30 Must-Follow Small Business IT Influencers
Small businesses are as unique as the entrepreneurs that start them, but boutique organizations across industries can agree on at least one common need: They need to be efficient to survive.
This is where technology comes in. From data analysis to automation, tech innovations are becoming increasingly accessible to small businesses, who typically have limited resources and different IT needs than large enterprises. The ever-changing landscape can be a lot to keep up with, so BizTech has complied a group of top-notch blogs, podcasts and speakers that will help you always be up to date with the best tools to achieve organizational goals.
Here are 30 small business IT influencers you should be following right now:
Laurie McCabe continues to be a leader in writing about the latest tech trends in small business. An experienced IT professional, McCabe is also a partner at SMB group. McCabe's sizable following and thoughtful insight keep her at the forefront of the small business tech conversation.
Michael Pietroforte is the mind behind 4sysops, an online community for IT professionals. The forum is the go-to place for the latest trends in system administration, cloud computing and DevOps. Pietroforte brings four decades of system administration and IT experience to 4sysops, which he's been running for 30 years.
If you're looking for the latest data-driven insights into digital transformation, then the Techaisle Blog is the place for you. Anurag Agrawal is the man behind it, a market analyst specializing in small business who uses his 25 years of data experience to cultivate a strong following. His aim is to help IT suppliers connect the dots across emerging trends.
Anita Campbell is an authoritative voice when it comes to small business. She's the founder and CEO of Small Business Trends, which details the latest in IT along with practical ways for organizations to make the most of it. Campbell's industry leadership is backed by a following in the hundreds of thousands.
If you want to learn how best to utilize the latest IT trends for your small business, Ramon Ray is a must-follow. The Smallbiztechnology.com editor helps Main Street organizations with limited IT knowledge and resources harness technology for growth. Ray is also a speaker and author.
Networking with a side of snark — that's what you can expect from Tom Hollingsworth, the mind behind The Networking Nerd. Hollingsworth brings nearly two decades of IT industry experience to his analysis of the latest trends. He uses his unique perspective, along with a healthy dose of humor, to make technology more understandable.
Mike F. Robbins may be an expert in Microsoft PowerShell, but his influence on the small business IT space stretches far beyond that. A Microsoft Cloud and Datacenter Management MVP for Windows PowerShell, Robbins covers all aspects of automation and efficiency in his blog.
Steve Sammartino is a self-proclaimed futurist who uses his extensive platform to talk about what's to come in technology. He covers everything from robotics to data, always looking ahead to what businesses need to know to capitalize on trends.
A collaborative community of like-minded entrepreneurs has formed over at Small Business Bonfire. The forum, started by Alyssa Gregory, includes actionable advice geared to helping small businesses navigate the latest in tech. Followers enjoy daily tips on how to use technology to grow their bottom line.
Small Business Labs’ blog focuses on the latest trends that are shifting the landscape for small businesses. Founded by Steve King and Carolyn Ockels, partners at Emergent Research and Senior Fellows at the Society for New Communications Research, the website provides insights into the technology that's changing the way we work.
An author, speaker and systems administrator, Tom Limoncelli is one of the minds behind the Everything Sysadmin blog. In a career that's included both enterprises and small businesses, Limoncelli has worked on everything from Google's web crawler to office IT deployments. His detailed insights are perfect for sysadmins who like to get in the weeds.
The woman behind Coding Blonde, Masha Zvereva taught herself how to code four years ago and never looked back. She aims to get everyone, especially women, involved in tech through her blog and popular YouTube channel. In addition to coding, Zvereva covers everything from cybersecurity and blockchain to front-end versus back-end web development.
This website is the product of a group of experienced software engineers: Karthik Gaekwad, Ernest Mueller, James Wickett and Peco Karayanev. From DevOps and cloud computing to infrastructure automation and web security, the blog offers a ton of practical advice for IT professionals.
After spending 15 years as a systems administrator, Jennelle Crothers writes about IT on her website, Tech Bunny. Much of her content skews toward Microsoft programs, where she holds a number of certifications. Follower her to learn about everything from IoT to IaaS.
Karl Palachuk is the founder and co-president of the Sacramento SMB IT Professionals Group. In addition to running his own managed services business, he's also written several books, including The Network Documentation Workbook and Managed Services in a Month. Palachuk's following encompasses thousands across Twitter and YouTube.
Keren Elazari is a security researcher and frequent TED Talker. Co-founder of Leading Cyber Ladies, Elazari tweets about cybersecurity issues that everyone, especially small businesses, should take note of.
Richard Campbell is the software developer behind the RunAsRadio podcast series, which is aimed at IT professionals working with Microsoft products. His followers, who number in the tens of thousands, get insightful content about everything from in-the-weeds networking to the latest in DevOps.
Jessie Frazelle is an independent contractor who has worked as an engineer at GitHub, Microsoft, Google, Docker and several startups. She’s co-host of the tech-oriented Weird Trick Mafia podcast, a prolific tweeter and a writer on IT topics such as open-source firmware.
Brian Gracely and Aaron Delp are co-hosts of The Cloudcast, an award-winning podcast on cloud computing, DevOps, SaaS IoT and more. Their combined reach stretches into the tens of thousands, all treated to the Cloudcast’s take on trends in small business tech.
Ben Love and Ben Dampney are co-creators of The Power Up Project, a podcast series on the crossroads of business and technology. Small businesses and startups alike can learn from their expertise.
Host of the Internet of Things Podcast, Stacey Higginbotham has brought nearly 50,000 followers on her journey to explore the potential of IoT. Her work is a must-follow for anyone looking to modernize their small business.
A must-read for small businesses, SmallBizDaily provides insights on how organizations can grow through technology and innovation. It's led by CEO Rieva Lesonsky, who has nearly 30 years of experience working with small businesses.
A columnist for publications such as Forbes and The Guardian, Gene Marks writes about small business. In addition to his tech knowledge, he's authored several books on management, specifically for SMBs.
Richard Tubb is an IT business growth expert. The blogger and podcaster writes about everything from security to managed service providers, all with an eye towards helping small businesses grow.
Daniel Newman is a digital transformation expert who's given speeches around the globe. A tech analyst who contributes to Forbes and MarketWatch, he tweets about how businesses can use data, software and digital media to grow their following and their bottom line.
Vicki Boykis is a machine-learning expert who writes about data science, IT and software. Her email newsletter is chock-full of news and advice for small businesses looking to utilize Big Data and technology.
The Stack Overflow Podcast brings listeners tons of interesting content about programming and computer science. The show features co-hosts Sara Chipps, Paul Ford and Ben Popper answering questions about everything from software development to learning to code, in addition to interesting interviews with leaders in the field.
Data Science Dojo is not just one person, but an online community movement. It provides data science–related workshops and boot camps for professionals while cultivating an online presence in the business field.
Eric Vanderburg is an author and speaker who writes about IT security issues. His tweets cover everything from data breaches to privacy issues — all things small businesses owners should be well versed in.
Looking for IT optimization, cloud computing or cyber security knowledge? Look no further than Jo Peterson, a member of the Forbes Technology Council who tweets about those topics as well as other business-centered issues. She's also an Air Force veteran and an advocate for women in tech.
