"Sitting with some of the most influential investors in the business world is a rare opportunity!" This is what Vice President Aubri Stone of Cybertools said about a recent visit with the infamous sharks from the popular TV show Shark Tank. Cybertools, an IT Support and Cyber Security company from Puyallup, Washington, was able to get up-close and personal business enlightenment from the sharks while attending a recent IT conference. Kevin O'Leary, Robert Herjavec, and Daymond John met with Cybertools and their peers to discuss the future of companies like Cybertools. The sharks shed light on why they believe the IT Managed Service Provider industry will continue to grow over the next decade.

As the founder of a cyber security company himself, Robert Herjavec, passionately highlighted the alarming increase in IT complexity and the escalating sophistication of cyber-criminals. With the startling fact that "we produce more data every three months than over the last 50 years," he urged the room of IT professionals to stay ahead of the curve. He believes that one reason IT Managed Service Providers will remain an essential business is due to the tool sets designed to protect, preserve, and process the massive surge in data. Business owners and CEOs will need teams of skilled professionals to implement, configure, and manage these tools. In this fast-paced business environment, every SMB must grapple with evolving cyber-crime that threatens to disrupt their operations. They also must navigate new compliance regulations and tackle employee shortages. Likely, a tool that helps with the automation, security, and management of these items will be needed. IT Managed Service Providers will provide the bridge to the internal IT department's gaps and will help businesses leverage such tools.

Kevin O'Leary drew attention to the heightened enforcement of compliance and regulation by regulatory bodies across various industries. Compliance puts businesses under pressure. To respond, they must increase their IT budgets substantially. He stated, "One of the fastest-growing expenses in my business is investing in the right tools to ensure and manage compliance." He strongly urges companies of all sizes to prioritize investing in technologies to safeguard themselves and their clients from cyber threats and to become compliant.

Fred Voccola, the CEO of a rapidly growing provider of unified IT management and security software, was also present at the meeting. Although not a shark himself, Fred had valuable insights to share. According to him, IT Managed Service Providers are critical to the success of larger companies with more than 2000 employees and an internal IT department. He highlighted the enormous workload and daily demands faced by CIOs and internal IT departments of such companies, making it challenging for them to keep up with cyber security implementation and compliance management while managing the daily helpdesk requests and other IT projects to keep the business operationally intact. IT Managed Service Providers, with their superior tool sets and affordable wholesale pricing, are a godsend for such companies, enabling them to implement cyber security and compliance without breaking the bank.

Finally, Damon John spoke about the imperative of outsourcing IT services in his line of business. He expressed his desire to concentrate on what he does best and devote more time to his family, and outsourcing IT proved to be the ideal solution for achieving this work-life balance. By delegating IT services to Managed Service Providers, he could rest assured that his IT infrastructure was in good hands, while he could focus on core business activities and his personal life.

In conclusion, the meeting with the Sharks from Shark Tank proved to be an eye-opening experience, shedding light on the vital role of IT Managed Service Providers in today's ever-changing business environment. The meeting was fun, as the Sharks did not leave out the usual banter that makes their show so popular. Cybertools is grateful to be able to learn such valuable lessons from this fun bunch! All in all, they were the highlight of the conference.