The Creative Stack

Megan Quick

The Creative Stack explores the intersection of creativity and information technology. Hosted by Megan Quick, each episode features conversations with creative and tech leaders on how technology supports innovation, collaboration, and growth.

  1. 8月12日

    The Truth About IT Assessments

    About Georg Dauterman: Georg believes in the fusion of technology and creativity. With a background in both fields, he started his career in IT departments of publishing and advertising agencies, realizing the critical need for tech aligned with business goals. Joining Valiant in 2004, Georg's expertise and passion for efficiency brought industry recognition. He holds a history degree from Queens College and serves on Datto's Global Partner Advisory Board. Beyond his leadership role, Georg enjoys exploring culinary skills, fitness, and outdoor adventures with his family. About Megan Quick: Megan is a member of the Valiant Marketing & Sales team, assisting in demonstrating the value of our services and ensuring positive experiences for prospective clients. When not working with technology, she is a theater production manager and performer, producing her own comedy shows, and is an avid writer. Megan has a B.A. in Theater from Sewanee: The University of The South. What you'll learn about in this episode: What an IT assessment is, including a snapshot of your infrastructure, security, and applications that tells you exactly where you stand today and what needs to be changed. Why the IT assessment is the foundation of every successful MSP relationship, and why skipping it could lead to a rocky start. The key difference between an IT assessment and an IT onboarding, and why they may look similar on the surface but serve different purposes and outcomes. What the NIST Cybersecurity Framework is, why it's the gold standard for small and mid-market companies, and how to access it for free as a taxpayer-funded public resource. How IT assessments vary across remote, hybrid, and in-office environments, and why physical infrastructure introduces complexity that governance based reviews often miss. Why Wi-Fi is far more complex than it appears and why a proper Wi-Fi survey is one of the most critical and overlooked parts of an in office assessment. The key questions you should ask any IT provider before agreeing to an assessment, including requesting sample deliverables, understand their methodology, and learning how many assessments they perform each year. Why your relationship with an IT provider is one of the most important vendor partnerships in your business and why the assessment is an important first step in getting it right.

  2. 7月29日

    Office Moves, Part 3: The IT Playbook

    About Georg Dauterman: Georg believes in the fusion of technology and creativity. With a background in both fields, he started his career in IT departments of publishing and advertising agencies, realizing the critical need for tech aligned with business goals. Joining Valiant in 2004, Georg's expertise and passion for efficiency brought industry recognition. He holds a history degree from Queens College and serves on Datto's Global Partner Advisory Board. Beyond his leadership role, Georg enjoys exploring culinary skills, fitness, and outdoor adventures with his family. About Megan Quick: Megan is a member of the Valiant Marketing & Sales team, assisting in demonstrating the value of our services and ensuring positive experiences for prospective clients. When not working with technology, she is a theater production manager and performer, producing her own comedy shows, and is an avid writer. Megan has a B.A. in Theater from Sewanee: The University of The South. What you'll learn about in this episode: Why office moves are one of the most underestimated operational projects a company can take on, and how complexity escalates fast once you start uncovering dependencies. A real world example of a client who needed a security guard for a week and a half because an electronic lock wasn't compatible with the building's fire safety system, showing how often unexpected issues arise. Why a dedicated move project manager, not your office manager or an early-career employee, is the highest leverage investment you can make, and what a well run move looks like in practice. The cost of nebulous responsibility, where every task needs a clear owner with authority to decide, spend, and escalate without leadership bottlenecks. Why poor timing around holidays or busy periods is a common and expensive mistake, and why six months lead time should be the baseline. Why you shouldn't wait until a move to fix IT issues, since weak Wi-Fi or infrastructure problems will carry over and get worse during the transition. How to define a successful move before starting, where employees can walk in on day one, and work without friction. The five steps to prepare for a move, including engaging trusted partners early, assigning a move lead, mapping vendors, walking the full project as a team, and integrating the move into regular leadership cadence.

  3. 7月15日

    Exploring AI, with Justin Penchina

    Justin has been with Valiant Technology since 2008 and is a member of our Leadership team. His extensive hands-on experience with technology, particularly Microsoft solutions, can be seen in every solution we implement for clients. An early interest in technology, spanning back as far as high school, has allowed Justin to accumulate a wealth of knowledge on many topics. His first technology-related role was at his Mother's web design company in the 1990's and he's worked with businesses of all sizes since, including web hosting companies and a military contractor. Justin studied Cinema Studies and Political Science in college, but technology has always been a part of his life. His professional certifications include ones from Microsoft, SonicWall, and Meraki. Justin is also a certified Microsoft Customer Immersion Experience instructor and a certified Google Power Searcher. When Justin isn't in front of an array of computer screens, he's typically behind his camera capturing photos of birds around the New York Tri-State area, enjoying German beers, and watching cartoons. What you'll learn about in this episode: Why AI should be used as a tool, not a replacement, and where the line falls between work that should remain in the hands of humans, and where AI could be implemented. How the AI adoption curve mirrors the cloud revolution and why disruption isn't the technology itself, but the speed it's reaching users. The definition of agentic AI, including examples of building an AI agent that reviews your inbox every day so nothing slips through the cracks. How Valiant is currently using AI to reduce QBR prep time from 2 hours to 20 minutes, and why this type of automation is where real ROI lives. Why businesses should start with Copilot or Gemini before adopting third-party AI platforms. The MCP security risk most companies aren't talking about, and how AI tools through open-source Model Context Protocol servers can unintentionally create vulnerable, unprotected data layers. Why AI generated output should always be treated as a draft, and how stronger prompting comes from providing context, audience, format, and constraints upfront. Why the "AI will replace all jobs" narrative misses the bigger picture, and how AI frees people to focus on creative, strategic, and judgement-heavy work.

  4. 7月1日

    Being the Family IT Guy

    About Georg Dauterman: Georg believes in the fusion of technology and creativity. With a background in both fields, he started his career in IT departments of publishing and advertising agencies, realizing the critical need for tech aligned with business goals. Joining Valiant in 2004, Georg's expertise and passion for efficiency brought industry recognition. He holds a history degree from Queens College and serves on Datto's Global Partner Advisory Board. Beyond his leadership role, Georg enjoys exploring culinary skills, fitness, and outdoor adventures with his family.  About Megan Quick: Megan is a member of the Valiant Marketing & Sales team, assisting in demonstrating the value of our services and ensuring positive experiences for prospective clients. When not working with technology, she is a theater production manager and performer, producing her own comedy shows, and is an avid writer. Megan has a B.A. in Theater from Sewanee: The University of The South. What you'll learn about in this episode: Why being the "family IT person" is more common and more consequential than most people realize, and what that responsibility looks like. Why both older generations and digital natives were thrown into technology without ever really learning the fundamentals, and how that creates security blind spots at home. Cybersecurity habits that you should start today: enable multi-factor authentication, set up a password manager, and audit your bank statements for unauthorized charges. How AI-powered deepfakes and voice cloning are making phishing scams far more convincing, and why your family needs a secret code word before transferring money or sharing information. The hidden risk in most homes today like smart devices, cameras, garage openers, speakers, and connected appliances that pose a potential security risk and should have its own unique password and regular updates. Why  scammers rely on urgency, panic or fear, and the easiest mindset shift that can stop most social engineering attacks before they happen. How to do a practical home tech audit including changing default passwords and securing your router. Practical ways to help less tech-savvy family members become more self-sufficient.

  5. 6月17日

    Office Moves Part 2, with Jason Cole

    About Jason Cole As the principal of Cole Audio Video, Jason Cole blends expert audio system design with a mastery of lighting and shade to shape the aesthetic and energy of high-end residences. By focusing on the art of light and sound rather than just the hardware, he provides clients with an intuitive level of control that works every time, ensuring the technology serves the home's beauty without the friction of over-complication. What you'll learn about in this episode: Why AV and IT are often confused for the same thing, and why the distinction matters when planning an office move. How the technology in your conference room directly impacts meeting quality, and what separates a robust video conferencing setup from one that just technically works. What tenant improvement (TI) money is, why most tenants don't know they can take it themselves, and how doing so leads to a better space for the same cost. The role of an owner's rep (construction manager) and the importance of having one in your corner. When to bring in an AV, IT, and design partner, and why you should have them on your team before you've even signed a lease. What FF&E, MEP, and building standards actually mean, and how understanding these terms helps you advocate for the space you want. How room size, ceiling height, surfaces, and sound absorption all factor into AV design, and why use cases should drive every decision.

  6. 6月3日

    No MSRP for MSPs: How IT Pricing Really Works

    About Georg Dauterman: Georg believes in the fusion of technology and creativity. With a background in both fields, he started his career in IT departments of publishing and advertising agencies, realizing the critical need for tech aligned with business goals. Joining Valiant in 2004, Georg's expertise and passion for efficiency brought industry recognition. He holds a history degree from Queens College and serves on Datto's Global Partner Advisory Board. Beyond his leadership role, Georg enjoys exploring culinary skills, fitness, and outdoor adventures with his family.  About Megan Quick: Megan is a member of the Valiant Marketing & Sales team, assisting in demonstrating the value of our services and ensuring positive experiences for prospective clients. When not working with technology, she is a theater production manager and performer, producing her own comedy shows, and is an avid writer. Megan has a B.A. in Theater from Sewanee: The University of The South. What you'll learn about in this episode: The history, transition, and philosophy behind managed service pricing — from the "break fix" model of the early 2000s to today's flat-rate MSP structure, and why the shift happened. What an MSP stack is and why standardization across tools, vendors, and configurations is essential for consistent, scalable service. How MSP pricing is built, including factoring in people, tools, insurance, training, travel, and environment complexity. Why $150–$250 per end-user per month is the current market benchmark, and what it means if someone quotes lower. Why you shouldn't have to think about your IT systems when it's done right, and how truly "invisible" IT is backed by clear, measurable outcomes.  The single most important question to ask any MSP before signing: not what's covered, but what's not covered. Red flags to watch for when evaluating an MSP, including unwillingness to provide references and vague definitions of scope. Why chemistry and cultural fit matter just as much as technical capability when choosing a long-term technology partner.

  7. 5月20日

    What is "CIO Services"? with Dan Ricks

    Dan has over 30 years of experience and progressive advancement in the education, financial services, retail, professional services, consulting, utility and beverage manufacturing industries including large, medium and "start up" companies. He is recognized for successfully completing technology initiatives that drive business results. Additionally, he is known for facilitating collaboration among business and technology leaders. Dan has applied his enterprise solutions delivery skills and experience in the United States, Europe, Latin America and Asia. He has a strong background in strategic planning and successful execution of plan with ROI analysis and corporate governance on all technology initiatives. In addition to his experience at Bright Water Consulting, Dan was the Senior Director of IT for UtiliQuest, LLC, where he was responsible for all aspects of technology. Previous to this position, he was Chief Information Officer at Delta Career Education Corporation, Vice President, Business Technology Officer and Director of the Project Management Office for SunTrust Bank, Global IT Manager for The Coca-Cola Company, IT Manager for Norrell Corporation and a Business Systems Analyst at the Georgia Power Company. Dan holds a Master of Business Administration Degree from Georgia State University, a Bachelor of Business Administration Degree from Georgia Southern University and presently resides in Snellville, Georgia, with his wife Luanne.   What you'll learn about in this episode: The difference between a managed service provider (MSP) and a technology consulting firm, and why most businesses should have both. How Brightwater Consulting approaches engagements, including deep-diving into business operations, strategy, and goals. What a real-world digital transformation looks like in practice, including an 11-month case study with a $300M family-run business. Why a "crawl, walk, run" approach to AI adoption saves companies from wasting money on implementing new tools without a strategy. The distinction between proactive and reactive technology clients,  and how Dan's team adds value to both. How fractional CTO-style consulting gives small and mid-market businesses enterprise-level guidance without the full-time cost. Why data integrity and cybersecurity fundamentals matter more than ever, especially as AI tools open unexpected security vulnerabilities. How change management and communication determine whether an implementation actually succeeds.

  8. 5月6日

    Office Moves Part 1, with Josh Berger

    Josh Berger joined Norman Bobrow & Co., Inc., as Director of Commercial Leasing & Investment Sales in 2009 and has quickly become one of the firm's top producing brokers. In 2014, he was named Managing Director of Commercial Leasing & Investment sales for his growing role in educating and training new brokers who join the firm. In 2022 Josh was named Vice President and tasked with running the firm's Broker Development and Summer Internship programs and increasing sales in Manhattan and the Outer Boroughs. Josh has represented firms in the fields of advertising, technology, non-profit, finance, public relations and fashion amongst others. Some of Berger's clients include: Equinix, Boyar Value Group, Clear Street Management, Jordache Enterprises, MMGY Global, Harborview Capital Management, Museum of Women, PETSMART, The Center for Social Inclusion, TADA! Youth Theater, and Transit Wireless. Outside of his time in Real Estate Josh explores his many passions including charity work, abstract painting, music production and photography. Josh sits on the Board of Directors (and the Young Leaders Council) of Job Path and is also heavily involved with Lighthouse Guild. Berger received his B.S. in Marketing/Business Administration from Yeshiva University. He currently resides in South Orange, New Jersey with his wife Kelsey and his two sons Jacob and Benjamin.   What you'll learn about in this episode: What a tenant rep broker does, and why having one in your corner is the difference between a good deal and getting taken advantage of. Why starting an office move early is everything, and how much runway you actually need based on your office size, including why waiting until the last minute kills your leverage. The true costs of an office space from cleaning services and water charges to low-voltage wiring and furniture lead times, including what first-timers almost always overlook. How to protect yourself from demolition clauses which is one of the biggest pitfalls in the 2026 NYC market, and how to negotiate notice periods and cost reimbursements if your building gets redeveloped. The difference between Class A and Class B buildings, including what they are, what they cost per square foot, and how to decide which is right for your business. How the NYC office market defied the "death of office space" narrative, and what's happening with supply, demand, and rents right now, including buildings hitting 4% vacancy. How hybrid work is reshaping office strategy from hoteling setups to investing in amenities that make employees want to come in, and what smart companies are doing differently today. The team you need before signing a lease: why a specialized NYC real estate attorney, an architect for space planning, and an IT partner are non-negotiables for a smooth move.

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簡介

The Creative Stack explores the intersection of creativity and information technology. Hosted by Megan Quick, each episode features conversations with creative and tech leaders on how technology supports innovation, collaboration, and growth.

資訊

  • 創作者
    Megan Quick
  • 活躍年代
    2026年
  • 集數
    13
  • 年齡分級
    兒少適宜
  • 版權
    © 2026
  • 節目網站
    The Creative Stack