https://www.channelfutures.com/wp-content/themes/channelfutures_child/assets/images/logo/footer-new-logo.png
  • Home
  • Technologies
    • Back
    • Analytics
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Cloud
    • Data Centers
    • Desktop
    • IoT
    • Mobility
    • Networking
    • Open Source
    • RMM/PSA
    • Security
    • Virtualization
    • Voice/Connectivity
  • Strategy
    • Back
    • Best Practices
    • Business Models
    • Channel 101
    • Channel Programs
    • Channel Research
    • Digital Transformation
    • Diversity & Inclusion
    • Leadership
    • Mergers and Acquisitions
    • Sales & Marketing
    • Specialty Practices
  • MSSP Insider
    • Back
    • Business of Security
    • Cloud and Edge
    • Endpoint
    • Network
    • People and Careers
    • Training and Policies
  • MSP 501
    • Back
    • 2020 MSP 501 Rankings
    • 2020 Hot 101 Rankings
    • 2020 MSP 501 Report
  • Intelligence
    • Back
    • Our Sponsors
    • From the Industry
    • Content Resources
    • COVID-19 Partner Help
    • Galleries
    • Podcasts
    • Reports
    • Videos
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
  • EMEA
  • Awards
    • Back
    • Excellence in Digital Services
    • 2020 MSP 501
    • Top Gun 51
  • Events
    • Back
    • CP Conference & Expo
    • Channel Partners Evolution
    • Channel Evolution Europe
    • Channel Partners Event Coverage
    • Webinars
  • Channel Mentor
    • Back
    • Channel Market Intelligence
    • Channel Educational Series
Channel Futures
  • NEWSLETTER
  • Home
  • Technologies
    • Back
    • Analytics
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Cloud
    • Data Centers
    • Desktop
    • IoT
    • Mobility
    • Networking
    • Open Source
    • RMM/PSA
    • Security
    • Virtualization
    • Voice/Connectivity
  • Strategy
    • Back
    • Best Practices
    • Business Models
    • Channel 101
    • Channel Programs
    • Channel Research
    • Digital Transformation
    • Diversity & Inclusion
    • Leadership
    • Mergers and Acquisitions
    • Sales & Marketing
    • Specialty Practices
  • MSSP Insider
    • Back
    • Business of Security
    • Cloud and Edge
    • Endpoint
    • Network
    • People and Careers
    • Training and Policies
  • MSP 501
    • Back
    • 2020 MSP 501 Rankings
    • 2020 Hot 101 Rankings
    • 2020 MSP 501 Report
  • Intelligence
    • Back
    • Our Sponsors
    • From the Industry
    • Content Resources
    • COVID-19 Partner Help
    • Galleries
    • Podcasts
    • Reports
    • Videos
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
  • EMEA
  • Awards
    • Back
    • Excellence in Digital Services
    • 2020 MSP 501
    • Top Gun 51
  • Events
    • Back
    • CP Conference & Expo
    • Channel Partners Evolution
    • Channel Evolution Europe
    • Channel Partners Event Coverage
    • Webinars
  • Channel Mentor
    • Back
    • Channel Market Intelligence
    • Channel Educational Series
    • Newsletter
  • REGISTER
  • MSPs
  • VARs / SIs
  • Digital Service Providers
  • Cloud Service Providers
  • CHANNEL PARTNERS ONLINE
 Channel Futures

Sales & Marketing


What 2009 Taught Me (But I Probably Already Knew)

  • Written by Justin Crotty 2
  • January 13, 2010
Let's face it: life on the bleeding edge is not for everyone -- companies or individuals. If you are anything like me, some

MSPs lessons learnedLet’s face it: life on the bleeding edge is not for everyone — companies or individuals. If you are anything like me, some days you ask yourself why you do it. Yet for most of us in the IT services world, the good days in 2009 far outnumbered the bad, and the lessons learned were invaluable. Here are four takeaways I am keeping top of mind in 2010:

1. The IT services business ain’t for the faint of heart. Rapid innovation, significant market fragmentation, widely disparate adoption estimates, solution complexity, and selling challenges make IT services a tough row to hoe. But as in any industry, the innovators make it possible for all eventual players to get in on the action. Think of them as the recon troops that precede an invading army. They have a tough job and nobody gets ashore without them.

2. If you want certainty and predictability, innovation ain’t your bag. Nobody has the answers to the most critical questions: How fast will cloud and SaaS solutions become mainstream? How fast will on-premise hardware and traditional IT solutions migrate to cloud-delivered offerings? Where are the major threats and who will dominate these markets? How fast are customers adopting the various emerging technologies? There’s no shortage of analysis, PowerPoint presentations and fancy charts with predictions, but the simple truth is nobody knows.

3. To those who say it can’t be done, don’t stand in the way of those who are doing it. We all know who the naysayers are. Just look in the rearview mirror and that’s where you’ll see them. Critics don’t solve problems, and remember, when folks say they’re going to kick your ass, they have to be behind you to do it. Keep pushing forward. Lead, don’t follow.

4. Hustle and attitude are everything. I coach my son’s Little League Baseball team and I’ve gotta tell you — it’s schooling me (again) on everything I need to know about life and success. Life, like baseball, is a game of failure. Innovators and entrepreneurs are like batters — the best make it on base only three out of every 10 times at bat. Why? Because they never let the seven unsuccessful at-bats make or break them as a player. They pick their pitches and keep swinging.

Another life lesson from Little League: The strongest and most successful players have the dirtiest jerseys, get over their mistakes quickly, hustle harder than anyone on the team and aren’t afraid to swing an oversized bat. They recognize and understand that hard work beats raw talent more often than not. And most importantly, they have a “can do” attitude so don’t waste a breath telling them they’ll never make it in baseball.  They haven’t got time for unconstructive criticism — they’re too busy working to be successful.

I am sure all of us learned a thing or two in 2009 that will ultimately make us stronger and more successful in life and business.  Be sure to take a look back at 2009 and learn from it.

Justin Crotty is Vice President Services North America at Ingram Micro, Inc. He oversees Ingram Micro Seismic. Monthly guest blog entries such as this one are part of MSPmentor’s annual Platinum sponsorship. Find all of Crotty’s blog entries here.

Tags: Cloud Service Providers Digital Service Providers MSPs VARs/SIs From the Industry Leadership Sales & Marketing

Related


  • data migration
    The Right Data Migration Tool Helps Schools Move to Cloud During COVID Crisis
    Effective data migration tools enable schools to move to a secure cloud environment, making applications and content easier to access, as well as mitigating the risk of data loss.
  • backup and recovery cloud
    Cloud-Based CRM: What SMBs Need to Know about Backup and Recovery
    The cloud makes CRM more accessible to SMBs, but solutions must be layered with backup and recovery.
  • cybersecurity predictions
    Cybersecurity: What to Expect in 2021
    Remote work is here to stay (and other cybersecurity predictions for the year ahead).
  • COVID-19 pandemic
    How the Pandemic Will Influence Channel Partner Businesses in 2021
    From reshaping workspaces to doing more with less, four trends will dominate operations and sales.

3 comments

  1. Avatar Mike M January 14, 2010 @ 8:20 pm
    Reply

    I have to be completely honest, I wrote down #3 so I can look at it on a regular basis. Great advice all around.

  2. Avatar Joe Panettieri January 15, 2010 @ 6:29 pm
    Reply

    I’m slightly more partial to #3. Plenty of people worry about how a market or trend will play out. A few sharp folks will actually determine and influence how the market or trend plays out…
    -jp

  3. Avatar Erik Walczak March 22, 2010 @ 6:03 pm
    Reply

    Personally speaking, I believe #4 is the most relevant because with hustle and attitude, #1-#3 can be attained or overcome.

    – If you are a dedicated, and willing to work hard and stay at practice late, you are obviously not a “faint heart”.

    – Alan Kay said “The best way to predict the future is to invent it”. You want the SaaS adoption to take place at a faster rate, make it happen!

    – As for #3, there are always haters.
    Either influence them to get on the right ship, or cut your losses and sail to the new world without them.

    ” The strongest and most successful players have the dirtiest jerseys, get over their mistakes quickly, hustle harder than anyone on the team and aren’t afraid to swing an oversized bat”
    – Excellent analogy Justin.

Leave a comment Cancel reply

-or-

Log in with your Channel Futures account

Alternatively, post a comment by completing the form below:

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Content

  • HPE, Synnex Channel Execs Look Forward to Former Intel CTO Returning as CEO
  • SMBs’ Cybersecurity Risk Awareness Is Rising
  • D&H Extends Financing Terms to Help Partners Amid COVID-19
  • VMware CEO Pat Gelsinger Replacing Bob Swan as Intel CEO

Galleries

View all

New, Changing Partner Programs: AWS, Tech Data, Avaya, Verizon

January 11, 2021

Industry Perspectives

View all

The Importance of Being Security-Centric

January 22, 2021

Cyberattacks: Threat Hunters Conquer Unpredictability with 3 Measures

January 21, 2021

The Right Data Migration Tool Helps Schools Move to Cloud During COVID Crisis

January 19, 2021

Webinars

View all

Your Network Perimeter Has Changed

February 18, 2021

In Case of Emergency: The Importance of Proactive Critical Event Management

February 23, 2021

How Managed Hosting Providers Thrive with the Alternative Cloud

February 24, 2021

White Papers

View all

Product Brief: Kaseya VSA Integrated Workflows with BMS and IT Glue

January 26, 2021

Why Subscription Business Model

January 15, 2021

The Ultimate MSP Guide to Sales Efficiency

January 14, 2021

Upcoming Events

View all

Channel Partners Virtual

March 2, 2021 - March 4, 2021

Channel Partners Conference & Expo

November 1, 2021 - November 4, 2021

Videos and Fastchats

View all

FASTCHAT: How SOAR Eliminates Security Challenges and Elevates Service Provider Revenues

January 6, 2021

Happy Holidays from Channel Partners & Channel Futures!

December 21, 2020

FASTCHAT: How Old, Unpatched Technologies Are Creating New Security Threats for MSPs and Their Customers

December 3, 2020

Twitter

ChannelFutures

Product Brief: Kaseya VSA Integrated Workflows with BMS and IT Glue dlvr.it/RrPJWz https://t.co/qFvS3o0XIZ

January 26, 2021
ChannelFutures

.@SaaSAlerts_hires @KaseyaCorp vet as new CEO. #MSP #cybersecurity dlvr.it/RrNyQx https://t.co/XzKxQbmrhr

January 26, 2021
ChannelFutures

.@untangle_inc partners say #cybersecurity spending will increase this year due to media coverage of cyberattacks.… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

January 26, 2021
ChannelFutures

Native @MicrosoftTeams integration coming to @SAP apps. dlvr.it/RrKz34 https://t.co/tM7SQaaOHl

January 26, 2021
ChannelFutures

#Biden, @CompTIA both launch big #cybersecurity efforts (separately). dlvr.it/RrKr54 https://t.co/hXEw2CGUMZ

January 25, 2021
ChannelFutures

.@HPE appoints new head of worldwide distribution. #cloud dlvr.it/RrKJLT https://t.co/FW0OUTDJFF

January 25, 2021
ChannelFutures

Following its acquisition of SAP specialist Pioneer B1, new @SapphireSystems GM reveals "buy and build" growth stra… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

January 25, 2021
ChannelFutures

.@exabeam, @VulcanCyber, @ntti3, @Vectra_AI, @Lookout and @valtixinc give high marks to @POTUS' federal… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

January 22, 2021

MSSP Insider

Newsletters and Updates

Sign up for The Channel Report, Channel Futures Update, MSP 501 Newsletter and more.

Live Channel Events

Get the latest information on the next industry-leading Channel Partners event.

Channel Partners Online

Want more? Find more channel news and analysis on our sister site, Channel Partners.

Media Kit And Advertising

Want to reach our audience? Access our media kit

DISCOVER MORE FROM INFORMA TECH

  • Channel Partners Online
  • Channel Partners Events
  • MSP 501
  • MSSP Insider
  • IoT World Today
  • Webhostingtalk

WORKING WITH US

  • Contact
  • About us
  • Advertise
  • Newsletter

FOLLOW Channel Futures ON SOCIAL

  • Privacy
  • CCPA: “Do Not Sell My Data”
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms
Copyright © 2021 Informa PLC. Informa PLC is registered in England and Wales with company number 8860726 whose registered and Head office is 5 Howick Place, London, SW1P 1WG.
This website uses cookies, including third party ones, to allow for analysis of how people use our website in order to improve your experience and our services. By continuing to use our website, you agree to the use of such cookies. Click here for more information on our Cookie Policy and Privacy Policy.
X