160: "The Coconut Network" With Jerome Koehler

Recorded on June 5, 2016

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TOPICS:

SAMUEL VALENCIA - TEAM V | 2016 TCS NEW YORK CITY MARATHON

Team V is the official endurance fundraising program for The V Foundation for Cancer Research. http://www.jimmyv.org

https://www.crowdrise.com/samuel-teamv/

Today we are joined by Jerome Koehler of IFIXPRO.COM from HONOLULU, HI . We discuss some of the challenges facing Apple Consultants who are making the move from "part time" consulting to "full time". This open and candid discussion examines the difficult decision of letting go of a reliable full time job and going "all in" on Apple Consulting.

159: "Live" With Andy Espo of Call Andy! Macintosh Consulting

Recorded  on June 7, 2016

This weeks show is sponsored by Drobo, a family of safe, expandable , yet simple to use smart array. Drobo's are designed to protect your important data forever. Visit www.drobo.com to learn more.

In 1988 Andy Espo was running an special event production company in Boston, MA when the need for computers pushed him into a decision; “At that point, the choice was between DOS and Mac… and it was a pretty easy decision!” His interests in technology to that point had included professional audio, video, theatrical lighting and scenery and he dove into Macintosh, first succeeding in automating his business, then starting to help other businesses with their Macs as his reputation grew. In January of 1998 Andy made the transition to full-time “Mac guy” with his company, Call Andy! Macintosh Consulting. Now in its 16th year, Call Andy! Macintosh Consulting retains an array of clients in the business, public relations, marketing, architecture, advertising and design sectors. Andy is an Apple Consultants Network member, and is an ACN Advisory Council Member Emeritus.

TOPICS:

- Early Days of the Apple Consultant Program and OnForce

- Rooted Consulting - Providing phone Help Desk services https://www.rootedconsulting.orgResidential

- Residential Work & Handling Customer Responses

- "Office space or not office space. That is the question."

MacVoices #16135: Mark Fuccio Demos The Ease of Drobo Access Set-Up

Mark Fuccio is actively involved in high tech startup companies, both as a principle at piqsure.com, or as an marketing advisor through his consulting practice Tactics Sells High Tech, Inc. Mark was a proud investor in Microsoft from the mid-1990’s selling in mid 2000, and hopes one day that MSFT will be again an attractive investment. You can contact Mark through his web site or through Twitter.

In response to viewer and listener comments, Mark Fuccio is back to set up Drobo Access on a new Drobo 5N. Mark walks us through the process, from registration of the new device to making all of the Drobo's storage available on the Internet, including automatic domain registration and SSL certificate acquisition.

158: Balanced Billing & The "Partner Plan" With Richard Wingfield Of Envision Design

Recorded on may 31, 2016

TOPICS:

Richard B. Wingfield - Head Geek, Envision Design, LLC of Houston Texas:"I have been using Mac's in business since original Macintosh in '84 and Envision, as a consulting firm, has been around since 1993. Started part time as sole proprietor and 20+ years later we are now a firm of 5 full time consultants here in Houston.  

I tell people I am a "recovering architect" as I got my start in technology practicing architecture and being the "tech guy" in every firm I ever worked for. I even helped manage a DEC vax/vms system for a firm in Austin soon after graduating from The University of Texas with a degree in Architecture. 

This episode examines Richards own "recipe' for Managed Services. Here is a brief description as discussed:

… Simple Hybrid Partner Plan is setup so almost all the clients “get it” and are not confused about how it works

- 3 part invoice is made up of

- small monthly fee per device (each mac, each windows, each iOS or android, each server… fees like $25/mac or $49/windows or $250/server etc) client must enroll ALL computers in the office (cant get cheap and have some on the system and some not)

- our “consluting fee” - which is time for humans to do the work to manage, monitor, secure and maintain systems and ALWAYS includes a minimum of one 2hr visit per month

(more if needed or requested)

- fees for services or hosting (if we host kerio email or rackspace or web or crashplan backups or re-sell backblaze) 

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You can find more about Richard and  Envision design here: Web: http://www.envisiondesign.net

Twitter: @GEEKSapplied

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006: Consultants in the Field - Alan McCullough, CV Rao, and Colleen Beale

As ACN Advanced Camp wrapped up last week in Austin, Sam Valencia interviewed three more colleagues in the Apple Consultants Network.

First we hear from Alan McCullough of Zen IT as he and Sam reflect on Advanced Camp, followed by a group discussion panel featuring CV Rao of TechOne Centre and Colleen Beale of Data Networks.

005: Consultants in the Field – Craig Cohen, Kok-Yong Tan, Brian Mortensen, and Jeff Satterwhite

Sam was kind enough to record these "man in the street" interviews with four of our colleagues,  including master trainer Craig Cohen of HCS Technology Group, who helped organize the technical content for the Apple Consultants Network Advanced Camp.

Features a pro tip for fixing broken network jacks from expert Network Wrangler and Delouser, Kok-Yong Tan of Reality Artisans, and the answer to the question on everyone's mind: "Tan, what's in the vest?" 

Also includes feedback about ACN Advanced Camp from Brian Mortensen of BFA Technologies, Inc. and Jeff Satterwhite of Post Mod Tech.

Thanks to Craig, Tan, Brian, and Jeff for participating. Enjoy the last day of camp!

Update: check out this great photo of Sam interviewing Tan at ACN Advanced Camp, taken by Arek Dreyer.