When Your Vendor Changes Direction (EP 1073)
I sat down with Brian Weiss from iTech to talk about the messy parts of running an MSP right now: vendor dependency, overlapping tools, AI adoption, and customers who expect us to have every answer. This is a practical conversation about protecting your roadmap while helping clients move forward responsibly.
Brian Weiss from iTech joined me for a real MSP owner conversation, the kind we need more of. We started with what happens when a vendor changes its roadmap and you are suddenly left having to rethink part of your own business. Brian shared how Pax8 winding down its business applications services affected his support plan for Microsoft Dynamics Business Central. The important lesson is bigger than one vendor: every MSP has dependencies, and standardizing your stack does not remove risk if too much operational knowledge or support capability lives outside your control.
We also got into AI, shadow IT, and why clients often bring us in after they have already started using a tool. Brian made a strong point that employees using AI are not necessarily the problem. They may be the champions your client needs, but they need to be brought under proper company licensing, governance, and data protection. We talked about resisting FOMO around the growing pile of AI vendors, reviewing overlapping tools, and remembering that automation often needs to come before AI. If you run an MSP, this conversation is a reminder to stay flexible, know where your single points of failure are, and make decisions based on the business you want to build, not the noise around you.
=== Chapters
- 00:48 Introduction to Uncle Marv’s IT Business Podcast
- 01:02 Meet Brian Weiss of iTech Solutions
- 02:34 NetAlly Tip: Adding the Fluke LinkIQ Duo
- 10:49 Pax8 Business Apps Changes and the Dynamics Roadmap
- 23:07 Vendor Dependency and MSP Single Points of Failure
- 30:57 Client Expectations, Shadow IT, and AI Adoption
- 41:25 AI Governance, Legal Risk, and Data Retention
- 48:59 AI Vendor Overload and Avoiding FOMO
- 55:09 Simplifying the Stack and Managing Vendor Relationships
- 58:56 Sponsors and TechCon Unplugged
=== Guests Brian J. Weiss, ITECH Solutions
- Website: https://itech-solutions.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianjweiss
=== Shout-outs Kristen Pittman, CyLutions
- Website: https://www.itbusinesspodcast.com/guests/kristen-pittman/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristenpittman
=== Conferences TechCon Unplugged
- Website: https://techconunplugged.com/
- Discount Code: TCUMarvin
=== Resources / Companies / Products / Books / Podcasts
- Fluke Networks LinkIQ Duo: https://amzn.to/3U7EKx9
- Pax8: https://www.pax8.com/en-us/
- Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics365/business-central/
- MX Save Email Continuity: https://www.mxsave.com/index.html
- Mailprotector: https://mailprotector.com/
- Zoom: https://zoom.us/
- LexisNexis: https://www.lexisnexis.com/ T
- homson Reuters: https://www.thomsonreuters.com/
- Intermedia: https://www.intermedia.com/
=== SPONSORS:
- Technology Partner, NetAlly: https://www.itbusinesspodcast.com/netally/
- Technology Partner: Bvoip: https://www.itbusinesspodcast.com/bvoip
- Travel Partner: TruGrid: https://www.itbusinesspodcast.com/trugrid
- Digital Partner, Designer Ready: http://itbusinesspodcast.com/designerready
=== SHOW MUSIC:
- Item Title: Upbeat & Fun Sports Rock Logo
- Item URL: https://elements.envato.com/upbeat-fun-sports-rock-logo-CSR3UET
- Author Username: AlexanderRufire
- Item License Code: 7X9F52DNML
=== 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
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