Brian Sherman Posts

The stock market and consumer confidence indexes continue to show signs of anxiety, with some economists suggesting it may take a couple more years before we get back on track. While that prediction may be too pessimistic, conservative spending habits will likely continue to be the norm for most businesses. Despite the doom and gloom, one key business sector is on the rise; SMB. That segment is also a major consumer of VAR solutions and services, so this should be welcome news for the IT channel ...

It seems like we’ve reached a critical point in the advancement of cloud technology, with significant announcements this week from a major distributor and the company that made ‘i’ a fashionable prefix. Perhaps more significant than the players in the news is that two device-centric organizations are making major investments in the virtual world. Perhaps hell hasn’t frozen over, but it may be defrosting a bit on the edges. With the wealth of cloud offerings for business consumers to choose from, ...

It seems like we’ve reached a critical point in the advancement of cloud technology, with significant announcements this week from a major distributor and the company that made ‘i’ a fashionable prefix. Perhaps more significant than the players in the news is that two device-centric organizations are making major investments in the virtual world. Perhaps hell hasn’t frozen over, but it may be defrosting a bit on the edges. With the wealth of cloud offerings for business consumers to choose from, ...

Despite the news highlighting how much debt the federal, state and local governments have racked up, the outlook for solution providers that support this sector is still promising. While the politicians debate budget priorities, a great opportunity exists for savvy channel partners who can address a myriad of issues facing municipalities, regional agencies and other public sector groups. The technology needs for government organizations don’t differ much from business customers, although the pro ...

Remember the famous Henry Ford quote on his Model T car, “You can have it in any color, as long as it’s black?” The early days of mass production were all about making a lot of things, but none of them were complicated. Options were minimal and design wasn’t a major focus for most manufacturers, but as consumers started to demand variety, companies started to offer a larger selection of products.That’s the same transition that technology is taking today, and solution providers get to be the guid ...

While today’s the day many people are especially careful to avoid black cats, walking under ladders or spilling salt, for the rest of us, it’s just another Friday. Okay, I admit to being a little superstitious, but I am also a firm believer that we make our own luck in life and our careers. When someone works hard and focuses on accomplishing a goal, their fortunes tend to be positive. Whether that is luck or old fashioned effort is your call. The news this week concerns the fortune of the IT ...

While today’s the day many people are especially careful to avoid black cats, walking under ladders or spilling salt, for the rest of us, it’s just another Friday. Okay, I admit to being a little superstitious, but I am also a firm believer that we make our own luck in life and our careers. When someone works hard and focuses on accomplishing a goal, their fortunes tend to be positive. Whether that is luck or old fashioned effort is your call. The news this week concerns the fortune of the IT wo ...

I often wonder if the old spring phrase should be amended to “April tradeshows bring May flowers.” That one word substitution makes the adage quite true, as this month typically signals the kickoff to the IT channel events season. After attending an industry conference, solution providers typically come home charged and ready to make changes in their business, from new technology and service offerings to training and business development programs.Going back to the old phrase, attendance at April ...

In his keynote at CompTIA AMM, Daniel Burrus, futurist and CEO of Burrus Research, engaged the audience with seven radical principals to accelerate growth and transform your business. Rather than continue doing the things that bog us down, taking a fresh approach to overcome issues is one of his suggestions. For example, Burrus proposes that if you have a problem, just skip it. Chances are what you consider to be the problem is often not the real concern, so shifting your focus elsewhere could l ...

The term “Hall of Fame” is used across all facets of our lives, including business, sports and communities, but its significance is rarely acknowledged properly. In many cases, the designation is given to a set number of individuals each year, even during periods when few actually deserve it. Over time, this diminishes the value of the hall of fame, and those who truly are worthy of the honor.While this dilemma plays out in other industries, CompTIA is looking to continue and build on the legacy ...