The Force Field

Episode 37 - Planning Your Business Part 1

Rick — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 06:42:37 +0000

Today we’re going to talk with an IT service provider who created a business plan, learn how he did it and find out how his business plan helped his business become more successful. Part 1 of a four part series.

TechPodcasts Promo Tag :10
Intro 1:17
Billboard 3:40

News and Comment segment 5:18
OnForce released their Services Market Index for the third quarter of 2009 October 21. The OSMI Q3 2009 report is available for download at http://www.onforce.com/OSMI/Q309.

IObit is giving away full one-year licenses of Security 360 Pro anti-malware utility until November 11, 2009. To obtain a free license, go to http://db.iobit.com/license-free/win7-special-offer.php

Sponsor: Try GotoAssist Express free for 30 days! For this special offer, visit www.GotoAssist.com/techpodcast.

NASBA is now offering a free 60-day trial version of security software from Kaspersky Lab for resellers throught D&H Distributing.

Microsoft released Windows 7 October 22.

Commercial Break 1:00
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Intro to Topic 1:58
Today we’re going to talk to Pat Palmer of The Computer Guy, learn about his business, hear how he took a course in business planning and find out how he created a plan for his business that helped him become more successful. Part 1 of a four part series.

Interview with Pat Palmer 15:45

Episode 38 Part 2 Teaser :25

Wrap up and Close :46

Comments, questions or suggestions? Send them in to comments@theforcefield.net. Feedback on this topic will be read by the host and included in future episodes of the show. Visit us at http://www.theforcefield.net !

Episode 36 - Profit From the Service Platform

Rick — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 22:53:39 +0000

Today we are going to talk with a representative of an online service platform and ask him how service technicians can best use them to earn more revenue.

TechPodcasts Promo Tag :10
Intro 1:18
Billboard 2:43

News and Comment segment 4:31
OnForce officially surpassed one million completed work orders through its online platform.

Newegg filed for a $175 million dollar initial public offering with the Securities and Exchange Commission September 27th. Newegg IPO Form S-1

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Belkin released a surge protector that automatically switches off devices to conserve power. http://www.belkin.com/conserve/.

Microsoft released a new Microsoft Security Essentials security suite September 29th.
Microsoft Security Essentials can be downloaded free at http://www.microsoft.com/security_essentials/.

Commercial Break 1:00
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Intro to Topic 2:03
today we will talk with Eric Castro, Director of Channel Management for ServiceLive and ask him how service technicians can best use service platforms to earn more for their businesses.
Join ServiceLive FREE!.

Interview with Eric Castro 29:36

Wrap up and Close :46

Episode 35 - Partner With Your Vendors

Rick — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 18:00:31 +0000

Today we are going to discover an association that can help you build relationships with vendors, learn how these relationships can help your business grow and find out how you can do it – free.

TechPodcasts Promo Tag :10
Intro 1:20
Billboard 3:20

News and Comment segment 4:35
OnForce released their Services Market Index for the second quarter of 2009 July 13. The OSMI can be downloaded free at http://www.onforce.com/OSMI/Q209

CompTia Breakaway 2009 will be held August 3 through 6, 2009 the The Mirage in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Sponsor: Try GotoAssist Express free for 30 days! For this special offer, visit www.GotoAssist.com/techpodcast.

The Summer of Podcasts contest is underway. To enter go to www.podcastmadness.com, read the rules and regulations, listen to the podcasts listed for the week and enter the code that you hear in each podcast in the form on the page. Listen to this episode of The Force Field for the code and your chance to win..

Laptop prices have dipped below $300.

Commercial Break 1:00
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Intro to Topic 1:37
Today we’re going to talk with Frank Raimondi, Executive Director of NASBA and learn how vendor programs and other incentives can make our businesses more profitable.
Join NASBA FREE at http://www.nasba.com/members/become.php.

Interview with Frank Raimondi 23:52

Wrap up and Close :46

Comments, questions or suggestions? Send them in to comments@theforcefield.net. Feedback on this topic will be read by the host and included in future episodes of the show.

Episode 34 - The Trade Publication Review

Rick — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 06:11:21 +0000

Today we are going to learn how you can use free trade publications as a resource to help start and manage your business.

TechPodcasts Promo Tag :10
Intro 1:17
Billboard 3:46

News and Comment segment 4:19
Firefox 3.5 was released June 30th, one year after the launch of Firefox 3. Firefox 3.5 is available for Windows, Linux and Max OS X in over 70 languages and can be downloaded free at http://www.mozilla.com

Sponsor: Try GotoAssist Express free for 30 days! For this special offer, visit www.GotoAssist.com/techpodcast.

Microsoft got the jump on Google last month when it launched a Twitter search capability in its new search engine called Bing.

Symantec says that reliance on free antivirus software to protect your PC is dangerous. You can read the article at http://tech.blorge.com.

Commercial Break 1:00
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Intro to Topic 1:10
Today I am going to introduce you to a valuable resource used by industry professionals to stay on top of their trade, give you a few tips on how to use this resource effectively and tell you how to do it all FREE at http://theforcefield.tradepub.com.

The Trade Publication Review 11:52

Wrap up and Close :46

Comments, questions or suggestions? Send them in to comments@theforcefield.net. Feedback on this topic will be read by the host and included in future episodes of the show.

Episode 33 - Macgyvertech

Rick — Wed, 06 May 2009 02:47:04 +0000

This week we are going to talk to an IT Service Provider who does it all. We’ll find out how he manages both the business and tech sides of his company and ask him what it means to be a real Macgyvertech.

TechPodcasts Promo Tag :10
Intro 1:19
Billboard 2:24

News and Comment segment 5:36
AMD announced that it would accelerate its roadmap with an early release of its six-core Opteron processor this June and plans to ship a 16-core processor in 2011.

Sponsor: Try GotoAssist Express free for 30 days! For this special offer, visit www.GotoAssist.com/techpodcast.

A new podcast called Macgyvertech launches May 2009 at http://www.macgyvertech.com. Give it a listen and let me know what you think.

If you think Windows 7 will finally lure users away from XP and redeem Microsoft for Windows Vista, think again, says a new study by Kace Networks. http://www.kace.com/pdf/analyst-report/Windows-7-Adoption-Survey.pdf .

Commercial Break 1:00
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Intro to Interview 1:51
This week we’re going to talk to Parrish Reinoehl of Pathfinder Networks, learn how he started his business, talk about his experiences as a tech who does it all and find out what it takes to be a real Macgyvertech.

Parrish Reinoehl Interview 13:24

Wrap up and Close :46

Comments, questions or suggestions? Send them in to comments@theforcefield.net. Feedback on this topic will be read by the host and included in future episodes of the show.

Episode 32 - The State of the IT Industry Part 4

Rick — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 07:04:13 +0000

This week we are going to talk with The VAR Guy and ask him where he thinks the industry is headed. Part 4 of a 4 part series.

TechPodcasts Promo Tag :10
Intro 1:18
Billboard :39

News and Comment segment 4:42
Apple released Safari 4 beta to the public February 24. Safari 4 beta can be downloaded from http://www.apple.com/safari/download/.

The winner of the Technibble contest is Michael Murray of Bartow Onsite Computer Solutions. Congratulations, Michael! The prize is The Computer Business Kit from Technibble. If you would like a copy of The Computer Business Kit, it is $49 and it can be purchased directly at www.technibble.com.

Sponsor: Try GotoAssist Express free for 30 days! For this special offer, visit www.GotoAssist.com/techpodcast.

Microsoft released Windows Vista Service Pack 2 Release Candidate to the public March 4.

Commercial Break 1:00
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Intro to Interview 1:48
In episode 29 we talked with Pat Palmer, heard how his business is doing well in spite of the economy and how he expects this trend to continue in the months and years to come. In episode 30 we talked with Kris Crispell and he told us the same thing. In episode 31 we talked with Crisantos Hajibrahim of Virus Woman. He told us why he entered a new and growing area of the IT market to keep his business profitable, heard how he did it and found out how he is riding out the economic storm – in the cloud. This week we will talk with The VAR Guy and find out where he thinks the industry is headed. Part 4 of a four part series.

TheVARGuy Interview 13:02

Wrap up and Close :46

Comments, questions or suggestions? Send them in to comments@theforcefield.net. Feedback on this topic will be read by the host and included in future episodes of the show.

Episode 31 - The State of the IT Industry Part 3

Rick — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 07:23:49 +0000

This week we are going to talk with a VAR in California, discuss how he entered another area of IT to keep his business profitable during the current economic situation and ask him where he thinks the industry is headed. Part 3 of a 4 part series.

TechPodcasts Promo Tag :10
Intro 1:17
Billboard :25

News and Comment segment 5:21
Circuit City announced that it would clear out all remaining inventory and close its stores by the end of March.

Enter the Technibble contest and Win! We are giving away The Computer Business Kit from Technibble (a $49 value) FREE. Listen to this episode of The Force Field for your chance to win!

Microsoft released Windows 7 beta to the public January 9. Early reports say the beta is more stable than Vista SP1. Industry experts believe Microsoft could release Windows 7 to the market sooner than expected.

Commercial Break 1:00
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Intro to Interview 2:01
In episode 29 we talked with Pat Palmer, heard how his business is doing well in spite of the economy and how he expects this trend to continue in the months and years to come. In episode 30 we talked with Kris Crispell and he told us the same thing. This week we wil talk with Crisantos Hajibrahim of Virus Woman . He will tell us why he entered a new and growing area of the IT market to keep his business profitable, hear how he did it and find out how he is riding out the economic storm – in the cloud. You can view the video of his Google I/O 2008 Presentation - Becoming a Google App Solution Provider mentioned in the show. Part 3 of a four part series.

Crisantos Hajibrahim Interview 16:26

Part 4 Teaser :15

Wrap up and Close :46

Comments, questions or suggestions? Send them in to comments@theforcefield.net. Feedback on this topic will be read by the host and included in future episodes of the show.

Episode 30 - The State of the IT Industry Part 2

Rick — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 16:00:23 +0000

This week we are going to talk with a computer consultant in Oregon, discuss how the current economic situation has affected his company and ask him where he thinks his business is headed. Part 2 of a 4 part series.

TechPodcasts Promo Tag :10
Intro 1:17
Billboard :34

News and Comment segment 5:19
IBM announced production of a new ThinkPad notebook by Lenovo with dual LCD displays.

Enter the Technibble contest and Win! We are giving away The Computer Business Kit from Technibble (a $49 value) FREE. Listen to this episode of The Force Field for your chance to win!

Microsoft announced December 22 that it would extend sales of Windows XP until May 30 2009. This is good news for system builders. It is bad news for Vista.

Commercial Break 1:00
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Intro to Interview 1:39
In our last episode we talked with Pat Palmer, heard how his business is doing well in spite of the economy and how he expects this trend to continue in the months and years to come. This week we will talk with Kris Crispell, a computer consultant in Oregon and ask him where he thinks his business is headed. Will he agree with Pat or will he have in a different story with a different point of view? Part 2 of a four part series.

Kris Crispell Interview 18:28

Part 3 Teaser :19

Wrap up and Close :46

Comments, questions or suggestions? Send them in to comments@theforcefield.net. Feedback on this topic will be read by the host and included in future episodes of the show.

Episode 29 - The State of the IT Industry Part 1

Rick — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 06:22:06 +0000

This week we are going to talk with an IT professional and discuss how the current state of the economy will effect his business and the industry in the year ahead. Part 1 of a 4 part series.

TechPodcasts Promo Tag :10
Intro 1:15
Billboard 2:15

News and Comment segment 5:40
The Force Field was part of the second annual 24 hour Podcast Marathon hosted by Geek News Central December 20 to raise money for charity.

Enter the Technibble contest and Win! We are giving away The Computer Business Kit from Technibble (a $49 value) FREE. Listen to this episode of The Force Field for your chance to win!

Microsoft released another emergency security patch for Internet Explorer December 17. The patch, considered by Microsoft as “critical”, resolves a known security vulnerability that allows allows remote code execution if a user views on a web page with malicious code.

Commercial Break 1:00
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Intro to Interview 2:08
In the next few episodes we will talk with resellers, service providers and other professionals in the industry and find out how their business are doing now, where they think the IT marketplace will be in the next year and what, if anything we can do to prepare ourselves for the difficult times ahead. This week we will talk with Pat Palmer and find out what he thinks. Part 1 of a four part series.

Pat Palmer Interview 22:40

Part 2 Teaser :23

Wrap up and Close :46

Comments, questions or suggestions? Send them in to comments@theforcefield.net. Feedback on this topic will be read by the host and included in future episodes of the show.

Episode 28 - Merchant 911: Accepting Credit Cards Part 2

Rick — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 00:00:48 +0000

This week we are going to continue our talk with an IT professional and merchant who launched a website called Merchant 911 to help small businesses learn the pros and cons of accepting credit cards and provide them with the resources to fight credit card fraud.

TechPodcasts Promo Tag :10
Intro 1:17
Billboard :40

News and Comment segment 4:33
According to the OnForce Services Marketplace Index report for Q3 released November 17, The company projects its total volume of service work to be $60 million by the end of 2008.

The Force Field Podcast Store. It is the first, only and official store for The Force Field Swag! We have T-shirts, golf shirts, The Force Field Official Mug, ball caps, other great gear. To order, simply go to www.theforcefield.net and click “Store” on the menu bar. Tell the world you dare to listen to The Force Field! Visit The Force Field Podcast Store and order your Official Force Field gear today!

Microsoft has thrown in the towel on Windows Live OneCare. A post in the Windows Live OneCare Team blog Windows Live OneCare Team blog November 18 announced that Redmond will end subscriptions to the service July 30, 2009.

Commercial Break 1:00
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Intro to Interview 1:50
This week we’re going continue our discussion with Tom Mahoney from Merchant 911 and learn more about credit card merchant accounts. He will tell us how to shop around when setting up a credit card merchant account, what you can do to minimize the risk of a chargeback on a credit card transaction and how you can use the tools on his web site to protect yourself and your business from credit card fraud. Part 2 of a two part series.

Tom Mahoney Interview 22:22

Wrap up and Close :46