Wine Down Wednesday
Wine Down Wednesday is part of our monthly, recurring panel discussion series. These meetups are designed to be educational and networking opportunities for SMBs. Our Wine Down events feature panelists in a “Tonight Show” format, where we’ll present our latest thoughts on technologies, talent needs and tools for ensuring business uptime, productivity and scalability for the future. Come have some fun, network, ask questions and enjoy some refreshment!
June and July Series – IT Challenges for SMBs
What are the options for wrangling in growing IT costs?
44% of businesses estimate they could lose $10,000 or more during ONE hour of downtime.
A special thanks to our guests, panelists and sponsors for helping make our June and July event series a success! We had a great time and hope you did too.
Did you miss out?!!? We will be taking a break from our series in August and September and resuming again in October. Hope to see you there!
Attended one of our events and have feedback? Want to learn more about being a panelist or sponsor at one of our events? Have a burning topic you would like to hear discussed at a future event? Please email events@higher-state.com.
See pictures and learn about our June 27 event HERE.
Topics from our June and July series included:
IT talent and staffing woes in Austin
There are hundreds of IT Director positions open in Austin. Companies are seeing a significant shortage for key technology roles. High on the list: a shortage of experienced technology leaders, and strategic planners. Are FTEs really the answer? Does outsourcing make sense? In addition to day-to-day technicians, how can your company best fill these roles and access top subject matter expertise?
Real-Time Visibility and Tools
What’s really going on under the hood of your company’s helpdesk for IT support? If your main business isn’t IT, then how do you effectively build the systems and tools to ensure productivity? There is a sea of tools to track business events and help identify specific culprits to eliminate recurring issues, regain customer transactions and manage communications. What are the most efficient people, process and platform solutions for your company?
Security, Business Continuity and Risk
Business continuity planning: Who and how is the security of your organization being managed – with policy, process and protocol? Where should you be looking and on WHAT should you be focusing to drive uptime, backup and
About the July Panelists
Marissa Limsiaco – Co-founder and President @ Tenavox
Overall, Marissa’s background is non-traditional at best, ranging from managing multifaceted logistical operations in a combat zone to assisting micro-lenders in third world countries to consulting for an international trade show. She has over eleven years of leadership experience in building high-performance teams that began with her role as a Division I tennis team captain at West Point where she was nominated as NCAA Woman of the Year. Marissa served more than five years of active duty with the United States Army as a logistician and company commander responsible for over 108 soldiers. One of her most memorable assignments was deployment to Iraq with the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, wherein her team provided hot refuel and rearming during the initiative commonly known as the “2007 Summer Surge.”
Marissa has been involved in both technology startups and the commercial real estate industry since 2011. Her first opportunity in commercial real estate was when she served as an urban planning and development consultant for a Perot company. Since then she has been involved in various commercial real estate projects from starting a listing company, serving as Chief of Staff for the National Realty Club, and consulting with a commercial real estate finance advisory firm. Marissa has developed numerous technology products and services in various private sector industries as well as the federal government
Marissa received a bachelor’s degree in Systems Engineering from the United States Military Academy at West Point, a master’s degree in business administration from Texas Christian University, and a master’s degree with a concentration in executive organizational leadership from the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs at The University of Texas at Austin. Marissa is a recipient of the Army Commendation Medal and Army Achievement Medal for her meritorious achievement and exceptional service to the United States Army.
Mark Johnson – President @ Xtrii
Mark Johnson is a global technology advisor with more than 30 years of successful results. While other technology leaders reference their 1-time role as a CIO/CTO, Mark’s technology leadership experience is unmatched and includes serving as the CIO/CTO 10 times for 10 prominent companies during his career. By leveraging his 10X experience advantage and extensive global industry expertise, he provides vast working knowledge of the best technology solutions and optimal business practices.
He has led organizations ranging from $15 Billion+ and 100,000+ employees to small, fast-paced, rapid-growth companies. Mark currently serves as President of Xtrii (www.Xtrii.com), a technology leadership firm that works with business executives to solve their most pressing technology needs, address their technology risks, and leverage emerging opportunities.
Mark has worked with companies to achieve extraordinary success that is globally recognized for technology excellence, such as the 4-time repeat winner of the national award for the best Information Technology organization, the national “Innovator of the Year” award, and Microsoft’s “Global Technology Innovation” award. Mark has been featured in Bloomberg Business Week, Computerworld Magazine, CIO Magazine, and many other national publications. He is a frequent keynote speaker and technology advisor on how both companies can best leverage technology for optimal business outcomes.
Michelle Howard – President @ Complete Circle Consulting
Michelle Howard is President of Complete Circle Consulting and is an IT Services Consultant. Since 2006, she has worked with SMB clients who are looking to replace business applications that no longer accommodate their company’s needs. Michelle started her career as a software developer creating business software for companies primarily in the manufacturing space, before managing software development teams in large companies including Sprint and Dell. Now, as a certified Project Manager, she collaborates with clients and vendors to implement vendor software solutions that best meet the clients’ needs. Michelle graduated from St. Edwards University with a M.S. in Organizational Leadership.
David Hagen – Technology Evangelist – TPx Communications
Throughout his more than 30 years’ experience in IT related fields, David has always been at the forefront of innovative technology. His knowledge encompasses; Software Development, IT Project Management, Cloud Computing, Software-defined networking, Cyber Security, Business Continuity Planning, VoIP, Mobility and Internet of Things.
His experience includes cultivating computer programming savvy to build and manage his own cutting-edge IT consulting group. This consulting group specialized in Oil & Gas Accounting systems, Open Systems migrations, ERP systems and custom software development. They completed a multitude of successful projects for prominent Texas companies. David also founded one of Houston’s largest business Internet Service Providers, connecting over 2200 business to the Internet. David’s Internet company was one of the first to enter the Hosted VoIP and digital voice market full scale in 2004, owning and operating their own VoIP infrastructure and voice core at a world class Data Center.
In his current role as Technology Evangelist for TPx Communications, he is tasked with defining and delivering TPx products and services messaging for channel partners and sales teams. He also is responsible for mentoring and fostering internal TPx Solutions Architect’s with a deep understanding of the values associated with managed IT services. His passion in the industry has allowed him to witness and experience the digital transformation of technology and delivery of services in this emerging market.
About Your Hosts
Higher State Technology, LLC (www.higher-state.com) provides outsourced, Managed IT Services and Support with services ranging from one-time troubleshooting and monthly services to scaling to be a company’s Virtual CTO. We are Austin based with local Helpdesk, dispatch and talented technicians here to help. We focus on Strategic IT Planning to help you build and manage the plan for making IT investments that match the growth of your business.
Momentum Telecom, a leading hosted VoIP, broadband services and unified communications provider, offers smart, customizable cloud solutions to direct subscribers and more than 500 partners nationwide. Momentum Telecom delivers superior quality products backed by a geo-redundant network with industry-leading uptime and best-in-business customer service.
TPx Communications is Austin’s Premier Communications Provider, redefining the way enterprises grow, compete and communicate. TPx’s unified communications, software-defined networking, managed connectivity solutions and more all work together to “reach a higher state of connectedness” – with customers, employees, clients, suppliers, locations, and applications. TPx can provide guaranteed performance wherever there’s a broadband connection, erasing the limitations of geography, incumbent providers and capital expenditure. Headquartered in Los Angeles, with major locations across the country, TPx has delivered 16 years of consecutive revenue growth, driven by a DNA of obsessive customer service and being a trusted advisor to its customers. For more information, go to www.tpx.com.