IT Nation Connect 2024 Keynote Recap

Posted:

11/08/2024

| By:

Gregg Lalle

I started my journey with ConnectWise nearly 15 years ago, and I’ve had the distinct privilege of traveling the world and hearing powerful stories of transformation. Inevitably, no matter where I go, whether it be Auckland or Amsterdam or Austin, there is always one burning question that is asked more than others:
“What are other MSPs doing that I am not?”

That is the question that unites us all.

Once a year, every November, companies from all over the world attend IT Nation Connect™ to be inspired, learn best practices, meet and greet old friends.

This year was incredibly special!

It’s our 20th IT Nation Connect, marking two decades of helping businesses transform the MSP space! What started as a small gathering has expanded into a global community with 400,000+ members and a vibrant ecosystem.

As our industry has matured, so has the IT Nation.

IT Nation Connect 2024 by the numbers

7000+ attendees gathered onsite and virtually to explore industry knowledge, business training, leadership, cybersecurity, and technology
200+ breakout sessions
60 speakers
5 content tracks on cybersecurity and AI, sales and marketing, service delivery and operations, management and leadership, strategy and growth
3 main stage keynotes with Bob Burg, Josh Constine, and Tony Hawk
1 technology pavilion packed with 145+ solution partners

To help attendees get the most out of the conference we developed the IT Nation Traveler’s Journal. Attendees were encouraged to use it to set goals, capture key conversations, the people they meet and opportunities they’ll pursue.

Looking ahead: The vision and path of The IT Nation

The IT Nation is built to elevate the entire industry and empower all members to achieve unprecedented growth and success.

Wise Together, Rise Together

When we come together and share our wisdom and experiences under the Go-Giver philosophy (see the recap from Bob Berg’s keynote below), we can collectively achieve remarkable outcomes.

On top of this foundational philosophy, there are three pillars:

1. Community of communities

For two decades we have been working together, strengthened by the power of connections. Only by uniting communities—fostering a collaborative environment where ideas, resources, and experiences are freely exchanged—can we expand the horizons of what is created and produce a multiplier effect.

Together we are a formidable alliance of people sharing the same DNA. Each community within The IT Nation plays a crucial role in shaping the future of our industry.

Don’t miss these upcoming networking and learning opportunities:
IT Nation Grow | December 11-12, 2024
IT Nation London | March 10-12, 2025
IT Nation Secure | June 2-4, 2025

2. Partner-centric ecosystem

The IT Nation is open to all who believe in our philosophy. We believe that having everyone involved in the dialogue brings out the best in all of us.

3. Education first and always on

Now, more than ever, SMBs are seeking your wisdom to help them progress on their digital journey. Data from Canalys suggests that there are 600 million SMBs globally and they are the backbone of world economies, accounting for 95% of firms and 60-70% of the global workforce. However, they still face significant gaps in a few main areas: resources, expertise, AI, and security.

By analyzing the gaps and what SMBs require from you, we can reverse engineer what capabilities and services you may need to gain or provide that demonstrate value. This informed the five content tracks at IT Nation Connect and will continue to inform what you can expect from us moving forward.

Shameless plug
Check out our new podcast, IT Nation Wise Up™, to learn from the experiences of your peers and industry leaders regularly without a sales pitch.

Five Lessons from Bob Burg: The Laws of Stratospheric Success

Bob Burg, author of the book “The Go-Giver,” taught us how a subtle shift in focus will help provide exceptional value, expand influence, and dramatically increase income in a keynote sponsored by New Charter Technologies.

Here are the lessons based on the five laws of stratospheric success:

Lesson #1 The Law of Value

Your true worth is determined by how much more you give in value than you take in payment. The Law of Value determines your potential income.

The IT Nation has long advocated for selling based on value rather than competing on price, so this isn’t a new concept for some of you, especially those in IT Nation Evolve peer groups. It's crucial to focus on creating a value-based customer experience.

Lesson #2 The Law of Compensation

Your income is determined by how many people you serve and how well you serve them.

While the Law of Value determines your potential income, the Law of Compensation represents your actual income based on your impact. Bob encouraged us to embrace the power of referrals, which leverages borrowed trust and influence from customers you’ve served well.

Book recommendation to learn more: “Endless Referrals” by Bob Burg

Lesson #3 The Law of Influence

Your influence is determined by how abundantly you place other people’s interests first.

Influence is the ability to move a person to a desired action, and trust is the ultimate root and source of influence. All things being equal, people will do business with and refer business to people they know, like, and trust. Use this list of 10 Feel Good Questions to add value to your sales conversations by placing your prospects’ interests first.

Book recommendation to learn more: “The Speed of Trust” by Stephen Covey

Lesson #4 The Law of Authenticity

The most valuable gift you have to offer is yourself.

Being the most authentic version of yourself requires confidence to recognize and embrace your value. It’s easy to sell yourself short because you’re too close to your own faults. Bob recommended connecting with a peer group, such as IT Nation Evolve, to help discover your value.

Lesson #5 The Law of Receptivity

The key to effective giving is to stay open to receiving.

Giving and receiving are two sides of the same coin. Plant seeds of goodwill, and the world becomes a benevolent context for your success. In the context of sales, Bob suggested reframing “giving a sales pitch” or “sales as a necessary evil” to having a sales conversation where you give your time, attention, counsel, education, and empathy, which adds up to giving value. Only after focusing on what prospects need, and authentically helping them to achieve it, will you make a difference and earn the right to receive.

Key takeaways from Josh Constine: How MSPs can win in the AI era

Josh Constine, former TechCrunch Editor-at-large and AI startup investor at VC firm SignalFire, shared some tool recommendations, tips, and resources for successfully leveraging AI—especially for sales and marketing—in a keynote sponsored by Evergreen.

AI tool recommendations

Claude for copywriting
Midjourney and Canva for image editing tools
Nim for video generation
HubSpot and Gong for sales

Key skills to successfully leverage AI

Mix and match: Ask AI for multiple options to choose from and mix and match.

Precise prompting: Be as descriptive as possible. Think about who the audience is and how the information will be used.

Using existing source materials: Don’t start from scratch. Use existing content, including videos, as a starting point.

Resources to learn more

Related content: ConnectWise also launched The AI Playbook for MSPs at IT Nation Connect 2024

Inspiration from Tony Hawk: Embrace innovation

Tony Hawk inspired us to embrace innovation, continuous improvement, resilience, passion, and smart risk management to achieve success. He emphasized the importance of continuous learning and improvement, drawing from his dedication to skill development and learning from others.

Here are the key takeaways I took from his keynote and how MSPs can apply it:

1. Chase the dragon: A call to innovate

Tony’s varial 540 is a trick that pushed the boundaries of what was previously thought possible. Similarly, MSPs should embrace innovation and adapt to emerging technologies, a common theme throughout the conference.

2. The path to success is not linear: The need to adapt

Tony faced numerous challenges and setbacks throughout his journey, from being ridiculed for his style to experiencing contest burnout. Similarly, MSPs encounter obstacles such as fierce competition, changing market dynamics, and technological advancements that require constant adaptation. Tony’s ability to overcome these challenges, pivot his approach, and find new opportunities is a valuable lesson for MSPs.

3. Never lose your entrepreneurial spirit

Hawk shared a behind-the-scenes look at the effort it takes to land a new trick. As MSPs, it’s crucial to embrace taking calculated risks and continuously invest in your skills in the pursuit of excellence. He encouraged us to continue fostering a community of innovation and growth.

Conclusion

The IT Nation story’s third decade of community, education, and inspiration starts in 2025. Our collective and collaborative journey of navigating the challenges and successes of our industry has had an incredible 20-year start, and I have no doubt that we will continue for the next 20. SMBs still have massive challenges, and they rely on you to help them, but you can only add value if you understand your gaps. You don’t have to go it alone—the collective wisdom of The IT Nation will help you now and for years to come.