Monthly Archive for June, 2010

Live Meeting – Exploring the value of the Microsoft Partner Network for SMB Partners

Published on June 29, 2010 in Events. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , .

One of the questions I’m hearing a lot from Microsoft Partners recently, especially Registered and SBSC Partners, is “How will the Microsoft Partner Network changes affect me?”

If you’re one of those Partners with queries, then I’d strongly recommend Microsoft’s Live Meeting on 7th July at 10am.

The Live Meeting will provide an overview of the Microsoft Partner Network for Small Business Specialists including detail of the new Small Business and Medium Solution Provider competencies which will launch summer 2010. It will also provides an opportunity to ask questions of Microsoft Partner Network Manager, Dell Quinn.

Full details and sign-up can be found here.

UKITA Shropshire Unplugged Event – “Stop Owning a Job, Starting Building a Business” -16th June 2010

Published on June 16, 2010 in Events. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , .

A heads-up that I’ll be delivering a presentation at the UKITA Shropshire Branch “Unplugged” Event in Telford on 16th June.

Non-UKITA members and other guests are very welcome – if you fancy attending, drop me a line and I’ll make sure you’ve got all the details!

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UKITA Shropshire Unplugged Event, 16th June, 6.30pm at The Cock Hotel, Wellington

“Stop Owning a Job, Starting Building a Business”
Presenter: Richard Tubb
Food: Amazing Shropshire Pork Pies, Chips etc (cost: £4)

Richard Tubb is passionate about building smart IT businesses by adopting processes, delegating, outsourcing and generally getting your business to work for you rather than you working for your business.

Are holidays an inconvenience? Do you get unnecessarily bogged down with what should be straight forward tasks? Are you involved too much in the detail? Are you agile enough? Can you adapt quickly enough to today’s opportunities within a challenging economic climate?

Processes are certainly very important to Richard’s arguments, but he also has many other thoughts that will certainly generate much debate on this important subject.
Check out his blog at: www.tubblog.co.uk

UKITA Twitter Feed

Are you following us on Twitter? If not, get following @UKITA_UK at www.twitter.com/ukita_ukand if you’re a member, we’ll follow you back and put you into a /UKITAMembers list which should get you high quality followers from the other IT and business organisations as well as potential customers.

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EliteSuite – Launch Event – 15.06.10, Aston Science Park

Published on June 9, 2010 in Computers and Internet. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , .

Over the past couple of months, we’ve been fortunate enough to work with a Birmingham based Start-up company – EliteSuite – run by Stuart Farmer. Stuart is a software developer and entrepreneur with a ton of experience within the Document Management industry, and his passion for providing solutions aimed at helping people become more efficient is infectious!

Stuart’s latest venture – EliteFile – is a software package aimed at enhancing the usability and productivity of Microsoft platforms and applications, such as Microsoft Office and Microsoft Sharepoint, and helps end-users to turn file management tasks into quick and easy functions.

We’ve deployed the EliteFile software internally and it’s helped us to make sure that files are stored in their correct locations, named in a standard naming function, are easy to find and view, and can be managed easily. Really, you don’t realise how much time you waste working with files within Windows Explorer until you start using an application like EliteFile that helps you with lots of shortcuts!

We’ve been involved in the testing phase of EliteFile and it’s been a fascinating experience. Like all new software, there are bugs to be ironed out, and areas for improvement, but it’s been a great experience watching as EliteSuite as a company took on-board our feedback to enhance their EliteFile product, and began to formulate a Partner Programme and tackle how to best market their offering.

I therefore wanted to give a shout-out to Stuart and his team at EliteSuite as they gear up for their Launch Event which we’ll also be attending:-

Launch Event for Award Winning Software

  • Birmingham Science Park Aston
  • Tuesday 15 June 2010
  • 5.30pm to 7.30pm
  • FREE event – including wine and refreshments

EliteSuite are launching our award winning software programme, EliteFile.

You are invited to the launch event to learn how EliteFile can enhance and compliment your existing IT systems.

EliteFile enhances the usability and productivity of Microsoft platforms and applications, transforming monotonous file management tasks into quick and easy functions.

SPECIAL OFFER: Free software licenses available for those joining us at the evening.

Resellers and partners welcome – business opportunities available.

To book a place please email the name, organisation and contact number of all attendees to victorias@elitesuitesoftware.com by Friday 11th June.

 

AMITPRO – 8th June, 2010

Published on June 8, 2010 in Events. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , .

A heads-up that this months AMITPRO (www.amitpro.org) meeting is taking place at The Arden Hotel, on Tuesday 8th June, 2010 – 1700 for 1730 start.

I’ve spoken about AMITPRO before – but in a nutshell it’s the UK’s leading User Group aimed at Small Business IT Professionals, many of whom are Microsoft Small Business Specialists (SBSC).

The general format of the meeting is informal – meet in the bar at The Arden Hotel, shoot the breeze, then move to a Conference Room to enjoy a couple of presentations from group members or vendors, interspersed by a break for sandwiches, before moving back to the bar to do the real networking. :-)

Guests are very welcome, and if you’re working in the SMB IT space, you really should come along to meet your peers.

This month’s line up see’s Dell Quinn, SBSC Lead at Microsoft UK. Dell has been very busy communicating the MPN changes which are happening between now and October, and she’s perfectly placed to advise how the changes will affect Small Business Specialists. Her debut appearance at AMITPRO was very well received, so it’s a delight to have her back.

Second, we’ve got AMITPRO’s very own Andy Parkes and his highly anticipated presentation on SharePoint. Andy’s last presentation on InfoPath was rated the best of 2010 so far by the rest of the members, if you missed the first one make sure you can make it along – full details over at Andy’s blog!

If you’d like to come along – and I really encourage you to do so, then feel free to drop me a line or visit www.amitpro.org – all are welcome!


Sponsor me in the BRMB Walkathon 2010

Published on June 4, 2010 in Personal. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , .

On Sunday 6th June, 2010, I’ll be joining my colleagues and friends to to take part in the annual BRMB Walkathon.

The event involves a 26 mile sponsored walk with the aim of raising money for a great cause – “building a home for the brave in Birmingham” – assisting the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham develop facilities not normally found in a hospital, to help military personnel and others.

We’ll be walking all around Birmingham – you can check out the full course here.

If you can, please help us towards our aim of raising £1,000 by donating here: http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/jamescash.co.uk

If you would like to find out more about the BRMB Walkathon click here, and if you’re walking on the day yourself – please let us know so we can keep an eye out for you!

Wish us luck! :-)