Ambition Mission

email Events@AmbitionMission.com for more details

 More info coming soon!

recently took my 7 year old on a business trip - a 2 day trip from NJ to San Fransisco.  It was fantastic!  We got in a morning of sight seeing before my half day seminar during which my son (in full 3 button suit) helped by setting up books, making a sign with the price of the books (in crayon) and took pictures.  Later on we had drinks in the “View” a lounge on the 39th floor of the SF Marriott where you have great views of the entire city.  Drinks with his dad in the “View” lounge was what he considered the highlight of the trip.

I can’t wait to do it again with him and also my other kids. 

anyone else do something like this?  I welcome any other suggestions on how to include my kids in my professional life.  So far, this enhanced “take your child to work day” was all I have really done and now that I have a taste of what it is like, I want to do more!

suggestions, comments, questions, welcome!

There’s been a lot of banter lately about Microsoft execs and other folks “bashing” Vista or other similar complaints that Microsoft is not standing behind their product. 

The way I see it is Microsoft USED to (like with XP) just hold the party line, i.e. it was difficult to get “real” information from them and therefore the Partners complained.

I see that Microsoft employees that work with or present to Partners are being more empathetic.  They are still defending their product (Vista), but acknowledging issues and providing that feedback up and/or down within Microsoft.  This is a good thing!  The folks from Microsoft and Partners are now engaging in real conversations.  Much better than the “party line” of old in my opinion.

Here is a recent article on the subject:  http://www.crn.com/software/207402573

Happy Hunting,

 Matt Makowicz

If you’re planning to go to SMB Summit this year in Dallas, GOYA and book your room.  The OMNI Mandalay Hotel, which is a beautiful place normally charges $249 and up for rooms per night but the conference block has rooms for only $149.  So register today for the conference and reserve your room.

Conference registration at www.SMBSummit.com

Room reservations at http://www.omnihotels.com/FindAHotel/DallasMandalay/meetingfacilities/SMBsummit2008.aspx

Good luck and see you in Dallas!

Microsoft will be launching a program on March 3rd called Open Value Subscription (and yes licences purchased under this program can be part of the Big Easy promotion).

Basically, this is Microsoft’s “lease” program for software.  I will explain the program in terms of a customer buying Office Profesisonal:

 FORGIVE ME IF THE NUMBERS ARE OFF - THIS IS JUST TO ILLUSTRATE THE PROGRAM

via OPEN license - customer pays ~$440 now & gets to USE the license forever, etc…

via OPEN VALUE license - customer pays ~$290 now (which is 1/3 the license + SA cost), $290 in a yr, $290 in 2 years and then ~ $110/yr forever to keep benefits

via OPEN VALUE SUBSCRIPTION - customer pays ~$180/yr forever to keep USE RIGHTS & Benefits

Here are some other goodies:

1. If the customer has Office Pro already EVEN IF OEM (current version or 1 version back) then the FIRST YEAR payment is only ~$90/license
2. If the customer starts off with 15 PCs, then within the next year, they add 5 more, they can install software and won’t have to pay for 20 until a full year after the agreement started.  This also works down, if the client looses 5 staff, then on the anniversary date they would now only pay for 10 licenses.  (this is trued up or down annually)
3. It works out to be ~$10 more per license to make the desktop “Company wide” which will encourage more of Windows upgrade licenses and fewer license violations and less headaches with needed upgrades (or downgrades)
4. OVS licensing is avail for Office Pro, Office SB, Core CAL, SBS CAL, Windows Upgrade, plus SB Desktop Suite & Desktop Pro Suite

 Microsoft has Partner Lice Meeting sessions to learn more:

• Jan 10th 9:00-10:30 AM PST
• Jan 17th 9:00-10:30 AM PST
• Jan 23rd 8:00-9:30 AM PST
• Jan 29th 11:00-12:30 AM PST
• Feb 6th 8:00-9:30 AM PST
• Feb 14th 9:00-10:30 AM PST
• Feb 19th 1:00-2:30 AM PST
• Feb 28th 9:00-10:30 AM PST

visit  http://www.msreadiness.com/newopenvalue to register or for more info.

Email me if you want the slidedeck for more info! 

Happy Selling!

In talking with hundreds of Partners in the last few weeks both in the Ambition Mission Community and around the country at events, goal setting seems to either be a lost practice or a “I should have one but keep it to myself” activity.

Successful people are different from unsuccessful people in the fact that successful people actually set goals.  Sometimes the process of setting goals and the resulting actions they dictate are more powerful than even achieving the goal itself.   It is for this reason that I promote a 3 tiered goal setting approach which is called Must Do, Should Do, Could Do.

The Could Do is the real stretch goal - you know the one you’re afraid to tell people because they may laugh at you.  (which means it is set appropriately)

The Should Do goal is based upon YOUR past performance and capabilities with one added ingredient - consistency!

The Must Do is like a contingency plan when striving for the Could Do.  Sometimes life happens.

Finally, goals should be S.M.A.R.T.

Specific (more specific goals are more likely to have daily actionable tasks and therefore more likely to be accomplished.)

Measurable (you and others must be able to KNOW when the goal is achieved)

Actionable (without action, the goal is merely an empty dream)

Realistic (think of hours in the day, not merely what has been done before)

Timely (depends upon the lenght of the goal)

So a Happy New Year to all, and to all those setting goals for 2008 - “Think Big.”

What a great crowd in Cleveland at the TS2 seminar event yesterday!  Lots of good questions and great table side discussions about getting started with managed services, how to convert existing customers who are not so eager to move away from time & materials, what tools make the most sense to use, and much more!

I also had the pleasure of having lunch with my good friend Terry Soltzberg who owns a very successful IT practice in the Cleveland area and is on the board of the Cleveland IAMCP.  If you’re not already aware, the IAMCP (International Assoc. of Microsoft Certified Partners) is a tremendous organization to be involved with to foster solid business relationships with other complimentary IT providers.  As past president of the chapter in NJ, I can atest first hand for the business that can be gained from such a group. 

The IAMCP has close to 40 chapters nationwide and is in approx 30 other countries as well.  Membership is open to Microsoft Partners of ALL LEVELS, and costs $125/yr or $199/yr depending upon your partnership level.  It’s a great investment in your business.

Be on the look out for an event (or several) with the IAMCP chapter(s) in Ohio focusing upon managed services training in early February.  More to come later!

I hear the footsteps of the 800 lb gorilla!

One of the partners I work with in South Florida sent me a link to a CRN about DELL getting closer and closer to offering what will appear to be directly competing with the small IT provider.

Take a look!

Re:  Dell’s recent aquisition:

Among its products are … an IT Support Services package, which the company bills as a comprehensive offering of remote, desktop management solutions.

Dell executives say the company is working to announce a new, comprehensive channel program by year’s end.

So maybe DELL is just looking to offer more services THROUGH partners in a “Microsoft like” partner program???

Or maybe not…

A Dell spokesman said the … company would continue to provide … technology to managed service providers and resellers through its upcoming channel program, but that Dell would also deliver the products and technology directly.

Here’s what I say, Bring it on DELL!  An IT provider who delivers proactive services can protect themselves with a packaged set of offerings and a trusted advisor relationship with the clients.  As for those providers who may not have yet adopted a proactive approach to services by the time DELL (and others) offer proactive IT services directly to end clients, be very afraid.

As for the rest of us who get it and know that our success (and survival) depends upon our adapting to offer proactive services, I say I hear the footsteps of the gorilla approaching and I am not afraid.  The gorilla will have more than enough to do picking off the low hanging fruit - the clients of break/fix T&M/block of hour providers.

if you haven’t yet read “Who Moved My Cheese” it may be time to pick that book up, because the cheese is moving!

click this link to see the full article: http://www.crn.com/managed-services/203101109

(Thanks to Richard Blanco from Miami for bringing this article to my attention)

For those planning on attending TS2 events in Pittsburg today (Tuesday) or Philadelphia (Thursday) will see me there in person.  If you are near these cities, register for the TS2 event at TS2seinars.com and I’ll see you there!