When you attend the Channel Partners Expo in Vegas, you have to bring your A game. (Rich Tehrani who is doing Channel Partners and CompTel is in a whole other league!)  There are meetings from morning till evening. Parties and dinners. Gambling and shows. It puts your legs to the test, especially when Starbucks at the Rio is so full its SRO (standing room only). (The leg to the left was primed for Vegas).

Lots of standing yesterday for the Agent Peer Networking session. Phone+'s editor, Khali Henderson, got us started off with a form of speed dating for 30 minutes or so before moving the approximately 150 agents to discussion tables. Interestingly, our table on Hiring attracted six people. Agents are curious about hiring sales folks. None more so than Jeff Mencek from ConnecTel in Pittsburgh who even has the budget for two salaried sales people.

The one thing I hope agents took from that event: Find one person in your situation that you can call monthly and talk about your Wins, your Woes and your Actions. That way you have a sounding board and aren't so insulated in your world. You get to see what another agent's world looks like monthly. It will help you out immensely.

I had a great conversation with Mark Jacobsen who is just starting out as an agent offering CRM, FreedomIQ Hosted PBX, and Google Apps with Integration and support. I know that next year he will be in Vegas talking about how he is killing it. Managed Services is the way to go. Folks want ease of use; less hassle; don't want to figure out the tech stuff; and want to focus on their prime business and family. Take that hassle away and you can make money.

I did forget to mention to agents that the last day for a free year of membership in TCA (the non-profit agent association called Technology Channel Association) is today. TCA now offers health insurance to its members. What are you waiting for?  (It's almost time to give those legs a rest for a 5 hour flight).