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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

56:07

Don’t Forget the Printer Supplies! w/Jessica Kroth

BlueStar Nation ·

2024/03/21

A printer is only as good as its ability to print. That makes the supplies and consumables, like labels, paper, printheads, and more, critical components for a total printer solution and an opportunity for resellers to make steady recurring revenue! BlueStar’s Jessica Kroth, who has over 15 years of experience and a passion for the topic, shares her tips with us this week. How much profit can be gained from supplies vs. hardware alone? What risks do VARs and their customers take when buying supplies

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56:16

Advice from a Reseller Channel Veteran w/Code’s Dave...

BlueStar Nation ·

2024/03/14

In our industry, looking back can be as important as looking forward, so this week, we’re tapping into a channel veteran for insights and lessons. Code Corporation’s Dave Judy has nearly 50 years of experience in retail, sales, and barcode technology. What’s his background, and how has Code grown & changed? What is his selling philosophy, and why does the channel make it even easier? What professional and personal lessons has Dave learned? Finally, how is Dave helping make driver’s licensing

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55:51

The TEConnect Podcast #182: pDOOH: Revenue Streams...

BlueStar Nation ·

2024/03/07

Storefronts and public venues offer plenty of opportunities for national and local brands to market & advertise. It’s also a potential source of recurring revenue for retailers, venue owners, and VARs. That’s the idea behind pDOOH (Programmatic Digital Out-of-Home) advertising, which uses “monetized & managed digital signage” in highly trafficked areas. Ben Simon, BlueStar’s Emerging Technologies BDM, and Joe Kunigonis, CEO of Smartify Media, our partner in the pDOOH initiative, explain the

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01:02:59

Is RFID Right for Your Business? w/TSC Printronix’s...

BlueStar Nation ·

2024/02/29

RFID adoption is rapidly increasing, but traditional AIDC barcode VARs may still be uncertain if they want to add the technology to their portfolio. This week, TSC Printronix's RFID expert, Chris Brown, acknowledges the complexity of RFID solutions alongside the potential for your business. He presents what he sees as four clear options for barcoding VARs to take on (or not) RFID, followed by a look at mandates pushing the technology down the supply chain. What's the "Walmart blast off?" What other

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01:05:48

Winning in Search for SMB Solution Providers w/James...

BlueStar Nation ·

2024/02/22

When the guys need a last-minute guest, bringing in James Korte and telling him to talk marketing is never a bad idea! James predictably nails it with a dive into SEO strategy and how SMB solution providers can position themselves high in organic searches. How long does it take? Where do you start? What should you create? How do you know it's working? Finally, we give you some concrete examples. It's the episode that's constantly Googling itself.#VARValue - What can anyone listening (regardless

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59:18

Retail Digital Signage Survey - Opportunities Abound

BlueStar Nation ·

2024/02/15

We're sifting through the data from another BlueStar Nation end-user survey (sponsored by Samsung): 125 retailer leaders shared their concerns, expectations, and perceptions about deploying digital displays. Why aren't they utilizing it? How would they if they did? Are their cost expectations accurate? Who do they think would be responsible for purchasing, maintaining, and managing content? It's an episode filled with data to help YOU find and win business. #VARValue - Dean's takeaways as a former

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58:20

TEC Bytes 15 - Trying to Make TEC Happen

BlueStar Nation ·

2024/02/08

We’re covering six more topics in technology, business, entertainment, and more! Topics Discussed: MIT’s 10 Breakthrough Technologies for 2024 US companies that failed in China 50 years of video game revenues Most popular apps by downloads LinkedIn for dating? CES 2024 (and this article) TEConnecting with us: Dean - "Shotski" record John - Strike Force Five podcast Keep in Touch! Email - TEConnect@bluestarinc.com LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/blue-star Submit your topic ideas -

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49:17

MSPs & VARs – Bridging the Gap w/SD Tech’s Shane Mishler

BlueStar Nation ·

2024/02/01

VARs and MSPs can sometimes be represented as operating in two different, siloed segments of the B2B technology market, but in a world where “one source” partners and consultants are more valuable than ever, collaboration is the future. This week, we’re joined by Shane Mishler, VP & COO of SD Tech, an MSP that’s already doing just that. How does Shane equate tech consulting to a construction project? How do MSPs handle requests that are outside of their scope? What emerging tech are his clients

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54:45

Parking Management Technology w/OmniQ's John Whiteman

BlueStar Nation ·

2024/01/25

Finding a parking place has been a struggle as long as there have been motor vehicles. That’s especially true in big cities, at sporting events, entertainment venues, airports, and anywhere else that must accommodate large numbers of drivers. This week on the pod, OmniQ’s John Whiteman walks us through the technology that’s simplifying parking for drivers, garage/lot owners, and operators. How has AI changed parking technology? What hardware opportunities can VARs find with parking solutions? What

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53:10

Smart Fit Technology w/Fit:match’s Haniff Brown

BlueStar Nation ·

2024/01/11

We’re kicking off a new year of the podcast by exploring a topic that most of us have struggled with at some point--finding the right “fit” for our clothes--and some cool new tech that’s tackling the problem and improving apparel retailers’ bottom line in the process. We’re joined by Intel partner Fit:match’s Founder & CEO Haniff Brown. Fit:match uses “3D shape mapping” to match shoppers to a similar digital twin and allow retailers to recommend the best fit and styles for that body type. How

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01:30:03

Star Wars Nerdfest – Episode IV

BlueStar Nation ·

2023/12/28

Another year of the podcast is closing out, so it must be time for the annual Star Wars episode! Sam & Marko join us to talk about the latest news for the franchise, including new movies, Dave Filoni’s promotion, and the end of Disney’s Galactic Starcruiser. We recap season 3 of The Mandalorian and the first (only?) of Ahsoka before John & Sam pitch why fans should check out the Rebels animated series. Finally, we share our favorite Star Wars weapons and spicy takes on the franchise that

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49:59

Tech Trivia – Pop Culture Edition

BlueStar Nation ·

2023/12/21

We have an all-star lineup for the latest round of Tech Trivia. Dean defends his recent crown (from episode 150) against two-time champion Whitney Gerrety, Sarah Schlueter, and Sam Hughes. They’ll tackle three rounds of increasingly difficult questions and have a few laughs on the way. Who stayed up late making costumes? Who comes from behind to tie for the lead? What does Sarah think is a Pixar film? Is John the real winner? It’s the episode that required more editing than usual…mostly because of

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01:09:34

TEC Bytes 14 – TEC the Halls

BlueStar Nation ·

2023/12/14

We’re kicking off three weeks of fun eps to conclude our year. First up, more TEC Bytes…random stories, lists, and observations to discuss and debate around the watercooler, at a holiday party, or with that family member who still gives fruitcakes as presents. Topics: Top Hotel Bars Better thinking skills for kids The average “global human day” American views on marriage & family The world’s population as 1000 people American sleep habits Word of the year Best inventions of ‘23 Our Favorite

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51:53

Smart Stadium Technology w/Elo’s Raimon Chikhani

BlueStar Nation ·

2023/12/07

Live sporting events are still very popular, but the expectations of an attendee have grown a bit beyond “I want to see my team win.” Fans want an experience, and venues want them to stay (and pay) for as long as possible. Technology is becoming a big part of those experiences, so we wanted to explore the potential opportunities for VARs. Elo’s Raimon Chikhani has the insights to help! Why is attendance near or above pre-COVID levels at stadiums? How are younger generations approaching sporting

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01:03:46

Chronic Care, RPM, In-Home Tech & More w/JoAnna Witting

BlueStar Nation ·

2023/11/30

As we wrap up National Diabetes Month, we talk to BlueStar's Healthcare BDM, JoAnna Witting, to discuss how technology can assist healthcare providers with managing chronic conditions, impact public health, and improve patient outcomes. How do virtual care and remote patient monitoring help rural and underserved communities? What solutions make in-home and visiting nurse services more manageable, accessible, and safer? Where can VARs find new opportunities with healthcare providers? #VARValue -

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01:09:41

Warehouse Automation w/Zebra’s Andre Luecht &...

BlueStar Nation ·

2023/11/22

Labor and economic issues have recently led to some contraction in the warehouse market. Still, Zebra’s 2023 Warehousing Vision Study indicates optimism and growth for the future, led by the growing adoption of automation technology. This week, Zebra’s Andre Luecht and Hy-Tek Intralogistics John Klare, Jr. explain what they see and hear from warehouse leaders and affirm the study’s findings. How are decision-makers implementing sensor-based technology? What’s frustrating (and helping) them with

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53:52

Retail Innovation & Customer Experience w/Toshiba’s...

BlueStar Nation ·

2023/11/16

As holiday shopping ramps up, we spoke with Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions’ Fredrik Carlegren, who helped us break down an excellent white paper that lays out three obstacles facing retailers to improve the customer experience through technology. What does Fredrik think got us where we are today? How do we close the gap between intention and implementation? How do brick-and-mortar stores bring digital experiences in-house and turn a profit? What should VARs & ISVs do to help their retail

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01:10:49

Modern OS Architecture with Google’s Brandy Au & HP’s...

BlueStar Nation ·

2023/11/02

Operating systems are necessarily more complex than ever. Still, they must also be simple to use, reliable, and secure, especially the OS that runs digital signage and kiosks for retail or hospitality businesses. This week, Google’s Brandy Au and HP’s David Gosman join the show to explain the OS progression, trends, and current needs. How are market forces and modern hardware changing operating systems? How does ChromeOS benefit signage and kiosk deployments? When should you recommend Android or

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01:01:58

TEConnect Replay: Customer Journeys & Experiential...

BlueStar Nation ·

2023/10/26

Retailers are never going to stop being interested in improving the customer experience. We have more to discuss in upcoming episodes, but we thought we should revisit this episode with CDW's Andy Szanger. * * * (Originally released Aug. 3, 2023) Consumers are returning to brick-and-mortar stores, but after years of convenience and digital shopping, expectations for seamless, fast, and maybe even fun visits are higher than ever. This week, CDW’s Andy Szanger joins the pod to discuss how retail

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01:04:38

In-House vs. Third Party Color Label Printing...

BlueStar Nation ·

2023/10/19

Outsourcing some aspects of a business can be beneficial, but when it comes to color label printing, especially for highly regulated and rapidly changing industries, it’s best to do it yourself. This week, Epson’s Andy Scherz & Mark Middendorf, passionate advocates for color labeling, join the show to explain and help you make the case to end-users. When does it make sense financially to print in-house? How does it help with regulatory compliance? How much waste is incurred with third-party

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184 results

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