What the heck is Pitch IT Sean?!

What the heck is Pitch IT Sean?!

We have a spin-off series under the Vendor Blender Podcast series. In this exciting episode, we dive deeper into what the Pitch IT program is all about. We get to know a bit more about the VP of IT Nation Communities - Sean Lardo. We will be interviewing the 2026 cohort of Pitch IT 2026. We also cover off a bit about sports and tune in to also find out which track Sean adds to our Vendor Blender Spotify playlist. PitchIT is ConnectWise's accelerator for MSP-space startups — a 16-week business transformation programme covering everything from sales and marketing to product security, fundraising and pitch-building. The top three finalists pitch live to thousands of MSPs at IT Nation Connect Global, competing for $100,000 in prize money (a prize, not an investment — no strings attached). But as past cohorts attest, the bigger payoff is the exposure: marketplace presence, co-marketing, and a credibility boost that drives real traffic, leads and demo requests. Recent themes — AI-enabled operations, automation-first workflows, security-driven delivery — show exactly where the channel is heading. These will be short 15-minute episodes where we get to know a bit about the person and the product/services they have created. All around our magic mix of getting to know the people behind the tooling. I can't wait, we have some exciting soundbites to bring your way,

Going to Distance with Rob Pope

Run Rob Run! 🔥 I’m thrilled to announce that the real-life Forrest Gump himself, Rob Pope, is joining me on the Business Insights Podcast! This guy doesn’t just run ultra distances… he redefines them. Here are just a few of the questions I threw his way: How many miles can you squeeze out of a pair of trainers? What’s the biggest challenge he’s had to overcome? How on earth do you prepare for something this extreme? And trust me — that’s just scratching the surface. This episode is packed with incredible stories, insights, and a dose of pure inspiration. I first met Rob in person at the YorCyberSec conference in Leeds last year, and after hearing his journey, I knew instantly: he has to be on the podcast. As always, he also adds his music pick to the Spotify Playlist Wall of Fame 🎶 — and it’s a good one. Landing on your favourite podcast platform very soon. Stay tuned!

From Rock and Roll to IT: Aaron Fletcher's Journey

In this episode of Business Insights, Paul Croker interviews Aaron Fletcher, the commercial manager of the MSP show and a former member of the band The Bees. They discuss Aaron's journey in the music industry, his experiences with The Bees, including their influences, songwriting process, and the challenges of recording and touring. Aaron shares insights on networking within the music industry, the significance of their Mercury Prize nomination, and his current project—a documentary about The Bees. The conversation highlights the importance of authenticity, creativity, and community in both music and business. Tune in and listen to pick up on which music track Aaron adds to the infamous Spotify playlist.

Beyond the Podium: Learning That Lasts "Where conference insights turn into lifelong breakthroughs."

In this episode of The Business Insights Podcast, Paul catches up with Carrie Green of Can IT Con and also sits on the elected board as a director at GTIA. Paul and Carrie discuss a mixture of topics, conferences, GTIA, Growth mindset, Reflecting on your "Why", Sharing who you are and being comfortable with being you. There is a great quote from Carrie here, too "There is room at every table; we just need to add more chairs" This shows how we can be inclusive, pulling more people into the conversation and learning more from each other. Carrie tells Paul something that people may not know about her, and also tells Paul what her music track is for the infamous Spotify playlist that accompanies this series - Go and check that out too. We also want to hear from you, the listener, so please do interact on this where you can across the social media platforms, or drop Paul and Carrie a message on LinkedIn Takeaways * Great things don't happen from comfort zones. * We need to push ourselves out of our comfort zones. * No one wants you to fail; they want you to succeed. * Learning is a two-way street; we all have something to share. * Diverse backgrounds in technology enrich discussions. * Collaboration leads to better outcomes in IT. * Everyone has a unique perspective to offer. * Sharing viewpoints can lead to new insights. * Working together is essential in the tech industry. * Embracing different routes in technology fosters innovation.

Merging Forces: Redstor + TitanHQ = CyberSentriq

Hey, we are back! In this episode of Vendor Blender, Paul Croker sits down with James Griffin, CEO of CyberSentriq, to explore the evolving landscape of the Managed Service Provider (MSP) market. Discover how the merger of Redstor and TitanHQ into CyberSentriq aims to address the convergence of backup and cybersecurity, a critical challenge for MSPs today. James shares insights on navigating vendor consolidation, maintaining service quality, and the importance of cultural alignment in mergers. Tune in to learn about the opportunities for MSPs to enhance their service offerings and the strategic moves CyberSentriq is making to become a leading player in the industry. Also, hear which music track James adds to the Spotify playlist and why he added it. Join in the conversation, does something resonate, maybe you have a question. Comment on social media, or reach out to us on LinkedIn, search for our names, we'd love to hear from you. So, let's dive in and hear what James has to say.