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Your window into the topsy-turvy world of business IT, and the endless wave of technology which makes it all possible.

Varvid and HTG Peer Groups Sign Partnership to Promote Internet-Delivered Video

Posted Aug 18 2010 by Richard in Aaron Booker, HTG Peer Groups with 2 Comments

Varvid, Inc. is pleased to announce it has recently entered into a strategic partnership with HTG Peer Groups.  HTG was founded by Arlin Sorensen, CEO of Heartland Technology Solutions, one of the member companies. Arlin launched the first HTG peer group in 2001 based on his desire for an opportunity to interact with peers in a non-competitive setting and observation of a lack of peer groups in the SMB partner space.

“Varvid has been an innovator in how VARs, MSPs and vendors create and use content on the web and a principal force in social media for IT-related businesses,” said Sorensen, HTG founder and CEO. “Through this new partnership, HTG Peer Group members will have an opportunity to learn about Internet video from the undisputed industry leader.”

HTG Peer Groups are composed of industry leaders led by industry insiders with years of experience, all sharing best practices in a non-competitive environment.

“HTG is a revolutionary organization with strategic and forward thinking leadership, a model for success that has been proven to help VARs, MSPs and vendors to succeed,” says Aaron Booker, founder of Varvid, Inc. “I believe this partnership will greatly benefit HTG members by providing them access to top-notch internet delivered video production, webcasting and video playback solutions.”

Booker is no stranger to the MSP/VAR world, spending more than 15 years in the IT industry and participating in the early years of HTG’s existence. “The HTG Peer Group experience was an enormous benefit to my professional development, and I’ve wanted nothing more than to be able to give back by helping HTG member companies cost-effectively maximize their use of video on websites, blogs, and social media outlets,” said Booker. “I hope this partnership will add a great deal of value to HTG members and, ultimately, enhance their ability to promote their own services.”

With more than eight years of experience in live and on-demand Internet-delivered video, Varvid is uniquely equipped to aid VARs, MSPs and their vendor partners in developing online videos for use in marketing, social media, training and client relations. As a strategic partner, Varvid will serve as a resource for HTG members that want to produce and use video content, and will develop exclusive offerings for HTG members.

In addition to providing paid video services to the IT Channel, Booker recently launched Varvid.tv, a new and free video ‘TV Channel’ covering industry events and featuring IT channel content.  Varvid.tv not only features professional content but is also looking for fresh voices from the channel partner community at large.  All contributions from the IT channel will be professionally edited, hosted and optimized at no charge.

Learn more about HTG at http://www.htgmembers.com or by calling (712) 744-3619 .  You can also check out a sampling of Varvid’s past work for HTG to get an idea of what Varvid might be able to do for you and your business!

Microsoft’s Birger Steen Making a Move to Parallels

Posted Aug 6 2010 by drew in Cloud Services, Microsoft, Microsoft Partner Network, Uncategorized with 1 Comment

Birger Steen, current vice president for small and midmarket business and distribution (SMB&D), will be leaving the company at the end of this month to become President at Parallels, a cloud services enablement software company.   As you no doubt know, Steen has played an instrumental role in helping SMBs find and use technology through his leadership in the past year.  Vahe Torossian, Corp VP for SMS&P at Microsoft, said that Birger felt this was an opportunity that he just couldn’t pass up. 

“Our small and mid-market business (SMB) leadership group, and specifically Birger Steen, has played an instrumental role in bridging the gap between the SMBs and technology through their leadership in the past year.  Microsoft remains committed to investing in small and mid-market businesses and our partners who serve them.   The list of products and offerings that we launched last year specifically for the SMBs is a great testament to the priority and focus we have with this customer segment.  I am even more excited with the opportunities that cloud computing can bring to SMBs now and in the near future.  We appreciate all that Birger has done and wish him well.” 

Steen spent eight years at Microsoft.  He moved to Redmond after leading Microsoft’s sales and marketing operations in Norway and Russia. A search for Steen’s replacement has begun. 

We are sorry that the Microsoft Partner community lost an advocate in this leader.  On the other hand, we are glad for Paralllels; they’re gaining his expertise and leadership.  Congratulations on your new role as President.  We are glad to see his career advancing and hope to see him  at future industry events. 

Varvid finalizes annual contract with Botanical Laboratories

Posted Aug 5 2010 by Riley Adamson in Local Business, Video Delivery with 0 Comments

Varvid is pleased to announce they have finalized an annual agreement to create, produce and distribute video content for Botanical Laboratories, based in Ferndale, Washington. Varvid has signed on to produce internet-delivered videos for Botanical Labortories, including event coverage for the 2010 Bellingham Jingle Bell Run in December and the  2011 Northwest Women’s Show in Seattle. Other projects will include a series of product pieces, corporate profiles, and multiple press release videos. Varvid has worked with BotLab’s flagship brand, Wellesse Premium Liquid Supplements, in the past to help promote their ongoing support of the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure with the Puget Sound affiliate of the national organization.

Along with capturing, producing and uploading content for Botanical Labortories, this agreement includes a unique service:  an internet-delivered video distribution platform.  This offereing allows BotLab the opportunity to completely control the marketing and branding seen by visitors. Varvid will also provide a number of user training courses to educate BotLab staff on how to maximize video marketing’s full potential by understanding analytics, increasing search engine optimization and controlling channel distribution.

To put Varvid to work for your organization, drop us a line.

Aaron Booker Co-Hosts Webinar for MSPU

Posted Aug 3 2010 by Richard in Aaron Booker, MSPU, Uncategorized with 0 Comments

On August 2nd at 9am PST, Varvid’s Aaron Booker will co-host a webinar titled How To Help Your Marketing Efforts With Social Media Video alongside Rafael Sanguily from MSP University. Click here to register.

Aaron Booker talks Internet Delivered Video with Ulistic’s Stuart Crawford and Varvid at MSPU San Antonio

Posted Aug 2 2010 by Richard in Aaron Booker, MSPU, Uncategorized with 0 Comments

On Thursday (7/29) Varvid’s Aaron Booker spoke with Calgary Internet Consultant Stuart Crawford on blogtalkradio.com, discussing the power of internet delivered video. Joining the conversation was Tish Bell from bizboxtv, a Calgary firm that specializes in video for small businesses. Click here to listen to the 30 minute podcast to hear why internet delivered video is a necessity for any business and their overall marketing campaign.

Click here to open the podcast in iTunes.

Stuart Crawford and Aaron Booker

Also, Varvid will be attending MSPU’s Boot Camp from August 9th to the 12th. Tune in to Varvid.tv to see coverage of this event.

Varvid.TV Launch and Press Release!

Posted Jul 9 2010 by Mike with 0 Comments


Aaron Booker of Varvid is excited to tell you about the new video hosting site Varvid.tv. Varvid.tv will be a video channel dedicated to hosting content that is solely IT related. A lot of the content will be provided by the Varvid crew as they visit major IT events, but the site will also offer the “From the Cloud” community submitted video service, which would feature videos submitted by any partners in the community.

The philosophy behind Varvid.tv’s “From The Cloud” community submitted video service is that many of the new generation hand-held devices can easily shoot in HD, meaning that the ability to capture high quality footage has become widely available. However, most people don’t have access to post-production services that allow a video to look professional, and this is where Varvid.tv comes in. Any MSP, VAR or other Microsoft vendor partner can send rough cut footage to Varvid.tv, where a member of the Varvid crew will then edit the footage and post it on Varvid.tv when it’s completed—and it’s all done for free!

By dedicating itself solely to the IT industry, Varvid.tv is aiming to become the hub of social media video communication in the IT world.  Providing a cost-free opportunity to get a professionally produced marketing or promotional video online, Varvid.tv will be the ultimate social media video tool for anyone involved in the IT community.

Here is the official press release:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE…

Varvid launches new Internet video hotspot dedicated to serving the IT community

Varvid.tv site will provide uploading, editing, and hosting services for IT industry.

BELLINGHAM, WA – 7/9/2010 – Varvid, Inc. is announcing their new website launch, Varvid.tv. Varvid.tv provides Value Added Resellers (VARs), Managed Service Providers (MSPs) and their vendor partners with the opportunity to create professional-style online videos using their own footage, making Varvid.tv the first website of its kind in the IT community.

Aaron Booker, founder of Varvid, Inc., a long-time member of the IT community and a former VAR himself, believes that Varvid.tv has the potential to both revolutionize the way VARs, MSPs, and vendor partners create content on the web and become a social media epicenter for everything IT. Varvid.tv was first conceived when Booker observed the lack of a dedicated channel focused on providing high-quality video coverage of the IT community. “In an industry whose bread-and-butter is Internet technology, why shouldn’t they be at the forefront of internet-delivered video?” as Aaron puts it. “We are very excited to be able to offer this service to our friends and partners in the community.”

These days, shooting HD video on an iPhone 4, Flip HD camera, or other HD-capable video device is very easy. What isn’t easy is making the footage worth watching. That’s where Varvid.tv comes in. With our new “From the Cloud” service, users get to decide the content of their video because they shoot it themselves. After they’ve uploaded their footage to Varvid.tv through an easy-to-use widget, production staff immediately set to work editing their video to make it ready for viewing. Once the video is finished, it is uploaded to Varvid.tv, ready for streaming in Flash, HTML5, and soon, Microsoft Silverlight. Videos hosted on Varvid.tv are optimized for every viewing experience; one foot – the mobile experience, three feet – the desktop experience, and ten feet – the television experience.

Along with the launch of Varvid.tv, which can be navigated to from mobile devices such as the iPhone, iPad, Android, and Windows Mobile Devices, Varvid, Inc. has also developed an iPhone application, which is currently awaiting approval in the Apple store. With a little luck, this app will be downloadable in time for this year’s Worldwide Partner Conference  in Washington DC (WPC 2010), from which Varvid will be updating Varvid.tv with regular HD interviews and newsflashes. Since 2003, Microsoft’s WPC has provided a unique 5-day event for thousands of partners from over 100 countries to plan their business strategies for the upcoming year.

###

Varvid, Inc. is an internet-delivered video marketing company focused on providing case studies, business testimonials, live webcasting, and event coverage. Major customers of Varvid, Inc. include HTG Peer Groups, AgniTEK, Quosal, and the ConnectWise Partner Summit. Varvid, Inc. is based in Bellingham, Washington. More information about Varvid, Inc. can be found at http://www.varvid.com.

For additional information contact: Aaron Booker – 360 255 7222 – aaron@varvid.com

Varvid: Internet Delivered Video Marketing in Whatcom County

Posted Jul 6 2010 by Richard with 0 Comments

Aaron Booker at his desk in the Varvid office.

Internet delivered video marketing company Varvid has been recognized by the Bellingham Herald in an article from July 4th 2010 as a contributing force in the booming tech industry of Whatcom County. By providing internet delivered video and marketing services for IT companies across the nation, Aaron Booker of Varvid plays a role in supporting Whatcom’s local economy and feels it’s a great business model for other local companies to follow.

Live Webcasting and MSPU – Success Squared

Posted Jun 16 2010 by drew in Event Coverage, MSPU, Uncategorized with 0 Comments

We find our band of troubadours fresh off the heels of HTG Summit in Dallas and prepping for WPC in July. Does that leave any room to help others in the internet delivered video arena?  Of course it does.

The Varvid team recently returned from a triumphant excursion to Southern California for the live webcasting of MSPU’s Boot Camp in Santa Ana. Here’s the quick overview of what MSP University offers.  Whether you’re a Managed Services startup, or a $100 million dollar a year Managed Services Provider, Managed Services Provider University has the resources and the experience to help you improve your IT business by decreasing costs and increasing revenue.

Aaron at the helm...

Not only did Varvid stream live from the event, they were on site to record a myriad of classes for the MSPU catalog, available exclusively to MSPU clients. Some of the topics that were discussed included Sales 101, Marketing, Service Delivery and CEO Tracks. Now if you didn’t get the chance to attend this Boot camp, not to worry. They offer these all over the nation.

In a nutshell, MSPU provides MSP’s the opportunity to continue to learn the ins & outs of this industry. Visit their site for more details and to learn more about this incredible organization.

A special thanks to the Varvid crew on hand for this stellar event; Traci, Trevor & Jeremy really stepped up to the plate and took charge.  And what can we say about “King” Aaron? Simply put, he is the reason Varvid continues to be an industry leader in internet delivered video, from event coverage and webcasting to client testimonials and case studies.

Jill Kerr from CompTIA

Posted Jun 15 2010 by Mike in Event Coverage, MSPU, Uncategorized with 0 Comments

Jill Kerr, VP of Industry Development for CompTIA, chats with Varvid’s Aaron Booker at MSP University’s Los Angeles Boot Camp about their Vision of 500. CompTIA’s CEO Todd Thibodeaux has challenged his organization to reach a goal of  500 active members at the leadership or executive level and 5000 highly engaged members in 5 years.  CompTIA helps VARs on 3 levels; Learn, Connect & Succeed.

  • Learning for VARs is integral to growing their business. From online webinars and content to Breakaway, CompTIA’s flagship event, CompTIA provides many tools to do so.
  • Connecting in a virtual world and having an opportunity to meet each other face-to-face is key to the relationship process, be it other VAR/MSPs or vendors.
  • Succeed by utilizing the money saving programs and opportunities CompTIA provides, as well as being part of a larger organization that has their members best interests in mind.

Susan G Komen Race for the Cure!

Posted Jun 9 2010 by Mike in Drew Thoughts, Event Coverage, Uncategorized with 1 Comment

The forecast may have been for grey skies and soggy conditions, but that didn’t dampen the spirits of those participating in the Susan G Komen Race for the Cure run in Seattle. Varvid’s Drew Graham was on hand, along with race sponsors Wellesse Premium Liquid Supplements, to take in the sights and sounds of family and friends doing their part to help support those who have battled with this disease. One of the highlights for us was the Survivor Parade which was the culmination of the event.  To watch hundreds of women (and a few men) who have fought or are currently fighting breast cancer, there to support one another… that was incredible.  Thanks to Lori McKnight, Leslie Ellis, Sharon Beerman, Meridith Mossman and Greg Andrews from Wellesse for allowing us to document this gathering.  We look forward to doing it again.

Together we’ll find the cure.

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