I'm Richard Tubb, advisor, author, speaker and business adventurer.
I have worked in the tech industry for my entire career. I sold my own managed service provider (MSP) business and then started a successful media and consultancy firm. I'm a geek who focuses on showing tech-savvy people how to use technology to help others. I love technology, and am an avid fan of green tech that can help the environment. I'm also a student of the history of technology, and I even have my own retro computing museum!
My Origin Story
I’ve spent most of my career in tech one way or another. I worked for several years in corporate IT, before striking out on my own. I started out, like many of my peers, providing break/fix IT support services to local small businesses.
Although being ‘the IT Guy’ was rewarding it was also exhausting. Using what I learned in corporate IT, I brought the earliest versions of the managed services model to the United Kingdom.
Making the move to managed services really allowed me to grow and scale, and a few years down the line I was able to sell the business.
I became a consultant, sharing my knowledge on running a company and making sure new MSP owners were aware of the pitfalls to avoid. I also continued to give advice to my peers on Tubblog – The Hub for MSPs, and later on my podcast, both of which are still going today!
Author & YouTuber
I’m the author of three best-selling books. My first book, “Mistakes MSP’s Make – The Five Most Important Mistakes IT Managed Service Providers Make Which Cost Them Time and Money” has helped countless business owners since it was published.
“The IT Business Owner’s Survival Guide: How to save time, avoid stress and build a successful IT business” is for IT business owners who are struggling to cope with the day-to-day stresses of running the company and helps them regain control and achieve success for themselves and for their organisation.
My latest book, “Business Networking for Geeks” helps IT professionals overcome the fear of promoting themselves and their business through networking, both offline and online.
I frequently do walk through demos of new and exciting tools and solutions for MSPs, which can be found on the Tubblog – The Hub for MSPs YouTube channel.
Other Cool Stuff
I’m a much-sought-after public speaker, and I’ve appeared on stages all around the world. While I often speak at IT conferences, I’ve also been invited to speak at business and marketing events, such as Atomicon, CMA Live and Talking Point of Business.
I also really enjoy moderating panel sessions which enable me to bring the best out of my peers. I especially enjoy doing ‘fireside chats’, which are a great way to really delve into other people’s origin stories and share even more value.
Fun Facts
I love a Cheeky Nandos, and I’m on a mission to get a Nando’s Black Card of my very own, so I can be up there with the celebrities! If you know how I can get one, ping me a message. 😉
As well as being an eResident of Estonia (the most digitally advanced country in the world!) I also hold a Diploma in Cryptozoology — that’s the search for and study of animals whose existence or survival is disputed or unsubstantiated, such as the Loch Ness monster and the yeti.
A little more down to earth, and my wife Claire and I have a family of pet guinea pigs in our back garden, and we’ve invested heavily in giving them a wonderful piggy palace. The “Great Guinea Pig Mansion of the North” is probably better appointed than our own house! Our cat, Tilly, would be jealous (if she could be bothered). 🤓
“I was given my first computer as a Christmas present aged 9, and the journey has continued ever since.”
My Superpowers
Connector: I attribute a lot of the success of my own managed service provider (MSP) business to being an active part in peer groups, locally, nationally and internationally. Many people I met in business have become good friends, and to this day, I love to make mutually-beneficial introductions.
Educator: Whether it’s one-on-one with my clients, through my blogs, books and podcasts or when I meet people at events, I want to share my knowledge. I believe that the IT industry is unique and special in how willing everyone is to talk openly with people who other industries
may class as the competition.
I started my blog almost two decades ago as a way to share my learnings. Blogging wasn’t something many people did at that time, and it was a while before I even realised that people were reading my posts. Some six thousand plus articles and twenty years later, my blog has now morphed into the top industry site, Tubblog – The Hub for MSPs.
I’ve been hosting my interview show, TubbTalk – The Podcast for MSPs, for a decade. I love speaking to the smartest and most successful people in the IT industry, and it’s a great way for me to pick their brains and help my audience learn as much as we can from them. Listeners often say our podcast feels like politely eavesdropping on a chat between two friends.
