News | September 9, 2014

Education Lineup Announced For Channel Transitions Midwest Conference

Channel Transitions Midwest Conference Speakers

The Channel Transitions Midwest VAR/MSP Executive Conference, powered by Business Solutions Magazine (BSM), announces four speakers will share their expertise at the event on October 7 at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Chicago – Oak Brook. These experts have more than 65 years of experience in the IT channel and are eager to help fellow VARs, MSPs, and ISVs learn more about the as-a-Service business model.

Brian Sherman, principal consultant at Tech Success Communications, and a speaker and trainer for CompTIA, will deliver a morning keynote “Quick Start Session To Managed IT Services.” He is a channel consultant with more than 12 years of experience as a business development professional, editor, and researcher. Sherman is also a faculty member at Mercyhurst University teaching sales and sales management, and he has a deep understanding of the challenges and needs of solutions providers, manufacturers, and technology distributors.

Sherman’s keynote session, a part of the CompTIA Channel Training program, will help solutions providers better understand how to establish a solid customer base, expand their managed services offerings, partner effectively, and evaluate different pricing considerations.

The afternoon session will be highlighted by a VAR/MSP panel:

  • Chris Rumpf is a POS VAR-turned-MSP focusing on selling Hardware as-a-Service (Haas). Rumpf Computer Solutions experienced triple-digit revenue growth in 2013. Read more about Rumpf in BSM’s feature story, “Give Your Company A Managed Service Makeover.”
  • Dale Walls is the president and owner of Corsica Technologies, which relies on managed services for more than 40 percent of its annual business.  Read more about his advice on quickly identifying managed service prospects in BSM’s feature story, “Sell Managed Services Without Making Break-Fix Exceptions.”
  • David Wilkeson is a respected MSP consultant, former MSP owner, and technology entrepreneur for more than 25 years. He shared his expertise on the correlation between processes, metrics, and profitability in this BSM guest column, “Key Performance Indicators To Live (Or Die) By.”

They will address real-world issues such as cash flow, funding the as-a-Service transition, hiring and training sales reps, compensation models, pricing and bundling services, and overcoming objections.

The panel will be moderated by Business Solutions magazine editor-in-chief Mike Monocello, a former IT reseller, who has 12 years of channel experience interacting with hundreds of VARs, MSPs, and ISVs.

For more information on the Channel Transitions VAR/MSP Executive Conference, visit www.BSMinfo.com/go/ChannelTransitions or email Events@BSMinfo.com.

Channel Transitions Midwest is sponsored by: GFI MAX, Worldpay, F-Secure, RapidFire Tools, CloudFounders, and Autotask along with industry association partners CompTIA, The ASCII Group, and the Retail Solutions Providers Association (RSPA).

Business Solutions is the channel leader in educating VARs, MSPs, and ISVs on the transition to the as-a-Service business model and establishing a recurring revenue stream. Business Solutions has published several feature stories, case studies, opinion columns, and special guides on this important topic. BSM subscribers said they wanted even more information — including the opportunity to network with other channel partners who are focused on this transition and services-oriented vendors. From that, the Channel Transitions VAR/MSP Executive Conferences were born.