Direct MP3 Download: Podnutz Daily #450 – Derrick Wlodarz from Firelogic.net
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Derrick Wlodarz from Firelogic.net
Links:
- Previous Podnutz Daily Appearance – Oct 2010
- How I got my start
- Took A+/Network+ classes Junior & Senior years; passed both exams
- Intern for tech dept in high school
- Started working for a local competitor Senior year
- Went back to work full time for high school dist during college
- Started doing repairs for friends/family in college
- Built FireLogic from a hobby
- Formalized biz in early 2010
- Went full time with FL in mid 2012
- Now 7 full time staff; 5 part time subs
- Products/Tools We are Using
- Google Project Fi for cell phone service
- Dual carriers – Sprint and Tmobile
- WiFi Calling
- Very cheap – $20 for calling/texting + $10 per gig
- Fab’s Autobackup 6 Pro
- DataVac – Small portable duster; pays for itself in about 3-4 packs of compressed air
- Went from compressed air cans to air compressor; this beats them both
- Google Project Fi for cell phone service
- PC Check – vendor independent full system diagnostics
- Doesn’t work on MAC but handles 95%+ of all PCs
- Every PC into our office is “green lighted” by this
- Fluke Testers – for Cat5/Cat6 Testing and Validation
- More $$: NetTool II (no longer available)
- Less $$: MicroScanner2 (http://amzn.to/1llDJMk)
- Meraki firewalls / access points for managed residential/business networks
- Primary router and WAP we are using for most commercial overhauls now
- Work AWESOME with cloud hosted VoIP (unlike many SMB firewalls)
- Benefits:
- All customer networks accessible from single dashboard
- Automated firmware updates for all products
- Next day warranty replacement – aka lifetime warranty on all gear
- 24/7 support from Meraki engineers – awesome US based support
- Customer can grow from single Meraki device to dozens with no extra management effort
- Integrated IPS/IDS/Content Filtering with advanced security license (on firewalls)
- Give Meraki a try via a free AP they offer from webinars
- Business Tips & How We Get Work
- How we built our client base
- Volunteer classes @ local libraries
- People trust libraries inherently
- Easy referral source now – we are referred business by name
- Allows us to build training experience for staff
- Gives us excellent YouTube Channel content – 700 subscribers and growing
- Blogging for sites like Betanews – grew my Google Apps/O365/VoIP business largely
- Strategic partnerships w/ other local colleagues
- MSP & Business Support partnership with local single person company; getting referred by wiring company handling large bars and restaurants in Chicago
- Handling high end home networks for AV company
- Multiple single-person shops that are referring work they can’t handle
- Word of Mouth very critical from current clients
- People upset with service by big boxes & my former boss
- Volunteer classes @ local libraries
- Recurring Revenue Sources
- Managed clients: primarily biz but also offering for residential in 2016
- Recurring Commissions
- Selling: RingCentral; Office 365; CallTower; Comcast/ISP services
- We had to prune our service offerings and “exterminate” the losers
- Website design / SEO
- Tablet/phone screen repair
- DC Jack & Mobo repair on laptops
- CRM
- How we built our client base
- Find me Online
- You can find my blogging on
- Betanews: http://betanews.com/author/derrickwlodarz/
- Technibble: https://www.technibble.com/author/derrickwlodarz/
- FireLogic Blog: http://firelogic.net/category/blog/
- You can find my blogging on
- Email me
- Ebook on Computer Repair Business in late 2016 / early 2017 likely
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