The ASCII Group‘s 2015 IT SMB Success Summit Series is stopping by Austin, Texas, the third city in the year-long tour. The Success Summit, being held April 29 to 30 at the DoubleTree Austin, provides an opportunity for attendees to obtain education, hear industry presentations, browse the vendor solutions pavilion, attend an ASCII member meeting, and network with peers.
The pre-day activities on Wednesday include lunch and business card exchange, and a presentation on “2015 IT Industry Outlook and Trends” by Gary Bixler, founder and principle consultant at Bixler Enterprises.
Vendor-sponsored sessions cover topics such as business continuity, simple website changes that make a difference, compliance and managed services, using IT assessments to grow business, and simplified business management. A welcome reception caps off the pre-day events.
The main day agenda on Thursday starts with a networking breakfast followed by the Success Summit kickoff and peer card exchange.
Guest speakers include ASCII member C.J. Ezell, founder and CEO of PointClear Networks, a healthcare systems integrator and managed services provider based in Fairhope, Ala. Ezell is speaking with attendees about “Adding Dental Integration to Your Managed Services Practice.”
ASCII member Charles Tholen, president and CTO, Cognoscape LLC, is presenting “Successfully Winning in The Legal Market With Managed Services.” And ASCII member, Eugene Tawiah, a certified Ethical Hacker, is speaking about “Proven Triggers to Help SMB Customers Focus on Cybersecurity.”
The special guest speaker is Jana Monroe, ex-FBI Assistant Director, Cyber Division. Her presentation is titled “Become the Security Expert for your Clients.”
Vendor presentation topics include capturing the power of the cloud, being a perpetually valuable MSP, disaster recovery, mobile opportunities, and more.
In the Executive MSP Market Summaries session, attendees will learn about several market opportunities posed for MSPs to tack on additional recurring revenue. Channel executives will speak directly to the market and the opportunity for the MSP’s business in a concise summary format. And in the ASCII Community—Building Business Together session, attendees will hear how the next wave of services will be further built leveraging the ASCII community and helping take IT providers’ businesses forward.
Attendees also have the opportunity to browse the solutions pavilion, meet ASCII staff, and vote on vendor awards. Vendor award winners were:
- Best Education: BlackStratus
- Best Technical Demo: Carbonite
- Best IT Workshop: RapidFire Tools
- Best Rapid Pitch: Soonr
- Best Software Solution: StorageCraft
- Best Hardware Solution: Datto
- Best New Product: BlackStratus
- Best Cloud Solution: ProfitBricks
- Best Revenue Generator: eFolder
- Best Channel Incentives: LogicNow
- Best Channel Programs: eFolder
- Best Partner Commitment: Vorex
- Best Customer Support: LogicNow
- Best Keynote Presentation: StorageCraft
- Best Distribution Sales Support: ASI
- Best Partner Involvement: LogicNow/StorageCraft/QuoteWerks
- Best of Show: Datto
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The day ends with a closing awards ceremony and giveaways, followed by an ASCII member meeting.
The Summit Series is designed for qualified industry IT professionals and managed service providers, and is targeted toward those who are looking to increase revenue and enhance their current business model. ASCII members receive free admission to the event.
The ASCII Group is a membership-based community of independent MSPs, VARs and solution providers. Next stop on this year’s eight-city tour is Chicago, May 27 to 28.
For more information go to www.asciievents.com.
