The Killing IT Podcast

IT authors and entrepreneurs Ryan Morris, Karl Palachuk, and Dave Sobel provide commentary on the changing world of technology opportunities and emerging tech. We want to expand the discussion from the SMB IT channel to all things tech - with one eye on the future and the other on profits. Join us!

Episode 207 - Bigger and Bigger MSPs, AI, and How to Consume Advice 03/30/2024

Episode 207 - Bigger and Bigger MSPs, AI, and How to Consume Advice Check out the bonus Killing IT content on MSP Radio's Business of Tech podcast! Today's a great day to subscribe to that: https://www.businessof.tech/subscribe/ -- -- -- Topic 1: The Current State of Mergers, Acquisition, and MSP Consolidation Mergers and Acquisitions are alive and well in the MSP channel. Jay McBain from Canalys predicts a growth of M&A of 50% in 2024. In addition to MSPs themselves, he says that we’ll see some major vendors acquired as well. The promise of these larger organizations is always that they’ll bring efficiency and profit. So far, that hasn’t happened. But that’s the promise. Karl thinks this is a GREAT marketing opportunity for MSPs. Related Links: -- -- -- Topic 2: The Practical Application for AI in Small Business Are we there yet? While AI is the most popular topic in technology, the question remains: what can we use AI for that will produce actual business value? Some industries have made great progress with AI, including manufacturing and medicine. According to a recent study, more than 93% of manufacturers (from start-ups to global giants) are already using AI in some form. What are the implications and opportunities for MSPs and solution providers to sell their services to manufacturing clients? And what lessons can we learn to accelerate the adoption of AI in other industries? Related Link: -- -- -- Topic 3: How to best use predictions and analysis from guys like us. Summary of the Larry Walsh article linked below: “IT spending growth projections should be taken with caution as they are directional and subject to change. While major analyst firms forecast healthy growth, the market is not uniformly strong, with several countries experiencing recession. Partner confidence is also dampened due to negative macroeconomic trends. Despite fluctuations in forecasts, investors, vendors, and partners rely on them for strategic planning. Channelnomics predicts conditions in the first half of 2024 to resemble 2023, with substantial improvement in the second half. Robust growth in IT spending is expected in 2025 and potentially 2026, driven by investments in artificial intelligence, data management services, and infrastructure refreshes.” Article by Larry Walsh, Channelnomics: See also: "With a projected 6.8% surge in global IT investment in 2024, organizations are positioned at the brink of transformative growth. According to Gartner, worldwide IT spending it expected to total $5 trillion in 2024. This represents a 6.8 percent increase over 2023. And while this is an increase, it’s down from the previous forecast of 8 percent." :-) /episode/index/show/killingit/id/30602813

Episode 206: ChatGPT Year 1, Robots Multiplying by Thousands, and Destructive Private Equity 12/21/2023

Episode 206: ChatGPT Year 1, Robots Multiplying by Thousands, and Destructive Private Equity Topic 1: Chat GPT 1 year later. AI Article Summary: Elon Musk creates his own AI company called X.AI, while Satya Nadella of Microsoft invests in OpenAI and accelerates plans to incorporate AI into Microsoft's products. OpenAI releases ChatGPT as a "low key research preview," which becomes a hit. Meta, led by Mark Zuckerberg, faces challenges with its own chatbot and struggles with the decision to go open-source. Microsoft introduces its own chatbot in Bing, surpassing Google's efforts. Geoffrey Hinton, a prominent AI scientist at Google, decides to quit and reflects on the rapid advancements in AI technology. --- Topic 2: Robots Multiplying by Thousands! AI Article Summary: Agility Robotics plans to open a factory in Oregon to mass-produce humanoid robots, starting with their bot named Digit. The factory aims to produce 10,000 robots per year and will assist companies like Amazon with tasks such as hauling and lifting. The production of bipedal robots that are nimbler and more versatile than existing industrial counterparts presents engineering challenges, but Agility Robotics aims to make general-purpose humanoids available as soon as possible. Other competitors in this space include Tesla, Boston Dynamics, Sanctuary AI, Figure, and Apptronik. Amazon has invested in Agility Robotics and is testing Digit in a laboratory. The concern about robots taking jobs from humans has prompted Amazon to partner with MIT to study automation's impact on work. While there is momentum behind humanoid robots, there is still more testing to be done. In a separate article, it is highlighted that America's military needs to embrace artificial intelligence and robotics to maintain its competitive advantage in future wars, but congressional and bureaucratic restraints hinder rapid mobilization and investment in these technologies. --- Topic 3: Will Private Equity Destroy Our Industry? Karl speculates that private funding and private equity will be looking for serious payouts starting in 2024. With a 4-6 year window, the clock is ticking. Some companies will have an identity crisis in the years ahead, and that will become visible in 2024. Higher interest rates will force companies to decide, “Do we want to run this company like an adult, or take our money and leave?” Those who stay will either get loans - at higher rates than we’ve seen in twelve years - or take companies private so they don’t rely on outside financing. Investors who were promised a straight 40-50% return per year were disappointed in 2023 and that disappointment will grow in 2024. These people care nothing for the businesses they buy or the end clients of those businesses. Our industry cannot escape the effects of this unknown element of chaos. --- Sponsor Memo: IT Service Provider University This episode is Sponsored by Dave’s January class at ITSPU.com. Dave is teaching a brand new class in January: navigating emerging technologies for MSPs. This is a five week class, which will walk through the methodology Dave uses for analyzing technologies and how you can apply that in your business to find trends and be effective in your service provider business. More info at :-) /episode/index/show/killingit/id/29177583

Episode 205 - Overworking, AI, AR, and More! 10/04/2023

Episode 204: KIT LIVE at the SMB Online Conference 05/26/2023

Epsiode 203: AI is Moving Fast, Killing IT Revisits the Cabana, & This Isn't Goodbye but See You Later 02/21/2023

Episode 202: The Good Guys win the Cyber Wars, Scientist Using Wifi to See Through Walls, & AI and Ethics 02/07/2023

Episode 202: The Good Guys win the Cyber Wars, Scientist Using Wifi to See Through Walls, & AI and Ethics Topic 1: Score 1 for the Good Guys in the Cyber Wars In a significant development in the fight against ransomware, the FBI announces that they have shut down a notorious cyber gang after infiltrating their system months ago and secretly giving decryption keys to ransomware victims. Topic 2: Ummmm … This is Some Seriously Scary Big Brother Stuff Scientists have announced that they are able to see people through walls using WiFi technology. And not just the “heat blob” from Hollywood movies … but detailed movements and positions. On a scientific note, this is cool. On a security / privacy note, this is super eerie. Topic 3: No One Is Surprised: The First Victim in the AI Wars Will Be … Ethics Sure, generative AI is fun. We have had our laughs and we’re starting to grind the gears to find legitimate uses for services like ChatGPT … and the possibilities are incredible. But never forget that this isn’t just about technology, it’s about business. And the incumbents aren’t going to just let the upstart take over the industry. And once the race for market domination begins, the commitment to ethics and fair treatment are likely to be the first casualties. Princeton computer science professor says don't panic over 'bullshit generator' ChatGPT "It is trying to be persuasive, and it has no way to know for sure whether the statements it makes are true or not," he said. Also … this one is incredibly funny: :-) The Onion weighs in with the most accurate take on ChatGPT yet. Sponsor Memo: OITVOIP Let’s cut the FUD; don’t let anyone scare you from selling VoIP because “compliance is hard”. With our newest Managed Compliance service, OITVOIP removes compliance headaches from the picture while you retain control of your client relationships. Get started selling faster than ever! Visit mspradio to learn more today! /episode/index/show/killingit/id/25852530

Episode 201: Jobs Again, FBI Crime Data is NOT Good, & First Personal Drone to be Produced by India 01/31/2023

Episode 201: Jobs Again, FBI Crime Data is NOT Good, & First Personal Drone to be Produced by India Topic 1: Sorry: Let’s talk jobs. December: Total new jobs UP 235,000. That is despite the fact the enterprise companies (500 employees+) reduced jobs by 151,000 ← Great summary stats Spotify 600 (6% of workforce) Twitter 3,700 (50% of those who lasted this long) Salesforce 7,000 (10% of workforce) Microsoft 10,000 (5% of workforce) Tesla 10,000 (10% of workforce) Google 12,000 (6% of workforce) Amazon 18,000 (1% of workforce) Oh, and . . . Apple 0 (0% of workforce) - Minor adjustments at retail locations See also the big Layoff-Tracker Service at TrueUp - NOTE - TrueUp also lists about 180,000 tech job openings right now. Topic 2: The FBI crime data is not good! We have a crime data dilemma. The recent mass shooting in Monterey Park, CA will NOT be included in the FBI's nationwide crime statistics. It turns out, the county as well as 33% of other law enforcement agencies, have not be using the the justice department's crime reporting system. Does this data disconnet present new opportunities? Topic 3: First Personal Drone to be Produced by India No, Wally, you don’t get a flying car. But you might get a personal drone. Currently going into production for the Indian Navy. But keep your eyes open for a civilian version. Maybe you do get a flying car: The maker of the Jetson One — a single-passenger aircraft whose manufacturer says it can take off and land from a driveway — says one of its first customers is in Charlottesville, with a delivery scheduled for later this year, per the company's website. Sponsor Memo: NSITSP Hey MSPs: People are talking about you - behind your back. They're regulators and legislators. They're CISA and the states of Texas, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Louisiana. And more. Every state now has at least one committee in their state legislature that focuses on cybersecurity. That means regulation is coming. You can count on it. The National Society of IT Service Providers was created to give you a seat at the table when someone's talking about you. That includes regulator, legislators, and even the media. Find out more and join today at We're working on your behalf to turn the industry into a profession. /episode/index/show/killingit/id/25777257

Episode 200: Labor Hoarding, Tech Workforce 2023, We Got the Digital Workplace Wrong 01/24/2023

Algorithms in need of MGMT Training, Microsoft drops $1B on ChatGPT, & Apple to Create Their Own Chip 01/17/2023

Episode 198: the Generative AI Race, Last Pass Security Incident, and Intelligent Elevators 01/10/2023

Episode 197: Military Fingerprints and Iris Scans on Ebay, the Remote Worker Whistleblower, Mab Simulates Time Travel with AI 01/03/2023

Episode 196: Scammers Scamming the Scam, "Luddite" Teens, and the Drones are Here 12/27/2022

Episode 195: The Bots are Here, AI Fiction Author, and Call Time on FAANG Stocks 12/20/2022

Episode 194: Killer Robot Police, New Words for New Data Volume, AI Images--Good or bad? 12/13/2022

Episode 194: Killer Robot Police, New Words for New Data Volume, AI Images--Good or bad? Topic 1: Should the Police have killer robots? San Francisco approves the use of robots capable of lethal force. Is this move inevitable, or are the arguments in favor of this just rare exceptions to the rule? Topic 2: Data Volumes are Increasing at Such a Fast Pace, We Need New Words to Describe Just How Much There Is And to absolutely no one’s surprise, businesses are struggling to afford the cost of managing all that data Data is the essential component of literally every dimension of the technology industry, and we’re producing more of it every day at literally astronomical rates. So much so that we have run out of words to describe just how much there is. Science is solving that part for us. But science can’t help us figure out how to pay to store / manage all of that data. Observation #1: I sure hope you are selling data storage / management solutions. Observation #2: What are the ripple implications for IT management and the services MSPs provide? Topic 3: Chatbots and Generative AI Image Systems are Getting Pretty Good … But is that a Good Thing? AI systems for creating content are steadily improving in terms of technical / functional capability. But the layers of ethical questions continue to stack up. How do you know if the AI chatbot is telling the truth? Is AI art actually art? If the AI is trained on the work of other artists, who should get credit? Sponsor Memo: Linode Linode – a top Infrastructure as a Service provider has resources specifically for helping MSPs explore the alternative cloud. Discover this growing market: one of the best-kept secrets in building a scalable, thriving, modern Managed Service Provider business. Learn about the cloud provider landscape, improving KPIs, security, and more in Linode's free ebook, The MSP's Guide to Modern Cloud Infrastructure, available now. This resource and more at /episode/index/show/killingit/id/25302603

Episode 193: The FTX Contagion, Goodnight to Alexa, Amazon Replaces Recruiters with AI! 12/07/2022

Episode 193: The FTX Contagion, Goodnight to Alexa, Amazon Replaces Recruiters with AI! Topic 1: The FTX Contagion Has Affected VC / PE Firms that Invest In MSP Vendors In all the noise that’s surrounding the collapse of FTX and the impact on other crypto companies, news is coming out that several major MSP investors have also suffered significant losses. Initial statements indicate that the losses were not enough to threaten the survival of the investment funds, but that there will be implications for how they make investment decisions in the future. Topic 2: Is It Goodnight To Alexa (and other voice assistants)? Despite billions invested and many high hopes for a new computer interface, the products in the voice assistant category have dramatically underperformed the plans of their developers – both in terms of usage and commercial value. Is there a future for interactive voice assistants … or is this another in a long line of failed voice recognition innovations? Topic 3: Amazon Lays Off Recruiters … Could Be Planning to Replace Them With AI Following the announcement of the largest layoffs in Amazon’s history, the company followed up with buyout offers to hundreds of recruiters, signaling the end of the season of accelerated hiring across Amazon. But yesterday at AWS Reinvent the company announced that it will continue to add staff in 2023 (specifically within the AWS division) as cloud sales continue to accelerate. So, who will do the recruiting? Turns out they are re-visiting the use of an AI recruiting system to do the work previously done by humans. Hmmmmm. Sponsor Memo: OITVOIP Did you know about STIR/SHAKEN? If you’re doing voice for your customers, you had better — the deadline was June 30. This technology is focused on reducing robocalls, and providers have to take action. Are you compliant? The team at OITVOIP has put together resources for you to learn more… or, for their customers, it’s already handled. Want to learn more? Visit for resources to help make sure you’re covered. /episode/index/show/killingit/id/25252521

Episode 192: Federal Communications Commission Draft High-speed Internet Coverage Maps, The Tech Labor Situation, and Fed. Govt Provide Cybersecurity Insurance 11/29/2022

Episode 192: Federal Communications Commission Draft High-speed Internet Coverage Maps, The Tech Labor Situation, and Fed. Govt Provide Cybersecurity Insurance Topic 1: The Federal Communications Commission has published the initial draft of its revised high-speed internet coverage maps. The old maps were census-block based. The new maps are based on more detailed information from broadband providers. With the old system, a huge census block would be marked as served even if only one household had broadband. You can examine updated maps from here: For an interactive map, start here and zoom in and out as desired: Want to see how you can make money filling the gaps? Check out: Topic 2: An Update - The Labor Situation in Technology Companies While many large tech companies are aggressively shedding employees, some are actually positioned to absorb that talent. TikTok is specifically planning to hire 3000 new engineers. Topic 3: Should the Federal Government Provide Cybersecurity Insurance? Flood, Fire, . . . and Cyber? Insurance companies are pushing for taxpayer assistance to provide coverage in the event of catastrophic incidents. The comment period for this topic has been extended until December 11th. See the original request for comments here: Rather than increasing the number of laws, CISA (Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency) is looking at directing behavior by asking insurance companies to enforce rules on insured companies AND paying the premiums under the right circumstances. How big does a “catastrophic” event have to be for the government to get involved? The emerging model is based on the Terrorism Risk Insurance Program adopted after September 11th. Sponsor memo: Cisco I bet you think working with Cisco is hard. They’re big, and have so much going on, and you’re…smaller. That’s why there’s Cisco Partner Journeys, an innovative new digital experience designed to accelerate your engagement with Cisco. Each unique journey leads you to the best tools, services, programs and portfolio offerings to help you accelerate sales, build a practice and enhance profitability. Whether you are new to Cisco or a long-time partner, Cisco has the right journey for you. Interested? Visit to find out more. /episode/index/show/killingit/id/25151643

Episode 191: Lithium Ion Batters Recyclable, 9 in 10 SMBs Fear Ransomware Attack, and Rude Behavior might be Contagious 11/22/2022

Episode 190: Stripe Layoffs, Twitter Melt down, & the Crypto Meltdown 11/15/2022

Episode 189: U.S. drop in productivity, Cloud Computing to grow, US Banks spend $1 Bill on Ransomware 11/08/2022

Episode 189: U.S. drop in productivity, Cloud Computing to grow, US Banks spend $1 Bill on Ransomware Topic 1: U.S. workers have gotten way less productive. No one is sure why. So we get to make up reasons! Can this be attributed to the Quiet Quitting Phenomon? Maybe. But maybe not. (Again, we get to come up with our own theories today.) Perhaps, complexity is the enemy of productivity; thus, remote working might not give our brains enough buffering time between each tasks than say walking from the meeting hall to your cubicle would. Also, as we settle into a sort of kind not really post-pandemic world, we can surmise that the line between our work lives and home lives has become less muddled. And maybe, just maybe, this means we aren't being less productive, rather we are setting healthy work to home boundaries at the expense of a project deadline...Again, just speculating. Topic 2: Spending for Cloud Computing in 2023 is Forecast to Grow … a Lot! In a slight surprise, and a noticeable change of tone, Gartner forecasts that spending on cloud computing – across all 6 categories they include in the segment – will rise in 2023. Just because spending is down in some categories doesn’t mean it will be down in all categories. SaaS / PaaS / IaaS / DaaS / CMaaS / BPaaS. So many awkward acronyms! Topic 3: US Banks spent over $1 Billion on Ransomware in 2021 ...that they reported! Time to head into the cloud of uncertainty! Sponsor Memo: TimeZest Does coordinating meetings and help desk calls frustrate you and your clients? Wouldn’t it be easier if you could automate this process and it integrated with ConnectWise Manage or Autotask? TimeZest is schedulig automation that gives you control of your schedule and removes the frustration of calendar ping pong. As the only solution specifically designed for MSPs, it integrates with your PSA to schedule appointments right in your workflow. And the best part? You can try it for free. Visit to try it out today. /episode/index/show/killingit/id/24936564

Episode 188: Japan pushes for digitization, Drone swarms, & Australia increase penalties for data breaches 11/01/2022

Episode 188: Japan pushes for digitization, Drone swarms, & Australia increase penalties for data breaches Topic 1: Japan pushes for digitization Japan has stepped up its push to catch up on digitization by telling a reluctant public they have to sign up for digital IDs or possibly lose access to their public health insurance. As the naming implies, the initiative is about assigning numbers to people, similar to Social Security numbers in the U.S. Many Japanese worry the information might be misused or that their personal information might be stolen. Some view the My Number effort as a violation of their right to privacy. --- Topic 2: Drone Swarms! No … really. What has been thought of until now as a sci-fi plot or a Hollywood movie trick is now an actual budget line item for the US Navy. We have seen choreographed drones in large-scale performances at the Super Bowl and the Olympics … but (as far as we know) none of those drones were carrying warheads. That’s no longer a safe assumption. And the US military isn’t the only country making progress on this weaponization of small-form UAV technology. --- Topic 3: (NK) Australia flags increased penalties for data breaches following major cyberattacks Australia will introduce laws to parliament to increase penalties for companies subject to major data breaches, Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus said, after high-profile cyberattacks hit millions of Australians in recent weeks. The proposed changes would lift maximum penalties for serious or repeated privacy breaches from the current A$2.22 million ($1.4 million) to the greater of A$50 million, three times the value of the benefit obtained through the misuse of information, or 30% of turnover in the relevant period, he said. "Significant privacy breaches in recent weeks have shown existing safeguards are inadequate. It's not enough for a penalty for a major data breach to be seen as the cost of doing business," Dreyfus said. --- Sponsor Memo: Cisco I bet you think working with Cisco is hard. They’re big, and have so much going on, and you’re … smaller. That’s why there’s Cisco Partner Journeys, an innovative new digital experience designed to accelerate your engagement with Cisco. Each unique journey leads you to the best tools, services, programs and portfolio offerings to help you accelerate sales, build a practice and enhance profitability. Whether you are new to Cisco or a long-time partner, Cisco has the right journey for you. Interested? Visit to find out more. /episode/index/show/killingit/id/24849021

Episode 187 - Cloud Marketplace, AI to Diagnose Illnesses, Internet Speed Disparity 10/25/2022

Episode 187 - Cloud Marketplace, AI to Diagnose Illnesses, Internet Speed Disparity Topic 1: Marketplaces — McBain is big on them, but how well do they scale down? AWS Marketplace makes it so you find everything you need in one spot. As a seller, the appeal is apprent. As a vendor, especially a small to medium business, the playing floor might be a bit crowded. Topic 2: Voice-Scanning AI Aims to Diagnose Respiratory and Mental Illness … What Could Possibly Go Wrong? Whereas facial recognition software is designed to use AI to recognize your image, voice-scanning AI is designed to evaluate vocal patterns and attributes that can be used in call centers or via hearing-aid style devices to identify if the speaker is struggling with depression, anxiety, asthma, COPD, etc. Advocates point to 80% accuracy (?!?) as a way to improve diagnostic success. Critics point to abuses of privacy … not to mention the bigger issues of fraud and violation of existing (limited) laws. Topic 3: Disparity in Internet Speeds Does Not Equal Differences in Internet Service Prices If we’re willing to look at the data with a clear lens, the quality : price of internet service around the US is nowhere near good enough … nowhere near equal … and nowhere near an accident. The analysis provided in this report by The Markup shows massive disparity in access to internet services in markets across the country. And the fact that this low level of service quality exists in the country where this technology was actually invented should make our heads explode. Clearly this is a deliberate strategy, and it isn’t going to change anytime soon. What can the tech industry do to jolt the internet security provider industry to change their strategy? How can we go around them to provide quality internet service to everyone? Sponsor Memo: CyberFit Summit This November, Miami will be the safest place on the internet. MSPs are returning to Miami Beach for the Acronis #CyberFit Summit. Not only will you hear former FBI Director Judge Louis Freeh, you’ll also witness the latest advancements in Cyber Protection … DLP, EDR, Advanced management, and so much more. There’s even a track dedicated to MSP marketing and business growth. The entire event will be capped off with an inspirational message from Earvin “Magic” Johnson, live and in-person. You don’t want to miss it. Get all the details and register now at I’ll see you there, and so will Karl. /episode/index/show/killingit/id/24788451

Episode 186 - Juicy tech states, Metaverse's standing, and THOR's Day 10/18/2022

Episode 186 - Juicy tech states, Metaverse's standing, and THOR's Day Topic 1: Some juicy stats... The U.S. tech market accounts for 35% of the total world market. The U.S. tech industry is expected to grow by 6.7% in 2022. The U.S. tech industry employs roughly 12.2 million workers as of 2020. Check out these stats and let us know what stood out to you. These stats open up the floor to new approaches to shake up the industry. Those currently in the industry can take these numbers as a driving force to recruit more inclusively. Topic 2: Checking in on the metaverse: Is this a thing yet? Meta hosted a big event to announce … a more expensive VR headset. And in spite of some really enthusiastic promotion, the question remains whether immersive VR or integrated AR will actually be a thing. While some industrial- and business-related use cases are emerging, the user numbers don’t sound remotely impressive … suggesting that Meta Mark has work to do to convince us to volunteer to feel car sick. Topic 3: STORY 2: THOR’s Day … the role & opportunity of mobile internet & power services Natural disasters have put the fragile state of our telecommunications and internet and power systems in the spotlight. To put it kindly: there are many holes. So wireless companies and others have stepped up to provide temporary coverage & access. The question is whether this is a sufficient solution for an advanced economy … and whether there is an opportunity for location technology solution providers to step in and create a point-to-point network that can meet the needs of a population amidst increasingly frequent and devastating storms. Sponsor Memo: Huntress hack_it returns this Nov. with hack_it 2022. It's a hands on, interactive cybersecurity training designed to help you thin like a hacker and provide the security training you can use today to level up your own defenses. Join Huntress Co-founder and CEO Kyle Hanslovan, Huntress threat researches, and soon to be announced special guests for two and a half days of cybersecrutiy education for the community, by the community. Content over three days, including an optional lab and it's all virtual. Attend from your desk, couch, swing set, or wherever you feel most comfortable. Sign up at /episode/index/show/killingit/id/24718359

Episode 185: Dodging an Existential Bullet, Google Shuts Down Stadia, & Ambient Intelligence 10/11/2022

Episode 185: Dodging an Existential Bullet, Google Shuts Down Stadia, & Ambient Intelligence Topic 1: The Open Internet as We Know It Dodged an Existential Bullet Last Week In an election for the Secretary-General of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), members chose Doreen Bogdan-Martin from the United States – the first-ever woman to hold the post. But that is not the reason this election was monumentally important: it was literally a showdown between an open internet and an authoritarian-controlled internet. And almost every single human on Earth didn’t know it even happened … or what the consequences may have been. Consider us lucky. Topic 2: Google Shuts Down Stadia Online Gaming Service … Does Google Have an Innovation Problem? Google announced it’s shutting down the 3-year old Stadia gaming service … the latest in a long line of big technical breakthroughs that Google has failed to turn into big business successes. Why did this (seemingly really cool) new service not succeed? And does this hint at a bigger issue about Google’s ability to grow? Or … about the ability of tech giants in general to grow at a rate that is “enough” for their thirsty shareholders? Topic 3: Amazon Wants to Cocoon You With ‘Ambient Intelligence’ The company’s new smart gadget uses radar to track your breathing while you sleep. It’s part of Amazon’s plan to weave its products invisibly into your life. Meet “Halo Rise” - Because they couldn’t come up with a creepier name. Consider it the opposite of the metaverse. Sponsor Memo: IT Service Provider University IT Service Provider University helps you improve the business side of your business. We launched IT Service Provider University in 2013 and today we offer more than twenty courses on every aspect of running your consulting business. IT Service Provider University provides training and pathways to certification for individual IT Service Providers as well as offering company-level certifications. Pathways Include: Management, Technician, Sales/Marketing, Service Manager, Front Office. Learn more about professional classes and certifications at /episode/index/show/killingit/id/24647652

Episode 184: Public cameras and Privacy Concerns, Machine Translation, and Darth Vader! 10/04/2022

Episode 183: ETFs, US Military on social media, & Metaverse as a service, 09/27/2022

Episode 182: "Good" hack for SolarWinds, "Bad" security for Twitter, and "Sock Puppet" phishing 09/20/2022

Episode 182: "Good" hack for SolarWinds, "Bad" security for Twitter, and "Sock Puppet" phishing Topic 1: Could it actually be possible that the SolarWinds hack was “good” for their business? No one would argue that being the victim of “the largest and most damaging security breach in US history” is a good thing. But as a result of the hack, SolarWinds took unprecedented steps to fundamentally reengineer their approach to security and dev-ops … and they are telling a surprisingly compelling story about how this makes them the most secure system in the industry. What’s more, it seems like customers are listening … and buying. Do you buy it? Topic 2: Headline: Twitter is bad at data security and privacy. Conclusion: No duh. The Twitter whistleblower testified in congress yesterday … and he made the “shocking” accusation that Twitter doesn’t have (and never has had) sufficient control systems for data protection. Thank you, Captain Obvious. This brings up a few questions: 1) does any social media company have sufficient data controls (no); 2) is there any appetite to make social media companies accountable for actual privacy / security (no); and 3) why does our society accept the presence of a tech platform that is “too big to control” and not simply turn it off if it can’t be made secure? Topic 3: Because Security needs another piece of jargon: Beware Sock Puppet phishing Or would you rather call the attack 'multi-persona impersonation' (MPI)? That’s the name used by researchers at Proofpoint. Basically, this is an orchestrated attack where the bad guys control multiple email accounts and email back and forth with the target in the middle of the cc: string. The idea is to provide (fake) social proof. Sponsor Memo: SBTTC This podcast is sponsored by the Small Biz Thoughts Technology Community. Check us out at Forms, templates, and checklists are just the start. Our Community includes ALL of the best-selling books on managed services in all available formats, plus free training, members-only programs, and the best business training available to managed service providers anywhere. Plus, we have weekly live members-only Zoom calls. The average member saves more than 200% of their membership cost each year. We are totally dedicated to YOUR success. Just because you're in business for yourself doesn't mean you have to go it alone. Join us today at :-) /episode/index/show/killingit/id/24378948

Episode 181: SMBs need MSPs, Age-Appropriate Design Code Act, & Police subscribe to "Fog Reveal" 09/13/2022

Episode 181: SMBs need MSPs, Age-Appropriate Design Code Act, & Police subscribe to "Fog Reveal" Topic 1: Any surprises in the research? SMBs need MSPs “A new survey of over 500 IT decision makers at small and medium businesses, from threat detection and response specialist Vade, shows 69 percent say a serious breach had bypassed their current email security solution. It's perhaps not surprising then that SMBs are increasingly likely to turn to managed service providers, with 96 percent of organizations either currently outsourcing at least some of their needs to MSPs or planning to do so in the future.” See Topic 2: California passes well-intentioned “Age-Appropriate Design Code Act” ...and then makes it unenforceable because of absurd fines. With fines at $7,500 per affected student, the only options are 1) Go out of business, or 2) Use every penny you have to fight enforcement of the law. Topic 3: Police departments subscribe to a geolocation database that lets them bypass warrants to track mobile devices. The database “Fog Reveal” is available by subscription. For less than $10,000/year, law enforcement agencies can search historical records from 250 million mobile devices. This gives them the power to create "patterns of life" analysis on individuals. The cell phone tracking tool allows them to track GPS movements going back months. Very often, this is done without warrants. ...and don’t forget www.Data.gov - over 335,000 government databases open to the public. Sponsor: Nodeware Know about Nodeware? Nodeware is an in-demand and real-time cybersecurity solution that helps businesses reduce their risk of ransomware or other cyber attacks —all with breakthrough simplicity and affordability. With truly continuous vulnerability scanning, even during normal business hours, you’ll get real-time alerts of network access & new found risks, with easy and insightful reports to take action on and report to your customers. Want to learn more? Visit to find out more. /episode/index/show/killingit/id/24352536

Episode 180 - AI "Accountability", Quietly Quitting, & the Right to Tractor Repair 09/06/2022

Episode 180 - AI "Accountability", Quietly Quitting, & the Right to Tractor Repair Welcome to Episode 180 of the Killing Podcast with special guest host Nadia Karatsoreos! Nadia has assisted channel partners and customers in building their businesses by adopting best practices and resources that are proven to accelerate success and deliver an exceptional experience to the businesses they serve. A results-oriented professional who puts partners first, Nadia has many years of experience in business development, community and channel relations. Her career in the MSP space started with Level Platforms in 2010 and since then she has held various roles at other vendors like GFI, Datto, NetApp and now Malwarebytes. She has also served on Executive Councils for CompTIA's Managed Services, Cloud and Future Leaders Communities. Nadia has been recognized by CRN as one of the Top Women of the Channel for multiple years (including 2022) and one of the Top 100 People You Don't Know but Should in 2016. Topic 1: Do we need an AI “Accountability” board? “Governments should protect residents from the harms of artificial intelligence and provide means of redress, according to researchers at the University of California, Berkeley. In a white paper from Berkeley’s Center for Long-Term Cybersecurity, the researchers said that anyone who has been harmed or damaged from the deployment of AI should have the right to complain to an agency or department that has oversight of that AI-driven system or be able to take legal action." Topic 2: Quietly Quitting - The Hot New Fad - without an agreed-upon definition Some articles describe Quietly Quitting as taking back work/life balance. Other describe it as doing the bare minimum. We speculate on what it is, and what it might mean. Is QQ a natural consequence of employers’ push to get employees back in the office at any cost? The real question is: can you sincerely create engagement and community without being in the same office location 5 days a week? (Short answer: yes.) Topic 3: Do you have the right to repair . . . your tractor? Wired magazine discusses “jailbreaking” your John Deere. Seriously: This will affect the larger right to repair debate. Sponsor Memo: Linode Linode – a top Infrastructure as a Service provider has resources specifically for helping MSPs explore the alternative cloud. Discover this growing market: one of the best-kept secrets in building a scalable, thriving, modern Managed Service Provider business. Learn about the cloud provider landscape, improving KPIs, security, and more in Linode's free ebook, The MSP's Guide to Modern Cloud Infrastructure, available now. This resource and more at /episode/index/show/killingit/id/24216615

Episode 179: Reverse Mentoring, Internships during cybersecurity shortages, and Amazon in healthcare 08/30/2022

Episode 179: Reverse Mentoring, Internships during cybersecurity shortages, and Amazon in healthcare Topic 1: Reverse mentoring in the technology industry increases understanding and opens opportunities for both sides of the mentor relationship Everyone knows a person of “a certain age” who is not as connected to or fluent with a new technology … even in the IT channel. And ironically, those people are much more likely to be senior executives in the business of IT. How will those highly experienced update their tech knowledge and bring new strategies to leveraging tech for business and for diversity in the industry? Talk to a youth. See also: Topic 2: Apprenticeships are going into industries beyond the trades … are reinforcements on the way? Or are companies still insisting on only hiring “the best of the best” in tech roles? It’s well known that there are massive shortages of cybersecurity workers … at the same time as cyber threats are are escalating. How can the industry catch up? Certainly not by insisting on advanced credentials for candidates who need to do jobs that focus on mass quantity cyber threats. BTW: there’s a big difference between an “internship” and an “apprenticeship.” Companies are shifting from rapid hiring to layoffs … while still indicating they intend to hire. It’s a natural impulse to continuously improve the mix of talent in your workforce, but will this strategy of “only the best” ever catch up with cybersecurity needs? Topic 3: Amazon is leaning into the healthcare industry … with some fairly predictable performance so far The notion of a business model is fairly straightforward: what you do + who you do it for x how you do it = how you make money. Not too many variables, and every time someone says they’re going to use technology to revolutionize or disrupt an industry, what they really mean is that they will replace human labor with technology for one of the business model elements. To absolutely no one’s surprise, Amazon’s efforts to disrupt the healthcare industry are leading to less human involvement in healthcare delivery. Is that a good thing? Sponsor Memo: Gozynta Do you like getting paid? Then make it easy for your customers with Gozynta Payments. Do you teach your customers not to click on links from strange domain names like mymsp.monkeypayments.com or slowbooks.com? Gozynta Payments uses your branding and domain name. No redirects. No confusion. Gozynta Mobius is trusted by over a thousand MSPs to sync financial data. Their new product Gozynta Payments is built with the same care and empathy to make the payment process easy for your customers. /episode/index/show/killingit/id/24158046

Episode 178: Cybersecurity Fundamentals, Gender Equity in Tech, Amazon maps your home 08/23/2022

Episode 178: Cybersecurity Fundamentals, Gender Equity in Tech, Amazon maps your home Topic 1: It’s time for cybersecurity to focus on the fundamentals instead of the “glory” case https://www.pcmag.com/news/ex-cisa-chiefs-advice-at-black-hat-make-security-valuable-and-attacks-costly In a world where we are addicted to having every possible device connected to the internet, the attack surface for cybersecurity threats gets bigger every day. But despite the dire prognosis for current cybersecurity capabilities, it can indeed get better, says former CISA head in Black Hat keynote. Topic 2: Why Can’t Tech Fix Its Gender Problem? Everyone can admit it: the tech industry has a massive problem with gender equity. But it’s one thing to acknowledge the problem, and another to actually do something about it. The questions that matter are: why does the problem exist…and what can we do to fix it? Hint: it’s always about the money. Topic 3: Will Amazon Map the Inside of Your House? “AFTER DECADES OF creating war machines and home cleaning appliances, iRobot agreed to be acquired by Amazon for $1.7 billion, according to a joint statement by the two companies. If the deal goes through, it would give Amazon access to yet another wellspring of personal data: interior maps of Roomba owners’ homes.” - Wired Magazine Sponsor Memo: Huntress In the fight against today’s cybercriminals, we are much stronger as a community. That’s why Huntress is proud to launch the Huntress Neighborhood Watch Program: a collection of resources designed to help elevate the broader security community. To kick off the Neighborhood Watch Program, Huntress is offering "internal use" licenses. These licenses will be available to the entire MSP community—regardless of if you are a Huntress partner or not—and will give you unrestricted access to the Huntress Managed Security Platform and their team of 24/7 threat hunters. Harden your defenses, protect your own backyard, and better serve your customers by joining the Neighborhood Watch Program. Join the neighborhood or learn more at /episode/index/show/killingit/id/24138138

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