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Welcome to TalkTack with Rob Scott.
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Welcome to TalkTack with Robinscott.
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I'm your host, Rob Scott, and on today's episode, we're talking to two very influential people in the IT nation from Connect Wise.
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I'm here on a location right outside of the Pidget Contest where a vendor is about to win$70,000 for winning the pitch contest that Monda has been part of for the last two years.
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And we're going to have Sean Lardo on the show.
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Sean is the organizer of the Pidget Contest.
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And then we're also going to have Arlen on from the Evolve, formerly ITG peer groups.
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And we're going to talk to him about what's going on with the Evolve IT Nation, including his new initiative, IT Grow.
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And we're excited to have you here today with Talk Tech with Rob Scott.
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Sean Lardo, welcome to the show.
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Thank you, Robert.
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So, Sean, you guys don't know this, but we're here in Orlando at the IT Nation Connect.
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Is Sean just finished the coolest competition that you could ever imagine?
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The pitch it competition just ended.
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Sean just sighed a huge sigh of relief.
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He's on his way to the bar.
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I'm so grateful he stopped by the show.
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Sean, tell us about this year's pitching contest.
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Man, I'll tell you what.
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Each year that we've gone through this, you know, since I took it over, I took it over three years ago.
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This is my third year running it.
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Legitimately speaking, because I actually, as you know me, I quantify things.
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I can't help myself.
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I'm a nerd.
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We've had 10x growth year over year on everything from people in partners engagement with the with all the vendors to the amount of uh attendees we started coming into the building to the amount of podcasting we've done.
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Literally, the the audience has grown 10x.
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That's awesome, man.
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I know I've been fortunate enough to be in Pitch It for my second year.
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And I always say this about Monger.
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We didn't win, but you could put our growth, our financial performance, our traction, our customer satisfaction against any of those companies.
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And we would do very, very well.
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But that's not what it's all about.
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It's really about the incubator, the learning.
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Absolutely.
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So if a company's interested in selling a solution to the IT channel and becoming part of the IT nation, is considering Pitch It.
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Tell us a little bit about who Pitch It is a good fit for and what they can expect if they sign up for it.
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Absolutely.
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So Pritchit really boils down to we're looking for the best of the best start vendor startups.
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They got to be able to support the MSP mission.
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They got to be able to do integrations within cut with companies like ConnectWise, right?
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But as far as what they need to have internally, they got to be below$2 million annually a year.
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They couldn't have received any series funding.
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And they also have to be able to have clients already on the books.
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They have to have people that can show track records with.
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This is not a concept competition.
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This isn't like hey, I have a great idea.
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No.
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We want them, we want to know they have legitimacy by having clients.
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But the fact of the matter is, we're welcoming them into this program that, as I mentioned, has grown 10X.
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There's a lot of awareness coming around.
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You've seen last year's finalist alone, they the three of them collect combined add on over three million dollars in annual revenue, right?
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And that's because we bring them into a system that is built, it is purpose-built for them to actually excel, to get the awareness, to get the training, whatever they need, and to be able to actually navigate this community space.
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So we're very selective who we bring in.
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I mean, we went through it with you.
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We see your application, you can apply, you can go to, you can just Google it.
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You'll find it.
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There's an application process right there.
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You fill it out.
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We go through a f discovery of you between your digital footprint, we look at your reviews, we do all that before we actually invite you to be part of the competition.
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And then as you know, it's 16 weeks of work after that.
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It is it's the education every week, which you have this year.
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We had more workshops than we did last year.
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Um, with top-level coaches that are they are expert practitioners in the space that teach about what they actually do.
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This isn't there's not one person that I bring into the table that speaks from a hyperbole position.
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They are actually people that have done it and have been successful with it.
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So we're blessed.
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And 16 weeks leads up to your preliminaries.
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We take from 26 vendors, we take it down to three.
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I was in the audience.
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You were, and I wanted to be a part of it.
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Now I've finished my second year, and gratefully we are not eligible because we make too much money, which is nice.
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Uh congratulations.
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Thank you, thank you.
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Uh, but but I I I think most people think of the pitch it as the as the contest, the 70,000 to the first place winner, 30,000 to the second place winner, and Uncle Marv's steak knife third place winner.
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But it really is so much more than just the contest, it is.
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It's really about that incubation, about that training, about networking with other vendors.
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We at Monger, we've partnered with and had uh synergies with other pitch it contestants, and so it's a great program.
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And if you're looking to launch or grow an existing product that's in that eligibility requirement, which is starting to add customers, but not yet uh past two million and recurring, I think it's a great, great opportunity.
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So now that the pitch and contest is over, so what are your responsibilities for the rest of the IT nation?
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Uh a lot of cat herding and babysitting.
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Um doing what I always do, connecting the dots for people.
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People need to meet people, uh, people need to understand about technologies.
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We do tonight have a uh bourbon advancer party sponsored by some of the five the people that sponsor this, right?
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From Pitch It.
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Uh so we'll be doing that tonight.
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That goes on for a couple hours.
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And yeah, after that, I'm probably gonna go see Flowrider and see what happens there.
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Well, I'll definitely be there.
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The MSP Initiative uh is sponsoring uh an event tonight.
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Mondra's one of the uh vendors that is sponsoring the MSP Initiative block party.
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And as Sean just mentioned, Flowrider is the uh live entertainment.
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I definitely will be there with my crew and uh look forward to seeing you there, Sean.
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Absolutely.
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We just finished Pitch It.
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Every time you finish one, you're always looking to make next year's better, bigger, better, stronger.
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What's in store for Pitchett for 2025?
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That's a good question.
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So we just for the first time ever accepted uh a sponsor that sponsored the actual Pitchett finals, which was Lion Guard this year.
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The the hopes are for next year, we're gonna look to negotiate a larger amount to be absorbed into the into the into the program.
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We're looking to raise the the prize money.
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Um we're also looking to this year, we had six companies, we had six companies from overseas between APAC and AMIA.
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We're looking to try to hit the road and start getting out to those countries that they reported from Australia over to the UK uh to start to get them more entrenched with us and to work with them side by side because the luxury we have over here, with it being a more mature market space for MSPs, there's a lot of shows, there's a lot of things you can do.
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And you know as well as I, I've seen you at a lot of shows.
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And if you're brand new coming to the market, to be able to have a friend that's been there, it helps you so much.
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So over there, we haven't had the luxury yet.
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So the goal is to start to get out there and start to show to show to show our ass and support them over there.
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Well, shake your ass, Sean.
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And uh look forward to hanging out with you this week.
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And it's always a pleasure, brother.
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Thank you for being on the show.
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Robert, thanks, man, for having me.
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You're the man.
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All right, bud.
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Arlen, welcome to the show.
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It's great to be with you today.
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It's a pleasure to have you.
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For those who don't know Arlen, Arlen is a uh majorly huge figure in in our industry.
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He is the founder of what's now the Evolve Peer Groups, one of the peer groups that I participate in at Evolve.
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We're in the service provider peer group.
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We've gotten so much out of it.
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But Arlen, what I want to hear from you is what is the state of the Evolve communities and and the IT nation?
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I understand you guys are making some changes and things have changed, of course, since you uh started all those years ago.
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But tell us what's new with Evolve.
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Well, we're continuing to go deeper and deeper within organizations.
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So, you know, we started out serving owners primarily, founder owners, and uh that was that was great, but as companies grew, they got management teams and leadership teams in place, and uh there was a disconnect between those layers, and so you know we're adding more and more role-based groups to the program.
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So we've we've had service execs and sales execs, but now we've got COO groups, we've got security groups, we've got CFO groups, and uh we continue to go into the the C level suite and below uh so that there's opportunity for owners to talk to those individuals and make sure they're still aligned.
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Alignment's a huge, a huge uh important thing, and as you know, it's busy and so people don't necessarily talk to each other, but when they come to a peer group meeting and they have to report back, it's it's a great tool to help keep people aligned.
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I agree.
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I think the peer groups are great, and I don't think all peer groups are created equally.
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And you know, of course, I'm partial uh to the Evolve community, but for those who might not know about the different peer groups that are available to them or or why Evolve is different, can you can you explain how Evolve is is unique among other peer groups that may be available in the industry?
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Yeah, well, you know, when we started uh the peer groups back in in 2000, you know, I had been part of another peer group and uh it was completely business focused.
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And you know, one of the things that we decided was we didn't want to just focus on helping people make money.
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That's important.
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That's that's what pays the bills, but there's a lot more to life than just making money.
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So we created four pillars to our program.
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You know, business is is key, but then we have leadership, life, and legacy.
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And uh I'm a believer that you start with legacy and define what that looks like, what is the end in mind, and as you uh move forward from there, then you figure out how am I gonna live my life, how am I gonna lead the people around me, and how am I gonna run my business.
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And we have one-year plans for those three things on top of the long-term legacy plan that directs what we're gonna do with with uh our time, talent, and treasure.
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That's great.
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You know, I know for me, you know, being in a rapidly growing company, we don't always have the time to do the type of life planning and legacy planning and the other things that you teach in the community and I have found very valuable.
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Um going uh forward into next year, um, what's new?
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What's happening at Evolve?
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What can we look forward to for next year in IT Nation and Evolve?
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Well, we're adding a new a new level to our program.
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So we've had Evolve 1, which is really the online program for smaller partners.
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Evolve 2 is kind of our entry level into the program, and then Evolve 3 is our core uh quarterly uh program.
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Evolve 4 is coming to fruition in 2025, so that will be targeted at completely at Empire Builder companies, so companies that want to grow fast, and uh a lot of private equity backed companies in those groups, and uh we're gonna be adding additional uh role-based peer groups in 2025 as well.
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So we're we're expanding the whole program, and uh, you know, we're having good success with that, and and so we want to continue to just add value and help people uh succeed and achieve what their definition of success really is.
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That's exciting.
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You mentioned the word empire builder for those that don't aren't familiar with that terminology, it's part of the modes theory uh that's taught and evolved.
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Take a minute, Arlen, and explain what modes theory is and how you're using it uh and in the curriculum in Evolve.
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Okay.
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Yeah, we did uh a lot of research uh about four years ago to really try to identify and create uh segments in the industry.
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And so we identified four key areas startup mode, which is where everybody begins, and uh you know that's typically a smaller company, founder led, founder carries it on his back, uh, and and uh over time we'll hire a few people, but at some point they get to a point where they're able to really make some decisions about what they want to do when they grow up.
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And uh so the balance builder is the company where the founder owner wants to just put together the right employees with the right customers and still live life.
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They want to not invest all their time in business, but they want to be able to uh pour into their families, and and uh you know a lot of folks that run balance builder companies are are really doing well uh financially, but they're not creating a big nest egg for the future, right?
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So if you're a balance builder, you've got to save your money as you go because you're not gonna get a big sale price in the end.
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The value builder is the company that wants to go up and to the right.
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So they're playing the long game.
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They want to just continually, year over year, add value to their organization with the idea that when they're ready to exit the industry, they've got uh value they've created.
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Then you've got the empire builders, they're the ones that want to go fast, go big, go home.
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They want to uh trade basically a period of their life, pour into the business, try to drive that up, and then have an exit strategy.
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So those are the four company types that we've identified, not just as MSPs, but in business in general.
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And so we've created a whole system of assessments to help people figure out where they are, where their teams are.
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That's another area where we found disconnect is that you know sometimes the owner wants to be a value builder, but his team wants to be balance builders.
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They want to be able to go home at five o'clock and not have to worry about answering the phone all evening until they come back to work the next day.
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Um and so there's a team assessment, we have an assessment for your clients.
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So you can sit down with the client and help them figure out where they are because as an MSP, it's important to understand what your clients are trying to accomplish.
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And you can serve them far better if you know they're on a particular path.
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So we've got a lot of tools, they're all free, they're on the website, and uh we encourage people to take those assessments and learn about themselves and their clients.
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And that assessment is available on the web at www.connectwise backslash modes.
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And if you want to learn more about the modes theory, as Arlen said, this is applicable to any type of business and has helped me uh be more reflective about where I am in terms of uh what I'm doing with my business.
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And so I appreciate you sharing that.
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Arlen, uh, I know that you're wearing this Lego hat.
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My son Tanner is a huge Lego builder.
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I started teaching him Legos when he was very young.
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He's now since built you know giant uh cruiser ships and Star Wars destroyers and all kinds of giant Legos has been an important part of our life.
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But tell us what the significance of your hat is.
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Well, I I would tell you that this is something I've done with my grandkids for years.
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So, you know, they put in the labor, I put in the dollars because they're not cheap there.
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Buying those kits is pretty darn expensive.
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But they've put together dozens of kits sitting in my office while I was at work, so it's part of my legacy plan.
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But what I'm wearing the cap for now and why I'm the Lego man at the moment is IG Nation Grow, which is one of our newer events, is all about helping companies put the pieces together to create the transition they want in the future.
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And so I'm walking around with a Lego hat, I've got a Lego jacket I'll be pulling out, and uh I want to help raise awareness that you know, unless you think about the transition, well everybody transitions, so nobody takes it with them.
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At some point, there will be a transition, and um our industry doesn't do a really good job of creating value in organizations, and so I'm having a lot of very unhappy conversations with partners that are in their 50s and 60s saying, I'm ready to retire, but I can't sell my company for anything close to what I need to be able to do that, and so we want to train them on how to grow a company effectively, create value so that in the future, when they're ready, whether they sell it to someone else, whether they try to give it to their kids.
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I've had a couple of cases recently where parents thought they were building something to hand off to their kids, and their kids don't want it.
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Yeah.
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Because they're not they aren't profitable enough to really support what the kids want to do.
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So you got to create value in your company and make it something that's transitionable, and uh our industry really needs to focus on that.
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So I'm I'm gonna be the the voice for that and uh encourage people to really dive in, learn what matters, number one, what is value.
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There's about 10 or 12 areas where you can really create value and then encourage people to do that and when they're ready to help them transition.
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Well, that sounds really exciting, and and I know that Monger is definitely on the same track with that.
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You know, we have now over 500 MSPs on our platform.
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We think that 60% of them will have a transaction in the next three to five years, and we know for sure that many are not ready.
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And so our deal room product allows MSPs and other companies to start planning and documenting and building out that virtual data room that will become the basis of due diligence and to do that slowly as they're growing.
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And so we're definitely interested in working with you with that grow program so that we can make the Monja deal room available to those MSPs that are looking to uh find that perfect exit down the road.
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Uh Arlen, what is it?
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Um I know that one of your big things that I love so much about uh the Evolve community is it's not just about work.
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It's about faith, it's about people, it's about serving, it's about being that go-giver.
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Uh what are you what are you excited about, not work-related, that's coming up for you and take the rest of this year and in the next year?
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Well, I I'm kind of in a transition mode right now, you know.
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I'm 68 years old, almost 69, and uh so I'm working with ConnectWise to figure out what my kind of ramp down is gonna be.
00:19:17.200 --> 00:19:31.200
Yeah, um, my wife and I have already decided she doesn't need me full time, so I'm not gonna quit, I'm not gonna retire per se, but uh I do want to slow down, have some freedom to do some things, and ConnectWise has been very good to us about that.
00:19:31.440 --> 00:19:44.240
Um I love to facilitate, I love working with partners and helping them uh first of all identify what their legacy is that they want to uh work toward and then write the plans and execute the plans.
00:19:44.400 --> 00:19:49.599
And really the power of peer groups is the accountability to actually execute what you write down.
00:19:49.920 --> 00:19:54.960
Um so you know I'm gonna continue to do those kind of things and uh IT Nation grows.
00:19:55.119 --> 00:19:59.599
My big thing right now is I I want to help this industry be successful.
00:19:59.839 --> 00:20:07.440
And uh I I hate those calls where partners say I can't I can't find anybody that'll pay me anything for my business.
00:20:07.599 --> 00:20:10.480
And when I look at their financials, I understand why.
00:20:10.640 --> 00:20:15.119
It's put food on their table for their family for years, but they haven't created any value.
00:20:15.279 --> 00:20:20.000
And the disconnect is hard work does not equal value.
00:20:20.240 --> 00:20:26.720
You know, the story is always well, you know, I worked 12 hours a day for the last 25 years.
00:20:26.880 --> 00:20:31.759
I skipped birthdays, I missed ball games, I didn't do holidays.
00:20:32.880 --> 00:20:36.319
That doesn't bring any value to anybody else, you know.
00:20:36.559 --> 00:20:43.440
And so you've gotta you've got to learn what value is and you've got to learn how to create it, and then you've got to be disciplined.
00:20:43.519 --> 00:20:47.519
And three to five years is what it takes to really make a dent in that.
00:20:47.680 --> 00:20:58.079
And uh far off far too often partners are calling me saying, I'm tired of this, I'm ready to be out, I want to sell in a few months, it's like uh that's not gonna go well for you.
00:20:58.640 --> 00:20:59.599
Well, that's great.
00:20:59.680 --> 00:21:04.400
I'm I'm excited to see how that goes, given everything else that you've done in your career.
00:21:04.480 --> 00:21:06.559
I'm sure it'll be wildly successful.
00:21:06.720 --> 00:21:27.039
Um, if if a a business owner uh or uh the CEO of a vendor organization in this community wanted to learn more about getting involved with the Evolve community, what would the next steps be for either an MSP or a service provider vendor that is interested in learning more about Evolve?
00:21:27.359 --> 00:21:29.119
How would they go about learning that?
00:21:29.279 --> 00:21:33.200
Yeah, well, they can surely reach out to me or anybody on the Evolve team.
00:21:33.279 --> 00:21:42.559
You know, our website uh connectwise.com slash evolve has got uh information and a place that they can apply and get get connected.
00:21:42.720 --> 00:21:47.599
Uh so you know we've got lots of people that are behind this program and helping make it work.
00:21:47.759 --> 00:21:53.519
Jody Hicks is our salesperson for the program, uh JD Hicks at ConnectWise.com.
00:21:53.599 --> 00:21:59.680
So there's lots of ways to get connected, but you know, we're on a mission to help people be successful, and uh that that's what.
00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:05.680
We do, and you know, we've got Bob Berg with us this week, uh, who wrote was co-author of the Go Giver.
00:22:05.920 --> 00:22:07.440
That's our culture book.
00:22:07.599 --> 00:22:12.880
Uh, and and you know, our members in the program have adopted that, they understand the power.
00:22:13.039 --> 00:22:23.680
If I come to a meeting focused on helping you be successful, it'll come back to me many times over, and we see that over and over and over again through it through the Evolved program.
00:22:24.160 --> 00:22:36.160
And one of the principles that sticks with me the most from that book and and from the culture is that your income is a function of the number of people you serve and how well you serve them.
00:22:36.240 --> 00:22:48.240
And as soon as you transition your mindset away from transactions and money uh to helping people, you'd be astounded at how the money part of it just takes care of itself.
00:22:48.480 --> 00:22:57.759
So I was uh uh privileged enough to be at Evolve when Bob Berg gave his keynote this week and looking forward to his keynote at the IT Nation.
00:22:57.839 --> 00:23:01.440
But Arlen, the Lego man, thank you for being on the show.
00:23:01.759 --> 00:23:02.960
Wow, it's great to be with you.
00:23:03.039 --> 00:23:04.640
I really appreciate the opportunity.
00:23:04.880 --> 00:23:06.079
Thank you so much.
00:23:06.400 --> 00:23:11.759
You've been listening to Talk Tech with Rob Scott, brought to you by Monger.
00:23:12.079 --> 00:23:19.839
Monger is the first mover in providing contracts as a service solutions specifically designed for IT managed service providers.
00:23:20.160 --> 00:23:32.720
Their SaaS enabled legal solution is based on industry leading templates, customized for each client, and periodically updated to ensure that MSPs always have the latest protections and are legally compliant.
00:23:33.359 --> 00:23:36.319
For more information, visit monger.com.
00:23:36.799 --> 00:23:39.839
That's an M L N J U R dot com.
00:00:03.200 --> 00:00:06.160
Welcome to TalkTack with Rob Scott.
00:00:07.759 --> 00:00:10.000
Welcome to TalkTack with Robinscott.
00:00:10.160 --> 00:00:19.039
I'm your host, Rob Scott, and on today's episode, we're talking to two very influential people in the IT nation from Connect Wise.
00:00:19.359 --> 00:00:33.439
I'm here on a location right outside of the Pidget Contest where a vendor is about to win$70,000 for winning the pitch contest that Monda has been part of for the last two years.
00:00:33.520 --> 00:00:36.159
And we're going to have Sean Lardo on the show.
00:00:36.320 --> 00:00:38.719
Sean is the organizer of the Pidget Contest.
00:00:42.640 --> 00:00:50.560
And then we're also going to have Arlen on from the Evolve, formerly ITG peer groups.
00:00:50.960 --> 00:00:58.399
And we're going to talk to him about what's going on with the Evolve IT Nation, including his new initiative, IT Grow.
00:00:58.880 --> 00:01:03.520
And we're excited to have you here today with Talk Tech with Rob Scott.
00:01:03.840 --> 00:01:05.920
Sean Lardo, welcome to the show.
00:01:06.319 --> 00:01:07.200
Thank you, Robert.
00:01:07.439 --> 00:01:12.480
So, Sean, you guys don't know this, but we're here in Orlando at the IT Nation Connect.
00:01:12.719 --> 00:01:17.519
Is Sean just finished the coolest competition that you could ever imagine?
00:01:17.599 --> 00:01:19.840
The pitch it competition just ended.
00:01:20.079 --> 00:01:22.799
Sean just sighed a huge sigh of relief.
00:01:22.959 --> 00:01:24.400
He's on his way to the bar.
00:01:24.560 --> 00:01:26.959
I'm so grateful he stopped by the show.
00:01:27.439 --> 00:01:30.239
Sean, tell us about this year's pitching contest.
00:01:30.560 --> 00:01:32.000
Man, I'll tell you what.
00:01:32.959 --> 00:01:37.680
Each year that we've gone through this, you know, since I took it over, I took it over three years ago.
00:01:37.760 --> 00:01:39.120
This is my third year running it.
00:01:41.359 --> 00:01:45.359
Legitimately speaking, because I actually, as you know me, I quantify things.
00:01:45.519 --> 00:01:46.480
I can't help myself.
00:01:46.640 --> 00:01:47.519
I'm a nerd.
00:01:47.840 --> 00:02:01.599
We've had 10x growth year over year on everything from people in partners engagement with the with all the vendors to the amount of uh attendees we started coming into the building to the amount of podcasting we've done.
00:02:01.760 --> 00:02:04.480
Literally, the the audience has grown 10x.
00:02:04.799 --> 00:02:05.840
That's awesome, man.
00:02:05.920 --> 00:02:10.000
I know I've been fortunate enough to be in Pitch It for my second year.
00:02:10.400 --> 00:02:12.159
And I always say this about Monger.
00:02:12.639 --> 00:02:22.000
We didn't win, but you could put our growth, our financial performance, our traction, our customer satisfaction against any of those companies.
00:02:22.159 --> 00:02:24.000
And we would do very, very well.
00:02:24.319 --> 00:02:25.599
But that's not what it's all about.
00:02:25.759 --> 00:02:28.319
It's really about the incubator, the learning.
00:02:28.560 --> 00:02:29.039
Absolutely.
00:02:29.280 --> 00:02:37.039
So if a company's interested in selling a solution to the IT channel and becoming part of the IT nation, is considering Pitch It.
00:02:37.520 --> 00:02:43.199
Tell us a little bit about who Pitch It is a good fit for and what they can expect if they sign up for it.
00:02:43.439 --> 00:02:43.919
Absolutely.
00:02:44.080 --> 00:02:48.960
So Pritchit really boils down to we're looking for the best of the best start vendor startups.
00:02:49.120 --> 00:02:51.039
They got to be able to support the MSP mission.
00:02:51.120 --> 00:02:54.479
They got to be able to do integrations within cut with companies like ConnectWise, right?
00:02:55.280 --> 00:03:00.319
But as far as what they need to have internally, they got to be below$2 million annually a year.
00:03:01.280 --> 00:03:03.360
They couldn't have received any series funding.
00:03:03.520 --> 00:03:08.560
And they also have to be able to have clients already on the books.
00:03:08.800 --> 00:03:11.120
They have to have people that can show track records with.
00:03:11.199 --> 00:03:12.719
This is not a concept competition.
00:03:12.960 --> 00:03:14.639
This isn't like hey, I have a great idea.
00:03:14.800 --> 00:03:15.039
No.
00:03:15.199 --> 00:03:18.080
We want them, we want to know they have legitimacy by having clients.
00:03:18.240 --> 00:03:23.280
But the fact of the matter is, we're welcoming them into this program that, as I mentioned, has grown 10X.
00:03:23.520 --> 00:03:25.199
There's a lot of awareness coming around.
00:03:25.360 --> 00:03:33.439
You've seen last year's finalist alone, they the three of them collect combined add on over three million dollars in annual revenue, right?
00:03:33.599 --> 00:03:44.560
And that's because we bring them into a system that is built, it is purpose-built for them to actually excel, to get the awareness, to get the training, whatever they need, and to be able to actually navigate this community space.
00:03:44.800 --> 00:03:47.199
So we're very selective who we bring in.
00:03:48.000 --> 00:03:50.000
I mean, we went through it with you.
00:03:51.280 --> 00:03:54.800
We see your application, you can apply, you can go to, you can just Google it.
00:03:56.319 --> 00:03:56.800
You'll find it.
00:03:56.879 --> 00:03:58.400
There's an application process right there.
00:03:58.479 --> 00:03:59.199
You fill it out.
00:03:59.360 --> 00:04:08.800
We go through a f discovery of you between your digital footprint, we look at your reviews, we do all that before we actually invite you to be part of the competition.
00:04:08.960 --> 00:04:12.400
And then as you know, it's 16 weeks of work after that.
00:04:12.479 --> 00:04:15.759
It is it's the education every week, which you have this year.
00:04:15.840 --> 00:04:17.839
We had more workshops than we did last year.
00:04:18.000 --> 00:04:24.399
Um, with top-level coaches that are they are expert practitioners in the space that teach about what they actually do.
00:04:24.560 --> 00:04:29.279
This isn't there's not one person that I bring into the table that speaks from a hyperbole position.
00:04:29.439 --> 00:04:32.000
They are actually people that have done it and have been successful with it.
00:04:32.160 --> 00:04:32.959
So we're blessed.
00:04:33.120 --> 00:04:35.439
And 16 weeks leads up to your preliminaries.
00:04:35.519 --> 00:04:38.160
We take from 26 vendors, we take it down to three.
00:04:41.839 --> 00:04:42.560
I was in the audience.
00:04:42.800 --> 00:04:44.639
You were, and I wanted to be a part of it.
00:04:44.720 --> 00:04:52.000
Now I've finished my second year, and gratefully we are not eligible because we make too much money, which is nice.
00:04:52.160 --> 00:04:53.199
Uh congratulations.
00:04:53.759 --> 00:04:54.639
Thank you, thank you.
00:04:54.800 --> 00:05:08.720
Uh, but but I I I think most people think of the pitch it as the as the contest, the 70,000 to the first place winner, 30,000 to the second place winner, and Uncle Marv's steak knife third place winner.
00:05:09.040 --> 00:05:12.639
But it really is so much more than just the contest, it is.
00:05:12.800 --> 00:05:17.920
It's really about that incubation, about that training, about networking with other vendors.
00:05:18.079 --> 00:05:27.279
We at Monger, we've partnered with and had uh synergies with other pitch it contestants, and so it's a great program.
00:05:27.519 --> 00:05:43.040
And if you're looking to launch or grow an existing product that's in that eligibility requirement, which is starting to add customers, but not yet uh past two million and recurring, I think it's a great, great opportunity.
00:05:43.199 --> 00:05:51.040
So now that the pitch and contest is over, so what are your responsibilities for the rest of the IT nation?
00:05:51.279 --> 00:05:53.759
Uh a lot of cat herding and babysitting.
00:05:54.319 --> 00:05:57.040
Um doing what I always do, connecting the dots for people.
00:05:57.279 --> 00:06:00.879
People need to meet people, uh, people need to understand about technologies.
00:06:01.040 --> 00:06:06.639
We do tonight have a uh bourbon advancer party sponsored by some of the five the people that sponsor this, right?
00:06:06.800 --> 00:06:07.680
From Pitch It.
00:06:07.920 --> 00:06:09.600
Uh so we'll be doing that tonight.
00:06:09.759 --> 00:06:11.600
That goes on for a couple hours.
00:06:11.920 --> 00:06:15.600
And yeah, after that, I'm probably gonna go see Flowrider and see what happens there.
00:06:16.079 --> 00:06:17.439
Well, I'll definitely be there.
00:06:17.600 --> 00:06:22.240
The MSP Initiative uh is sponsoring uh an event tonight.
00:06:22.399 --> 00:06:27.920
Mondra's one of the uh vendors that is sponsoring the MSP Initiative block party.
00:06:28.000 --> 00:06:32.160
And as Sean just mentioned, Flowrider is the uh live entertainment.
00:06:32.240 --> 00:06:36.800
I definitely will be there with my crew and uh look forward to seeing you there, Sean.
00:06:37.279 --> 00:06:37.839
Absolutely.
00:06:38.399 --> 00:06:39.759
We just finished Pitch It.
00:06:40.000 --> 00:06:45.439
Every time you finish one, you're always looking to make next year's better, bigger, better, stronger.
00:06:45.600 --> 00:06:48.160
What's in store for Pitchett for 2025?
00:06:48.720 --> 00:06:49.600
That's a good question.
00:06:49.839 --> 00:06:59.120
So we just for the first time ever accepted uh a sponsor that sponsored the actual Pitchett finals, which was Lion Guard this year.
00:06:59.279 --> 00:07:07.199
The the hopes are for next year, we're gonna look to negotiate a larger amount to be absorbed into the into the into the program.
00:07:07.600 --> 00:07:09.920
We're looking to raise the the prize money.
00:07:10.879 --> 00:07:16.879
Um we're also looking to this year, we had six companies, we had six companies from overseas between APAC and AMIA.
00:07:17.120 --> 00:07:34.079
We're looking to try to hit the road and start getting out to those countries that they reported from Australia over to the UK uh to start to get them more entrenched with us and to work with them side by side because the luxury we have over here, with it being a more mature market space for MSPs, there's a lot of shows, there's a lot of things you can do.
00:07:34.240 --> 00:07:37.040
And you know as well as I, I've seen you at a lot of shows.
00:07:37.199 --> 00:07:43.040
And if you're brand new coming to the market, to be able to have a friend that's been there, it helps you so much.
00:07:43.199 --> 00:07:46.000
So over there, we haven't had the luxury yet.
00:07:46.079 --> 00:07:52.160
So the goal is to start to get out there and start to show to show to show our ass and support them over there.
00:07:52.399 --> 00:07:54.079
Well, shake your ass, Sean.
00:07:55.040 --> 00:07:57.680
And uh look forward to hanging out with you this week.
00:07:57.759 --> 00:07:59.519
And it's always a pleasure, brother.
00:07:59.839 --> 00:08:00.879
Thank you for being on the show.
00:08:01.040 --> 00:08:02.399
Robert, thanks, man, for having me.
00:08:02.480 --> 00:08:02.959
You're the man.
00:08:03.120 --> 00:08:03.680
All right, bud.
00:08:04.000 --> 00:08:05.600
Arlen, welcome to the show.
00:08:05.839 --> 00:08:07.360
It's great to be with you today.
00:08:07.519 --> 00:08:08.959
It's a pleasure to have you.
00:08:09.120 --> 00:08:16.959
For those who don't know Arlen, Arlen is a uh majorly huge figure in in our industry.
00:08:17.439 --> 00:08:24.879
He is the founder of what's now the Evolve Peer Groups, one of the peer groups that I participate in at Evolve.
00:08:24.959 --> 00:08:26.639
We're in the service provider peer group.
00:08:26.720 --> 00:08:28.079
We've gotten so much out of it.
00:08:28.240 --> 00:08:35.840
But Arlen, what I want to hear from you is what is the state of the Evolve communities and and the IT nation?
00:08:35.919 --> 00:08:42.559
I understand you guys are making some changes and things have changed, of course, since you uh started all those years ago.
00:08:42.720 --> 00:08:45.120
But tell us what's new with Evolve.
00:08:45.440 --> 00:08:49.039
Well, we're continuing to go deeper and deeper within organizations.
00:08:49.200 --> 00:09:06.240
So, you know, we started out serving owners primarily, founder owners, and uh that was that was great, but as companies grew, they got management teams and leadership teams in place, and uh there was a disconnect between those layers, and so you know we're adding more and more role-based groups to the program.
00:09:06.320 --> 00:09:27.279
So we've we've had service execs and sales execs, but now we've got COO groups, we've got security groups, we've got CFO groups, and uh we continue to go into the the C level suite and below uh so that there's opportunity for owners to talk to those individuals and make sure they're still aligned.
00:09:27.440 --> 00:09:41.759
Alignment's a huge, a huge uh important thing, and as you know, it's busy and so people don't necessarily talk to each other, but when they come to a peer group meeting and they have to report back, it's it's a great tool to help keep people aligned.
00:09:42.000 --> 00:09:42.559
I agree.
00:09:42.639 --> 00:09:46.960
I think the peer groups are great, and I don't think all peer groups are created equally.
00:09:47.200 --> 00:10:04.879
And you know, of course, I'm partial uh to the Evolve community, but for those who might not know about the different peer groups that are available to them or or why Evolve is different, can you can you explain how Evolve is is unique among other peer groups that may be available in the industry?
00:10:05.120 --> 00:10:15.840
Yeah, well, you know, when we started uh the peer groups back in in 2000, you know, I had been part of another peer group and uh it was completely business focused.
00:10:16.000 --> 00:10:21.279
And you know, one of the things that we decided was we didn't want to just focus on helping people make money.
00:10:21.440 --> 00:10:22.080
That's important.
00:10:22.240 --> 00:10:26.960
That's that's what pays the bills, but there's a lot more to life than just making money.
00:10:27.200 --> 00:10:30.159
So we created four pillars to our program.
00:10:30.320 --> 00:10:36.720
You know, business is is key, but then we have leadership, life, and legacy.
00:10:36.879 --> 00:10:52.159
And uh I'm a believer that you start with legacy and define what that looks like, what is the end in mind, and as you uh move forward from there, then you figure out how am I gonna live my life, how am I gonna lead the people around me, and how am I gonna run my business.
00:10:52.399 --> 00:11:02.480
And we have one-year plans for those three things on top of the long-term legacy plan that directs what we're gonna do with with uh our time, talent, and treasure.
00:11:02.799 --> 00:11:03.360
That's great.
00:11:03.440 --> 00:11:16.080
You know, I know for me, you know, being in a rapidly growing company, we don't always have the time to do the type of life planning and legacy planning and the other things that you teach in the community and I have found very valuable.
00:11:16.399 --> 00:11:21.919
Um going uh forward into next year, um, what's new?
00:11:22.080 --> 00:11:23.679
What's happening at Evolve?
00:11:23.759 --> 00:11:28.240
What can we look forward to for next year in IT Nation and Evolve?
00:11:28.639 --> 00:11:31.759
Well, we're adding a new a new level to our program.
00:11:31.840 --> 00:11:36.559
So we've had Evolve 1, which is really the online program for smaller partners.
00:11:36.799 --> 00:11:44.960
Evolve 2 is kind of our entry level into the program, and then Evolve 3 is our core uh quarterly uh program.
00:11:45.360 --> 00:12:03.759
Evolve 4 is coming to fruition in 2025, so that will be targeted at completely at Empire Builder companies, so companies that want to grow fast, and uh a lot of private equity backed companies in those groups, and uh we're gonna be adding additional uh role-based peer groups in 2025 as well.
00:12:04.000 --> 00:12:17.519
So we're we're expanding the whole program, and uh, you know, we're having good success with that, and and so we want to continue to just add value and help people uh succeed and achieve what their definition of success really is.
00:12:17.759 --> 00:12:18.480
That's exciting.
00:12:18.559 --> 00:12:27.360
You mentioned the word empire builder for those that don't aren't familiar with that terminology, it's part of the modes theory uh that's taught and evolved.
00:12:27.679 --> 00:12:35.360
Take a minute, Arlen, and explain what modes theory is and how you're using it uh and in the curriculum in Evolve.
00:12:35.600 --> 00:12:35.919
Okay.
00:12:36.320 --> 00:12:45.120
Yeah, we did uh a lot of research uh about four years ago to really try to identify and create uh segments in the industry.
00:12:45.279 --> 00:13:08.639
And so we identified four key areas startup mode, which is where everybody begins, and uh you know that's typically a smaller company, founder led, founder carries it on his back, uh, and and uh over time we'll hire a few people, but at some point they get to a point where they're able to really make some decisions about what they want to do when they grow up.
00:13:08.879 --> 00:13:19.120
And uh so the balance builder is the company where the founder owner wants to just put together the right employees with the right customers and still live life.
00:13:19.440 --> 00:13:36.559
They want to not invest all their time in business, but they want to be able to uh pour into their families, and and uh you know a lot of folks that run balance builder companies are are really doing well uh financially, but they're not creating a big nest egg for the future, right?
00:13:36.960 --> 00:13:43.279
So if you're a balance builder, you've got to save your money as you go because you're not gonna get a big sale price in the end.
00:13:43.519 --> 00:13:46.960
The value builder is the company that wants to go up and to the right.
00:13:47.039 --> 00:13:48.799
So they're playing the long game.
00:13:48.960 --> 00:14:00.000
They want to just continually, year over year, add value to their organization with the idea that when they're ready to exit the industry, they've got uh value they've created.
00:14:00.240 --> 00:14:04.960
Then you've got the empire builders, they're the ones that want to go fast, go big, go home.
00:14:05.120 --> 00:14:13.840
They want to uh trade basically a period of their life, pour into the business, try to drive that up, and then have an exit strategy.
00:14:14.080 --> 00:14:20.240
So those are the four company types that we've identified, not just as MSPs, but in business in general.
00:14:20.399 --> 00:14:26.960
And so we've created a whole system of assessments to help people figure out where they are, where their teams are.
00:14:27.120 --> 00:14:34.639
That's another area where we found disconnect is that you know sometimes the owner wants to be a value builder, but his team wants to be balance builders.
00:14:34.720 --> 00:14:41.039
They want to be able to go home at five o'clock and not have to worry about answering the phone all evening until they come back to work the next day.
00:14:41.279 --> 00:14:46.159
Um and so there's a team assessment, we have an assessment for your clients.
00:14:46.480 --> 00:14:54.559
So you can sit down with the client and help them figure out where they are because as an MSP, it's important to understand what your clients are trying to accomplish.
00:14:55.039 --> 00:14:58.559
And you can serve them far better if you know they're on a particular path.
00:14:58.720 --> 00:15:07.679
So we've got a lot of tools, they're all free, they're on the website, and uh we encourage people to take those assessments and learn about themselves and their clients.
00:15:07.919 --> 00:15:14.159
And that assessment is available on the web at www.connectwise backslash modes.
00:15:14.639 --> 00:15:27.840
And if you want to learn more about the modes theory, as Arlen said, this is applicable to any type of business and has helped me uh be more reflective about where I am in terms of uh what I'm doing with my business.
00:15:27.919 --> 00:15:30.080
And so I appreciate you sharing that.
00:15:30.399 --> 00:15:33.679
Arlen, uh, I know that you're wearing this Lego hat.
00:15:33.840 --> 00:15:36.080
My son Tanner is a huge Lego builder.
00:15:36.240 --> 00:15:39.279
I started teaching him Legos when he was very young.
00:15:39.440 --> 00:15:49.279
He's now since built you know giant uh cruiser ships and Star Wars destroyers and all kinds of giant Legos has been an important part of our life.
00:15:49.440 --> 00:15:52.320
But tell us what the significance of your hat is.
00:15:52.639 --> 00:15:57.279
Well, I I would tell you that this is something I've done with my grandkids for years.
00:15:57.440 --> 00:16:01.440
So, you know, they put in the labor, I put in the dollars because they're not cheap there.
00:16:01.759 --> 00:16:03.840
Buying those kits is pretty darn expensive.
00:16:04.080 --> 00:16:09.600
But they've put together dozens of kits sitting in my office while I was at work, so it's part of my legacy plan.
00:16:09.840 --> 00:16:25.279
But what I'm wearing the cap for now and why I'm the Lego man at the moment is IG Nation Grow, which is one of our newer events, is all about helping companies put the pieces together to create the transition they want in the future.
00:16:25.519 --> 00:16:39.279
And so I'm walking around with a Lego hat, I've got a Lego jacket I'll be pulling out, and uh I want to help raise awareness that you know, unless you think about the transition, well everybody transitions, so nobody takes it with them.
00:16:39.519 --> 00:17:15.119
At some point, there will be a transition, and um our industry doesn't do a really good job of creating value in organizations, and so I'm having a lot of very unhappy conversations with partners that are in their 50s and 60s saying, I'm ready to retire, but I can't sell my company for anything close to what I need to be able to do that, and so we want to train them on how to grow a company effectively, create value so that in the future, when they're ready, whether they sell it to someone else, whether they try to give it to their kids.
00:17:15.200 --> 00:17:22.720
I've had a couple of cases recently where parents thought they were building something to hand off to their kids, and their kids don't want it.
00:17:22.880 --> 00:17:23.119
Yeah.
00:17:23.359 --> 00:17:28.480
Because they're not they aren't profitable enough to really support what the kids want to do.
00:17:29.039 --> 00:17:38.240
So you got to create value in your company and make it something that's transitionable, and uh our industry really needs to focus on that.
00:17:38.319 --> 00:17:47.599
So I'm I'm gonna be the the voice for that and uh encourage people to really dive in, learn what matters, number one, what is value.
00:17:47.839 --> 00:17:56.000
There's about 10 or 12 areas where you can really create value and then encourage people to do that and when they're ready to help them transition.
00:17:56.240 --> 00:18:02.799
Well, that sounds really exciting, and and I know that Monger is definitely on the same track with that.
00:18:02.880 --> 00:18:06.559
You know, we have now over 500 MSPs on our platform.
00:18:06.799 --> 00:18:14.240
We think that 60% of them will have a transaction in the next three to five years, and we know for sure that many are not ready.
00:18:14.400 --> 00:18:28.720
And so our deal room product allows MSPs and other companies to start planning and documenting and building out that virtual data room that will become the basis of due diligence and to do that slowly as they're growing.
00:18:28.799 --> 00:18:40.880
And so we're definitely interested in working with you with that grow program so that we can make the Monja deal room available to those MSPs that are looking to uh find that perfect exit down the road.
00:18:41.039 --> 00:18:42.799
Uh Arlen, what is it?
00:18:42.960 --> 00:18:51.359
Um I know that one of your big things that I love so much about uh the Evolve community is it's not just about work.
00:18:51.759 --> 00:18:57.200
It's about faith, it's about people, it's about serving, it's about being that go-giver.
00:18:57.519 --> 00:19:04.799
Uh what are you what are you excited about, not work-related, that's coming up for you and take the rest of this year and in the next year?
00:19:05.039 --> 00:19:08.160
Well, I I'm kind of in a transition mode right now, you know.
00:19:08.240 --> 00:19:17.119
I'm 68 years old, almost 69, and uh so I'm working with ConnectWise to figure out what my kind of ramp down is gonna be.
00:19:17.200 --> 00:19:31.200
Yeah, um, my wife and I have already decided she doesn't need me full time, so I'm not gonna quit, I'm not gonna retire per se, but uh I do want to slow down, have some freedom to do some things, and ConnectWise has been very good to us about that.
00:19:31.440 --> 00:19:44.240
Um I love to facilitate, I love working with partners and helping them uh first of all identify what their legacy is that they want to uh work toward and then write the plans and execute the plans.
00:19:44.400 --> 00:19:49.599
And really the power of peer groups is the accountability to actually execute what you write down.
00:19:49.920 --> 00:19:54.960
Um so you know I'm gonna continue to do those kind of things and uh IT Nation grows.
00:19:55.119 --> 00:19:59.599
My big thing right now is I I want to help this industry be successful.
00:19:59.839 --> 00:20:07.440
And uh I I hate those calls where partners say I can't I can't find anybody that'll pay me anything for my business.
00:20:07.599 --> 00:20:10.480
And when I look at their financials, I understand why.
00:20:10.640 --> 00:20:15.119
It's put food on their table for their family for years, but they haven't created any value.
00:20:15.279 --> 00:20:20.000
And the disconnect is hard work does not equal value.
00:20:20.240 --> 00:20:26.720
You know, the story is always well, you know, I worked 12 hours a day for the last 25 years.
00:20:26.880 --> 00:20:31.759
I skipped birthdays, I missed ball games, I didn't do holidays.
00:20:32.880 --> 00:20:36.319
That doesn't bring any value to anybody else, you know.
00:20:36.559 --> 00:20:43.440
And so you've gotta you've got to learn what value is and you've got to learn how to create it, and then you've got to be disciplined.
00:20:43.519 --> 00:20:47.519
And three to five years is what it takes to really make a dent in that.
00:20:47.680 --> 00:20:58.079
And uh far off far too often partners are calling me saying, I'm tired of this, I'm ready to be out, I want to sell in a few months, it's like uh that's not gonna go well for you.
00:20:58.640 --> 00:20:59.599
Well, that's great.
00:20:59.680 --> 00:21:04.400
I'm I'm excited to see how that goes, given everything else that you've done in your career.
00:21:04.480 --> 00:21:06.559
I'm sure it'll be wildly successful.
00:21:06.720 --> 00:21:27.039
Um, if if a a business owner uh or uh the CEO of a vendor organization in this community wanted to learn more about getting involved with the Evolve community, what would the next steps be for either an MSP or a service provider vendor that is interested in learning more about Evolve?
00:21:27.359 --> 00:21:29.119
How would they go about learning that?
00:21:29.279 --> 00:21:33.200
Yeah, well, they can surely reach out to me or anybody on the Evolve team.
00:21:33.279 --> 00:21:42.559
You know, our website uh connectwise.com slash evolve has got uh information and a place that they can apply and get get connected.
00:21:42.720 --> 00:21:47.599
Uh so you know we've got lots of people that are behind this program and helping make it work.
00:21:47.759 --> 00:21:53.519
Jody Hicks is our salesperson for the program, uh JD Hicks at ConnectWise.com.
00:21:53.599 --> 00:21:59.680
So there's lots of ways to get connected, but you know, we're on a mission to help people be successful, and uh that that's what.
00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:05.680
We do, and you know, we've got Bob Berg with us this week, uh, who wrote was co-author of the Go Giver.
00:22:05.920 --> 00:22:07.440
That's our culture book.
00:22:07.599 --> 00:22:12.880
Uh, and and you know, our members in the program have adopted that, they understand the power.
00:22:13.039 --> 00:22:23.680
If I come to a meeting focused on helping you be successful, it'll come back to me many times over, and we see that over and over and over again through it through the Evolved program.
00:22:24.160 --> 00:22:36.160
And one of the principles that sticks with me the most from that book and and from the culture is that your income is a function of the number of people you serve and how well you serve them.
00:22:36.240 --> 00:22:48.240
And as soon as you transition your mindset away from transactions and money uh to helping people, you'd be astounded at how the money part of it just takes care of itself.
00:22:48.480 --> 00:22:57.759
So I was uh uh privileged enough to be at Evolve when Bob Berg gave his keynote this week and looking forward to his keynote at the IT Nation.
00:22:57.839 --> 00:23:01.440
But Arlen, the Lego man, thank you for being on the show.
00:23:01.759 --> 00:23:02.960
Wow, it's great to be with you.
00:23:03.039 --> 00:23:04.640
I really appreciate the opportunity.
00:23:04.880 --> 00:23:06.079
Thank you so much.
00:23:06.400 --> 00:23:11.759
You've been listening to Talk Tech with Rob Scott, brought to you by Monger.
00:23:12.079 --> 00:23:19.839
Monger is the first mover in providing contracts as a service solutions specifically designed for IT managed service providers.
00:23:20.160 --> 00:23:32.720
Their SaaS enabled legal solution is based on industry leading templates, customized for each client, and periodically updated to ensure that MSPs always have the latest protections and are legally compliant.
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For more information, visit monger.com.
00:23:36.799 --> 00:23:39.839
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