

But uh, I mean, no, excuse me, it is something I'm thinking about, but it was a day I'll really get serious about in the future. But uh, that's the goal, man, just to right now grow to that point where we want to be and then, uh, maintain that for a while and then go spend some time relaxing. Hopefully by then one of my kids will make me a grandpa and I can do some fun stuff all right, all right, and how am I doing down here in fort Lauderdale?

11:04 - Uncle Marv

well, I just may have missed out on a new client opportunity, because when the guy picked up the phone and looked at his caller id and as we were talking he goes yeah, this is a nine five four number. Where are you? When I said, well, fort Lauderdale, they're out of Jupiter, which is about an hour north of us, and basically what he said was well, I'm a little concerned because our current it guy lives about five miles from us, so when we have issues he's there real quick. And I said I understand that. So why don't we go ahead and still meet and let me see what that person is doing for you, to see if we can at least match the services and if we can't match them with being on site specifically me, I have people, I support companies all over the state. So I don't think distance is the issue, but we'll see we'll see how it goes.

12:06 - Paco Lebron

And also doesn't make sense as well, because, like you could always find in your network somebody over there if you needed to get there in the proper time, that he wanted as well.

12:15 - Uncle Marv

So yeah, I mean, here's the thing. I mean I already have two people in that area, oh, yeah, and if he would just simply have taken the time to.

12:23

You know, listen, but they don't have to make a decision for another month. So I sent him my datasheet, which is just a list of services, and told him that I would follow back up in a week or so and we'll see you know if they're still interested, which, to be honest, that's probably one little yellow flag for me, because I think once I tell him my rates we'll see how it goes. Rick, while you were chatting there, um, you're getting some of the elder advice Saying we should chat. I have set up my company to afford a new CEO with a complete package Ooh, salary, car perks. There you go. So see, hey.

13:15 - Rick Smith

Look at that, but I'm not. It's just it's, it's. That's what'll be clear. I'm nowhere near ready to get out yet because, as Paco says, I'm too much in the business, like you know me, you got to start, you got to start somewhere.

13:29 - Uncle Marv

Yeah, you're right so just start planning and again listen to episode 613 with Rayanne Buchianico. She, she gives you the blue plant, Okay.

13:39 - Paco Lebron

Rayanne is the real deal. Hold on Is that?

13:42 - Uncle Marv

yeah, that's what I was listening to earlier today. Really, and you didn't retain it.

13:48 - Rick Smith

No, I started it and kept getting interrupted, so I never got to finish All right Story of Rick's life. Yeah, basically All right, so I'm sorry, that was not right. I was doing 612. That's okay, you said 613. She she's on twice man.

14:07 - Uncle Marv

Oh, no, I was doing 612.

14:09 - Rick Smith

Sorry, 612 is a good place to start.

14:13 - Uncle Marv

Get your books in line, get your chart of accounts, understand P and L cash flow yeah. And then go to 613 and start planning now for your exit strategy. That's true, yeah.

14:28 - Rick Smith

And I could sit around and bought a pack all of how. About MSP unplugged?

14:31 - Uncle Marv

So, speaking of MSP unplugged, that is probably the single most reason why I asked you guys to come on today and I am going to spend this year reaching out to all the communities that are helping each other out. You know we are lifting each other up, we are helping each other out and all the ones that are doing a good job and will answer my call. I'm going to try to highlight them on the show. You guys, I try to get you on first but you guys are too busy but we go way back. But I wanted to have this opportunity because we'd never really talked about, at least outside of your Facebook group and the people that are in the know, what was the key reason to start MSP unplugged and what are the plans. So I'm going to let you guys kind of go with that. Rick, just be ready. I know Parker's going to start but be ready. I was going to say, rick, you can take it on.

15:33 - Paco Lebron

No, but you know I think so. It's interesting right?

15:35 - Uncle Marv

So what a lot of people don't know is that our event actually is a big part of our community right.

15:47 - Paco Lebron

So what a lot of people don't know is that our event actually came first before the rebranding of our community of MSP unplugged right. And so, just as Marvin obviously stated, so me and Marvin obviously came from a former network, podnutz network much loved the door to door geek running it over there. So we had a lot of people that were in the program to provide our stories, our perspectives and really just being able to give our kind of perspective and input of what our day to day lives would be. At the time I was a part-time business owner running a break fix shop while holding a full-time job as a database manager and through these stories and journeys from that all the way down to the MSP that I run, gain a lot of people who really wanted to continue to hear those stories. Then me and my former business partner, former co-host of the computer repair, computer repair podcast, jeff Halasch, we decided to throw an event and really it was more of something for us to just kind of give our own spin to it and then from that evolve to this community called MSP unplugged, really just driving that same messaging how do we help those fast emerging MSPs, the sub one million dollar MSPs, the solopreneurs, really just who are struggling or getting bad advice to say like you have to do these things specifically in order to succeed, which was full of baloney. And here's the reason why and here's what we can talk about from real stories. Since then, obviously, jeff has exited and so and got out of his business back in the end of 2021. So was able to take the reins of this community kind of expand out, reach out to different individuals, build a much stronger relationship with Uncle Marv, brought Rick Smith involved with MSP unplugged, who we happen to have met through a split off of our events in one of those in actually DC, and building that relationship for community as well.

17:55

But to go back to your question of not only why did we start it, but why do we continue to keep doing it and it's really much more of the same is really trying to find those that are in other communities and maybe feeling siloed or maybe feeling that they just don't have an opinion or an option or don't even know what questions to ask.

18:14

We've built a community where there is no stupid question and we're very, very not strict, but we're very hard on our community members to ensure that nobody treats anyone or makes them feel dumb or makes them feel stupid to ask any of these said questions. We have a zero tolerance in that in our community, where if we find someone's giving someone a hard time, it's a no go for us because we feel like if they had the courage to ask that question and they're shut down right away, it's going to stifle their growth and really just they're going to feel like they don't belong, and that's something that I think we see too much going on in a lot of the space that we're at right now in the channel. Thus the main reason why we have our community and try to collaborate with similar like-minded community members as well.

19:03 - Uncle Marv

So let me just add one caveat to that, because you won't do it, but I will. Part of this started with a conference we were at in Chicago, where a lot of larger.

19:16 - Paco Lebron

That's where the event started.

19:17 - Uncle Marv

True, but it carried through because having larger organizations on a stage claiming that we and I'm going to say we, as in solopreneurs, emerging MSPs, trunk slammers we're killing the industry. And I was one of those people that was like, okay, you just said how much you make as a company, I'm making half of that by myself, and you got eight people and I'm just one. How am I killing the industry? So it was a lot of that. It was a lot of so-called premier organizations that were just dogging us and listen, there is enough business to go around. There are businesses that need services that, if they're not willing to provide it or they're not capable of providing it, we can and we will. So that's one thing I just want to do. I want to keep driving that point home only because I think people forget.

20:25 - Paco Lebron

Yeah, I think a lot of people forget, kind of like back in 2017 or actually 2015,. It was a much different time almost 10 years ago than it was now, right, I think. Back then, you know, if you mentioned, hey, I'm an MSP or I'm an IT service business, oh well, how many people do you have? Oh, it's just me you were kind of looked at in a weird way and weren't given a lot of opportunities for that. Thus, you know, starting the conversations, you know your campaign for man in the Van, really trying to drive home that you know there are opportunities available to those that want to do it right and oftentimes can probably do it better than some of those that are $2 million MSPs who happen to just stumble to get to where they go. And I think that reasoning on that stage that you mentioned was just a cop out for their incapacity of being able to grow the right way, because they probably just didn't have those proper procedures to show the value that they had and they were aiming for clients that just weren't for them.

21:28

I mean, I think I said this on stage last week and Rick was in the audience for this where I basically said I think we're in the time for the fast emerging MSP, the sub million dollar MSPs, the solopreneurs, the small businesses that are really trying to thrive. I think I’ve even heard Matt Lee over at Cyber. Matt Lee and PAX 8 say that if he were to start an MSP today, he would have a significantly less headcount, overhead, et cetera, with all the technologies and items that are available to be able to compete with some of those that are going to find it a lot slower to turn as well. So I think we're in a. It's a much different conversation now because of the inputs and the abilities of people like some of those that have fought to explain and help those vendors and other community members understand that we are not the fly by night, we're not the pizza techs, things of that nature to continue that front. But I think you just put up something there that, Keith-.

22:26 - Uncle Marv

Yeah, I did, and I was just going to let people know that if you are watching the video, it's up there. If you're listening, I would encourage you to go to the video, because I don't want to stay on this point too long. I just wanted to get that in there and I want to kind of pivot now to Rick, who you kind of came along. Let's see, the DC was the second or third year, I think it was second year. So you came in after all of that initial rush and kind of saw the group and subsequently joined Paco. So tell us about your beginnings with us.

23:07 - Rick Smith

Well, I grew up in the group. You know, I could not make when you guys did the first, I had been listening for a little bit. When you guys did the I guess the first show was Toronto, the first gathering in Toronto. I could not make that.

23:22

I had a conflict and I was so disappointed I didn't make it and I remember being jealous, when I finally met you guys, that y'all had all these conversations about stuff that had gone on and I had no clue what you were talking about. And I just remember that conversation about I won't say where it was, but I know the what you first started with Marv and you guys were all talking about that, the man in the van, the pizza tech. But you know everyone who's ever heard me talk about why I'm here and why I'm doing this, and you always hear me give credit to you guys for when I used to watch the original show, when I used to watch you guys and listen to your show, Marv is that you know you guys gave me. Basically it was the first community I found that really helped me realize that I wasn't in and alone, right Like that. What I'm doing made sense and I will admit this now, the first time I ever heard the term MSP was on the show on the computer repair podcast. So, and then I finally got to understand what that was. Oh, that's sort of what I'm doing now, but you know, so me I grew up, I learned, my business grew through the community, through knowing you guys, talking to you, getting advice, listening, and then, you know, when we got to, when I got to DC, I didn't know a soul.

24:50

I met Paco, you know. I met you Marv, you know I met everybody there and I was like, wow, I remember saying this that, Marv, you probably don't remember this, but I met you in the room and I was like, hey, Marv, you know I said, hey, I'm a fan, because I was. You know, I just said I was a fan and I was like, wow, what's that really appropriate? I was. You know what I mean. It was like, you know, I had met you guys and I'd really appreciated all the knowledge that you guys were sharing. You know what I mean. It was like, wow, they're not charging for this, it's free knowledge. They're telling about the experiences, telling about, you know, how things work and how we can grow. So I always appreciated that.

25:25

So, when you know, Paco and I met, we became fast friends and you know, I stayed, we stayed in contact and when, you know, the opportunity came and he came to me about, you know, partnering with him, I jumped at it and it was like, you know, it was a no-brainer for me and it's just been one of those things where I really appreciated. I appreciate the opportunity. Now, you know, and I remember telling Paco dude I'm not big, I don't know, you know, I don't know if I have what people need. He's like you need to share your story because there are people just like you. You know which is what happened and so for me it's been great to have gotten everything from you guys and now being in a position to give back, and I hope that people are, you know, learning and getting something from the experiences I have and the conversations we all have together.

26:15 - Uncle Marv

All right, a great start to a great group, and I will always call you my sister group. We have separate podcasts, but we're basically from the same loincloth, if you will.

26:36 - Rick Smith

And all of that. It's just like go ahead.

26:40

No, I was just going to say, and it's just like in the business, there's enough. It's not a con, you know, we're not. We don't consider ourselves in competition, you know, we're just, you know, doing some things and you know, in addition to each other and I love that, the fact that we can look at it that way and it's like you know, it's nothing else. And it's just like how you talked about the ID MSP business. There's plenty of business to go around. I make this comment all the time. There's 30 MSPs within a 10 mile radius where I'm at New Jersey and there's still a lot more companies out there for us to do business with. And it's the same thing with, you know, talking to the audiences and sharing our experiences. There's no competition. It's just really, you know, just having the right mindset to get things done correctly, right To help the people.

27:26 - Uncle Marv

So let's do just a quick shift and I will allow Parker to do what he loves to do best, and that is to pimp the events that you mentioned earlier that kind of was the starter for all of this.

27:41 - Paco Lebron

Yeah, so you know it's my favorite thing, rick's favorite thing as well, and that's a tech con unplugged over in greater Washington DC area this year. But yeah, tech con unplugged came about because, again, as Marvin mentioned, you know it was really started as a different style of event and what we really were trying to achieve at the time was how do we truly meld vendor resources, educational resources, like minded business owners and really just diving into a way where an MSP can walk into an event and really feel like they belong and not feel like it's an event. But you know, Taz Michael Cooley says it best where you know he came to the event and is like you know, it's one of those annual reunions that you come together with your friends, but really it's an event that you really are going to try and drive something back home. And so, as you know, you know our event came off of a splinter of several events. You know, instant House call had their original UnConvention, which was Toronto and DC, and from that event then we kind of splintered off into our own to really just drive a message of there is true collaboration, we are truly bringing IT community together.

29:16

You know, Amy Lubey, who's a veteran in the space told me. You know, I've seen a lot of events in my day, but this is one of the first events that is a true community event, and I asked her to kind of explain that because I didn't really understand what she meant at the time. And what she said was when you walk into a room and, as you can see on the video that's playing on the on the screen for the website is, you can't tell who's an MSP and who's a vendor. You can't tell who's a speaker and who is someone that is maybe a technician or a business owner. There Everyone is all trying to get the same information, the comradery, and it's been a real great opportunity to build that rapport and relationships which we've been very proud to have throughout those years and really just giving a voice on both ends.

30:06

It's a, it's truly a business on both sides whether you're a vendor, whether you're an MSP, whether you're a speaker, respecting everyone's time, respecting everyone's ROI and really making sure it's the they can get the most out of it, of what's important to them, specifically when they come to the show. So one of my favorite things that I did that I did with Jeff and now have the opportunity to collaborate with Rick and everyone in the community as well. You know we established that content committee, media members, that really people in our space, to make sure that we have the finger on the pulse so that it's not just two talking heads assuming what the industry wants, really hearing from what our community wants to drive a lot of that impact. So, but yeah, that's, that's tech con for me in a nutshell. I don't know if Rick wants to add anything onto it, but that's where it came from and that's what I'm proud to have and hopefully to keep moving forward for many years to come.

31:04 - Rick Smith

Yeah, I mean, it's not much I can add to that. I mean that's the way it is. It's just really that I think what I look forward to the most about it is this really getting together, seeing all the people again. Right, you make good friends, you communicate throughout the year. You don't necessarily see each other, but you do share information or share ideas or talk, but at least that time of the year we all get together and it's really I say sometimes in the introduction to the show it's our annual family gathering, right, because we're like it's like a family just getting together and each year new people come out and it's funny, it's ironic.

31:46

I spoke to an MSP today who reached out to me about the show and he's like, wow, I didn't realize three years, you guys, three years, I could have done this. And a friend of mine goes every year and he didn't say nothing to me about it until this year and invited me. But we loved that, I mean. And then they become I don't see many people who come, who don't come back.

32:12

You know, everything is not for everyone, but I think it's great and it's amazing when you can go someplace. Right, we're not huge, but you can basically go and you know everybody there, or you've seen them before, you know their name or you know something about them, and I just think that's great and I love the fact that people come back. And I don't think it's just because Rick and Paco are doing it, or Paco's doing it or Uncle Marv's hosting. I just think that everyone who comes enjoys being there, you know, and enjoys everyone else who's there. So, you know, I think that's just important and it's why I love it and why I stay a part of it.

32:56 - Uncle Marv

I think I want to say two things about TechCon. One, there was a conference that I participated in in high school college in the years after with junior achievement. I attended junior achievement as a high schooler. I had two company programs and was fortunate enough to head to the national conference, compete for some prizes and be a part of a group collective there for a week. This conference happened every year in August for like 50 years and it was one of the things where if you were a part of junior achievement, you wanted to get to that conference. Now as a student, it's one thing if you want to compete to win prizes, but once you graduate you go back as a staff member. Now there's not a lot of staff spots available. So if you get to be a staff person and you get to facilitate the kids for a week to be a part of the conference, there's 3,000 people at that conference and 10 years I was a staff member there and that was one of those conferences where, even if you didn't talk to people for the entire year, that week you were best friends and it didn't matter if you were what we called a pink, which was a group counselor, or you worked in the AV department or you worked in the events department or contest. At the end of the day, staff was together talking about the experiences, helping each other out, and so that conference my last attended meeting was 1990, I think 95 or 96 was my last year going there. So we had a reunion about two years ago and like 60 people showed up. We're doing it again this year and there is tons of excitement. I know that you guys don't have a clue what I'm talking about in terms of that conference, but the excitement level of people to get back to there after 30 years is kind of what I see with TechCon, with people wanting to go back year after year. That's the type of atmosphere.

35:23

The second point I want to make is I've talked to two people in the last week. We've ended up talking about vendor fatigue and some of these conferences and are they too big or are they not hitting the right spot? And people feel like I'm paying a lot of money to go and not really getting much out of it. You can't say that about TechCon. You're going to get your money's worth out of it. You're going to get a plus meal and be taken care of the second part of it, like you mentioned Paco, looking at the videos, you can't tell who's who, and that's because this conference, more than any other that I can think of and I don't care who's the sponsors, I don't care who the big vendors are, the ones I use, the ones I don't this conference, more than any other, shows a true partnership between the techs, the business owners and the vendors.

36:19

We are there to help each other out and stand side by side and if we have problems, we go to those vendors and they sit and chat with us like we're peers and not like we're a price tag of how many endpoints do you have so I can see if I can work with you. That doesn't happen at TechCon.

36:38 - Paco Lebron

Yeah, I mean, I think you hit it. The best way to say is that this event is truly a labor of love and it's really a culmination of everyone helping. You have been gracious enough to MCR event. Now, going on our third year, I believe, we have this amazing content committee who are giving their time to help provide their perspective, because each one of them represents a specific sized business. There are industry influencers that are really taking the time and sharing their input, sharing their expertise People like Rob Ray, people like Juan Fernandez, and then down to the vendor friends, the people over at Threat Locker have sponsored every year, without fail, no question, and just have been amazing partners to the organization for MSP, unplugged, and so, whether it's the MSPs, the community speakers, everyone all around really make this event their own, and I think even you and I had this conversation where you're like well, I'm not associated with the event, that's Paco and Rick, that's not me, but in reality I think that it's all of our events right, and that's kind of what I shared with you was as much as you pour in, you don't just MC, you do help keep the time going, you keep track If maybe something's going on, you have the aptitude to say hey, something's not right and you kind of chase after it, and I think everyone always does that, whether they're at a 10D or a sponsor.

38:15

We always get that outpour of hey can I help out, hey, can I, whatever. It's just something that is a true culmination of the community all just helping one another, not only for the event but actually the event itself.

38:33 - Rick Smith

Yeah, I wanted to highlight, to kind of follow up on that. We talk about vendors, yes, even attendees, and there's also that those speakers who come and I have to say this because it's important they come on their own dime. People come and they come, they speak, they give their time, they share their expertise and they do that out of love right, they do that out of love and wanting to give back to the community as well, and that's something that we should all appreciate. I don't know if people realize that, but it means a lot when someone can come. Last year we had a bunch of people dropping Tahir Hamid from MSP camp Marty, who was Marty Stockman. Marty Stockman, I'm sorry, Alex Farley, Alex Farley, you know there was a list of people and I'm sorry if anyone's listening and I didn't give you. It's just that right now I just can't think of it. But those things matter and it tells you as well what they think and how they feel about the community and the people, because, again, they're doing this on their own dime and they come in, they share their time, their expertise and they, for the most part, they hang out with us, have a good time.

39:58

And this is where you don't know this goes back to that same point we're talking about, about not knowing who's who and what they do or what they sell, because some of them have nothing to give you but knowledge and others, of course, are there with their products, but you don't get that sense of pressure, or you know just that typical conference stuff.

40:22

And then you know, paco and I just came from one where every five minutes somebody's grabbing you just getting your badge, and you know, and you just don't necessarily, you know, get that. I mean, again, I don't want to say we do always want to give love to the vendors and if they have a product that you can use, you definitely should be talking to them and paying attention. But I just, you know, I didn't realize until I got involved in this what you know all of that entailed and it wasn't just you know at that time, paco, john and Jeff, it wasn't just them doing, it was a community of people helping out, doing things and all the people who came to volunteer. So I just think that that's a very big distinction we want to make about what we do there or what's done there is. It really is a community effort.

41:13 - Uncle Marv

Yep, I'm going to throw a curveball at you, paco. Okay, of all the conferences that we've done through all these iterations, what has been in your mind, the most memorable moment from?

41:29 - Paco Lebron

these yeah, that we can talk about on air.

41:36 - Uncle Marv

Listen, there's no rating on this show. Talk about it.

41:41 - Paco Lebron

I think the most memorable. So there's two that come to mind. I think one was the fact of it was five of us getting together driving up to Canada to get to Toronto and you had John Dubinsky driving his dream Wrangler Marvin in the front seat. It was me, jeff and Martin Obando. Martin, if you ever are listening to this, shout out to you. I know we haven't talked in a while, but all of us told like the basically two giant guys, and Jeff switched in the middle and listening to flow writer as we were riding up to the Canada border in almost 13 hours of traffic. It was a that was probably one of the standout of all of us hanging out on that car trip and that car ride.

42:30

The other memorable thing for me I think it was probably the first tech con in Grand Rapids and being able to walk into a room and seeing all of our peers get together for a show that we just did as an inaugural events. We didn't know how this thing was going to turn out. We had a great showing and I remember walking into the vendor hall before everybody kind of came in, but it was all set up to think, man, this is really happening. This is a thing that hopefully will grow a life of its own, which it did during some crazy roller coasters of like COVID and people exiting and joining new people switching cities. It's definitely been one of those that probably make the most of a memorable. Those two would probably be the equal to myself as far as that car ride over to the young convention and the first tech con. You're right.

43:32 - Uncle Marv

We probably can't say everything that happened during that car ride, but it was interesting. Now, Rick, you've been able to be on both sides, both an attendee and an organizer, but I'm going to ask you the same question what has been your most memorable moment that you can think of all the years?

43:55 - Rick Smith

I think let's see. Well, the first one I'm going to say it was meeting you guys and that was in DC. Right when we went to DC, it was meeting you guys and I was amazed. It was some things that amazed me. Paco, you'll remember this. I thought you and Chris the ball were fast friends like that. You guys knew each other forever. They just met.

44:20 - Paco Lebron

You know, they met like five minutes ago, Chris, if you're listening to this man, I still don't understand how you did what you did in DC that night. Okay, that's what it was that you can't talk about anyway. No, I know.

44:32 - Rick Smith

But that was. I mean, I think that was just meeting you guys for the first time, putting actually, you know, actually you can see your face over the video, but actually meeting, shaking hands, talking to you guys, that was probably the most memorable moment of the year and I can remember. It's funny how I remember each one of you, how I met you, because Paco and I met in the bar, at the bar, you know, and we from there we became fast friends, you know. And, Marv, as I told you, I remember meeting you when you were going into it was one of the rooms we had at the. What was that? The, not the loft. We works right. That was WeWork. When we were in the bar. We were in the bar. We were in the bar. We were in the bar. We were in the bar. Um, we works right. That was WeWork. When we were in DC. I don't know if it was.

45:20 - Uncle Marv

It wasn't called we work.

45:21 - Paco Lebron

It was a different uh, it was a coworking space, but it was called the, the, the, the illuminati, the Manhattan, something like that, but basically it's closed. Now the man it was like a mobster type situation, like some mystery whatever, but it's closed now. But when I talked to Matt, but yeah, it was a coworking space.

45:42 - Rick Smith

Yeah, and I just it's funny because I remember meeting so many people that I remember I met Ron Cervantes, Ron Cervantes, I'm sorry, I don't know why I'm Ron, I'm sorry about that, and it's just funny because he and I sat next to each other and this is his first event, it was my first event. So I remember those things. I remember meeting all these people and you know like it is fun. Now every year I see these, you know these same folks. We come back together and we talk, do you know? And we meet up and we talk.

46:10

And I think the Probably the next standout for me was the first Tech con. I think about that. I did and I was that I was a part of as an organizer was in Chicago, which was actually the second tech con, the second tech con in Chicago. And just then, on that side, realizing all the work that goes into this, because it's so easy and I say this all time it's so easy when you're on the outside looking in, to say, are they should have just done this, they should have just done this, why didn't they do this or they could have done that? And then when you're a part of it, it is just like wow, and that's why I say I'll never criticize organizers again for anything, because it is a lot of work. But I think for me at that event you know my, my kids were involved in it, which was special for me. You know all three of them did something to help us out. But I guess the for me which stands out the most is being able at first night when we first got through it.

47:17

To go to that that.

47:20 - Paco Lebron

Senate in a huh oh yeah, oh, okay, no.

47:23 - Rick Smith

I'm just thinking about just being able to be like wow, for day one is over, and actually to have a drink and have another. Wow, so much work. But you know it's all just been, it's just been fun and you know we had a good time last year. I'm sure we're going to have even better time this year coming, but there are plenty of memories.

47:46 - Paco Lebron

Yeah, I thought you were going to talk about the Saturday evening, Right before we were going to the oh.

47:52 - Rick Smith

I don't know if we should talk about that. Good times that was one where we had a lot of it. We didn't we have the shot once we realized everything was.

48:05 - Paco Lebron

Oh yeah, I'll share it because everyone's probably like, oh, you can't just say that event. So what ended up happening was there was a bit of a snafu with our planning of our Saturday night social, and so it turns out that the contract for the evening was not signed. So as everyone was walking over to the venue, which it was across the street, we didn't know if we actually had the venue reserved. So, luckily enough, I had a relationship with that Organizer from the year prior, knew we were good for it and reserved it for us at the time. So. But it was to a point where me and Rick literally had walked and did uh, I thought you did it no. I thought you did it and wait, I thought this one did it no, and so it was a mad frantic Stretch for 15 minutes to try and figure it out, and it all worked out in the end. But it was one of those where that's why we need an event planner and that's why we have it.

49:02 - Rick Smith

So that was that that much was the scariest thing ever and it was like what a six words.

49:11

Okay, I guess we're going to be coming out of the pocket with credit cards Just to pay for this because we got, we told everyone, we told everyone to meet us over there and In, for that was just funny and it was the three, was three of us. It was Paco, myself and my daughter Taylor who was helping out and Each one of us thought the other one had signed that contract and it was just hilarious how that happened. It we oh boy, you talk about dropping bricks before. I was nervous.

49:38 - Uncle Marv

You guys don't remember this or didn't know it, but I was walking behind you thinking I'm going to have to pull out a car and help these brothers. I'm like I'm going to have to call the wife and say honey.

49:55 - Paco Lebron

Don't mind the charge.

49:57 - Uncle Marv

Yeah, those were good times, good times. So, folks, if you haven't figured it out yet, tech con unplugged is a place to be if you want to have a true community. Now, I'm not going to say that it's the only community. Listen, go into some of these other events. You're going to have fun. Some of these, listen, some of these events are just a big old party. We party, but we learn and we hang out and we have fun and we are friends for life.

50:33 - Paco Lebron

Absolutely.

50:36 - Uncle Marv

All right. So I had some other questions to ask, but we're going to. We're going to run over. I want to be respectful of your time and I want to give you guys a chance To get ready for a Florida man or a random question. Paco, I know, is used to this, rick, you may not have even remembered that this is what I do on my show, so I'm going to ask you Will you be sharing a Florida man challenge story or will you be answering a random question?

51:07 - Rick Smith

Do a question.

51:11 - Uncle Marv

And Paco I.

51:13 - Paco Lebron

Was unable to find something that I felt could compete with Florida man. So I'm going to have to go with a random question as well, because I search high and low to see if anything crazy around here, what's happening, and nothing that is not noteworthy or regular to the Chicago land area.

51:30 - Uncle Marv

You know, tonight would have been a good time to do that because the stories today not so great. So let me at least share the Florida man story. You would have been going up against Florida man accused of shooting roommate ten times during an argument about cats.

51:53

Yes, Glenn white was arrested in charge with an aggravated battery with a deadly weapon After he allegedly shot his roommate ten times during an argument over cats. Lynn white is 59 and Deputies responded to the home in reference to a shooting and found a woman inside with multiple gunshot wounds on her body. The woman told deputies at the time that white was the person who shot her. According to the affidavit, he was detained and deputies learned that the shooting stemmed from an argument the two were having in the days leading up to the event.

52:40

White was recently evicted from his home and the woman allowed him to stay at her house. White moved in with his three cats and brought a cat home every day after that, for a total of six cats. The woman said she wanted the cats to live outside instead of inside and she got tired of having all the cats, and White allowed her to go inside his room to look for the cats, and that's when he made his way into the area, stood in front of the door frame and began to shoot her. Oh my God, Florida man.

53:21 - Paco Lebron

What in the have a dasher and Hebrew gold.

53:27 - Uncle Marv

So I'm trying to figure out how she got shot 10 times in a still life.

53:33 - Rick Smith

Yeah, I was in a small room. She was told by the cops that he shot her Right 10 times.

53:42 - Uncle Marv

Yep. So it doesn't say what type of gun it was, but oh no, here it is. They found 40 millimeter casings in the room, plus a black and silver Smith and Wesson SD 40 firearm on top of the dresser.

53:57 - Paco Lebron

Also, he was using a cannon.

54:01 - Uncle Marv

So that is the story. You would have gone up tonight. Gents had a chance, had a chance. No, couldn't be that.

54:10 - Paco Lebron

No, sir, revive.

54:12 - Uncle Marv

So let's head over to the random question and see what we got. So pressing start to begin and who wants to go first.

54:24 - Paco Lebron

Oh, I think Mr. Smith has been. Okay it's right in writing. Shotgun for a while. Let's go ahead and have put in the hot.

54:30 - Uncle Marv

Alright, here's your question. This is an easy question. What is something that you would never, ever wear?

54:40 - Rick Smith

A dress. Can I get away with that? Yeah, you can get away with that.

54:50 - Uncle Marv

Oh Pago, I don't know if you're going to like this one. How healthy is your diet?

54:57 - Paco Lebron

So funny enough that you say that, as of Monday, I've actually stopped me. So this is the thing I've been traveling about the last three weeks. Okay, so I've been to Mexico for my future sister-in-law's wedding. I was in Orlando for exchange, meaning with the likes of Corey Kirkland, Wayne Hunter, all those guys over there. And then I was in Vegas last week with plenty of our good buddies Juan Fernandez, Nancy Henriguez, all the China partners crew, the Super Ops crew. I was with Rick, our videographer, who is a very close friend of mine, and we were throwing them back. So, as of Monday, I have stopped eating no sugar, no alcohol, and I began my no meat diet again. That I did in January to try and get myself back into the right shop. So that's where I’m right now.

55:49 - Uncle Marv

All right, okay, let's see. So when's the next conference you're going to?

55:57 - Paco Lebron

Nashville, which will be the MSP Initiatives Community.

56:00 - Uncle Marv

Minds Initiative next month April.

56:04 - Paco Lebron

April 17th and 18th, I believe.

56:07 - Uncle Marv

All right, I thought about going to that one, but I'll be doing one the week before, so I don't do conferences back to back anymore.

56:15 - Paco Lebron

That'll be the next event. That will be next month and it's for free event, so should be good time for those that haven't checked it out yet.

56:22 - Uncle Marv

All right, and in response to my story, mike seems to throw a comment in there. 50 Cent only took nine shots. Oh, my God All right Pakal Lebron, Rick Smith from MSP Unplugged, one of the premier communities for solo and nimble MSPs. You happy I said that, Rick.

56:48 - Rick Smith

Yes.

56:49 - Uncle Marv

Yes, nimble Boutique.

56:56 - Rick Smith

I like that one. It's a word of week right. A title week and new yeah.

57:01 - Uncle Marv

We'll figure it out New titles for all of us years to go. Speaking of, I got to talk to you guys afterwards about something I'm doing later this year, so see if we can get you guys involved with that. But that's going to do it for this week's show. Everyone, thank you for hanging out. We had a healthy viewing audience tonight, probably a huge result of the MSP Unplugged community hopping on. Thank you guys for watching sharing a little bit of history about how MSP Unplugged got its origins Flo Rida.

57:39 - Paco Lebron

Flo Rida.

57:42 - Uncle Marv

Oh my God. I think I can say that that was probably the best experience Jeff Halasch could have ever had.

57:58 - Paco Lebron

Oh man, yeah, that was definitely one of those trips that you just cannot. You can't replicate that you cannot, you cannot.

58:09 - Rick Smith

And the funny thing I'm still trying to think about All of you guys were in different places and you ended up one place to drive 13 hours together.

58:18 - Uncle Marv

Yes, so I forget who initiated it, but it was somehow decided that we should all meet in Michigan and I believe it started with the three amigos I think it was, you know, Paco, jeff and John, because you guys were all pretty close in area and Obando was, you know, in Washington.

58:46 - Rick Smith

I think Way out west. Oregon, yes, Oregon, Oregon, yeah, I was going to say Oklahoma, but Oregon, no, he's out there, way out there Oregon.

58:53 - Uncle Marv

And you know, I'm down here in Florida and I don't know how it came to be that we all got to talking where I was just going to fly straight into Toronto and I don't know if it was Dubinsky or somebody that said no me, come on, we'll all ride up together and we, yeah, we all decided to fly into Grand Rapids.

59:15 - Paco Lebron

No, we met at Jeff's.

59:17 - Uncle Marv

Oh yeah, on the other side, yeah, yeah.

59:20 - Paco Lebron

So maybe you flew into Grand Rapids and you probably came with Jeff or with John driving over. I don't remember, or you were in Detroit. So because the idea was Jeff was in Detroit, so it was only X amount of hours to Canada, to Toronto, driving up. So I drove to Jeff's house, john drove to Jeff's house. I think he picked up either Obando or you or both from the airport.

59:42 - Uncle Marv

No, I flew into Detroit because I had one of my JA friends meet me and drive you up.

59:47 - Paco Lebron

I remember this now we went and picked him up. I think we had some dinner or something like that around the area. Obando came in and flew into Detroit. We grabbed him and then we drove up to Toronto.

59:58 - Uncle Marv

Yep, and yeah, it was only X number of hours which basically tripled because we got stuck in traffic. So that was fun and we the rule was the co-pilot commanded the radio, yeah, and you guys regretted that decision the entire trip.

01:00:25 - Paco Lebron

Obando was asleep on the side, jeff was just miserable in the middle. It was a great time.

01:00:32 - Uncle Marv

Good times, all right. So remember TechCon on plug, September 12th of the 14th. Tickets are available. So if you are so inclined after tonight that you want to go and be a part of that, go get your ticket and sign up. It will be a great event. What's the name of that hotel we're at this year?

01:00:53 - Paco Lebron

The Hotel at Arendelle Preserve, and there will be plenty more updates coming up here. By the end of next week we should hopefully have our full set agenda, what we are going to be announcing of Maybe you might want to come in early on Thursday there might be a super situation going on that day and what our Saturday night social will be about, and so plenty more. It's going to be an exciting time Again our fifth annual event, and we're going to try and pull all the stops.

01:01:27 - Uncle Marv

And if you register now, you still get on the website and early bird discount of $50 off the ticket price. So get your ticket, Get caught up, get managed Yep, all right. That's going to do it, folks, for this week. Thank you for hanging out and checking out the IT business podcast. Thank you to Paco and Rick for hanging out and sharing thoughts about community. And let's see you know what.

01:01:53

I don't know if I'm here or not next week. I don't have a guest planned. I believe that was going to be my week off. I will let you guys know. But check out the IT business podcast on all the pod catchers. I do have audio shows that are coming out. We just had the two from Ray and I have at least one more coming out tomorrow and we'll have those shows. So check out any of the socials YouTube, LinkedIn, the Facebook, itbusinesspodcast.com and, of course, my buddies Paco and Rick have their podcast MSP unplugged. Check them out. Tech Tuesday and resource Thursday. Did I get that right? Yep, all right. So good shows and good help for the community. That's going to do it, folks. We will see you next time. Same back place, same black channel. I don't know, did I say black? Oh my gosh, you sure did.

01:02:52 - Paco Lebron

This is Taco signing out Peace.