NerdioCon 2024 is just around the corner! From February 12–16, 2024, we will be in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic for our third annual in-person, all-inclusive partner conference, and we couldn’t be more excited to bring industry leaders together to tackle the most important topics our teams are facing.
Each week leading up to the event, we’re publishing installments of our Nerd Icon blog series to give you a sneak peek of some of the experts you can expect to hear from at NerdioCon 2024. Our next featured speaker is Michael Slater, Head of Sales for Microsoft and Cybersecurity at Sherweb!
Tell us about Sherweb and your current role with them
Sherweb is an award-winning distributor that provides cloud software and solution services for MSPs. Our extensive marketplace offerings help growth through building highly profitable and scalable businesses. We have extensive experience in Azure as one of the original indirect providers in the market. My role is Head of Sales for Microsoft and Cybersecurity, which are two of our key focuses in 2024. With our internal sales team, key vendors, and valued partners, I help create value for everyone involved.
To put it simply, I help our extended team be successful by coaching the sales team, making sure our vendors and partners are all speaking the same language, and helping our partners solve business problems with technology. This ultimately means that together, we all win!
Why do you enjoy working in IT? What makes it unique?
I love that each day is unique, with different challenges and problems to solve. No two weeks are ever the same. I love the scale we have; through a single partner, we can measurably improve the lives of so many people who wouldn’t otherwise have access to this type of technology. And I love the community; it’s a very supportive and collaborative space. The attitude of a rising tide raising all ships is very prevalent among us, and it’s clear in the work we do together.
What will you be presenting about at NerdioCon 2024?
I will be presenting the “Azure Practice of the Future,” how we see the current state of the typical Azure practice within our industry for our partners, what will likely change in the short term with all the new AI/Security tools, and what the future practice could potentially look like using data from our own extensive partner network.
Azure continues to be a major focus for the Microsoft Partner ecosystem. MSPs who currently work in Azure will want to see what we think based on working with thousands of other partners, and they can use those insights to measure themselves against the current benchmark. And, for MSPs who don’t currently work in Azure or are just starting, they will be able to get some idea of how our partners are successful and prepare for future success.
What are you looking forward to most about the event?
I’m looking forward to spending time talking to partners about Azure and the industry and how we can help them grow in 2024, plus collaborating with the Nerdio team and getting an idea of what 2024 will look like. I’m also excited about networking with my fellow industry folks. NerdioCon is a major conference that starts the year on the conference circuit on the right foot with a really fun and fresh approach, and I’m always energized by it.
I’ve attended every NerdioCon to date, and I’ll be bringing my NerdioCon 2022 t-shirt!
What are some topics or pain points that your company can help channel partners with that you’ll be discussing at NerdioCon?
We will be talking about how to build a successful Azure practice, how to optimize your Azure incentives, and the great offering we have for Nerdio/Azure we just built into our platform.
Want to learn more about Michael and the other expert presenters at NerdioCon 2024? Visit the NerdioCon homepage to view speaker info, agenda items, and more. We’re excited to discuss the industry’s biggest topics with leaders from across the channel!
