Uncle Marv’s IT Business Podcast: Practical Business Advice for MSPs and IT Professionals
Uncle Marv’s IT Business Podcast: Practical Business Advice…
Running a managed service provider (MSP) or IT services business takes more than technical expertise. You need to win customers, grow revenue, protect profitability, manage vendors, deliver great service, and keep up with a changing IT industry. That’s where Uncle Marv comes in.

Hosted by longtime IT business owner Marvin Bee, aka Uncle Marv, the IT Business Podcast delivers practical business advice, real-world lessons, candid conversations, and industry insights to help MSP owners, IT service providers, IT consultants, system administrators, and technology professionals run their businesses better, smarter, and faster.

Topics include MSP business growth, pricing and profitability, sales and marketing, managed services operations, cybersecurity, compliance, Microsoft 365, cloud services, automation, service desk efficiency, vendor management, technology stack decisions, and customer relationships.

Hear from experienced MSP owners, IT business leaders, industry experts, and technology vendors about what works, what doesn’t, and what it takes to build a stronger IT business. Get an honest look at industry trends, vendor claims, emerging technologies, and the decisions that affect your customers, your team, and your bottom line.

Whether you’re starting an MSP, growing an established IT services company, managing client networks, or looking for better tools and smarter ways to work, Uncle Marv brings the conversation back to what matters: practical knowledge you can put to work.

Run your business better, smarter, and faster.
June 18, 2026

Pax8 Beyond 2026: The Good, The Swag & The Ugly (1021)

Pax8 Beyond 2026: The Good, The Swag & The Ugly (1021)
Uncle Marv’s IT Business Podcast: Practical Business Advice for MSPs and IT Professionals
Pax8 Beyond 2026: The Good, The Swag & The Ugly (1021)

Pax8 Beyond delivered a clear message that MSPs need to move from managing endpoints to managing intelligence, and I break down what that actually looks like in the real world. I also share my favorite (and not-so-favorite) swag from the show and walk through practical network performance testing strategies you can use without buying expensive gear.

Pax8 is planting a flag around the “managed intelligence provider” idea, and this episode unpacks how that changes the story you tell clients about AI, data, and business outcomes. I walk through what I heard in Salt Lake City, from the new AI agent store and marketplace updates to how Pax8 wants to help you go from playing with AI internally to delivering real, billable outcomes for customers.

I also have some fun with conference life: a honest rundown of the swag that worked, the swag that absolutely didn’t, and why vendors should care if their Bluetooth speaker won’t even turn off. From clever hats to custom-engraved keychains, it’s a practical look at what actually keeps your brand in an MSP’s bag instead of their hotel trash can. On top of that, I revisit my EnGenius network test, explain what went wrong, and show you how to use tools like NetAlly, iPerf3, and even simple ping and traceroute to validate your networks.

=== Chapters

  • 01:04 PAX 8 Recap Introduction
  • 03:10 Show Topics Tonight
  • 06:30 Sponsor Spotlight
  • 09:29 Network Test Results
  • 14:37 Fixing the Packet Loss
  • 18:49 Pax8 Beyond Takeaways
  • 25:06 Swag Winners and Fails
  • 34:31 Wrapping Up PAX 8

=== Shout-outs

=== Companies / Products Mentioned

=== SPONSORS:

=== SHOW MUSIC:

=== Connect with Uncle Marv

🌐 Website: https://www.itbusinesspodcast.com/
🎙 Host: Marvin Bee
🛒 Uncle Marv’s Amazon Store (gear & tools I recommend): https://amzn.to/3EiyKoZ
☕ Support the show: https://ko-fi.com/itbusinesspodcast

If you found value in this episode, share it with another MSP, IT provider, or tech entrepreneur. Your support helps keep practical, no-nonsense IT business conversations coming every week.

Message