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PODCAST

BlueStar Nation

BlueStar Nation

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: nation@bluestarinc.com

technology marketing

All Episodes

59:31

Retail Warehousing Fulfillment w/Zebra’s John...

BlueStar Nation ·

2023/06/22

Retailers are balancing a “new normal” of heightened customer expectations in-store and online with staffing shortages and inventory challenges. The back-of-house, supply chain, and warehousing aspects of retail require better tech solutions that VARs need to understand and drive. This week, Zebra’s Retail and Warehousing/Supply Chain SMEs, Tim Kane & John Wirthlin, help us look at the opportunities and break down the trends shaping retail fulfillment. How is the retail supply chain adapting? How

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43:04

Tech Trivia Returns!

BlueStar Nation ·

2023/06/15

It’s another excuse to have fun as we celebrate 150 episodes by playing another round of Tech Trivia! Whitney Gerrety is back as a two-time defending champion. Sarah Schlueter is our newest contestant, and this time, John steps out of host duties to compete. Who comes out on top, who talks smack, who’s buzzing in early, who bursts into song, and will anyone tune in for another 150 episodes? Thank you to all of our sponsors, listeners, and guests! Talk to us! Twitter - @TEConnectPod Email -

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01:01:42

Healthcare Tech Predictions & Opportunities w/Elo’s...

BlueStar Nation ·

2023/06/08

As the world shifts gears from the challenges wrought by the COVID pandemic, questions about what’s next in healthcare technology are hard to ignore. Elo’s Katharine Cummings returns to the show to discuss what she’s hearing and seeing as she returns to regular visits with healthcare orgs. What do healthcare leaders expect from tech and funding in coming years? What’s changed about how telehealth is used? What’s the potential for AI in medicine? Are there opportunities on the cybersecurity side for

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56:07

No VAR (or ISV) Is an Island w/Star’s Kate Orara &...

BlueStar Nation ·

2023/06/01

We’re big fans of partner-assisted selling, a perk of working within the reseller channel. This week, we’re focusing on partnering with hardware manufacturers with our friends at Star Micronics, Kate Orara (Partner Development) & Mark Rasho (Product Integration). What does partner-assisted selling & solutions mean to them? What should VARs & ISVs expect from their vendor relationships? How early or often should manufacturers be brought in on an opportunity? #VARValue - Let’s talk about Star in

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01:08:48

TEC Bytes 11: In the TEC of Time

BlueStar Nation ·

2023/05/25

When a last-minute schedule change leaves us with a slot to fill, Dean & John are happy to once again riff on hot topics, interesting articles, and list debates. This week's topics: The Death of Social Media? Vinyl is Back On Top World-Changing Ideas for 2023 The Fasties Is There Science Behind Late People? Superhero Film Fatigue TEConnecting with us: Dean - PTO around the world John - Worthless workplace data Talk to us! Twitter - @TEConnectPod Email - TEConnect@bluestarinc.com Submit your

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58:53

Retail Modernization w/Intel’s Kristen Call

BlueStar Nation ·

2023/05/18

Adopting the latest technology and trends is helping retailers of all tiers separate from their competitors and keep up with consumer expectations, but what does that modernization mean, and where can VARs and ISVs find opportunities, especially at the SMB level? Intel’s Retail Industry Advisor, Kristen Call, is here to explain! What does digital transformation look like in retail? What do retailers get wrong when modernizing, and how can our channel help? What is the “blended” approach? It’s the

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54:26

Deep-Dive Warehouse Tech Survey

BlueStar Nation ·

2023/05/11

We’re breaking down another BlueStar Nation blog article; this time, our findings from a lengthy warehouse and supply chain professionals survey. Where do they typically encounter errors in daily practices? What kind of hardware is most used? Is RFID table stakes now? What technology issues do companies trust to in-house vs. outside IT firms? What emerging technology do they expect to invest in soon? If you don’t care about the answers to those questions, you’re in the wrong business! #VARValue -

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49:55

TEC Bytes 10: TEC-ing Care of Business

BlueStar Nation ·

2023/05/04

We’re digging into the latest hot topics, news articles, and water cooler discussions, so you don’t have to! ProMat 2023 UK’s 4-Day Work Week Pilot Results State of the US EV Charging Network How Far Does $100K Go? Where Generations Get Their News Kiosk Marketplace Census Report #VARValue - Any takeaways from these stories relevant to the channel? TEConnecting with us: Dean - Beetles absorbing water...through their butts? and Free pizza for TSwift tix John - Marvel Snap mobile game Talk to

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01:09:27

How Self-Service is Changing Hospitality & Retail...

BlueStar Nation ·

2023/04/27

Over 40% of people prefer ordering from a kiosk, a growing trend accelerated by COVID but has persisted due to labor shortages, convenience, and generational preferences. This week, Epson’s David Vander Dussen & Josh Stanphill return to the pod to explain the self-service trend, what it means as consumer return to stores, and where opportunities lie for VARs. How does self-service affect label printing needs? What does “experiential” retail mean to our guests? What trends are they watching

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50:23

Food & Beverage Distribution Tech w/CIS Group’s Julie...

BlueStar Nation ·

2023/04/20

There are quite a few steps between food & beverage manufacturing and what we ultimately consume, and those steps are filled with the need for technology to manage processes, meet delivery demands, and grow brand recognition for companies large and small. This week, CIS Group’s Julie Desroches joins us to share her experience in F&B that’s informed her expertise in software solutions for the industry. What’s changed in distribution over the years, and what challenges do companies face to get their

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01:07:25

Marketing Tips from Channel Pros w/John Lamb, Jody...

BlueStar Nation ·

2023/04/13

We’re not shy to talk about the importance of effective marketing to build your brand and illustrate your value-add to current and potential customers, but don’t just take it from us! This week, we brought in a panel of experts from around the channel to weigh in: Elo CMO John Lamb, Barcoding VP of Marketing Jody Costa, and 42Gears’ Director of Channel Marketing Jean Secrist. Why do they think marketing is important? What tips do they have for VARs & ISVs working on a budget or with minimal staff

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01:15:18

Global Retail Trends w/BlueStar’s Richard Austin &...

BlueStar Nation ·

2023/04/06

“That’s an American thing.” Trends and tech adoption can differ in the US from the rest of the world, so we thought we’d explore that in the retail industry. We’re joined by two members of the BlueStar EU team, Richard Austin & Jord Malcorps, who start by sharing some things they find very different about the states. On the retail side, we discuss how businesses juggle tech needs in-store and online. Is omnichannel table stakes at this point? Why has Europe been more open to payment flexibility

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01:05:55

AI Asked, We Answered

BlueStar Nation ·

2023/03/30

It started with a simple request from Jody Costa to ChatGPT: “What questions should I ask the BlueStar TEConnect podcast?” The results are a baseline for our pod, industry, and our thoughts on the channel, so we thought we’d answer them! What led us to start the pod, and what have we learned? What are our thoughts on diversity & inclusion in the tech industry? What emerging tech are we watching? It’s the episode that’s got new digs but the same goofballs on the mic. #VARValue - Could you share

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01:04:21

End-User Surveys – AI & Restaurant POS

BlueStar Nation ·

2023/03/23

To bring additional value to VARs & ISVs, we’ve conducted multiple surveys for our BlueStar Nation blog with end users in various industries to gain insights into how they use technology and where opportunities might lie. In this episode, we explore two surveys, starting with artificial intelligence. Who’s using it and why? What do businesses think would need to change to incorporate AI? Next, we tackle restaurant point-of-sale insights. How long are systems in use? What are the most popular POS

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01:05:29

Modernizing Sales Management & Process w/Terry Miller

BlueStar Nation ·

2023/03/16

The sales and sales management landscape constantly changes, but it’s always a good time to reevaluate your prospecting and client management approach. Terry Miller, President of V-KATA, is here to explain what he sees from his time selling in the channel. Where does he see stagnation occurring? What are salespeople doing right and wrong? How did good leaders pivot during the pandemic? What is poor CRM management doing to the sales process, and how are Terry and V-KATA trying to fix it? It’s the

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01:00:47

POS – One Size Fits All? w/Auto-Star’s Josh Wintoniak

BlueStar Nation ·

2023/03/09

VARs know that point-of-sale hardware and software is not a “copy & paste” proposition. Every retailer or restaurant has differing needs or industry-specific concerns, yet cheap or “free” POS providers will suggest that any setup will do. Auto-Star’s Josh Wintoniak joins us this week to dispel that myth and help explain how to talk to end-users, why back-of-the-house is an essential part of the conversation, and what types of retailers benefit from specialized POS systems. It’s the episode that

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01:06:49

Can AI Replace Your Marketing Department?...

BlueStar Nation ·

2023/03/02

Unless you’ve been on a severe information detox, you’ve probably seen more than a few stories recently about AI and various tools for content creation. Not ones to miss a trend, we asked Barcoding’s Jody Costa to return to the pod to weigh in. She shares her experience with ChatGPT and similar programs, whether AI will impact marketing jobs and the positives and negatives of using them in our business. It’s the episode that still feels pretty good about its job security. #VARValue - Beyond

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58:48

TEC Bytes 9: TEConnect Unchained

BlueStar Nation ·

2023/02/23

It’s time to riff on more exciting stories, trends, lists, and technology. Topics Covered: The Most Sinful Cities in America MIT’s 10 Breakthrough Technologies for ‘23 A Chronicle of the Four-Day Workweek AI – What Do Workers Think & What’s China Doing? Tulsa Bet on Remote Workers US Migration Patterns Cracking Down on Digital Piracy TEConnecting with us: Dean - TEC BEEF: Indoor security drone and the Corruption Perceptions Index John - Businesses wasting money on software licenses Talk to

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58:11

The State of the Government VAR w/Jeff Smith

BlueStar Nation ·

2023/02/16

Government consultant and expert Jeff Smith is back to catch us up on what's been happening with public sector technology. How is the spending of approved U.S. funds going? What's Jeff's take on public safety as a branch eager for new tech? Are there opportunities in education? Finally, we asked him to look into his crystal ball and give us predictions and trends to watch out for in 2023. #VARValue - What should VARs be doing now with their government accounts, and whom should they talk with to

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01:13:28

What is Web3? w/James Korte

BlueStar Nation ·

2023/02/09

After he threw out an idea to discuss Web3, we turned the tables on James Korte and invited him to join us! First, a quick review of Web1 & 2—essentially what the internet has been to date—before explaining what Web3 could be and why. How would Web3 be built? What advantages and disadvantages would it create? Does Web3’s connection to blockchain & cryptocurrency concern us? Is this internet iteration feasible, or is the idea the path to something else? #VARValue - Does this mean anything to our

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189 results

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