5W50 Webcast on Leveraging Your Peers Coming to a Computer Near You

On December 2 at 9 AM Pacific, noon Eastern, you will have an opportunity to view a very action packed webcast as part of the Microsoft 5W50 series. The topic will be growing your company and how to leverage peers as part of the growth process. You will hear from HTG members Amy Kardell, Jamison West, and Dave Sobel as they join me to talk about some of the exciting things that have happened in their companies as they have leveraged their peers in HTG.

Growth is a lot of work, but it can go faster and more smoothly when you learn from those who have done it before. Peers can help you overcome the blockers that cause you to beat your head against the wall. They can prevent mistakes you would likely make if you do it alone. There is much to be gained from running and growing your company in the companionship of a group of people like yourself, and peer groups provide that opportunity. Join me as we tackle that topic.

To register for the event next Wednesday Dec 2, go here. I hope you will take an hour and learn with us about the power of peers!

One More SWOT in the Books

We just finished another SWOT for Evolve Technologies in the Washington DC area. A fantastic team of Cohen Barnes, Robert Lindley and Jeff Adzima joined me at Dave Sobel's business for two days of intense analysis and discovery. As is always the case, there were a lot of expected findings and a few curveballs no one could predict. That is what makes these engagements fun. You never know what will happen until you get in the middle of the discovery process.

We worked the two days meeting with ownership, management and the entire staff. We probed for areas that could be improved and recommended changes and action plans to drive growth and success. We had long days and stressful moments, but we also had time to enjoy each other and learn together. The good part of serving on the team is that you always come home with a few things that can be applied to your own business, and you didn't have to spend your time under the microscope.

Dave now begins the difficult part of the process - execution. Things will be happening as early as next week as he takes our recommendations and puts them into motion. There were some changes we announced as part of our final presentation. There are a lot more that will happen in the coming weeks and months. But the exciting part is that change will come to Evolve and the company will grow and flourish as the recommendations are put into place. That is what makes these events so fulfilling. We are able to help others see things that they struggle to see because of being so involved with the day to day chaos, and provide clarity in how to move toward the future. Few things are as satisfying for me.

If you need a SWOT, let me know. If you want to be on a future SWOT team, let me know that too. HTG is in the business of helping companies experience Business and Personal Growth Driven by Execution. We are always looking for good members. www.htgpeergroups.com if you want to apply!

HTG at WPC

We are almost ready to head to New Orleans for what may be the biggest event of the year outside our quarterly HTG meetings. There is a lot going on down there, and here is a list of things you probably want to take advantage of:

HTG Green Shirt Day
Wednesday is the day which has been set aside for HTG members to wear your green HTG shirts. It is important to bring that shirt along and proudly wear it that day. See photo for clarification on shirt!

HTG Buttons
Scott and I will have buttons available for you to wear at WPC to let people know you are part of HTG. Find us and put a button on!

HTG meeting place
SBSC is again hosting the Yellow Lounge, which is a good place to meet up with other SMB partners and particularly HTG members. Plan to meet up there around 11:30 each day to see what other HTG'ers are free for lunch.

Morning prayer and devotions
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday mornings we will have a devotional and prayer time at 6:30 AM at the Residence Inn Convention Center in the courtyard there. Join us and bring along anyone that has interest.

Partners in Christ Prayer Breakfast
Wednesday morning at 7 AM we will hold the annual prayer breakfast at the Marriott Convention Center. Pre-registration is requested – link to register is http://survey.constantcontact.com/survey/a07e2is6m4qfuzirfgr/a011kfwjnyit6/questions

HTG Meet-Up and dinner
Sunday evening at 6:30 PM – sponsored by ConnectWise and Microsoft
The Court of the Two Sistershttp://www.courtoftwosisters.com/ 613 Royal St. New Orleans, LA 70130. This is for HTG member companies only and you need to RSVP to me via email to have a spot.

HTG Speakers at WPC
SMB007 Power of Community
Presenters: Mark Crall, Dave Sobel, Erik Thorsell, Richard Tubb, Jamison West
Wed 7/15 2:00 PM-3:00 PM 215-216

Learn from esteemed peers who have successfully harnessed the "Power of the Community" in not only establishing better operational, sales, marketing and financial practices but greater work/life balance through execution of goals and accountability to their peers who become lifelong friends. Get ready to be personally challenged to aspire to greater things as you witness fellow SMB IT community peers who have called each other higher though a commitment to giving and execution.

SMB008 Social Media 101: Defining and Understanding How to Connect with Your Clients and Colleagues Using the Latest Technologies
Presenter: Stuart Crawford
Wed 7/15 2:00 PM-3:00 PM 217

Social media is the latest trend, but many leaders face big hurdles with getting online and creating a buzz. Hear how you can use social media tools internally across your organization and as a mechanism to quickly share important information. This session takes a hands-on approach on how to: use social media to connect with employees, team members, and clients; design a blog; write your message clearly and concisely; and apply delivery mechanisms and alerts for notification of new content.

SMB009 Partner Planning: Four Simple Plans That Can Change Everything
Presenters: Scott Scrogin, Arlin Sorensen, Erik Thorsell
Wed 7/15 3:30 PM-4:30 PM 208-210

This first session discusses key plans that should be in place for success, including: company business plan, personal leadership plan, life plan, and a disaster recovery/continuity plan. Hear from Partners who have had business or life change because of planning and learn how to get started with specific tools in each of these areas. Plan to spend a few hours working on your business and your life developing foundational direction that will lead to success!

SMB010 Virtualization: What You Need to Know to Get Your Business Ready
Presenter: Dave Sobel
Wed 7/15 3:30 PM-4:30 PM 215-216

Virtualization is a game-changing new approach to infrastructure. Learn what you need to know to start implementing projects using virtualization technologies, specifically as it relates to Windows Small Business Server and Windows Essential Business Server. See real life techniques and experiences that get you ready to deliver solutions, including a complete restore into a virtual machine from raw backup. Not just for the big boys, this is the next generation of infrastructure.

SMB013 Partner Planning Workshop: Putting Pen to Paper
Presenters: Scott Scrogin, Arlin Sorensen, Erik Thorsell
Wed 7/15 5:00 PM-6:00 PM 208-210

In this session, a workbook is provided for working on your company business plan, personal leadership plan, life plan, or continuity plan. We break into groups to work on at least one plan that is specific to your situation. Partners provide feedback and ideas to help you with the process. One of the outcomes of this session includes follow-up and accountability. Plan to spend this hour working on your business developing foundational direction that will lead to success!

SMB015 Building Momentum in Your Managed Services Practice
Presenter: Mark Crall
Thu 7/16 1:30 PM-2:30 PM 218-219

Move from the hit-or-miss world of break/fix to a reliable, recurring revenue stream. Industry leader Mark Crall strategizes on how to successfully move your customers to managed services. Learn • The importance of offering managed services • Key issues to consider first • Steps for planning your new service offerings • When and how to present to existing customers Don't miss this session! A stable, predictable revenue stream is critical for your company's survival and continued growth.

SI003 Optimizing What You Already Own in a Changing Economy
Presenter: Kenneth Lince, Arlin Sorensen, Erik Thorsell
Thu 7/16 4:30 PM-5:30 PM 243-244

Understand the software your partnership with Microsoft affords you to maximize your management of information and client relations. Learn how partners are using Microsoft technology solutions they own, as a result of their partnership with Microsoft, to optimize their business and sales agility in selling and delivering solutions more effectively to their customers.

Great News From our UK Friends

CRN and Scott Campbell have posted some great information on the HTG UK group that has been started across the pond and is coming to Dallas for our HTGALL meetings in Q2. Check out the information at http://www.crn.com/it-channel/215800737 and make sure that you let our friends from abroad know how glad we are to have them in the HTG family. We have seen business done between members here and there, and we have a solid start for our group. We are recruiting a few more partners to fill the first UK group and then we begin filling the second. Good things are ahead for all of us as we grow our footprint and expand our program to other countries around the globe. Dave Sobel is doing a great job leading this group. We are excited and looking forward to seeing everyone in Dallas in April.

Look Out Dallas - Here We Come

Monday begins the Q1 meetings for HTG in the US. We are descending on the Omni Mandalay hotel in Los Colinas for a week full of interaction, learning and community. Seventeen US based groups will be meeting this week. Half meet on Monday and Tuesday, the other half on Thursday and Friday. Wednesday is our HTGALL day - a new addition to the HTG program for 2009. We have 8 tracks running all day that day to allow members to learn more about the entire gamut of running their small business. Also that evening is our vendor reception where our great HTG vendor sponsors will have some time with the HTG membership. It will be a great week for sure. It is a bit cold here though - thirties? C'mon Texas, it isn't supposed to be this cold. Some of the troops want to play golf. Of course there is another group that wants to play poker after we wrap for the evening too. Quite an inventive and mischevious bunch we have. Our vendor partners will be here in force as well, so let's make sure they have a week they will never forget too!

But equally as exciting has been the successful second meeting of HTG11 in the UK led by Dave Sobel, and the HTG10 group just finished their third meeting in Vancouver led by Stuart Crawford. Both groups have a great core set of members and we are looking to grow those groups and increase our presence in both countries. Jesse Jervis wrote his thoughts on the recent Canadian HTG meeting here http://jervisjesse.blogspot.com/. There also is now a blog for our Canadian HTG brethren to post to as well at http://canada.htgblogs.com/. So many good things going on up north!

The time is now to move HTG to the next level. I look forward to seeing all of you in Dallas. Spread the word. HTG is making things happen and 2009 will be a banner year for all of us, in spite of the economy or the media reports. Let's make it happen!

HTG Goes Across the Pond

HTG is moving to a new level next week - with our first transatlantic group meeting in the UK. Here is the press release and details about the meeting.

Heartland Tech Group (HTG) (http://www.htgmembers.com/) today announced that the organizations first United Kingdom (UK) affiliate will convene its inaugural member meeting near London on October 13-14, 2008. Dave Sobel, CEO of Evolve Technologies and a veteran HTG member, will facilitate this group. This initial meeting is meant to introduce new U.K. members to the HTG peer group experience as a unique forum for technology industry resellers to develop and implement successful strategies to grow their businesses through sharing and collaboration of best practices.

UK peer group members will network with similar companies based on their size, number of employees, relative lines of service, ownership structure and markets served to find unique solutions to common problems.

“We’re thrilled to witness HTG’s expansion overseas. As in the United States, technology solution providers in the U.K. can utilize HTG to make substantive improvements to their business by collaborating and tapping into the knowledge base of industry peers,” said Arlin Sorensen, Founder of Heartland Tech Group. “For HTG, the opportunity to offer practical, useful and implementable knowledge to our fellow IT professionals--especially in today’s tenuous economic climate--is extremely rewarding, both personally and professionally.”

Great things are happening in HTG. First Canada, now the UK. Who will be next? We are excited about all the great things happening.

Can you Spell Virtualization?

HTG member and virtualization guru Dave Sobel has announced his upcoming book on the subject is now available for pre-order. "Virtualization: Defined. A Primer for the SMB Consultant". This first book in a series walks a SMB consultant through the basics of getting up and running with virtualization.

The book covers:
What are the kinds of virtualization?
What can you do with them?
Why should a SMB consider virtualization?
What are the technology platforms available to virtualize on?
How do you sell virtualization solutions?

There is also a coming DVD and Audio program set where Dave and Karl Palachuk present and can train your staff, or you can listen to the presentation in your car or on your iPod.

You can get details and buy or preorder here:
http://www.evolvetech.com/mambo/index.php?option=com_myblog&show=Book-Available-for-Pre-Order-Virtualization-Defined.-A-Primer-for-the-SMB-Consultant.html&Itemid=87

Stuart Crawford also did a blogtalk radio show with Dave - catch it at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/smb/2008/09/30/Living-in-a-virtual-world.

Can you spell virtualize?

Our good friend Dave Sobel is trying to address the world of virtualization. Once something only for the enterprise, it is now definitely something that fits SMB and we need to learn it and embrace it as fast as we can. He has offered to help drive information to the community through his blog. He writes about what a consultant wants to know about virtualization. Check it out, learn and most of all provide feedback. Dave is a great partner in HTG5 and will be leading HTG11 for Great Britain.

http://www.evolvetech.com/mambo/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=269&Itemid=1

The best way to learn is to leverage community. Read it and give him some feedback. He is looking for something to do. :-)