Twins Talk Tech Leadership

Episode 77: Pitch Your Story

Not everything has to be a crisis, but should there be one, you must be prepared with a proactive strategy to address any threat to the business or its reputation. This strategy plan involves technology, systems and protocols that will enable an organization to effectively communicate both internally and externally.Amanda Lee, Vice President of Corporate Communications with ConnectWise shares about the importance of clarity and how you can transform opinion and generate convocation through compelling stories. Highlights include:Her journey into Technology.Working with the U.S. Congress.The adrenaline rush around crisis communication.How a little conflict can be healthy.Her passion for supporting various communities, including ‘Voices of Innovation.’Amanda states that we are all in sales to some capacity, “we're all trying to sell a story, we're all trying to sell an idea, and we're all trying to get mindshare.”Her advice for those looking to break into or advance their career as a communication strategist.Connect with Amanda on LinkedIn and visit connectwise.com for more information about this incredible community including any special announcements or introductions.

Episode 76: Value Community and Growth

What does it mean to tap into your potential? How can an organization help talent find their voice and develop into their full potential? Kisha Thompson, Chief People Officer with ConnectWise shares her experience from guiding talent and the privilege of leading this charge.Highlights include:How she approaches managing talent both in the States and internationally.The call to empower and help others find their voice by listening to bring about vulnerability and ideas. Kisha stated that, “'we don't just hear you; here are some results of what has been implemented” because of what you’ve shared. 'Getting more representation in the C-Suite begins with not being afraid to talk about it.Having great advocates including her own CEO.Think outside the box for how you are looking for talent.How she stays inspired.Connect with Kisha on LinkedIn and visit connectwise.com to learn more about available resources for the community.

Episode 75: Security from the Inside Out

Can’t think of a better way to kick off an amazing conference with over 1,200 attendees than to sit down with Patrick Beggs, Chief Information Security Office, ConnectWise. Patrick gives us a snapshot of his role and what we can look forward to from IT Nation Secure. Highlights include:Importance of communication..Key points from his keynote with CEO Jason MaGee, Jay Ryerse, VP, IT Nation; Ameer Karim, Executive VP and GM, Cybersecurity and Data Protection; and John Helms, Director of Product, Cybersecurity.Why he is excited about the Fireside Chat with Theresa Payton, the first female CIO for the White House.Leading a Community-led Discussion entitled Uniting Against Vulnerability with several other sector influencers.Trends and why you must know if ‘your house’ is exposed.Connect with Patrick on LinkedIn and visit Connectwise.com/ to learn more about the community as well as their recent release of ConnectWise Security360.

Episode 74: ’Wise and Rise’ to Grow the Community

What is IT Nation? Gregg Lalle, SVP and GM of IT Nation at ConnectWise shares about the growth of this amazing community; a community reflected by the motto of ‘Wise Together, Rise Together.’Highlights include:Gregg's unique perspective from leading international sales and now heading up the community.The collaborative spirit of the global IT community and the 3 experiences of Secure, Automation Nation, Grow.Designing the community to meet partners ‘where they are' and with programs, education and networking.When growing the community, Gregg believes that, “you have to build intentionality into the business plan.”Future plans for IT Nation including Connect and PitchITConnect with Gregg on LinkedIn and visit connectwise.com/theitnation to stay in touch with the latest updates.

Episode 73: Inspirational Leadership

What does an inspirational leader look like? How can you as a leader inspire your team and organization to even greater success? They want to be inspired and they need to be inspired by you. This may not be natural for some but let’s dive into some thoughts about how you can become more inspirational.Which leaders have inspired you and supported your leadership journey? Here are 6 thoughts about what an inspirational leader looks like:1. Focused2. Balanced3. Authentic4. High EQ5. Accept Accountability6. Insatiable HungerFor more leadership tips and training programs, visit AppMeetup.comKeep leading!

Episode 72: The Art of Listening

When every conversation could lead to a new opportunity or lay the framework for a complex challenge, the art of active listening stands out as a crucial skill. Why is listening so vital and reflective of great leadership? How can you improve your listening skills and can this skill be considered an art? Are there any active listening techniques for better communication as a leader?We explore this concept and art of active listening as this could be the very skill you need to provide more understanding and elevate your conversations. 5 to keep in mind when reflecting on the art of listening:1. The art of listening is meant to be an active activity, so get engaged. 2. Listen to understand and for context as there may exist a deeper meaning behind what is said. 3. Benefits of listening.4. Open your posture to mentorship and feedback.5. Additional tips for better Listening.Be sure to pick up our Book on Amazon, ‘Talk it Up: A Guide to Successful Public Speaking.’ While you are there, grab the accompanied Workbook. Also, visit AppMeetup.com to learn more about our leadership and soft skills programs

Episode 71: Strategies for Partner Success

How can strengthening the partner experience help drive even more success within the channel ecosystem? A commitment to investing more resources for partner enablement leads to greater opportunities for growth. Barracuda MSP’s Vice President of Worldwide Partner Ecosystems, Jason Beal shares from his experience on their dedication to developing the partner community and to accelerating channel sales. The emphasis is on giving partners the tools they need to become more profitable by identifying and winning more opportunities.Highlights include:His leadership journey and why leadership should drive for a high performance culture and high performance teams.The importance of cultivating a healthy and thriving international team with a designed framework of 80/20; which allows flexibility to adapt to culture, business norms and local market needs.Strategies for building a successful partner community starts with partner empathy and with “putting yourself in their shoes.”His Partner Success Formula of IQ + EQ + AQ = SQ, which breaks down into Business Acumen + Connectivity + Arrows equates into Smashing Quotas.Insight about the next logical evolution for the partner community - doing that “full customer lifecycle management.”We learn about what Barracuda has next: releasing in September their next program launch including tactical enablement around partner services.Did you also know that the term ‘battery’ means a group of barracuda?Be on the lookout for Barracuda MSP’s Global MSP Day on June 6, 2024. To learn more about Jason, connect with him on LinkedIn and visit barracuda.com/

Episode 70: Work Smarter, Not Harder with Autopilot

Protect your business by managing your security posture with the right partner so that you can effectively work smarter and not harder. Alignment with you in mind means creating greater efficiencies and impacting profitability. George Smith, Head of Community & Strategic Partnerships at Augmentt speaks to the importance of supporting the work of MSPs with tools, resources and the partner community. Augmentt is a centralized SaaS security platform designed to deliver scalable managed security services.Highlights include:His own leadership journey into tech.Standardization and Augmentt’s partnership with Microsoft.Recent release of Augmentt Autopilot, allowing MSPs to set security baseline templates.‘Security is not a product, it's a discipline’.Success stories leading to cost savings and increased profitability.Tools and resources to support and increase Partner success including ebooks and their Augmenttors webinar series.His passion for the sport of Rugby and the factor of the greater team.His challenge for any curious about the Augmentt to personally reach out to him on LinkedIn.To learn more about Augmentt and to take advantage of their Demo and free 14-Day Trial, visit augmentt.com/

Episode 69: Customization begin with the Client in Mind

Does your organization have a reputation for putting clients first? Is this evident in the way you treat and understand their unique needs?Adrian Villasenor, Founder and CTO of Avilla Innovations sheds light into how understanding the goals of your clients can allow you to become a trusted advisor and ally in their desire to refine processes, boost organizational efficiency and productivity. Avilla Innovations is a leading software development company, leveraging technology to drive digital data solutions and transformation.Highlights include:What inspired Avilla Innovations.Why he chose to change roles to better serve Avilla Innovation and their customers, and why this also allowed him to stay true to himself and to his strengths. Foundation of transparency and empowering team members to innovate and lead.Strategic Partnership with Pipedrive.His encouragement to embrace and leverage new technologies.Words of wisdom from his father that still guides him, 'do things to the best of your ability and with the best intentions.'Connect with Adrian on LinkedIn. Learn more about Avilla Innovation by visiting avillainnovations.com/ and schedule your free consultation.

Episode 68: Champion Diversity and Vulnerability

Effective leaders not only advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) but also embody vulnerability—an essential quality that cultivates openness, empathy, community and inclusivity. As a leader within your organization, do you help to foster a culture that is safe for dialogue, welcoming of ideas, acknowledging of diverse journeys, providing sponsorships and supporting growth?Kerry Robinson, Commercial Distribution Director at Ping Identity shares why it is important for organizations and leaders to promote awareness and drive change by expecting and supporting a diverse and inclusive workforce. You accomplish this by championing all identities. Highlights include:How others have supported her leadership journey and set the stage for Kerry to support others. People want to be seen, empower them to show up.Value of participating in your organization's Employee Resource Groups (ERGs); much like Women of Ping, Ping RED (Racial, Ethnic and Diversity).Kerry's belief that, "there's nothing more important than to be authentically you."Kerry's conviction that, "When your most passionate people get quiet, this is when the leaders should absolutely be concerned." Connect with Kerry on LinkedIn and to learn more about Ping Identity and their partner community, visit pingidentity.com/