Carolyn and Seth talk with Mark Brigman, founder and CEO of Partnernomics, about building successful partner programs. As the value of partnering has shifted away from pure distribution of physical products, there are new considerations that must go into growing through partnerships. From finding partners to aligning goals, Mark talks about the different aspects of partnering in a digital environment.   Partnernomics: https://partnernomics.com/

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Episode 114: Partner Programs

Carolyn and Seth discuss the Solarwinds attack that has affected a wide range of companies. For both MSPs and end users, there are many things to consider, starting with the need to take extra action to verify technology products. Thanks to the potential for cyberattacks to now spread to so many companies, there is a pressing need to share information across a broad network. In addition, companies are working on building out their cybersecurity function, including a larger focus on dedicated skills. The CompTIA ISAO provides an avenue for networking, and CompTIA training and certs provide opportunities for individuals looking for new career options. CompTIA ISAO: https://www.comptiaisao.org/ CompTIA Cybersecurity Career Info: https://www.comptia.org/content/it-careers-path-roadmap/cybersecurity-specialist

Episode 113: Solarwinds Attack

Carolyn and Seth take a look back at the big tech stories of 2020. Without dwelling too much on COVID or elections, there were plenty of other things happening. Whether it was ripple effects of the pandemic (like rapid digital transformation), stories that slid under the radar (like the Tiktok saga), or things that were notable by their absence (like massive product announcements), 2020 was a year that dramatically changed the technology industry.

Episode 112: 2020 in Review

Carolyn and Seth take a look at the changes that have taken place in the business world due to COVID and share their opinions on whether those changes will stick or be reversed when the pandemic finally comes to a close. From workplace dynamics to business travel to employee relations, the post-pandemic choices will not necessarily be driven by a single factor such as finances. There are many variables to consider, and businesses will have to think carefully about how they balance their options.

Episode 111: COVID changes

Carolyn and Seth take a look at CompTIA's latest research, the IT Industry Outlook for the upcoming year. As always, the Outlook report covers 10 trends that CompTIA expects to define the year ahead. The discussion in the podcast covers a few of these--the fact that there is no normal, the dynamics taking place in the IT channel, the focus on zero trust cybersecurity, and the need for professional skills to complement technical skills. The two also talk about the budgets that IT pros expect to be working with in the year ahead and the plans by channel firms to grow business opportunities within their existing set of clients. IT Industry Outlook 2021: https://www.comptia.org/content/research/it-industry-outlook-2021

Episode 110: IT Industry Outlook 2021

Carolyn and Seth welcome Randy Gross, CompTIA's CIO and EVP of Certification Operations, for the annual holiday episode. For Halloween, the scary thing about tech is the lack of trust that people have in the technology industry and the difficulty companies will have in building that trust. For Thanksgiving, there is gratitude for the way technology has been able to support work, school, and life in the midst of a global pandemic. And for the end of the year, the wish list item is for the technology industry to focus more on societal needs such as rural broadband or climate change.

Episode 109: Happy Volleydays

Carolyn and Seth give their review of the technology issues that should be considered by candidates running for office in the upcoming U.S. election. Breaking up huge tech companies seems to be on the mind of many candidates and officials, but simply breaking up companies might not get at the root issue. Instead, new forms of regulation need to be considered. Cybersecurity and data privacy are two specific areas that need attention, with data acting as personal currency for the digital economy. Another critical issue is the inclusion of broadband access in any plans for national infrastructure. Finally, climate change and the shifts to sustainable resources have a technology component.

Episode 108: Tech Policy Issues

Carolyn and Seth welcome James Stanger back to the podcast to talk about the state of cybersecurity for National Cybersecurity Awareness Month. James is CompTIA's Chief Technology Evangelist, and he discusses some of the findings in CompTIA's new research, including the structure of today's security teams the adoption of a zero trust framework. Then he talks about how companies are dealing with privacy as they rely more and more on data for their offerings and products. State of Cybersecurity 2020 research: https://www.comptia.org/content/research/cybersecurity-trends-research

Episode 107: State of Cybersecurity

Carolyn and Seth wrap up the series on the trajectory of technology with a look at workforce enablement. Companies have found that they are able to be productive with a remote workforce, but they can't always get the same level of innovation or networking. Moving forward, businesses will have to make decisions about their strategy and their culture, then they will have to find technology that enables both productivity and the pieces that typically come from face to face interactions. Fast Company article on remote work: https://www.fastcompany.com/90545523/working-from-anywhere-is-possible-but-not-sustainable?partner=feedburner&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+fastcompany%2Fheadlines+%28Fast+Company%29

Episode 106: Trajectory of Technology Part 3 - Workforce Enablement

Carolyn and Seth continue their series on the future trajectory of technology with a look at automation. As a natural next step after integration, companies are becoming more interested in automation as a way to both maximize their workforce efforts and create resiliency in their operations. While automation has traditionally been difficult because of the complexity of the tasks being automated, new technology such as artificial intelligence can help cover this complexity. Using AI is not always turnkey, though, and companies must consider the additional measures they will take in order to ensure that automation is happening properly.

Episode 105: Trajectory of Technology Part 2 - Automation

Carolyn and Seth start a three-part series looking at the trajectory of technology. As the COVID pandemic continues, businesses are beginning to recognize that there is a new tech strategy to follow. Pieces of this strategy were in place before the pandemic, but they have taken on greater importance. Part 1 of this series looks at integration, a task that is certainly not new but is more critical than ever and has new metrics for success.

Episode 104: Trajectory of Technology Part 1 - Integration

Carolyn and Seth speak with Juan Fernandez, VP of Managed IT Services at ImageNet Consulting, about various pathways in the IT industry. First, Juan talks about his own path into an IT career and how certifications are playing a more critical role for candidates seeking technology jobs. Then he discusses the path ahead for the IT industry, examining the way companies are accelerating their digital transformation efforts and planning on more cloud solutions, integration, and automation.

Episode 103: IT pathways

Carolyn and Seth take a look ahead at CompTIA's ChannelCon event. Running August 5-7, the virtual event covers the dynamics of the IT industry, the thought leadership of CompTIA's membership communities, and the future of emerging technology. See the full agenda and register for free at www.channelcon.com.

Episode 102: ChannelCon 2020

Carolyn and Seth talk with CompTIA CEO Todd Thibodeaux about what lies ahead for business and technology. The COVID-19 pandemic has created massive disruption, but there is also massive opportunity to rethink how things get done and how to use technology more strategically. Todd discusses the transition to remote work, the ripple effects of changes across different industries, and the skills that tech workers need for success in the future.

Episode 101: What's Next

Carolyn and Seth celebrate Volley's 100th episode by looking back at some of their favorite shows. From the first episode talking about cloud computing to the post-pandemic episode talking about remote work, the show has evolved along with the IT industry. Thanks to everyone who's listened and supported us!

Episode 100: Memory Lane

Volley is a podcast about technology, channel business, and random things happening in the world that may or may not be related to the first two topics. Carolyn April and Seth Robinson from CompTIA's research team toss the latest topics back and forth, sometimes with the help of market data and sometimes with guest appearances.

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CompTIA Volley

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