New Years: 2026 Strategy/Planning

Overview: In this episode of the SMB Community Podcast, hosts Amy and James discuss the importance of timely year-end planning for IT professionals, suggesting October as the ideal start time for preparation. They cover effective strategies for developing annual goals, emphasizing the need for a personalized approach and tactical objectives. The hosts also examine the recent cloud outages from AWS and Azure, stressing the importance of diversifying cloud services. They touch on the growing presence of AI in technology and its implications for MSPs. Additionally, they explore the upcoming 50th anniversary of Apple and the rumors surrounding new product releases. The episode concludes with tips on maintaining high customer service standards and the excitement of holiday preparations. --- Chapter Markers: 00:00 Introduction and Welcome 01:54 MSP Question of the Week: New-Year Planning 08:51 News Highlights: AWS Outage 12:22 Tech Talk: Apple's 50th Anniversary and AI Innovations 14:41 Economic Insights: Tech Layoffs and MSP Growth 20:02 AI in Browsers and MSP Strategies 21:10 Holiday Preparations and Personal Stories 24:42 Conclusion and Farewell --- New Book Release: I'm proud to announce the release of my new book, The Anthology of Cybersecurity Experts! This collection brings together 15 of the nation's top minds in cybersecurity, sharing real-world solutions to combat today's most pressing threats. Whether you're an MSP, IT leader, or simply passionate about protecting your data, this book is packed with expert advice to help you stay secure and ahead of the curve. Available now on Amazon! https://a.co/d/f2NKASI --- Sponsor Memo: Since 2006, Kernan Consulting has been through over 30 transactions in mergers & acquisitions - and just this past year, we have been involved in six (6). If you are interested in either buying, selling, or valuation information, please reach out. There is alot of activity and you can be a part of it. For more information, reach out at kernanconsulting.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.