2024 BTA National Conference Sessions

What Makes the Great Teams Great

April 5, 9:15 to 10:15 a.m.

Don Yaeger, award-winning leadership speaker, executive coach & New York Times bestselling author

As a sports writer and author of more than 30 books, Yaeger has had a front row seat with some of the greatest winners in athletics, including Walter Payton, Jimmy Connors, Michael Jordan, John Wooden, Pat Riley and Dale Brown. They are all legends in their own right, but does anyone believe the athletes mentioned above are really the GREATEST athletes of their time, physically? Remember, Jordan wasn’t even the first pick in the draft. Payton had to go to a small black college because bigger schools didn’t want to risk a scholarship on him. Each became a champion through strength and skills that had nothing to do with physical prowess.

Using rich personal accounts gathered from more than 25 years of interviews with many of today’s sports legends and business leaders, Yaeger has distilled "Sixteen Consistent Characteristics of Greatness." During this session, he'll share some of these characteristics with attendees in an easy, engaging style, which helps them realize that they, too, can achieve higher levels of personal success.

As an award-winning keynote speaker, an 11-time New York Times bestselling author, host of the top-rated Corporate Competitor Podcast, Executive Leadership Coach and longtime associate editor for Sports Illustrated, Yaeger has fashioned a career as one of America's most provocative thought leaders. He is primarily sought to discuss lessons on achieving greatness, learned from firsthand work alongside some of the greatest sports and business legends in the world. Additionally, Yaeger has been retained by companies and organizations to coach their leaders on building cultures of greatness.

He began his career in 1984 as a reporter for the San Antonio Light and later moved on to the Dallas Morning News. Following his stint in Dallas, Yaeger worked as a political editor for the Florida Times-Union and, after four years, decided to dedicate himself to the pursuit of writing books. In July 1996, Yaeger joined Sports Illustrated's (SI's) staff full-time and, two years later, he was promoted to associate editor. He took an early retirement from full-time work at SI in 2008.

How to Present QBRs

April 5, 11:15 a.m. to Noon

Gary Lavin & Michael Kirkpatrick, partners, CEO Juice

CEO Juice's quarterly business reviews (QBRs) are very popular among its users and the company is about to release a version embedded into PowerPoint to further streamline QBR presentations. Attend this session to learn how to present quarterly business reviews to your customers to build relationships, evaluate your performance, strategically align your products and services with your customers' needs, resolve problems, identify opportunities, gather feedback and plan for the future.

ChatGPT Trained on CEO Juice Data

April 6, 10:30 to 11:15 a.m.

Gary Lavin & Michael Kirkpatrick, partners, CEO Juice

CEO Juice is releasing its own version of ChatGPT trained on a local database of CEO Juice data, allowing users to ask questions on the data. During this session, learn more about this AI-powered release.

Born and raised in Ireland, Lavin started selling copiers for Xerox in 1983. In 1993, he moved to San Diego, California, where he founded Color Systems, a dealership focused on the color copier/MFP marketplace with a separate division called Internetworking Innovations focused on IT services. Lavin grew it to $10 million in revenue in five years, and added locations in Los Angeles and the Bay Area before selling the company in 1999. In 2003, he started Imaging Technologies, focused on CPC contracts including copier/MFPs and printers bundled together. Lavin grew this business to $6 million in just over four years before selling it to KMA in 2008. He invested in e-automate back when it was known as Cash Ops, installing version 1 and became an avid fan of Digital Task Force (DTF) shortly after it was launched by Kirkpatrick. Passionate about using technology to solve problems and understanding the need for process in a successful business, Lavin connected with Kirkpatrick at the e-automate User Group where they discussed the potential DTF had and the challenges in implementing it. They formed CEO Juice together in 2009 to overcome those challenges.

Kirkpatrick started working with computers/software/networks in 1982 and has always focused on the office technology and service industry. He was IT director at AEG Olympia during the early 1990s for a few years and learned a lot about the manufacturing side of the industry. Kirkpatrick was then a partner in Critical Network Technologies, reselling and troubleshooting 500- to 1,000-plus-user Novell networks across the country to Fortune 500 companies. He decided to get off the road when Bryan Ammons at SOS offered him an opportunity that has been an incredible blessing for the last 17 years, allowing him to continue to work at SOS while partnering with Lavin to build CEO Juice.

Elevating Your 21st-Century Prospecting Sales Strategy

April 5, 11:15 a.m. to Noon
April 6, 10:30 to 11:15 a.m.

Kate Kingston, founder & president, Kingston Training Group

In an era defined by rapid technological advancements and ever-evolving business landscapes, the role of the modern office technology sales executive has transformed significantly. Join Kingston for an insightful and informative as she unravels the intricacies of prospecting in the 21st century.

During this session, Kingston will provide concrete examples and data-driven insights, offering a comprehensive road map to enhance your prospecting efforts for net-new full solutions proposals and closes.

Here's a glimpse of what you can expect:

1. Tailoring Your Message for C-Level Executives: Kingston will guide you through the art of communicating effectively with various C-Level executives, including those in information technology, finance, compliance, accounts payable and receivable, operations, president or ownership and C-level procurement. Learn how to leverage their departmental responsibilities to create meaningful prospecting and demo opportunities.
2. Harnessing Data for Prospecting Sales Success: Discover the critical data that should be collected and analyzed to equip your sales executives with the right tools to succeed in securing net-new meetings and demos. Kingston will delve into the strategies that help your team work smarter, not harder.
3. Accountability-Driven Prospecting: Correct prospecting calendarization and accountability touchpoints for sales management will be a central focus of this session. Learn how to create a structured prospecting plan that ensures consistent progress and measurable results.
4. Handling Objections with Grace: Kingston will impart techniques to effectively handle objections by preemptively addressing potential concerns within your prospecting pitch. This proactive approach will empower your sales team to navigate objections with confidence.
5. The Power of Social Media and Video Prospecting: In the digital age, social media and video play a pivotal role in enhancing net-new meeting pursuits. Kingston will shed light on the strategic use of these tools to make your prospecting efforts more impactful and engaging.

Prepare to leave this presentation with an increased understanding of the new 21st-century executive C-level prospect and actionable insights to implement prospecting with accountability. Kingston's real-world examples and fact-based strategies will equip you with the knowledge and tools necessary to thrive in today's dynamic business environment. Don't miss this opportunity to elevate your sales strategy and drive success in your net-new endeavors.

For the last 19 years, Kingston has been exclusively educating office technology sales executives on every type of prospect across 60-plus industries and how they proprietarily use technology. She is a recognized authority on lead generation, recruiting new hires from a prospecting skill-base perspective and new business development. Sales-driven, Kingston is an energized communicator who uses humor, audience participation, proven techniques, handouts and real-time phone calls in her training sessions.

Responsible Use of Artificial Intelligence & Its Impact on Cybersecurity

April 5, 11:15 a.m. to Noon
April 6, 10:30 to 11:15 a.m.

Jay Ryerse, vice president of global cybersecurity sales, ConnectWise

During this session, Ryerse will be discussing practical strategies to navigate the AI landscape responsibly and ensure that the technology remains a force for good. During the presentation, he will provide real-life examples of AI use within ConnectWise, how office technology dealers can leverage these readily available tools and how AI impacts security.

Ryerse is the vice president of global cybersecurity sales for ConnectWise. He brings more than 30 years of experience to ConnectWise in cybersecurity, information technology and security solutions to businesses of all sizes. Ryerse is responsible for driving cybersecurity initiatives throughout the organization and the MSP market, as well as providing education around managing cyberrisk for ConnectWise partners and their clients.

Understanding Why & How Online Attackers Target You

April 5, 1:35 p.m. to 2:35 p.m.

Brett Johnson, 'The Original Internet Godfather,' former U.S. Cyber Crimes Most Wanted & chief criminal officer at-large

During this keynote address, Johnson will discuss the mindset of online attacks — the types of attackers, their motivation and goals, and why it is never a single attacker who seeks to victimize you or your organization. He will then dive into how attackers find their targets and what trends to look for coming your way. Johnson will also discuss how specific attacks are carried out and what you can do to protect yourself and your organization from the type of person he used to be.

Former U.S. Most Wanted Johnson, referred to by the U.S. Secret Service as 'The Original Internet Godfather,' has been a central figure in the cybercrime world for more than 20 years. Johnson built and was the leader of ShadowCrew, the precursor to today's darknet markets. He was instrumental in developing many areas of online fraud while helping design, implement and refine modern identity theft, account takeover fraud, card-not-present fraud, IRS tax fraud and countless other social engineering attacks, breaches and hacking operations.

Upon his capture, the Secret Service hired Johnson to work as a consultant and informant. He worked with the Secret Service for several months before going on a cross-country crime spree, being placed on the U.S. Cyber Crimes Most Wanted list, being captured again, sent to prison, escaping prison, being captured yet again and, finally, accepting responsibility for his actions.

Today, Johnson works as a security consultant and public speaker. He is one of the world's foremost authorities on cybercrime and identity theft. During 2017, Johnson was the keynote speaker at more than 30 conferences worldwide. He has been featured in the book 'Kingpin' by Kevin Poulsen and on numerous media outlets, including the New York Times, NBC, CNN Money, Wired Magazine, Vice, RT TV, ArsTechnica, The Independent and more.

Welcome to the Future! AI Literacy for Professionals

April 5, 3:15 to 4:15 p.m.

Tracy L.M. Norton, associate professor of professional practice, Louisiana State University (LSU) Law

In this session, Norton will discuss the following topics related to the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in businesses:

• What is generative AI?
• How can AI increase productivity?
• What AI is and what it is not
• Lessons learned and current best practices

Norton has become a leading voice in legal skills education, with a focus on innovative teaching and technological competence in law school and law practice since she began her teaching career in 1997. She joined the faculty of LSU Law in 2022, where she holds the Erick Vincenet Anderson Professorship of Professional Practice as an associate professor of professional practice. Norton is a frequent speaker on topics ranging from generational competence to using the power of storytelling to advocate for those without access to the lawmaking process. Most recently, her research and presentations focus on using generative AI effectively and ethically in legal education and law practice.

Thanks for the Memories

April 6, 8:40 to 9:40 a.m.

Bob Goldberg, general counsel, Business Technology Association

As Goldberg approaches retirement, the Business Technology Association (BTA; formerly the National Office Machine Dealers Association [NOMDA]) has asked him to reflect on his 47 years in the industry working with generous volunteers, incredible entrepreneurs, dedicated staff members and an array of suppliers. In this session, Goldberg will share details of the fulfilling life and career NOMDA/BTA has provided, and his knowledge from the past to help dealers avoid errors and plan for the future.

Goldberg has 47 years of industry experience. Upon graduation from law school in 1973, he joined the Antitrust Division of the Illinois Attorney General's Office. Goldberg's government career continued with the Federal Trade Commission until 1977, when he transitioned to private practice. He was a partner with the firm of Freeman, Atkins & Coleman, where he specialized in antitrust and trade regulation matters. Goldberg then joined the law firm Schoenberg Finkel Newman & Rosenberg LLC (now Schoenberg Finkel Beederman Bell & Glazer LLC), and was a partner with the firm from 1984 to 2008. In 2008, he became of counsel to the firm, continuing to collaborate and mentor with the firm's attorneys and staff. Since 1977, he has provided BTA members with no-fee advice and guidance on a diverse range of topics.