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BlueStar Nation is the podcast that tackles the hot topics, trends, and emerging technologies impacting the specialty IT reseller channel, software companies, MSPs, and hardware manufacturers. Hosted by John Martin & Dean Reverman. Tell us what YOU want to hear about: teconnect@bluestarinc.com
Episodes
Thursday Oct 10, 2024
Thursday Oct 10, 2024
It's been nearly two years since LLMs like ChatGPT exploded into the public consciousness, but how are businesses leveraging the technology to improve and grow? Honeywell PSS CIO Michael Groskopf shares some powerful but practical examples with us. What are two things he thinks all VARs could use gen AI for? How does it improve data analysis? What are his predictions for the future? It's a multi-modal episode that helps you focus on the fun part of your job description!
#VARValue - How is Honeywell tackling the AI explosion?
TEConnecting with us:
Michael - Bug-A-Salt
Dean - Aerosolized flu vaccinations
John - AI music scheme busted
Keep in Touch!
Email - TEConnect@bluestarinc.com
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/blue-star
Submit your topic ideas - https://www.bluestarinc.com/en-us/about-the-company/bluestar-teconnect-podcast
Subscribe to the BlueStar Nation Newsletter - https://nation.bluestarinc.com/#subscribe
Sponsored by:
Honeywell PM45 Industrial Printer
Thursday Oct 03, 2024
Thursday Oct 03, 2024
We're reflecting on #VARTECH2024 one last time! Was it our biggest show ever? What was the theme, and how did William Shatner, Florida Man memes, and TED Conversations fit in? What were the hot technologies on the exhibit floor, in education sessions, and during the ISV and Solution presentations? Did BlueStar engineer a rocket launch just for their attendees? It's the episode that wonders why we do this to ourselves every year!
#VARValue - For VARs that didn’t attend, what did you learn that anyone can use?
Follow BlueStar on YouTube to see VARTECH videos and much more!
https://www.youtube.com/@BlueStarinc
TEConnecting with us:
Dean - Pocket-sized nuclear battery
John - The continued down-spiral of X/Twitter
Keep in Touch!
Email - TEConnect@bluestarinc.com
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/blue-star
Submit your topic ideas - https://www.bluestarinc.com/en-us/about-the-company/bluestar-teconnect-podcast
Subscribe to the BlueStar Nation Newsletter - https://nation.bluestarinc.com/#subscribe
Sponsored by:
Elo IDS 04/54 Series
Thursday Sep 26, 2024
Thursday Sep 26, 2024
Once again, we took our show on the road to VARTECH in Orlando, Florida, to discuss websites and social media and how they can impact your business. James Korte gives us a breakdown of what "good" websites should contain and what they should do. What are some common pitfalls and mistakes? Is there a right way to do social media? Finally, we wrap up by gently critiquing some sites submitted by our audience.
#VARValue - Check out the sites we reviewed!
Check out the YouTube video to follow along with our website reviews: https://youtu.be/xDtuNQXAvTA
TEConnecting with us:
James - Runway AI video
Dean - Bark Air
John - Are restaurant kiosks leading to smaller orders?
Keep in Touch!
Email - TEConnect@bluestarinc.com
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/blue-star
Submit your topic ideas - https://www.bluestarinc.com/en-us/about-the-company/bluestar-teconnect-podcast
Subscribe to the BlueStar Nation Newsletter - https://nation.bluestarinc.com/#subscribe
Sponsored by:
Thursday Sep 19, 2024
Thursday Sep 19, 2024
**We're off this week, recovering from #VARTECH2024, but as a prelude to the episode we recorded there on website design and social media, here's a flashback to one of our most popular episodes with Barcoding's Krystal Cotriss! See you next week with a new ep!**
Originally released July 21, 2022
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Having smart content, a strong message, and an understanding of your audience is a great place to start marketing, but without great design, it’s just so many words. We turned to an expert, Krystal Cotriss, Lead Designer & Content Strategist with Barcoding, Inc., who stresses the importance of design to attracting customers, making a good impression, and driving engagement. She’ll help us explore free or low-cost tools anyone with little to no experience could use, from photos to fonts and beyond. We’re also talking website design (one of John’s pet peeves) and some design aesthetics and clichés that Krystal is “over.” Check out her post and bookmark all of the handy links!
#VARValue – Let’s say someone is looking to hire a designer or employ some freelancers. What should they be looking for, asking about, or expecting?
Krystal's blog with a plethora of free resources: https://krystalcarpintieri.medium.com/free-design-resources-for-designers-marketers-more-e6b8bb3dbf0e
Kel Lauren's Best Free Design Resources: https://youtu.be/myYwUoXfxt4
TEConnecting with us:
Krystal - Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus
Dean - Cancer Genome Scanner & Companies Making the Most Money Per Second
John - Alexa speaking as the voice of a deceased loved one
Keep in Touch!
Email - TEConnect@bluestarinc.com
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/blue-star
Submit your topic ideas - https://www.bluestarinc.com/en-us/about-the-company/bluestar-teconnect-podcast
Subscribe to the BlueStar Nation Newsletter - https://nation.bluestarinc.com/#subscribe
Thursday Sep 12, 2024
Thursday Sep 12, 2024
As POS evolves, so does the need for receipt printers to keep up with modern hardware, software, unique use cases, new types of commerce, and myriad connectivity options. That presents many potential problems, which Star Micronics' Kate Orara & Bill Shuff are here to tackle! What's happening with interfaces? How do tablets change printing needs? What happens to device management across multiple locations? What about peripherals? It's the episode that's getting hangry.
#VARValue - How does Star's mC-Print3 series solve these problems?
TEConnecting with us:
Bill - Sustainability, bioplastics & seaweed
Kate - Gen Z leading the use of sick days
Dean - $16K humanoid robot
John - Farmers need reliable connectivity, too
Keep in Touch!
Email - TEConnect@bluestarinc.com
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/blue-star
Submit your topic ideas - https://www.bluestarinc.com/en-us/about-the-company/bluestar-teconnect-podcast
Subscribe to the BlueStar Nation Newsletter - https://nation.bluestarinc.com/#subscribe
Sponsored by:
Star Micronics mC-Print3 Thermal Receipt Printer
Elo I-Series 3
Thursday Sep 05, 2024
Thursday Sep 05, 2024
Mobile devices are as standard in the workplace as in our personal lives, so we turned to an expert—Zebra's Eric Hilton—to investigate the market, potential opportunities, and the results of a recent BlueStar Nation survey of Field Service Companies. How have consumer devices affected the enterprise market? What challenges and problems do field technicians say they encounter more from rugged devices? When and how should VARs position CBRS-enabled devices?
#VARValue - How does Zebra's Mobility DNA platform help VARs win business and keep it?
TEConnecting with us:
Eric - How AI makes us more efficient
Dean - North Korean trash balloons
John - Scientists creating real-life Dune "stillsuits"
Keep in Touch!
Email - TEConnect@bluestarinc.com
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/blue-star
Submit your topic ideas - https://www.bluestarinc.com/en-us/about-the-company/bluestar-teconnect-podcast
Subscribe to the BlueStar Nation Newsletter - https://nation.bluestarinc.com/#subscribe
Sponsored by:
Thursday Aug 29, 2024
Thursday Aug 29, 2024
John & Dean have more hot topics and deep dives to get you through the holiday weekend and break the ice at your next team meeting.
- What’s going on with Amazon drones?
- What US cities have the highest rent?
- What cities are most polluted?
- Who are the world’s most sustainable companies?
- What bands put together the best single-show setlist?
- What are the best US states to retire to?
- Starter homes that cost how much?
It’s the episode that’s perfectly happy right where it is.
TEConnecting with us:
Dean - Reasons to love America
John - Record-setting Chinese bridge/tunnel system
Keep in Touch!
Email - TEConnect@bluestarinc.com
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/blue-star
Submit your topic ideas - https://www.bluestarinc.com/en-us/about-the-company/bluestar-teconnect-podcast
Subscribe to the BlueStar Nation Newsletter - https://nation.bluestarinc.com/#subscribe
Sponsored by:
Thursday Aug 22, 2024
Thursday Aug 22, 2024
Intel has been increasingly investing in our channel, but what does their interest in VARs and solution integrators mean? This week, Intel’s VP of Global Distribution & Partner Sales, David Guzzi, shares his insights as someone with experience in the channel. What’s changed, and how is it impacting Intel’s market strategy? What has surprised him about working with VARs? Why partner with Intel, and what do they bring to VARs to help them find and win business?
#VARValue - How is Intel helping drive solutions & outcome-based selling to VARs and integrators with their education programs?
Join Intel's Partner Alliance! https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/partner-alliance/overview.html
TEConnecting with us:
David - How AI is impacting soccer
Dean - Joby Aviation - hydrogen-electric air taxis
John - Using chatbots to combat phone scammers
Keep in Touch!
Email - TEConnect@bluestarinc.com
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/blue-star
Submit your topic ideas - https://www.bluestarinc.com/en-us/about-the-company/bluestar-teconnect-podcast
Subscribe to the BlueStar Nation Newsletter - https://nation.bluestarinc.com/#subscribe
Sponsored by:
Thursday Aug 15, 2024
Thursday Aug 15, 2024
The robots are here and moving into the reseller channel, but what does that mean for you? Intel’s Robotics Specialist, Milt Walker, joins the show to share his insights into the market and where there may already be opportunities for VARs willing to add robots to your offerings. What industries and use cases are easy fits for robots? What are some common objections to buying/selling robots? How can VARs turn robotics into recurring revenue and demonstrate ROI for their customers?
#VARValue—Entering the robotics market might not be right for every VAR. What recommendations or checkpoints should they consider to determine if robotics are the right fit for their tech stack, and how does Intel support them?
TEConnecting with us:
Milt - James Webb telescope
Dean - Robots w/living tissue faces?
John - Lego moon bricks
Keep in Touch!
Email - TEConnect@bluestarinc.com
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/blue-star
Submit your topic ideas - https://www.bluestarinc.com/en-us/about-the-company/bluestar-teconnect-podcast
Subscribe to the BlueStar Nation Newsletter - https://nation.bluestarinc.com/#subscribe
Sponsored by:
Thursday Aug 08, 2024
Thursday Aug 08, 2024
We’re talking more about AI with Elo’s Kristin Roubie, this time regarding digital displays and industries deploying the technologies together. How are Kristin & Elo approaching AI at the moment? What are some practical applications she’s seen or expects to grow? How does touch, in particular, amplify the power of AI?
#VARValue - What should VARs and their customers look for in an AI solution to ensure it takes advantage of displays like Elo’s?
TEConnecting with us:
Kristin - Modern building materials
Dean - Dark oxygen
John - Notepad adds spell-check
Keep in Touch!
Email - TEConnect@bluestarinc.com
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/blue-star
Submit your topic ideas - https://www.bluestarinc.com/en-us/about-the-company/bluestar-teconnect-podcast
Subscribe to the BlueStar Nation Newsletter - https://nation.bluestarinc.com/#subscribe
Sponsored by:
Elo I-Series 3