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TEConnect is the podcast that tackles the news, trends, and technologies impacting the specialty IT reseller channel, software companies, and hardware manufacturers. Hosted by John Martin & Dean Reverman. Tell us what YOU want to hear about: teconnect@bluestarinc.com
Episodes
Thursday Mar 03, 2022
Thursday Mar 03, 2022
We’re doing some (educated) prognosticating on this week’s episode! Citizen’s Tracy Tucker joins us to talk about how the reseller channel has evolved during his career and where we might be going next. How important is software to keep you ahead of the competition? What is the role of distribution and their relationships with both vendors and resellers? How is the “Amazon effect” challenging everyone? Finally, what will the channel look like in 3-5 years?
#VARValue – What are one or two things VARs should be doing now to ensure they’re still around and relevant for the channel future we’ve described?
TEConnecting with us:
Tracy - FIDO (Fast ID Online)
Dean - Google search is dying
John - The history of the iBeer app
Talk to us!
Twitter - @TEConnectPod
Email - TEConnect@bluestarinc.com
Send us your topic suggestions!
Sponsored by:
Thursday Feb 24, 2022
Thursday Feb 24, 2022
Many businesses rely on label printing to package, ship, receive, market, and provide critical info, but managing all of the files, conditional printing, and processes around those labels can be a headache without the right tools in place. This week, we bring in the expert, Matt Brine from Seagull Scientific (makers of the beloved BarTender software). He explains what so many organizations do wrong with their labeling. Where are the pain points? What industries benefit the most from enterprise labeling? What’s coming in the new BarTender 2022 release?
#VARValue – What should VARs be looking for or asking about to determine if an enterprise print solution is right for their customers?
TEConnecting with us:
Matt - Fitness trackers and Bialetti Mini Express
Dean - UK scientists smash nuclear fusion energy record
John - Dark stores
Talk to us!
Twitter - @TEConnectPod
Email - TEConnect@bluestarinc.com
What do you want to hear on the show?
Sponsored by:
Elo E-Series 2
Thursday Feb 17, 2022
Thursday Feb 17, 2022
We’ve all been buying more stuff online in the last couple years, but did you know that B2B ecommerce has actually grown more than B2C during that time? That also means the supply chain and labor issues that are slowing down small consumer purchases are even more problematic when a business is ordering hundreds or thousands of items. This week, Newcastle Systems’ Drew Arnold joins us to dig into what’s happening and how VARs can offer mobility solutions to overcome their customer’s “in-house” issues and improve efficiencies, receiving, accuracy, employee satisfaction, and more.
#VARValue – How does Newcastle help VARs capture the ‘low-hanging fruit” of mobility solutions?
TEConnecting with us:
Drew - Dr. Alexa
Dean - 5G and airports
John - NASA's DART Mission
Talk to us!
Twitter - @TEConnectPod
Email - TEConnect@bluestarinc.com
Request podcast topics - https://www.bluestarinc.com/us-en/landing-pages/podcast-topics.html
Sponsored by:
Elo's I-Series 4
Thursday Feb 10, 2022
Thursday Feb 10, 2022
The trilogy is complete! James Korte returns to finish what we started almost a year ago with part three of our deep dive into the insights he gained from “The Challenger Customer.” This time it’s all about finding people within the businesses you’re targeting who can be the “cheerleader” and advocate for your product, service or company. First, we explore what kind of content and marketing helps reach the right people with the right message. Then, we discuss who to target within a buying group and how to make them fall in love with you and your offerings. Finally, how do you equip that “mobilizer” with the tools and talking points to help them fight on your behalf?
#VARValue - How does BlueStar help with creating demand and equipping mobilizers to advocate on our behalf?
TEConnecting with us:
James - Bing ad targeting & Web3
Dean - TikTok stars out-earning CEOs & REvil is disbanded (wink, wink)
John - Wordle
Talk to us!
Twitter - @TEConnectPod
Email - TEConnect@bluestarinc.com
Submit your topic ideas!
https://www.bluestarinc.com/us-en/landing-pages/podcast-topics.html
Sponsored by:
Thursday Feb 03, 2022
Thursday Feb 03, 2022
Is this the Year of RFID? Dean says yes, but we also know that RFID is not meant to be the ultimate, complete replacement for other forms of tracking and collecting information. This week, A2B Tracking’s Founder & CEO, Peter Collins, joins us to explain his “common sense” approach to RFID. What’s the pitch for RFID over (or alongside) barcodes? How does RFID help address labor issues? How important is it to have a strategy in place and what should we look for in partnerships?
#VARValue - Tell us a little about how A2B Tracking helps VARs implement RFID with their customers.
TEConnecting with us:
Pete - Connected devices & clothing technology
Dean - Samsung remote that recharges wirelessly
John - Exoplanet with a 16 hour year
Talk to us!
Twitter - @TEConnectPod
Email - TEConnect@bluestarinc.com
Submit your topic ideas! https://www.bluestarinc.com/us-en/landing-pages/podcast-topics.html
Sponsored by:
Zebra RFD40 UHF RFID Sled
Thursday Jan 27, 2022
Thursday Jan 27, 2022
Would you like a piece of $1.2 trillion in government spending? Of course, you would! With the signing of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal late last year, the US government has made a huge investment in projects that is either directly going to utilize modern technology or will require workers that are equipped with the latest hardware. Jeff Smith, our favorite government expert, is back to help us break down the opportunities (not just for government-specific resellers) and the timeline for projects to reach kick off and reach fruition. We’ll also check in on what’s happening at the state/local levels and wonder how the looming midterm elections impact projects in the works. It’s the episode where Dean is going to take over a small country and fill it with Teslas.
#VARValue - Even if you are not a government VAR, what should you keep an eye on as these initiatives get underway?
TEConnecting with us:
Jeff - Billionaires playing in space
Dean - Self-healing steel
John - Self-replicating living robots
Talk to us!
Twitter - @TEConnectPod
Email - TEConnect@bluestarinc.com
Got a topic suggestion? https://www.bluestarinc.com/us-en/landing-pages/podcast-topics.html
Sponsored by:
Elo 1502LM Medical Grade Monitors
Zebra ET Tablets
Thursday Jan 20, 2022
Thursday Jan 20, 2022
We’re back! After enjoying some much-needed time away, the podcast enters its third year with a sneak preview of what’s to come. What are we looking forward to in 2022? What happened when John & Producer Marko thought that Dean might not return to the pod this year? What are we keeping an eye on in tech within the channel and beyond? Finally, we give you a sneak peek at some of the episodes ahead.
Check out the podcast co-host tryout video: https://youtu.be/fY_Za7M-JWU?t=721
TEConnecting with us:
Dean & John - The James Webb Space Telescope
Talk to us!
Twitter - @TEConnectPod
Email - TEConnect@bluestarinc.com
Submit an idea for the podcast!
Sponsored by:
Elo E-Series 2
Zebra TC Mobile Computers
Thursday Dec 23, 2021
Thursday Dec 23, 2021
We’re wrapping up the second year of the podcast with some reflections and predictions. We discuss the ongoing pandemic (but not for too long, we promise!), cicadas, space exploration, supply chain issues, work-from-home, and much more. Pivoting to the reseller channel, what do we see happening now and expect to see in 2022? We also look back at the podcast itself, including our most popular episodes and milestones. Finally, we wrap with some of our favorite things (movies, TV, podcasts, books, etc…) this year.
TOPIC CHALLENGE! Send us your ideas for future episode topics, guests, tech, etc… for a chance to win some cash and get a TEConnect Podcast t-shirt. Listen for more details.
We’ll be back January 20th!
Talk to us!
Twitter: @TEConnectPod
Email: TEConnect@bluestarinc.com
Sponsored by:
Elo Essential Edge
Zebra ET80/85 2-in-1 Tablets
Thursday Dec 16, 2021
Thursday Dec 16, 2021
It’s our annual Star Wars nerdfest! This time, Sam Hughes joins us to riff on what’s been happening in our favorite sci-fi franchise over the last year. *SPOILER ALERT* We talk the latter half of “The Mandalorian” season 2, including the introduction of Ahsoka Tano to live action, Baby Yoda’s real name, and a surprise cameo in the season finale. Then, we discuss “Star Wars: Visions,” the series of non-canonical (?) shorts from renowned anime studios, followed by a rundown of what’s next for the Star Wars universe. Then, we have a debate over what we want from the franchise going forward. Can future mass-audience films work outside of the Skywalker/Jedi storylines? Are streaming series the best route for now? Finally, we reminisce about some of our favorite Star Wars merchandise.
Talk to us!
Twitter - @TEConnectPod
Email - TEConnect@bluestarinc.com
Sponsored by:
Zebra RFD40 UHF RFID Sled
Thursday Dec 09, 2021
Thursday Dec 09, 2021
Dean & John are back to bantering about hot topics in science, tech and business. 1. Epic Games vs. Apple ruling, 2. Tinder “Plus One,” 3. Life was better before social media (duh…) 4. Chinese limits on gaming for kids, 5. Most (and least) valuable college majors, 6. Facebook/Meta and the Metaverse. Also, stick around for a simple challenge that can get you some cash and prizes!
TEConnecting with us:
Dean - Apple allows consumers to fix products at home
John - Anamorphic murals
Talk to us! (And send us your ideas for topics by 1/15/22!)
Twitter - @TEConnectPod
Email - TEConnect@bluestarinc.com
Sponsored by:
Elo I-Series 4
Zebra DS3600