Smart Dolphins IT Solutions
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Culture is Deep Work
We just had our annual Dolphin Summit. It was awesome – it always is. Every year we seem to find a better way to Summit. And this year, reflecting afterward, I realized we needed to stop doing something we’d been doing for years. We have a tradition of giving core value awards – recognizing three…
We just had our annual Dolphin Summit. It was awesome – it always is. Every year we seem to find a better way to Summit. And this year, reflecting afterward, I realized we needed to stop doing something we’d been doing for years. We have a tradition of giving core value awards – recognizing three…
Read full post on smartdolphins.com
Insecure Buying Leads to Bad IT
I’m wondering if this Insight will sound overly self-serving. I’ve debated with myself whether to include this in the series, but after 25 years of watching the same pattern play out, I think it’s worth saying. The way many businesses buy IT sets them up to fail. And the industry enables it. I know how…
I’m wondering if this Insight will sound overly self-serving. I’ve debated with myself whether to include this in the series, but after 25 years of watching the same pattern play out, I think it’s worth saying. The way many businesses buy IT sets them up to fail. And the industry enables it. I know how…
Read full post on smartdolphins.com
Systems Are Solvable. People Are Infinite.
When I set out to write these 25 insights, I imagined covering a wide range of topics. Business mechanics, MSP-specific strategies, technology decisions, operational systems. And I’ve touched on some of that. But as I look back at the 21 insights I’ve published so far (getting close to the end!), I notice a pattern I…
When I set out to write these 25 insights, I imagined covering a wide range of topics. Business mechanics, MSP-specific strategies, technology decisions, operational systems. And I’ve touched on some of that. But as I look back at the 21 insights I’ve published so far (getting close to the end!), I notice a pattern I…
Read full post on smartdolphins.com
Life (and Business) is a Game Worth Playing
I’ve always been drawn to the idea that life is a game. Not in a trivial way, like nothing matters. More like: the rules keep changing, the terrain shifts, and the best players stay curious instead of rigid. They experiment. They try things. They don’t get so attached to outcomes that they forget to enjoy…
I’ve always been drawn to the idea that life is a game. Not in a trivial way, like nothing matters. More like: the rules keep changing, the terrain shifts, and the best players stay curious instead of rigid. They experiment. They try things. They don’t get so attached to outcomes that they forget to enjoy…
Read full post on smartdolphins.com
Leadership Capacity is Gold
Back in May 2000, I didn’t call my new company “Dave’s IT Solutions.” That would’ve been awful for a few reasons, but mostly I wanted to build a “real” business, not self-employment. A real business doesn’t revolve around the founder. It stands on its own. That was intuitive for me pretty early on: I didn’t…
Back in May 2000, I didn’t call my new company “Dave’s IT Solutions.” That would’ve been awful for a few reasons, but mostly I wanted to build a “real” business, not self-employment. A real business doesn’t revolve around the founder. It stands on its own. That was intuitive for me pretty early on: I didn’t…
Read full post on smartdolphins.com
Client Fit is Culture Strategy
We talk a lot about curating the right people to create a great culture, but it’s easy to ignore the other half of the equation: choosing the right clients for culture. Every client your team interacts with shapes their daily reality. Over time, those relationships define your culture as much as the people you employ.…
We talk a lot about curating the right people to create a great culture, but it’s easy to ignore the other half of the equation: choosing the right clients for culture. Every client your team interacts with shapes their daily reality. Over time, those relationships define your culture as much as the people you employ.…
Read full post on smartdolphins.com
Comfort Loves to Collect Interest
I’ve noticed something over the years: comfort loves to collect interest. And it can be at a usury rate! When I’ve delayed a tough conversation or avoided a decision that I sensed needed to be made, it rarely improves on its own, at least not as well as it would have if I had dealt…
I’ve noticed something over the years: comfort loves to collect interest. And it can be at a usury rate! When I’ve delayed a tough conversation or avoided a decision that I sensed needed to be made, it rarely improves on its own, at least not as well as it would have if I had dealt…
Read full post on smartdolphins.com
From Me to We
Early on, I had a choice to make: was I building “self-employment” for myself, or was I building a “real company”? That fork in the road comes for many founders. And the answer determines whether the business grows beyond you, or stays defined by you. I chose to go from “Me to We”, but it…
Early on, I had a choice to make: was I building “self-employment” for myself, or was I building a “real company”? That fork in the road comes for many founders. And the answer determines whether the business grows beyond you, or stays defined by you. I chose to go from “Me to We”, but it…
Read full post on smartdolphins.com
Ultimate Trust
For as long as I can remember, I’ve carried this quiet sense that things will, somehow, work out. Not always as planned. Not without setbacks or anxiety. But that there’s a current underneath all of it. With mistakes, successes, the hard stretches too, life keeps moving forward in a meaningful way. I didn’t always have…
For as long as I can remember, I’ve carried this quiet sense that things will, somehow, work out. Not always as planned. Not without setbacks or anxiety. But that there’s a current underneath all of it. With mistakes, successes, the hard stretches too, life keeps moving forward in a meaningful way. I didn’t always have…
Read full post on smartdolphins.com
Run Your Own Race
From the start of Smart Dolphins, I’ve believed in keeping an eye on competitors without making them the center of our thinking. We were early in our market, so there wasn’t a lot of clear competitors and so I just naturally learned that our energy was best spent building something of our own, rather than…
From the start of Smart Dolphins, I’ve believed in keeping an eye on competitors without making them the center of our thinking. We were early in our market, so there wasn’t a lot of clear competitors and so I just naturally learned that our energy was best spent building something of our own, rather than…
Read full post on smartdolphins.com
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We support small and mid-sized organizations across Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland with services that include cybersecurity, strategic IT planning, and thoughtful guidance on how to adopt AI and modern workplace tools in a way that fits your business. We help organizations take practical next steps—backed by the right policies, governance, and training.
Our team has an average tenure of over eight years, and we’ve spent 25 years building long-term partnerships with clients who value steady, strategic support. We’re proud to be a Certified Great Place to Work, a top-ranked MSP in the MSP 501, and a Microsoft Partner—recognition that reflects both our technical strength and our team culture.
We enjoy learning about the businesses we support and how the right technology choices can contribute to their growth.
We would love to hear about yours.
Culture is Deep Work
We just had our annual Dolphin Summit. It was awesome – it always is. Every year we seem to find a better way to Summit. And this year, reflecting afterward, I realized we needed to stop doing something we’d been doing for years. We have a tradition of giving core value awards – recognizing three…
We just had our annual Dolphin Summit. It was awesome – it always is. Every year we seem to find a better way to Summit. And this year, reflecting afterward, I realized we needed to stop doing something we’d been doing for years. We have a tradition of giving core value awards – recognizing three…
Read full post on smartdolphins.com
Insecure Buying Leads to Bad IT
I’m wondering if this Insight will sound overly self-serving. I’ve debated with myself whether to include this in the series, but after 25 years of watching the same pattern play out, I think it’s worth saying. The way many businesses buy IT sets them up to fail. And the industry enables it. I know how…
I’m wondering if this Insight will sound overly self-serving. I’ve debated with myself whether to include this in the series, but after 25 years of watching the same pattern play out, I think it’s worth saying. The way many businesses buy IT sets them up to fail. And the industry enables it. I know how…
Read full post on smartdolphins.com
Systems Are Solvable. People Are Infinite.
When I set out to write these 25 insights, I imagined covering a wide range of topics. Business mechanics, MSP-specific strategies, technology decisions, operational systems. And I’ve touched on some of that. But as I look back at the 21 insights I’ve published so far (getting close to the end!), I notice a pattern I…
When I set out to write these 25 insights, I imagined covering a wide range of topics. Business mechanics, MSP-specific strategies, technology decisions, operational systems. And I’ve touched on some of that. But as I look back at the 21 insights I’ve published so far (getting close to the end!), I notice a pattern I…
Read full post on smartdolphins.com
Life (and Business) is a Game Worth Playing
I’ve always been drawn to the idea that life is a game. Not in a trivial way, like nothing matters. More like: the rules keep changing, the terrain shifts, and the best players stay curious instead of rigid. They experiment. They try things. They don’t get so attached to outcomes that they forget to enjoy…
I’ve always been drawn to the idea that life is a game. Not in a trivial way, like nothing matters. More like: the rules keep changing, the terrain shifts, and the best players stay curious instead of rigid. They experiment. They try things. They don’t get so attached to outcomes that they forget to enjoy…
Read full post on smartdolphins.com
Leadership Capacity is Gold
Back in May 2000, I didn’t call my new company “Dave’s IT Solutions.” That would’ve been awful for a few reasons, but mostly I wanted to build a “real” business, not self-employment. A real business doesn’t revolve around the founder. It stands on its own. That was intuitive for me pretty early on: I didn’t…
Back in May 2000, I didn’t call my new company “Dave’s IT Solutions.” That would’ve been awful for a few reasons, but mostly I wanted to build a “real” business, not self-employment. A real business doesn’t revolve around the founder. It stands on its own. That was intuitive for me pretty early on: I didn’t…
Read full post on smartdolphins.com
Client Fit is Culture Strategy
We talk a lot about curating the right people to create a great culture, but it’s easy to ignore the other half of the equation: choosing the right clients for culture. Every client your team interacts with shapes their daily reality. Over time, those relationships define your culture as much as the people you employ.…
We talk a lot about curating the right people to create a great culture, but it’s easy to ignore the other half of the equation: choosing the right clients for culture. Every client your team interacts with shapes their daily reality. Over time, those relationships define your culture as much as the people you employ.…
Read full post on smartdolphins.com
Comfort Loves to Collect Interest
I’ve noticed something over the years: comfort loves to collect interest. And it can be at a usury rate! When I’ve delayed a tough conversation or avoided a decision that I sensed needed to be made, it rarely improves on its own, at least not as well as it would have if I had dealt…
I’ve noticed something over the years: comfort loves to collect interest. And it can be at a usury rate! When I’ve delayed a tough conversation or avoided a decision that I sensed needed to be made, it rarely improves on its own, at least not as well as it would have if I had dealt…
Read full post on smartdolphins.com
From Me to We
Early on, I had a choice to make: was I building “self-employment” for myself, or was I building a “real company”? That fork in the road comes for many founders. And the answer determines whether the business grows beyond you, or stays defined by you. I chose to go from “Me to We”, but it…
Early on, I had a choice to make: was I building “self-employment” for myself, or was I building a “real company”? That fork in the road comes for many founders. And the answer determines whether the business grows beyond you, or stays defined by you. I chose to go from “Me to We”, but it…
Read full post on smartdolphins.com
Ultimate Trust
For as long as I can remember, I’ve carried this quiet sense that things will, somehow, work out. Not always as planned. Not without setbacks or anxiety. But that there’s a current underneath all of it. With mistakes, successes, the hard stretches too, life keeps moving forward in a meaningful way. I didn’t always have…
For as long as I can remember, I’ve carried this quiet sense that things will, somehow, work out. Not always as planned. Not without setbacks or anxiety. But that there’s a current underneath all of it. With mistakes, successes, the hard stretches too, life keeps moving forward in a meaningful way. I didn’t always have…
Read full post on smartdolphins.com
Run Your Own Race
From the start of Smart Dolphins, I’ve believed in keeping an eye on competitors without making them the center of our thinking. We were early in our market, so there wasn’t a lot of clear competitors and so I just naturally learned that our energy was best spent building something of our own, rather than…
From the start of Smart Dolphins, I’ve believed in keeping an eye on competitors without making them the center of our thinking. We were early in our market, so there wasn’t a lot of clear competitors and so I just naturally learned that our energy was best spent building something of our own, rather than…
Read full post on smartdolphins.com
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You're all caught up!
Check back later for more profile news.