🔒 Patreon Special

IT Pros: exclusive shows await you on Patreon, focusing on the more challenging aspects of running your practice and working with clients and employees.

589: Navigating Business Management with Benjamin Morales of Cirrus Partners

/

In this episode of Command Control Power, hosts dig into the business acumen of Benjamin Morales, owner of Cirrus Partners. Benjamin discusses his journey from being an educator in the Pacific Northwest to owning a small MSP company in Madison, Wisconsin. He elaborates on the challenges of managing a team, hiring and firing employees, and transitioning from Linux to macOS. The conversation covers the importance of company culture, and the balance between individual technical skills and management responsibilities. Additionally, Benjamin shares the lessons learned from losing a significant client due to a mismatch between an employee's personality and client expectations. Rounding out the discussion, Benjamin provides insights into his reading influences and the support mechanisms he relies on to lead effectively.

Ben's Career Journey

Transition to Ownership

Challenges of Leadership

Managing Employees and Client Relations

Documenting and Delegating

Employee Issues and Client Impact

Transitioning Business and Client Relations

Handling Employee Performance and Reputation

Debating Hiring and Firing Strategies

Navigating Pandemic Challenges

Workplace Dynamics

Effective Hiring Practices

Managing Employee Relations and Termination

Leveraging Professional Employer Organizations (PEOs)

Hiring Challenges and Solutions

Balancing Internal Transitions and Client Support

Reflecting on Leadership and Team Dynamics

Concluding Thoughts and Book Recommendations

587: Recovering Deleted Google Calendars and Client Network Saga: A Tech Support Adventure

/

Thanks to our VIP Sponsors!

Recovering Deleted Google Calendars and Client Network Saga: A Tech Support Adventure


In this episode, the hosts discuss a series of challenging client issues, including how to recover a deleted Google Calendar, the complexities of managing network loops with Sonos devices, and the frustrations of dealing with unreliable electricians. They also explore advertising on Facebook and Instagram for tech support services, share the latest updates from Apple, and review the impact of recent podcasting trends. Tune in for insights on troubleshooting, client management, and the ever-evolving tech landscape.


-One of Jerry’s clients finds out the hard way that you cannot restore a deleted Google calendar.

-Joe has some follow up about his client with two UniFi mission critical switches.

-He also mentions a helpful UniFi article about preventing network loops.

-After many years and work with Sonos, Joe has some updated guidance on network recommendations.

-Jerry has seen an uptick in business lately. He is also engaging in Facebook and Instagram advertising.

-Joe is a fan of a podcast on NPR called The Brian Lehrer Show

-And now for Jerry’s favorite part - Joe’s product announcements.

-He does have some interesting thoughts on AirPods Pro hearing tests.

Thank you to our Patreon sponsors!

586: A Beer Lover's Adventure and Tech Talk: Exploring European Brews and New Mac OS Updates

/

In this episode, the hosts discuss various topics from a recent travel experience in the Netherlands and Belgium, highlighting amazing Trappist beers and unique beer brewing technologies. They also dive into the new features and implications of the latest Mac OS release, Sequoia, including the practical uses of Apple's new password app, send later in iOS messages, and the game-changing iPhone mirroring feature. Additionally, the episode features insights on managing client expectations with updates, blocking the latest OS to ensure stability, and a personal account of a sudden client shutdown. The show wraps up with tips on data recovery using Backblaze and a super-fast external drive.

 

00:00 Introduction and Recent Trip to the Netherlands and Belgium

00:28 Exploring Trappist Monasteries and Belgian Beers

01:57 Travel Experiences in Bruges, Belgium

03:09 Challenges of Bringing Beer Back Home

05:32 In-Flight Entertainment and Raw Dogging

07:53 Sequoia Release and Technical Discussions

13:17 Managing Software Updates and Client Experiences

26:38 Daily Driver Adventures

27:06 Apple's Seamless Integration

28:01 Send Later Feature in iOS

28:26 iPhone Mirroring and Instagram

29:30 Supporting Clients Efficiently

30:02 SMS Messages on Mac

31:31 New Passwords App

33:38 Screen Capture Limitations

36:06 Hiking Directions in Maps

39:07 Client Stories and Business Practices

42:35 Data Recovery and Backblaze

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09ZRWT134/

50:15 Wrapping Up and Teasers

583: Apple's Privacy Paradox & iPhone Lost At Sea

/

Joe Saponare discusses their experience with a CarPlay after-market device, highlighting its usefulness for maps and its limitations, such as poor sound quality and occasional connectivity issues. They also mention the convenience of Amazon’s return policy and the lack of significant improvements in CarPlay over the years. Joe concludes by noting that their car’s USB port, which only provides power when the vehicle is running, helps reduce the jankiness of the after market device.

Jerry and Sam discuss the use of CarPlay in the Honda, noting that Tesla lacks CarPlay support due to Elon Musk’s disdain for Apple. They also mention the availability of a Ubiquiti charging unit for Tesla and the potential influence of iPhone users on car manufacturers’ decisions regarding CarPlay support. The conversation concludes with a discussion about the poor quality and service of RVs, highlighting the use of cheap components and long service delays.

Apple’s new monthly permission prompt for screenshots and screen recording may affect third-party software, including Apple Remote Desktop. The prompts can be overwhelming for users, leading to fatigue and potential security risks. MDM functionality may provide a solution for businesses, but it can also be confusing for users and may not always be effective.

Users face fatigue from excessive privacy and security prompts, leading to potential security risks. Apple should improve the interface and provide a “best practice” mode for standard users, while offering advanced options for power users. MDM profiles can be effective in managing permissions, but exceptions may exist.

Joe discusses the need for a more user-friendly interface for Backblaze, highlighting the inconvenience of requiring users to navigate through system settings to enable it. Sam expresses frustration with 1Password’s synchronization issues and suggest exploring alternative password managers like Bitwarden. Additionally, Sam shares a story about an iPhone sinking in water and the inability to locate it using Find My iPhone due to a lack of iCloud syncing.

Jerry shares a tip for creating unique URLs for emails using AppleScript and TextExpander.

Jerry’s tip: APPLESCRIPT TO LINK TO APPLE MAIL MESSAGE
https://www.macsparky.com/blog/2019/02/applescript-to-link-to-apple-mail-message/

Chat concludes with concerns about AI, clarifying that Apple’s implementation prioritizes device-based processing and offers the option to disable AI features.