Uncle Marv hosts the IT Business Podcast live from ASCII Edge in Boston, featuring guest Brianna Rubino, Director of Events for the ASCII Group. Brianna shares insights on ASCII's 40th anniversary celebration and the ongoing event series.

The ASCII EDGE event series includes nine events across North America, with eight in the U.S. and one in Canada. Brianna hints at exciting plans for 2025, including new locations for events. The ASCII Cup, set to take place in Tampa Bay, will be a significant celebration featuring an 80s theme and a "Back to the Future" party.

Brianna discusses her role in planning these events and the process of selecting speakers. She emphasizes the mutual benefits for speakers and attendees, as it allows business owners to showcase their knowledge and interact with peers.

The interview touches on Brianna's three-year tenure with ASCII and how the events compare to her previous experiences. She describes the ASCII community as a "traveling circus," highlighting the recurring cast of vendors and members across different cities.

The conversation concludes with a tease about the upcoming ASCII Cup celebration in Tampa, promising a big and amazing event to mark the 40th anniversary.

Key Takeaways:

• ASCII is celebrating its 40th anniversary
• ASCII EDGE series includes 9 events across North America
• ASCII Cup in Tampa Bay will feature an 80s theme
• New event locations planned for 2025
• ASCII events provide networking opportunities for members and vendors
• Brianna Rubino has been with ASCII for 3 years as Director of Events

Links:

• ASCII Edge: https://events.ascii.com/

=== Show Information

Website: https://www.itbusinesspodcast.com/

Host: Marvin Bee

Uncle Marv’s Amazon Store: https://amzn.to/3EiyKoZ

Become a monthly supporter: https://www.patreon.com/join/itbusinesspodcast?

One-Time Donation: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/unclemarv

=== Music:

Song: Upbeat & Fun Sports Rock Logo

Author: AlexanderRufire

License Code: 7X9F52DNML - Date: January 1st, 2024

In this episode of the IT Business Podcast, Uncle Marv interviews Ann Westerheim from Ekaru at the ASCII EDGE event in Boston. Ann discusses her book "Cybersecurity for Main Street, Cyber Fit in 21 Days," which aims to simplify cybersecurity concepts for small businesses. She emphasizes the importance of basic security measures like multi-factor authentication and explains how her book has led to speaking opportunities.

The conversation examines recent cybersecurity incidents, including the CrowdStrike update issue, and how these events raise awareness among businesses. Ann and Uncle Marv stress the importance of incident response planning and testing, as well as the need for continuous cybersecurity education.

They also discuss the challenges of convincing clients to invest in cybersecurity measures, highlighting the need to frame the conversation in terms of business risk and potential financial impact. The interview concludes with Ann sharing her experiences as an ASCII member and the benefits of attending industry events.

Key Takeaways:

• Simple cybersecurity measures can significantly reduce risks for small businesses
• Recent incidents highlight the importance of cybersecurity awareness and planning
• Framing cybersecurity in terms of business risk helps convince clients to invest
• Continuous education and repetition are crucial for cybersecurity awareness
• Industry events and memberships provide valuable networking and learning opportunities

Links:

• Ann's Company: https://www.ekaru.com/
• Ann's Book "Cyberseurity for Main Street": https://amzn.to/3yhxgNq
• ASCII Edge: https://events.ascii.com/

=== Show Information

Website: https://www.itbusinesspodcast.com/

Host: Marvin Bee

Uncle Marv’s Amazon Store: https://amzn.to/3EiyKoZ

Become a monthly supporter: https://www.patreon.com/join/itbusinesspodcast?

One-Time Donation: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/unclemarv

=== Music:

Song: Upbeat & Fun Sports Rock Logo

Author: AlexanderRufire

License Code: 7X9F52DNML - Date: January 1st, 2024

Uncle Marv interviews Dawn Sizer at the ASCII event in Boston, marking their first in-person meeting. Dawn shares her experience speaking at the event about automation and the positive response from attendees. They discuss the challenges of remote work verification, particularly in light of deepfake technology, and explore potential solutions such as enhanced background checks and identity verification methods.

The conversation shifts to recent vendor issues in the industry, with both acknowledging that such problems could affect any company. They also touch on the problem of remote workers using automation to fake activity, highlighting the need for better monitoring solutions.

Dawn elaborates on the benefits of ASCII membership, which she's been part of since around 2017. She emphasizes the value of community, networking opportunities, and financial benefits such as discounts on business insurance and vendor relationships. Dawn also mentions ASCII's women's network, which provides support and business-building opportunities for women at all levels in IT organizations.

Key Takeaways:

• Remote work verification is becoming increasingly challenging due to deepfake technology
• Enhanced background checks and identity verification may be necessary for remote hiring
• Recent vendor issues highlight the vulnerability of all companies in the industry
• ASCII membership provides valuable community, networking, and financial benefits for MSPs
• ASCII offers a women's network for support and business-building in the IT sector

Links:

ASCII Edge - The MSP Conference: https://events.ascii.com/

3rd Element Consulting: https://www.3rdelementconsulting.com/

=== Show Information

Website: https://www.itbusinesspodcast.com/

Host: Marvin Bee

Uncle Marv’s Amazon Store: https://amzn.to/3EiyKoZ

Become a monthly supporter: https://www.patreon.com/join/itbusinesspodcast?

One-Time Donation: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/unclemarv

=== Music:

Song: Upbeat & Fun Sports Rock Logo

Author: AlexanderRufire

License Code: 7X9F52DNML - Date: January 1st, 2024