Lisa Fasold Posts

At Breakaway this week in Washington, D.C, more than 160 vendors showed their latest and greatest to 1,000 key industry players.  In our series of posts covering what’s new, check out these six vendors and how they can help solution providers grow their businesses.Calyptix Security released its Beta version of its “Single Pane of Glass” management platform, dubbed SPS v1.0, at Breakaway.  The SPS will provide a platform for IT professionals and managed service providers to centrally manage all n ...

Small and medium-sized businesses pay attention. State and local governments are expected to spend $61.5 billion on IT by 2015. Federal regulation FAR19.201 mandates that SMBs get government contracts. Last year $96 billion was available in governmental contracts. However, only one percent of SMBs got the contracts and got them repeatedly, explained Dick Idtensohn, senior partner of BDW-L LLC, to an audience of IT solution providers at Breakaway. Those SMBs “understand and work the system”. ...

In yesterday’s Distributor Power Panel moderated by Gennifer Biggs, editor, Business Solutions, at Breakaway, a panel of top distributors advised solution providers to pick up the phone and get to know their distributor representatives one-on-one.“Be a little transparent.  Be open and frank and help us understand your business,” said Greg Dixon, CTO of ScanSource.  “Most of our customers are small with as few as five employees.  You should be a on a first-name basis with your rep.”Some smaller s ...

Kindergarteners are learning off iPads, not chalkboards.  Fifty percent of the world population is under the age of 30. As best-selling author Erik Qualman says, “We don’t have a choice on whether we do social media, the question is how well we do it.”Shirley Turner, vice president and experience leader, Edgewalk Business Experience, led Breakaway attendees through a series of steps to help them jumpstart and improve their social media plans.Edgewalk reached out to Choice Technologies in Baltimo ...

Recovering from the whirlwind that was Breakaway today? Get ready for another jam-packed day on Wednesday. Check out our top 5 things you don't want to miss tomorrow: Women in IT Breakfast at 7:30 a.m. in the Gunston Room (just down the hall from the Press Room on the Terrace Level): Dr. Madeline Lewis, president and CEO, The Deline Institute for Professional Development, will address the CompTIA Women in Technology, an open consortium of professional IT women. Channel Chiefs Power Panel at 9: ...

Four technology-forward charities, benefiting schools, hospitals, libraries, unemployment and disaster relief, received philanthropic gifts donated by the member communities of CompTIA. Each of CompTIA’s member communities are donating $5,000 each in 2011 to IT-related charities, and some are announcing their gift selections at Breakaway this week in Washington, D.C. The IT Services & Support Community in Europe gave $5,000 to Close the Gap, an international not-for-profit organizatio ...

In Washington, D.C. for Breakaway and need to set your agenda?  Check out our list of the top five events you shouldn’t miss on Tuesday: Opening Keynote at 9:00 a.m. in the International Ballroom Center: Hear about the state of the industry from CompTIA and learn how to “Make it Happen” from noted author Peter Sheahan. Lunch Choices at Noon in the International Ballroom Center: Choose from three different networking and learning opportunities during lunch.  Meet with CompTIA’s top ...

Four technology-forward charities, benefiting schools, hospitals, libraries, unemployment and disaster relief, received philanthropic gifts donated by the member communities of CompTIA. Each of CompTIA’s member communities are donating $5,000 each in 2011 to IT-related charities, and some are announcing their gift selections at Breakaway this week in Washington, D.C.The IT Services & Support Community in Europe gave $5,000 to Close the Gap, an international not-for-profit organization that h ...

CompTIA is becoming a more known quantity around Capitol Hill, but the average lawmaker’s understanding of the IT community is still skewed. We’re out to show them how small IT companies are a vital part of the equation, when policymakers draft tech-related laws. Some of our top issues focus on business taxes, cybersecurity and privacy concerns, health IT integration, and tech workforce funding. We need your input and involvement. Sign up at TechVoice.org so that you contact yo ...

Vendors and distributors at Breakaway in Washington, D.C., are welcome to attend our breakfast and forum on Tuesday morning, August 2nd. From 8:00- 9:00 a.m. in the Gunston West Room at the Washington Hilton, meet with Nancy Hammervik, senior vice president of industry relations at CompTIA, and network with other vendors and distributors.  Learn about CompTIA member benefits such as free market research and live channel training courses for you and your partners.  CompTIA membership includes the ...