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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

01:00:08

The Intersection of AI & Digital Signage w/Elo’s...

BlueStar Nation ·

2024/08/08

We’re talking more about AI with Elo’s Kristin Roubie, this time regarding digital displays and industries deploying the technologies together. How are Kristin & Elo approaching AI at the moment? What are some practical applications she’s seen or expects to grow? How does touch, in particular, amplify the power of AI?#VARValue - What should VARs and their customers look for in an AI solution to ensure it takes advantage of displays like Elo’s? TEConnecting with us: Kristin - Modern

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51:53

KDS & Supporting the Modern Kitchen w/Epson’s Tessa Kohl

BlueStar Nation ·

2024/08/01

Restaurant and hospitality kitchens are more chaotic than ever, pulled in multiple directions between in-house customers, take-out, delivery apps, and sometimes ghost kitchen responsibilities. This week, Epson’s Tessa Kohl explains their challenges with labor, tackling waste, inefficiencies, and narrow margins, and the role of KDS in a full kitchen technology solution. It’s the episode that’s looking to reduce your cognitive load!#VARValue - Tell us about TrueOrder, Epson’s new KDS software. How

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56:14

The Importance of Battery Health w/GTS’ Rob Cass &...

BlueStar Nation ·

2024/07/25

No one thinks about batteries until they run out and need replacement or a charge. Any downtime wastes time and productivity for enterprise operations using handheld computers, scanners, printers, and other mobility devices. This week, GTS’ Rob Cass and Danny Rockett join the pod to explain why battery health is so important, how to stay ahead of problems, and how VARs can generate new revenue with customers still using legacy devices. What are the benefits of custom batteries? What’s rapid

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01:12:16

Generational Tech Trivia and Minority Report

BlueStar Nation ·

2024/07/18

Wow! 200 episodes! We’ve been doing this for a while, and to mark this milestone, we're taking a break from our usual educational discussions to have some fun with another installment of Tech Trivia. It's Dean versus the younger generations, Sarah Schlueter and Sarah Stenger, in a battle of tech knowledge. Plus, as a special bonus, John & Dean finally do more than make a passing reference to the unofficial TEConnect Podcast film, “Minority Report.”Thank you to our viewers/listeners and

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55:59

Leading with Software w/Tonic’s Tyler Young

BlueStar Nation ·

2024/07/11

It’s no secret on this podcast that we believe in full solution-selling as the path forward for VARs, but resellers and integrators have probably been burned a few times by software providers and shifting customer expectations, especially in highly competitive industries like restaurants/hospitality. Is leading with software still worth it? This week, Tonic POS CEO Tyler Young joins us, not just to affirm his belief that it is but to explain why VARs should be more selective than ever about choosing

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01:04:57

VARs & the Law w/RSPA's Jill Miller

BlueStar Nation ·

2024/07/03

Most VARs and solution integrators, especially those with smaller businesses, are not legal experts and probably don’t have experts on staff. That can make navigating contracts, new partner agreements, and legal disputes difficult to navigate. This week, RSPA Legal Counsel Jill Miller joins the pod to explain some common errors she sees, the bare minimums all business owners should put in place, and how retail payments, in particular, create unique challenges.#VARValue - Explain your role with

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55:31

TEC Bytes 17 - AI, Lists and Baseball

BlueStar Nation ·

2024/06/27

We're getting in the summer spirit by discussing baseball stadiums, blockbuster movies, and, of course, the zombie internet!Topics: First AI-generated music video Gen Z opting for trade school Ranking the most beautiful ballparks in Major League Baseball Apple Music 100 Best Albums How AI is zombifying the internet Ranking summer blockbusters AI controlled jets TEConnecting with us: Dean - US banning Kaspersky anti-virus software John - X-ray vision coming? Keep in Touch! Email -

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59:01

RFID Experts Panel w/Eric Malmed, Steve Weiss, &...

BlueStar Nation ·

2024/06/20

We recorded another live episode with a panel of RFID experts (Zebra’s Eric Malmed, DecisionPoint’s Steve Weiss, & RFID4U’s Archit Dua) and an eager audience. What trends and technology innovations are moving the RFID market? What recommendations or best practices can help VARs sell RFID to SMB customers? What are some specific use cases for RFID in warehousing and retail? It’s the episode that forces everyone to answer, “Is this the Year of RFID?”Get your Zebra Refresh Report

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57:09

Finding Tangible Opportunities in AI w/MicroTouch's...

BlueStar Nation ·

2024/06/13

Is AI fatigue setting in? Maybe, but that doesn't mean there isn't a real opportunity for VARs to be found. MicroTouch's John Dittig joins the show this week to help us separate the hype from the reality of AI solutions. What industries and end-users are most interested in AI? What needs do they want to be addressed? Is SMB better suited for innovation at this point? How will AI help sell more hardware? It's an "incrinculent" episode!#VARValue - How is MicroTouch approaching AI solutions, and how

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01:02:37

120 Grocery Execs Share Their Tech Challenges &...

BlueStar Nation ·

2024/06/06

We are again investigating the results of an excellent BlueStar Nation end-user survey (shout out to HP and Intel for sponsoring this one!), this time from SMB grocery leaders. The survey focused on the tech they currently use and want to deploy and where they see industry challenges that tech could solve. How are grocers addressing customer experience and collecting data? What are they most interested in improving? What opportunities for VARs does the data show?Read the Article and More at

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01:07:10

TEConnect Replay: Grocery Opportunities & Challenges...

BlueStar Nation ·

2024/05/30

Next week, we'll discuss the results of a grocery executive survey, exploring what technologies they are using and considering and how they envision tech impacting the industry. In preparation, we thought we'd revisit this conversation with Epson's David Vander Dussen.* * * Grocery stores are an essential service, but they’re not immune to the changing whims of consumers and the desire for convenient options and dynamic shopping experiences. The razor-thin margins they operate under can

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01:02:37

The Tradeoffs of Retail Modernization w/Intel’s David...

BlueStar Nation ·

2024/05/23

Retail has “grown up” a lot in the last few years, as competition and shifting customer expectations drive innovation and open the door to new technologies. But that modernization can come with some tradeoffs as retailers determine what is must-have vs. nice-to-have. Intel’s Global Retail Director, David Dobson, joins the pod to explain the outcomes that retailers are pursuing and how we can help. How is AI affecting retail? How do retail leaders determine what innovations to pursue? What’s causing

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59:50

AI Beyond the LLMs w/ConnecTalk's Guy-Marie Joseph

BlueStar Nation ·

2024/05/16

Guy-Marie Joseph is not just another AI enthusiast. He has been deeply involved in AI, studying its foundations since college. This extensive experience makes him the perfect person to help us delve into the LLM hype, explore practical use cases, and share insights on the road ahead. What does the “intelligence” part of AI really mean? What’s the next step to make AI more practical? How does ConnecTalk approach AI in their day-to-day business?#VARValue - As a reseller yourself, what are some

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01:01:29

EV Charging & Sustainable Energy w/EVerged’s Jeff Smith

BlueStar Nation ·

2024/05/09

The electric & hybrid vehicle market continues to grow, spurred by government investment and consumer interest. This week, Jeff Smith, CEO of EVerged, explains why he is all-in on the market and its potential. What trends and opportunities is he seeing? How does EVerged address sustainability questions? What makes this a perfect time to explore EV charging partnerships? #VARValue—Beyond EV solutions, what else is happening in the public sector that VARs should focus on to find new

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56:07

TEC Bytes 16 - A TEC a Day Keeps Boredom Away

BlueStar Nation ·

2024/05/02

Here's some new news, lists, and interesting studies to share around watercoolers both real and virtual!The effects of the "she"-conomy The coolest streets in the world Americans sleep less and stress more New airline cancellation/fee rules How much soda is too much? The end of noncompetes TEConnecting with us: Dean - How easy is it to brute force your password? John - Google Maps photobomb dog Keep in Touch! Email - TEConnect@bluestarinc.com LinkedIn -

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53:32

TEC Beefs 2

BlueStar Nation ·

2024/04/25

We’re normally tech-positive on the show, but this week, Dean & John are sharing some of their “beefs” with technology, the things that frustrate or confuse them, including: Dynamic fast-food pricing The death of social media Pennies Paywalled news America's most popular beers Amazon’s “Just Walk Out” stores Healthcare information connectivity It’s the episode that has a few things to get off its chest. TEConnecting with us: Dean - Designing the next moon buggy John - Lyft Keep in

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48:43

AI Hype, Hesitance, and Meaningful Solutions with...

BlueStar Nation ·

2024/04/18

Technological progress often comes in waves that are met with intense discussion, scrutiny, skepticism, and acceptance. Artificial intelligence is the latest wave disrupting the reseller channel, but one that demands a response sooner rather than later. This week, Intel’s Director of US Distribution, David Allen, is not only explaining the history of such inflection points and why AI is perhaps the most important ever but also shedding light on Intel's strategic approach to partnerships and vetted

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01:04:30

Next-Gen Channel Sales w/BlueStar Canada’s Michel Sirois

BlueStar Nation ·

2024/04/11

The modern customer is continually evolving, which demands that sales tactics also change, especially in our complex channel model. This week, BlueStar Canada’s President, Michel Sirois, shares his experience and insights on a highly relevant topic to our work. Is the new “generation” of buyers actually an age thing? How do we approach buyers with more information at their fingertips, time spent doing self-research, and unwilling to pick up the phone for a “cold call”? How can VARs/integrators/MSPs

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01:10:24

The Continuing Evolution of Warehousing...

BlueStar Nation ·

2024/04/04

It’s been three years since StayLinked CTO Justin Griffith last appeared on the pod. He discussed the struggle to get warehouses to adopt new technology, even during the pandemic. Has anything changed since then? How is AI impacting the conversation? What other emerging supply chain technologies is he watching? Most importantly, what does Justin think of the Apple Vision Pro?#VARValue - How is StayLinked helping VARs strengthen their supply chain solution offerings? StayLinked's VDC Research

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01:03:36

Food Safety & the Supply Chain w/Jim Hilton

BlueStar Nation ·

2024/03/28

Traceability is more important than ever in the food supply chain, as it allows quick and efficient tracking and halting of potential contaminants and foodborne illnesses. This week, food supply chain expert Jim Hilton joins us (in the studio!) to explain the opportunities for VARs. Why are we seeing more recalls? How does the direct-to-consumer market affect the supply chain? What is the FSMA 204 Final Rule, and how will technology help suppliers comply quickly? It’s the episode that wants to know

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184 results

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