A Round-Up for the Best MSP Podcasts

As an MSP, how do you gain an edge over your competition? Maybe you joined a Facebook group, or you follow topics on Quora that keep you on the cusp of technology and business ideas. Others might attend seminars or listen to audiobooks that give them the information they can use to improve their business. One less-publicized medium for improving your business are MSP-themed podcasts. Podcasts are episodic audio programs you can listen to on your phone or computer. They make for popular travel and commute companions because you can drill down into topics that interest you during commute or at the gym. Many podcasts are created by individuals who enjoy sharing their knowledge while others are sponsored by companies selling productions and consulting services. This article will cover both types. Over the past couple of years, the number of MSP-themed podcasts has exploded. Today, you will find podcasts that cover security, cloud, and marketing your MSP along with many other topics. This week, we will look at a few of our favorite podcasts for MSPs. MSP Radio Nate Teplow and Brandon Garcin host this podcast that has been around since 2014. Nate and Brandon tackle many topics MSPs will love. One of the best segments of their show is the guest interview where they speak to a seasoned MSP about a topic such as building a website that generates leads or pricing strategies. The show is at its best when Brandon and Nate play off each other while debating business strategy. Both are skilled communicators, and both do an excellent job at bringing the conversation to a level everyone can understand. You will find a mix of business and technical discussions. If you are new to podcasts, this is a good place to start. Release schedule: About twice a month Episode length: About 30 minutes Weekly Byte Consider the Weekly Byte to be the 5 to 10-minute summary of MSP Radio, but focused more on the technical challenges MSPs face. You will not find in-depth interviews at the Byte. Instead, the hosts select the most important topics from MSP Radio episodes and provide a summary of that topic for MSPs who have no more than 10 minutes to devote to a podcast. The Weekly Byte provides additional content not found on MSP Radio. An example of this is the episode on How to Host the Perfect Webinar. This is the perfect podcast for MSPs with a short commute, but who still want to keep up on the latest MSP news. Release schedule: Weekly Episode length: 5-10 minutes Frankly MSP

Jennifer Tribe hosts this popular podcast. She brings interviews, analysis, and insights to MSPs with her own flair and personality. From the start, you will notice that Jennifer’s goal is to provide MSPs with practical tips they can act on. That means she covers a wide range of topics ranging from offshoring to how to boost productivity with meditation. Frankly MSP is one of the few podcasts with an international audience covering the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. It is an informal podcast that covers both business and technical topics. It has not been around long but has gained a dedicated following in a brief period of time. Release schedule: Weekly Episode length: 30 minutes IT Provider Network Terri Rossi started as an MSP over 20 years ago in the New Jersey, New York, and Philadelphia areas. He shares his successes, insights, and – maybe most importantly - mistakes on his podcast that he started just over a year ago. Terri makes it clear that his goal of the podcast is to help MSPs that are getting started or that are stuck for whatever reason. Terri has grown his MSP to over 30 employees, and he is not afraid to tell you that. But with that bravado comes over 20 years of working in the trenches in one of the most competitive areas of the country. Terri has a fantastic radio voice and sounds more like a football coach than a business owner. He’s not afraid to call it as he sees it, and that is on full display in an episode called Why Most MSPs Suck At Selling. This is not a podcast for those who want to get into the weeds on technical topics, but it is a great place for those who want tips on how to successfully run a business. Release schedule: Weekly Episode length: 20 to 30 minutes Pink Elephant George Spalding hosts this podcast that brings in guests to discuss technical topics in detail. The Pink Elephant has been around since 2006 and has garnered a legion of passionate followers. George brings in authors and guests to discuss topics such as lean IT, AI, and simulation. The topics they discuss are often years ahead of mainstream adoption. I hesitated to add this podcast to the list because of the irregular release schedule, but George promised to do better in 2018, and the content of his program is too compelling not to be part of this list. Start with episode 1 which gives an overview of the podcast. You will know immediately if it is worth your time. Release schedule: Varies from month to month Episode length: 30 minutes Secure Connection Hosted by Brian Sherman, this podcast focuses solely on IT security. This is the only niche podcast on the list, but it covers one of the most important and growing services that affects every MSP in existence. It may sound like a dry podcast, but Brian keeps each episode fresh by interviewing top security experts, business owners and authors whose goal is to bring security issues to the forefront of business. This is a polished podcast with high production value. You will find episodes that cover security risks MSPs face when employees leave the company along with an episode detailing how to secure customer payment data. While it’s a highly informative podcast, it will not interest everyone. But if you’ve come across security challenges, this is a must because few cover security in a more approachable manner than Brian. Release schedule: Bi-monthly Episode length: 30 minutes We’d love to hear from you: What is your favorite MSP-themed podcast?