I was just about to write a blog called “SMB Scumbags” that would dovetail CRN’s excellent “VARs Behaving Badly”  article published yesterday (which I recommend you read). CRN’s article brought back a flood of business experiences and I was about to let the fly on the wall talk. Sure – I could have told you about conference robbers who took down my good friend in a Dallas gun fight or Fortune One list grabbers who teamed with a well-known ratio guru under the corporate political  air cover of performing “operational ratio research” (kinda like American forces being “advisors” in the new post-withdrawal Iraq [wink-wink]). Following CRN’s lead, I was prepared to name names and lawyer up for the backlash one could expect from these anticipatory breachers. Everyone in business has these stories and learning experiences that make us all wiser and ultimately better.

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While picking up lots of pencils for the kiddos school back pack, go ahead and add a Pocket MBA for yourself. As a SMB channel partner, you know that game. Continuous education is a must do and it’s soon to be fall in the northern hemisphere. For those in the southern hemisphere, you can always go to summer school to earn your Pocket MBA.

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A blog can be a great tool to help build customer loyalty and bring in new business. But before you leap into blogging for your small business, we need to have a conversation. You see, successful blogging isn’t just a matter of setting up a site and writing a few articles about the products or services you offer.

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Harry Jr Wins Grueling Hill Climb Time Trial By Nearly 3-mins!!!

I’m thrilled to announce that Harry Jr has capped the formal USA Cycling racing season in the Junior D category as state champion with hi Crystal Mountain Hill Climb time trail victory yesterday (August 21^st). I’ll let the photos tell the story and add some “success factors” comments as part of my Pocket MBA lecture :)

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OK – I’ve broken the rules today and just consumed my third ESPRESSO so I’m on fire! With my beloved CNBC playing in the background as white noise, I’m pondering changes in the channel. Lately – there have been many such changes. One central “change agent” is Intronis.

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My home office telephone rang early today. It was my leading salesman relaying that Intel had acquired McAfee. Funny – I was just writing a blog to announce Intel’s new Innovation Contest based on Intel vPro Technology. I needed a hook and my salesman just provided it. I decided to stand on a soap box in the center of town and bellow that Intel Buying McAfee for nearly $8B was my bright idea. And I should win the new Intel Innovation Contest. The prize? An all-expenses paid trip to IDF in San Francisco in mid-September. See the content details below.

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My friends over at Redmond Channel Partner (RCP) magazine got it right. I had a passing conversation at the recently completed Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference (WPC) in mid-July in Washington DC with RCP editor Scott Bekker. This was before the fun, speaking only for myself, we had later in the conference at THE PARTY!

So click HERE - and read this excellent article on Zombie products. And do you AGREE with me that Microsoft is too big to fail?

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Long-time SMb Nation sponsor Calyptix, headed by community member Ben Yarborough, has just announced a "summer sale" for its popular firewall device. You can learn more by clikcing below. And tell 'em harrybbb sent ya!

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