The Business of Tech

In 10 minutes daily, The Business of Tech delivers the latest IT services and MSP-focused news and commentary. Curated to stories that matter with commentary answering ‘Why Do We Care?’, channel veteran Dave Sobel brings you up to speed and provides resources to go deeper. With insights and analysis, this focused podcast focuses on the knowledge you need to be effective, profitable, and relevant.

The podcast is hosted by Dave Sobel, a leading expert in the delivery of technology services with broad experience in both technology and business. He owned and operated an IT Solution Provider and MSP for over a decade, both acquiring other organizations and eventually being acquired. This firm was a winner of multiple awards, including Kaseya’s Cutting Edge and ConnectWise’s Best New Idea, as well as being a finalist for Microsoft’s Worldwide Partner of the Year in the Small Business Specialist category. After his MSP experience, he worked for multiple vendors at such companies as Level Platforms, GFI, LogicNow, and Solarwinds, leading community, event, marketing, and product strategies, as well as several M&A activities.

He was named a CRN Channel Chief multiple times, to the CRN UK A-List, as a Channel Futures Circle of Excellence winner, to Channel Pro’s 20/20 Visionaries, and has been an MSPmentor 250 member for multiple years Dave has been recognized as one of the top virtualization experts globally as a Microsoft MVP for Virtualization. and author of “Virtualization: Defined. A Primer for the SMB Consultant.” Dave has served on the executive council for Managed Services and Emerging Technologies, the Vendor Advisory Council, as founding Chair for the Mobility Community for CompTIA.

News and commentary delivered daily from experience.

All Episodes

Slide’s Flexible Contracts: Balancing Client Retention and Revenue Risk – Carlson Choi

September 8, 2026 Dave Sobel 00:21:36 0 Comments

A central structural shift discussed is the growing pressure on margins and operational risk, driven by the competing models of vendor platform integration versus modular, best-in-breed solutions for managed service providers. Slide, a backup and disaster recovery vendor with roughly 1,000 partners, serves as an example of a company resisting long-term, bundled contracts and instead favoring a highly flexible, monthly engagement model. This approach reflects a broader industry debate over contract structure, integration depth, and the risk of vendor dependency.

Syncro’s AI Shift: How Model Costs and Adoption Create New Separation Among MSPs

September 7, 2026 Dave Sobel 00:23:41 0 Comments

The episode details a structural shift toward increased automation and integration of AI layers within managed services platforms, raising questions of risk management, transparency, and economic models. Syncro’s integration with Anthropic’s AI, positioned as a native connector in the Anthropic ecosystem, exemplifies how platform providers are embedding AI to automate routine technical work and streamline technician workflows.

All Episodes

Slide’s Flexible Contracts: Balancing Client Retention and Revenue Risk – Carlson Choi

Syncro’s AI Shift: How Model Costs and Adoption Create New Separation Among MSPs

Accountability Shifts to Deployers as EU Sets Timelines for AI and Security Incidents

Greg Jones: How Vendor Policy Shifts and AI Automation Are Changing MSP Growth Strategy

Adoption, Not Hardware: Voya Financial Shows AI Value Comes From Training, Not Tools

AI Results in Service Agreements: Why Providers Hold Uncovered Liability

When AI Outpaces Humans: Jason Kemsley on What Happens to MSP Roles as Automation Advances

Hollie Whittles on Why Incomplete AI Governance Leaves MSPs Vulnerable to Data Liability

“Pricing Not Disclosed” Becomes a Risk as AI Screens MSPs Out of Deals

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