CRS Technology Consultants hosts an IT podcast, “Solid State Podcast,” that has gained followers and media attention.
Meanwhile, Business Observer’s business-focused podcast, “From the Corner Office,” was so successful that the publication launched a video version.
In a prime example of media crossover, John Joyce, Co-owner of CRS and host of “Solid State Podcast,” recently appeared on “From the Corner Office.” There, he shared insights into the company’s history, business decisions, leadership and more. He also discussed the company’s popular IT podcast.
Business Observer’s weekly “From the Corner Office” podcast offers an inside look at how some of the region’s top executives, entrepreneurs and decision-makers approach leadership. It is hosted by Business Observer Managing Editor Mark Gordon. Conversations focus on business strategies, lessons learned and how to avoid pitfalls and missteps.
Founded in 1997, Business Observer is an authoritative source of business and economic information impacting Florida’s Gulf Coast. Its readerships spans from Tampa Bay south to Naples. Business Observer reports on industry and economic trends, emerging companies and corporate strategies. It also identifies and profiles the region’s up-and-coming entrepreneurs and top business leaders.
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Background on CRS Technology Consultants
CRS Technology Consultants was founded in 1988. Technology, of course, has evolved significantly since that time. So, too, has the company, which is no longer known as an IT provider. It’s called an MSP – Managed Services Provider.
“A bunch of IT people got tired of being called IT people or computer guy,” John joked. “We’re one of the few industries that, for some reason, named ourselves.”
At one point during the mid-2010s, CRS served up to 2,000 “clients.” That included large, medium and small businesses, including solopreneurs. The company also served residential customers, which includes individuals who needed something as simple as connecting a printer cable.
John explained why the company decided to transition from thousands of clients to a “curated list of partners.” It also began focusing solely on businesses and nonprofit organizations.
“‘Partnership’ we identified was what we really wanted to be about, be an extension of their team so we’re not just a service provider to them,” John noted. “We are plugged into their businesses. We meet with them. We discuss their challenges, both technological and not, and then see if there are ways to leverage technology to solve some of those challenges. It’s a relationship business. You can’t do that for 1,000 or 2,000 clients effectively.”
For a small business, CRS simply had too many clients.
“We were still doing good work, but we were on a course to vanilla mediocrity,” John acknowledged. “Could we have copy-pasted, copy-pasted, copy-pasted and done the same thing, and been right 51% of the time? Yes, but I wanted to do a lot better than 51% and that required focus and intentionality.”
At that point, CRS settled on a number of 150 partners. That number was more reasonable given the type of one-on-one partnerships that CRS was looking to build. The transition took place over several years, with the company carefully selecting the right fits culturally and business-wise. As a for-profit company, the partnerships also had to make sense financially.
“We’re a customer service company that happens to do IT,” he said. “We serve our partners externally and internally, though the ways we serve just happen to be in information security and data systems… how do you run your business systems as efficiently as possible, leveraging technology.”
John pointed out the company’s leadership recognized long ago that CRS would offer a different level of service.
“We put ‘consultants’ in the name,” he said. “That’s what we view ourselves as. We’re your consultant… we just happen to specialize in the blinking green lights of the world.”
Today, CRS is on its fourth generation of owners and employs 21 team members. Its current number of partners – 156 – is just a hair above the target from nearly a decade ago. The company does not have a sales team and only adds partners if it’s a perfect match. There also has been a chicken-and-egg discussion: do you hire more employees and then solicit new business, or do you secure additional partners and then hire more IT professionals? The answer is clear.
“We need to have the capacity to serve before we take on the business so we’re not chasing that dragon forever,” John said.
LEARN MORE: Growing, then shrinking, then growing an IT firm
Lessons in leadership
John, along with Julie Klein, serve as co-owners of CRS Technology Consultants. Over the years, John has served in multiple IT roles, while Julie has extensive operations experience.
“Service leadership is very important to us,” John said. “I tell my team all the time: my primary role is to serve each of you.”
The duo has established a company culture that does not hinge on any one individual.
“I feel very strongly that the company is in a good place… and it should be, because who we serve should be bigger than any one person, myself including,” John said.
In addition to bucking the trend of growth for the sake of growth, CRS also promotes four core values:
- Passion
- Collaboration
- Respect
- Innovation
“Far more important than just the business or the operations is the moral compass,” John said. “Are we doing things for the right reasons? Does it align with those four core values? If we start there, so many times if we’re unsure about something, we can answer it really quickly by just holding it up to those first few litmus tests.”
Reflecting on his development as a young professional, John credits his success to guidance from those in the tech industry, in the company and in his circle of friends.
“I’ve had a string of people in my life that each one has been there at exactly the right time and exactly the right moment, not always when I was looking for them,” he said. “They were still there to nudge me down the right path – still fall down and still make mistakes, but pick me up and say ‘See that dumb thing you just did? Here’s the way to not do that next time. It’s ranged from sports coaches to phenomenal teachers to family members and friends.”
Although dozens of MSP and IT companies operate in Southwest Florida, John refuses to see other businesses and IT professionals as competitors or rivals. Every company has a niche and offers a unique set of services. After all, “iron sharpens iron.” That’s why he is an active participant in the IT community.
“There is more than enough business out there for all of us,” he noted. “We all just frankly need to wake up every day and say ‘How can we be better?’”
FUN FACT: In 2023, Business Observer recognized John Joyce as a 40 Under 40 recipient. In 2024, Taylor Morrello, the company’s Consulting Division Lead, also earned the honor.
An IT podcast worth streaming
If John looked comfortable during the “From the Corner Office” podcast, it’s because he has plenty of experience behind a microphone. Along with Security Lead Eric Sargent and Systems Engineering Team Lead Cody Toscano, the trio host regular tech discussions on the company’s “Solid State Podcast,” an IT podcast. Segments cover the latest news, events and cultural moments around the tech industry. They feature the products, people and services touching our daily lives.
John told Mark, who launched “From the Corner Office” in 2023, that inspiration for the IT podcast came through a simple revelation.
“We sit around all day and talk about this stuff, and one day, someone – me – was silly enough to say ‘What if we recorded some of it? I wonder if anyone would listen’… And the answer is not very many,” John joked. “People do, but we don’t do it for that. We are so passionate about this job we get to do.”
Its podcasts are unscripted and range from 17 minutes to 1 hour, 35 minutes. Downloads are free on all streaming platforms.
Although CRS focuses on businesses and organizations, IT podcast conversations run the gamut. Some topics focus on digital infrastructure and cybersecurity to help protect businesses. Other episodes cover video games and smartphone features.
“We do it really for the love of this business we do, which is just the tech of it all,” John said. “I would sit down and talk to those two people about everything we talk about whether we hit the record button or not. We just are crazy enough to hit the record button and let other people listen to the conversation.”
READ MORE: CRS Technology Consultants drops 100th episode of Solid State Podcast
Rapid-fire questions
Mark Gordon closes each “From the Corner Office” podcast with a series of rapid-fire questions. Responses give insight into the featured guest that week. Below is a summary of the closing segment.
John actually has multiple phones he uses on a regular basis. His go-to (at least for now) is the iPhone 16 Pro Max. He also is using a Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold and Samsung Galaxy Z Flip as part of user-based research exploring foldable devices.
As a tech fanatic, John owns many of the latest gadgets and gizmos. What’s on his wish list is virtual reality and augmented reality products actually making it to the mainstream. First, it has to be affordable for the consumer. Unfortunately, that doesn’t exist… yet.
Without a doubt, John says Empire Strikes Back is the best. It stands head and shoulders above the rest.
Listen to the full podcast
Business Observer’s “From the Corner Office” podcast streams on multiple platforms. Below are links to John’s episode:
- YouTube (video version)
- Apple Podcasts
- Podbean
- Spotify
- Amazon Music
- iHeart
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