By
Mendy Green
December 18, 2022
•
20 min read
Business
A Cloud Perspective
“Should my business be going to Cloud?”
This is one of the most popular questions that comes up in my conversations with clients, and like every other question I get, I like to answer it with “It depends”.
Before we can address this, we need to address the ongoing struggle between IT Professionals and Marketing Professionals. This was cleverly outlined in the classic Project Management meme
We won’t get too far into the specifics of this as Marketing can be a post all by itself, but suffice to say, the…let’s call it exuberance to sell something new, tends to make for overly aggressive messaging targeting the Stakeholders which does not generate tingly-friendly feelings on the people who actually have to implement, support, or answer questions about the technical specifics. This is true no matter if the “Expert” person is at your company or the company the marketing person is sitting at. If you need a further demonstration of what this looks like you can watch the skit on YouTube called “The Expert” which should give you an idea of what frame of mind to approach this question with
Keeping this in mind we need to immediately increase our level of skepticism when we hear about Cloud Computing (or really any new technology).
Let’s switch tracks for a moment. One of the things I always talk about is how there’s at least two sides to everything. Literally you can take a specific item, scenario, concept, etc. examine it and you’ll see two or more sides that reflect or are directly opposite to each other. In business finances for example we have Operating costs and Cost of Goods Sold (COGS). Traditionally Operating costs were made up of things like Rent for the office, Utilities, supplies and things like that. Supplies would include the cost of equipment (such as computers) Utilities would include cost of the internet and so on. COGS would be made up of how much money the business would need to spend, in order to provide the service that they offer. This is essentially two sides to the same thing (money being spent), but you track them separately because they help you break down the cost of running the business vs the cost of providing services.
In other words, Operating Expenses can be broken down to the point where you would assign a Per Dollar amount for each Employee that you have, and COGS would be broken down and assigned a Per Dollar amount for each Customer
Now let’s get back to the point of this. Cloud, like everything else, has 2 or more (way more actually) sides. There’s Infrastructure as a Service offerings, Platform as a Service, Software as a Service, and so on and so forth and all of these items get mixed up and placed into the “Cloud” category. If you dig into what Cloud actually is, you’ll find that it’s just…rented computers. Really. If you’re skeptical, you can read more on this here from one of the bigger software platforms on their reasons why they’re leaving the cloud.
The questions we’d want to answer so that we can determine if you should be moving to the cloud are as follows.
Would you be moving your Operating Expenses to the cloud or your COGS. Specifically, are you providing an online service to your clients that requires you to rapidly scale up if you were to grow, or that allows you to measure out the cost of running in the cloud against the number of users you’re servicing?
Running in almost any cloud has pricing that is broken down to the minute, generally speaking. This is one of the big things marketing likes to tout “Scale up or down as needed, so it’s very cost effective”. Cost effective compared to running them 24/7 sure, but not cost effective compared to buying hardware. Marketing is selling you on the idea that if you needed to turn down services, you can do rapidly and save money with it off, but if you never need to turn down services, and your scaling doesn’t happen rapidly, then you’re actually spending way more over the same period of time of hardware life. Up to 4 or 5 times the amount potentially.
Do you have a need either from a compliance standard or your own security policy for enhanced security, physical auditing, a requirement to be highly available or a guaranteed uptime of 4 or more 9s (99.99%)?
Here is where it starts making sense to consider, although the question of finding a datacenter that will rent you hardware or allow you to place hardware vs running in something like Google Cloud, Azure, or AWS is still debatable. In the end the level of redundancies that exist in the cloud or datacenter are harder to build (read, more costly) than using an infrastructure that is already built and essentially being shared. This isn’t a new phenomenon, if you’ve read my article on the MSP Business Fallacy, or even just paid attention in the world the idea of pooling resources to save on costs is a well-established and very successful pattern. This is something that can range on a spectrum from sharing power costs, to sharing full on hardware and running your services on segregated containerized workloads.
Are you concerned about control of your data. Specifically, does it matter to you if your data is physically on equipment that you solely own and control, or is your business okay with the data being placed onto equipment owned and controlled by a trusted Third Party
Data sovereignty is an important part of the equation, even if you do trust it to a third party, the question of which region and where it is physically located is still an issue. In the end the agreements you sign with vendors and clients state that the data you hold for them is your responsibility to protect and keep safe and you do not have the right to assign that responsibility to anyone else. These are all concerns that should be evaluated and addressed in your assessment of moving to cloud.
In the end there’s no real good right answer, as most of these questions are ones you’ll need to decide for your business. I’ve outlined a table below to help with the decision matrix, but it is still only just a suggestion.
I'm passionate about IT, driven by a dual love for solving complex problems and a commitment to transforming the stereotype of technical support into a positive and enjoyable user experience. For over 13 years, I've been deeply involved in the MSPGeek community, lending my expertise to various Managed Service Providers (MSPs), while also serving as the CTO at IntelliComp Technologies.
My journey in the tech world is fueled by a passion for teaching others. I find great satisfaction in imparting problem-solving and critical thinking skills, and offering practical guidance during the troubleshooting process. It's this enthusiasm for mentorship and improvement that led me to my current venture.
Today, as the founder of Rising Tide, I'm focusing on the MSP industry, dedicating my time to coaching and assisting both individuals and businesses. At Rising Tide, we're not just about providing solutions; we're about nurturing growth, fostering innovation, and building a community where everyone can rise together. Whether it's through hands-on problem solving or strategic planning, my goal is to make the IT experience not just efficient, but also empowering and enjoyable
See some more of our most recent posts...
Chapter-by-Chapter Discussion Questions for The Go-Giver by Bob Burg: Chapter Seven - Rachel
In this chapter guide to “Rachel” from The Go-Giver, we explore what great coffee, storytelling, and human needs have in common. From “survive, save, serve” to Maslow and “meat computers,” this piece invites MSP leaders and service pros to rethink how they scale excellence without burning people...or the beans!
Read post
About this Series
This discussion guide is part of Rising Tide’s Fall 2025 book club, where we’re reading The Go-Giver by Bob Burg and John David Mann.
If you’re just joining us, here are a few pages you’ll likely benefit from:
- Chapter One – The Go-Getter for an introduction on how to use these Discussion Questions
- Book Clubs, Conversations, and Curiosity for why we started a book club for a technical team here
Chapter Summary
In Chapter 7, "Rachel," we learn more about Rachel and about the characteristics that Pindar finds valuable.
Discussion Questions
Use these open-ended prompts to guide reflection and conversation. Remember, there are no right answers!
- How do you feel about the commentary about Pindar’s age? Do you know people who are younger than they seem? What characteristics contribute to that perception?
- Can you relate to Rachel? Is her story believable? What do you think the authors seek to elucidate about her? What about Pindar’s view of her?
- We’re yet again hearing Pindar described as a storyteller. What does that make you think the authors are trying to say about Pindar’s skill set?
- Survive, save, and serve. Where do you find yourself landing? Where would you like to invest more?
- What do you think is Rachel’s “secret” to good coffee? The author describes many aspects of her craft, surely it’s not just because she’s one-eighth Colombian!
Rising Tide Input for your Consideration
- Making coffee well is an interesting metaphor! There is so much care, precision, and repetition in making coffee, it’s as much a science as it can be considered an art.
- Consider Starbucks beans: to produce a consistent product at a scale, they roast their beans very hard, eliminating the unique characteristics of a specific variety of coffee bean in lieu of a product that will hold up to their regularly heavy-flavored and sugared drinks. (See: Why Starbucks Coffee Has That Burnt Taste) Is it possible to truly scale excellence with care? Is there a limit?
- Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs suggests humans must have their basic needs met before they have the space to pursue “more advanced” needs.
- If that’s too academic, El gave a talk at MSPGeekCon about how we’re all basically meat computers with Hardware, Software, and Networking built into us. Does that perspective change how you can handle other humans and even take care of yourself? (Watch part 1 of “The Care and Feeding of Meat Computers” here: https://youtu.be/yRcs5XYI8LQ?si=J3Q_VGenSHaKutOR)
About Rising Tide and our Book Club
Rising Tide helps MSPs and service-focused teams build better systems: the kind that align people with purpose.
Every Friday at 9:30 AM ET, we host Rising Tide Fridays as an open conversation for MSP owners, consultants, and service professionals who want to grow both professionally, technically, and emotionally. In Fall/Winter 2025, we’re walking through The Go-Giver, chapter by chapter.
If that sounds like your kind of crowd, reach out to partners@risingtidegroup.net for the Teams link.
Bring your coffee and curiosity…no prep required.
Chapter-by-Chapter Discussion Questions for The Go-Giver by Bob Burg: Chapter One - The Go-Getter
At Rising Tide, we use book clubs not to read—but to listen, question, and practice curiosity. Join us as we unpack Chapter One of The Go-Giver by Bob Burg and John David Mann, using open-ended prompts to reflect on ambition, connection, and growth. Perfect for service-minded teams who want to slow down and think differently.
Read post
About this Series
If you’ve already read Book Clubs, Conversations, and Curiosity, you know that at Rising Tide, we don’t host book clubs for the sake of reading. We use them as an excuse to talk, to listen, and to practice curiosity together.
The Go-Giver by Bob Burg and John David Mann is the first book that we've chosen to explore together in this way. Each week, we’re reading one short chapter together and using a few open-ended questions to spark real conversation: no lectures, no wrong answers, just reflection.
Below are our discussion prompts for Chapter One: “The Go-Getter.”
They’re written for teams like ours: busy, service-minded, sometimes too practical for their own good...who want to slow down long enough to notice what these stories have to teach.
How this guide is different from others you'll find online: We keep it chapter-focused. Every set of questions focuses only on the current chapter so there is no foreshadowing, no jumping ahead, no “we’ll get to that in Chapter 7.” The goal is to slow down and savor the smaller ideas that get lost when you rush to the big themes, and we're going to make sure that team members that are "behind" have enough data points to connect the dots and contribute even if they're not caught up to the current reading.
Use them however you like. Whether you’re reading along with us or just looking for a fresh team conversation starter, we hope these questions help you stretch a little, think differently, and see something new in yourself or your work.
Some Tips on how to use this Guide
- Keep it simple. No slides. No structured lessons. Read a question aloud, give a solid 10-second pause, sometimes you have to let the awkwardness of silence drive the conversation.
- Honor the one-chapter rule. No spoilers, no summaries! Stay inside the chapter or assigned reading. If someone raises a later theme, park it in a “Next Chapters” list and keep today focused. Similarly, don’t try to solve the book. Ask what this chapter made people notice or feel—nothing more.
- Actively include people who didn’t read and make space for quieter voices. Use prompts like, “From this idea alone, what stands out?” Curiosity doesn’t require homework. Explicitly ask: “Anyone who hasn’t shared want to weigh in?” Intentionally invite two voices before anyone speaks twice
- Time-box it. 15–30 minutes. One good discussion beats five rushed questions.
- Close with a single takeaway. Each person names one sentence, idea, or action they’re taking into the week. Log it. Revisit next time.
If you tweak or add questions, tell us at partners@risingtidegroup.net. We’ll keep improving this tool for other MSP teams.
Chapter One Discussion Questions and Observations
Chapter One Summary
In this chapter, we meet Joe, a go-getter who doesn't seem to be getting what he's going for. We are also introduced to his coworkers: Melanie and Gus, who help connect him with Pindar, or the Chairman, who agrees to tell Joe the huge trade secret that will surely be his key to success.
Chapter One Questions
- How would you describe or define a go-getter?
- Is it a good or bad thing? Why?
- Do you consider yourself a go-getter?
- Do you know people like Joe, Gus, or Melanie? What do you think of them as people or colleagues?
- Why do you think the authors chose the name Pindar for the Chairman?
- What do you think Pindar's conditions are going to be?
Chapter One Observations from the Rising Tide Team
- Being a Go-Getter isn’t a bad thing!
- It’s important to remember that the authors of this book are likely flattening the depth of characters into caricatures to more cleanly get the point of their story across. This is important to remember because rarely in life will the humans you interact with be the fulfillment of the assumptions you make about them.
- Pindar is the name of a Greek poet who wrote odes of Victory. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pindar. Does this mean we can expect victory for Joe?
Creatures of a day! What is anyone?
What is anyone not? A dream of a shadow
Is our mortal being. But when there comes to men
A gleam of splendour given of heaven,
Then rests on them a light of glory
And blessed are their days. (Pindar, Pythian 8)
Join the Conversation
Want to hang out in these conversations with the Rising Tide team? We meet Fridays at 9:30 AM ET to talk through important business, technological, and communal developments, and for the next 14ish weeks, The Go-Giver! If you’re an MSP owner, consultant, or service professional who wants to grow your team’s emotional intelligence alongside your technical skill, you’re welcome here.
Reach out to partners@risingtidegroup.net for the Rising Tide Fridays Teams link. Bring your coffee and curiosity: no prep required.
Book Clubs, Conversations, and Curiosity
Curiosity isn’t taught; it’s practiced. At Rising Tide, we build a culture where curiosity fuels both technical and personal growth. Through team discussions, shared learning, and a book club centered on The Go-Giver by Bob Burg and John David Mann, we explore how better questions lead to better people, better work, and better service.
Read post
Like many MSPs, Rising Tide invests in our people through access to books, trainings, conferences, and certifications. At its core, this is not education for education’s sake: rather, we believe the best technical work starts with curiosity, and we consistently seek ways to foster curiosity as a skill. You see, we think the best solutions come not just from curiosity about technology, but curiosity about each other, about our clients, and about our community. We want to be known as people who ask better questions, understand others' perspectives with clarity, and are always hungry for more. We believe that personal growth will always drive technical and professional success for our team, and as a result, our clients.
Curiosity is not something you learn from an SOP, a certification, or a conference.
So how does a business foster curiosity? Curiosity is not something you learn from an SOP, a certification, or a conference. It’s something you develop by creating the time and space for yourself and your people to feel safe to speak up, to ideate, to build, and to iterate.
We are doing our best to build a culture of curiosity and progress in as many ways as possible, not just through structured education, but in choosing tools, conversations, and activities where we can intentionally seek to learn from and about each other and the world around us. The last part is very important at a core level: we believe every person brings a different background, toolkit, and perspective that strengthens and deepens our own, even — or especially! — when we disagree.
every person brings a different background, toolkit, and perspective that strengthens and deepens our own, even — or especially! — when we disagree.
As a fully remote team of 6, this can be pretty difficult to do since we can’t go out for lunch or have regular physical touchpoints other brick-and-mortar businesses may enjoy. So, one of the standard ways we cultivate this is through scheduled daily and weekly team conversations where we review customer issues, books or videos, conferences attended, or other interesting things we’ve seen that we want to share.
Most recently, we chose to essentially start a book club where we would read The Go-Giver by Bob Burg, together, and to invite clients and friends to review it with us on a weekly call. It was important to us that as a team expectation, we should make sure no one felt the demand too great on top of weekly work expectations. Thus, we decided on reading one chapter (7-10 pages) a week, to make sure that it felt accessible to everyone. (Reading ahead is absolutely allowed and encouraged, but we will only discuss one chapter a week!)
how do you allow for people to join in the conversation even if they didn’t get a chance to read?
The next question for a book club is: how do you facilitate conversation in a way that allows for people to share what was meaningful to them, or to join in the conversation even if they didn’t get a chance to read? In preparing for our book meetings, I sought out online resources with simple chapter-by-chapter discussion questions. However, as a very easy read, it seemed that most questions online covered concepts that spanned multiple chapters, which encouraged reading ahead and missing perhaps some smaller ideas worth savoring in each chapter.
Honestly, we figure we’re not alone in this desire to have simple questions and to walk carefully through conversations, so we've decided to share our own discussion questions, chapter-by-chapter! These questions are written without consideration for future chapters of the book and are meant to help bring in conversation about the topics and themes specifically covered in the given chapter. These questions are open-ended and if you’re facilitating, we encourage you to take the stance of no-wrong-answers, just as an impartial listener. You never know what perspectives or fresh ideas may come out of conversation.
Check out The Go-Getter Chapter One Discussion Questions here.
We’ll continue to add discussion questions and commentary on the book club as we move forward. Next things I’d like to try is to offer facilitation to a team member who has read ahead, to help them stretch their muscles of asking questions and building conversations. What other ideas should we tie in?
Join the Conversation
Want to hang out in these conversations with the Rising Tide team? We meet Fridays at 9:30 AM ET to talk through important business, technological, and communal developments, and for the next 14ish weeks, The Go-Giver! If you’re an MSP owner, consultant, or service professional who wants to grow your team’s emotional intelligence alongside your technical skill, you’re welcome here.
Reach out to partners@risingtidegroup.net for the Rising Tide Fridays Teams link. Bring your coffee and curiosity: no prep required.