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BlueStar Nation is the podcast that tackles the hot topics, trends, and emerging technologies impacting the specialty IT reseller channel, software companies, MSPs, and hardware manufacturers. Hosted by John Martin & Dean Reverman. Tell us what YOU want to hear about: nation@bluestarinc.com
Episodes
Thursday Nov 06, 2025
Thursday Nov 06, 2025
Labeling in fast-paced QSRs is a critical, time-sensitive task that ensures orders for in-store patrons, delivery drivers, and pickups are properly sorted and accurate. That's where linerless printing can make operations more efficient. This week, Epson's Thermal Label Product Manager, Ian Livesay, joins the podcast to make the case for linerless over die-cut labels. What problems does it solve? Are there other industries that could use them? It's an aggressively sticky episode!
Around the Nation: Watch the BlueStar/Intel Solutions Summit
#VARValue - How does Epson approach linerless label printing? What are some key products VARs should know about, and how do they help you win business?
On Our Radar
Ian - AI-enabled recycling
John - IKEA smartphone bed
Keep in Touch!
Email – nation@bluestarinc.com
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/blue-star
Subscribe to the BlueStar Nation Newsletter - https://nation.bluestarinc.com/#subscribe
Sponsored by:
Thursday Oct 30, 2025
Thursday Oct 30, 2025
Manufacturers, distributors, T&L, and warehousing are always looking to become more efficient and productive, but are they embracing automation in the same areas we think they should? That was the subject of the latest BlueStar Nation end-user survey, sponsored by our friends at Honeywell. We asked their industry expert, Matt Sterner, to join the show to dissect the data. Why were business leaders so confident about their inventory and shipping practices? What did the data reveal about ongoing manual practices? How often are equipment downtimes and safety issues impacting productivity? It's an episode packed with insight and just a little hot air.
Read about the survey results here!
Around the Nation: Tell us what technology you're thankful for and tune in to our Thanksgiving episode (#250!!)
#VARValue - Did any other findings in the survey stand out to Matt? How is Honeywell helping the reseller community tackle productivity with their customers?
On Our Radar
Matt - Freight theft
Dean - Pivotal BlackFly "flying car"
John - Why do onions make us cry so easily?
Keep in Touch!
Email – nation@bluestarinc.com
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/blue-star
Subscribe to the BlueStar Nation Newsletter - https://nation.bluestarinc.com/#subscribe
Sponsored by:
Elo I-Series Steel
Thursday Oct 23, 2025
Thursday Oct 23, 2025
It's spooky season, so we're revisiting last year's Halloween episode where we riff on all things tricks and treats!
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Originally released October 31st, 2024
In honor of a Halloween release, we're talking about the spooky season with special guests Sam Hughes and...the Ghostface killer from Scream? (It's Sarah Schlueter!) What are some movies/TV shows that have scared us? Favorite Halloween costumes? What technology scares us? Best candy? It's the episode so packed that Dean could only say, "Oh."
TEConnecting with us:
Sarah - The story behind Spirit Halloween
Sam - Digital literacy in an age of misinformation
Dean - Stem-cell therapy for diabetes
John - Evil on Paramount Plus
Keep in Touch!
Email - nation@bluestarinc.com
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/blue-star
Subscribe to the BlueStar Nation Newsletter - https://nation.bluestarinc.com/#subscribe
Sponsored by:
Thursday Oct 16, 2025
Thursday Oct 16, 2025
We'll be back later this month with the results of a survey on warehouse and manufacturing automation, making this a great time to revisit this conversation about addressing human work and augmentation alongside technology.
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Originally aired March 27, 2025
Supply chain jobs in warehouses, manufacturing, and delivery continue to face a challenging labor market. At the same time, costs remain high, and consumer demands create more pressure to make, distribute, and deliver products quickly. That’s where automation technology has come in to help, but it’s not a total replacement for people, which makes it essential to understand the human element as well. Today, Newcastle’s Kevin Ledversis & Honeywell’s Kelley Wood are sharing their thoughts on the topic. What’s changed about labor post-pandemic? What are supply chain businesses saying about automating their workforce? Is AI a game-changer or a new complication in balancing workforce efficiency and productivity?
Around the Nation: Explore Industries & Technologies at BlueStarInc.com
#VARValue - Newcastle & Honeywell put a lot of thought into how technology helps and augments people, even as they also lean into automation and AI. How has that helped you grow, and what lessons can VARs take away from your approach?
On Our Radar
Kevin - Future shopping experiences at NRF
Kelley - The ARK robo-kitchen
Dean - 2025 predictions...from 100 years ago
John - Mining the moon
Keep in Touch!
Email – nation@bluestarinc.com
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/blue-star
Subscribe to the BlueStar Nation Newsletter - https://nation.bluestarinc.com/#subscribe
Sponsored by:
Thursday Oct 09, 2025
Thursday Oct 09, 2025
It's time to dig into more fascinating topics, surveys, thought pieces, and lists to get you through your next awkward chat around the coffee maker, waiting for a virtual meeting to start, or to impress your friends and family.
Have an idea for renaming the TEC Bytes episodes? Send your suggestion to nation@bluestarinc.com, and you could win $100!
Topics:
- Helicopter parents
- No meeting weeks
- Most common jobs - 90s vs. now
- Ranking James Bond movies
- Concert ticketflation
- The best countries in the world
- Uber's lost and found
- Top-selling beer
Around the Nation: BlueStar Academy - Launching Q1 2026
On Our Radar
Dean - The most beautiful English words
John - Is your phone listening to you? (No, but it's even worse)
Keep in Touch!
Email – nation@bluestarinc.com
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/blue-star
Subscribe to the BlueStar Nation Newsletter - https://nation.bluestarinc.com/#subscribe
Sponsored by:
Elo + Epson KDS
Thursday Oct 02, 2025
Thursday Oct 02, 2025
VARTECH 2025 made the most of its location at the Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas, offering two packed days of networking, new technologies to explore, insightful education, and fun-filled evenings. Our theme, "Join the Quest," encouraged attendees to come together in partnership and accept the challenge of finding bold new solutions to their customers' problems. From a memorable opening featuring keynote Zack Kass to bold discussions about why now is the time to make AI part of your business, VARTECH had something for everyone. This week, we're reflecting on the show, what we saw and heard, and what you can learn even if you didn't attend.
Follow us on YouTube and bookmark our VARTECH page to see videos and recaps from the show!
Around the Nation: Watch our 2026 Retail Intelligence Briefing with IHL Group
On Our Radar
Dean - Outdoor exercise is superior to the gym
John - Is Popular Mechanics okay?
Keep in Touch!
Email – nation@bluestarinc.com
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/blue-star
Subscribe to the BlueStar Nation Newsletter - https://nation.bluestarinc.com/#subscribe
Sponsored by:
Thursday Sep 25, 2025
Thursday Sep 25, 2025
"I think customers have gone from RFID-curious to RFID-serious," says RedBeam VP of Sales Kevin Keith, reinforcing an ongoing trend of RFID growth and investment. He's joined this week by Solutions Architect Kyle Stanford to explain why the need is at an all-time high for resellers and integrators to build out their RFID business. What tips do they have for qualifying an RFID opportunity over traditional barcoding? How do we prove ROI? What industries and use cases are prime for adoption? What should you expect out of partners like RedBeam?
Check out RedBeam's RFID YouTube series!
Around the Nation: BlueStar Connectivity
#VARValue - Learn about the importance of middleware and RedBeam RFID. How are they helping VARs accelerate their existing RFID business or get started?
On Our Radar
Kyle - Hitachi's "smart dust"
Kevin - AI search
Dean - Non-invasive brain-computer interface
John - Competitive spreadsheeting
Keep in Touch!
Email – nation@bluestarinc.com
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/blue-star
Subscribe to the BlueStar Nation Newsletter - https://nation.bluestarinc.com/#subscribe
Sponsored by:
Thursday Sep 18, 2025
Thursday Sep 18, 2025
Next week, we'll be talking to our friends at Redbeam about Accelerating Your RFID Sales, so we thought we'd revisit last year's panel discussion on the trends pushing RFID forward, top use cases, and best practices.
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Originally released June 20th, 2024
We recorded another live episode with a panel of RFID experts (Zebra’s Eric Malmed, DecisionPoint’s Steve Weiss, & RFID4U’s Archit Dua) and an eager audience. What trends and technology innovations are moving the RFID market? What recommendations or best practices can help VARs sell RFID to SMB customers? What are some specific use cases for RFID in warehousing and retail? It’s the episode that forces everyone to answer, “Is this the Year of RFID?”
Get your Zebra Refresh Report! https://reach.bluestarinc.com/refreshthebase
#VARValue - Questions from the audience!
TEConnecting with us:
Archit - Apple WWDC
Eric - Tech in sports
Steve - Robotics
Keep in Touch!
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/blue-star
Subscribe to the BlueStar Nation Newsletter - https://nation.bluestarinc.com/#subscribe
Sponsored by:
Thursday Sep 11, 2025
Thursday Sep 11, 2025
We're busy planning and executing VARTECH 2025 this week, so enjoy a couple of classics from the archives, starting with this one, recorded at last year's show. No live episode this year, but follow BlueStar on LinkedIn to keep up with all of the fun, cool tech, and new ideas we're sharing there.
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Originally released Sep 26, 2024
Once again, we took our show on the road to VARTECH in Orlando, Florida, to discuss websites, social media, and how they can impact your business. James Korte gives us a breakdown of what "good" websites should contain and what they should do. What are some common pitfalls and mistakes? Is there a right way to do social media? Finally, we wrap up by gently critiquing some sites submitted by our audience.
#VARValue - Check out the sites we reviewed!
- https://www.digi-trax.com/
- https://www.posperpanama.com/ (Now updated and excellent!)
Check out the YouTube video to follow along with our website reviews: https://youtu.be/xDtuNQXAvTA
TEConnecting with us:
James - Runway AI video
Dean - Bark Air
John - Are restaurant kiosks leading to smaller orders?
Keep in Touch!
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/blue-star
Subscribe to the BlueStar Nation Newsletter - https://nation.bluestarinc.com/#subscribe
Sponsored by:
Thursday Sep 04, 2025
Thursday Sep 04, 2025
Distracted driving has been exacerbated with the widespread use of mobile devices, which constantly beckon to be looked at, touched, and interacted with. For enterprises that deploy drivers to deliver products or services, or operate internal vehicles such as forklifts, these distractions can lead to costly lawsuits, liabilities, and an inability to obtain insurance. This week, we're joined by Ted Chen, CEO of LifeSaver Mobile, a company that helps enterprises customize employee access to their devices while driving and on the job. What does "locking down" a mobile device actually mean? How can this benefit resellers with customers using devices they didn't sell? How does connectivity fit into this conversation (Jim Hilton is here with that answer!)? Don't skip this episode...doing so could cause an accident!
Around the Nation: Follow us on LinkedIn & YouTube
#VARValue - How is LifeSaver Mobile working with VARs to give them a recurring revenue source, even if their customers are still committed to consumer devices?
On Our Radar
Ted - AI search & virtual first downs for football
Jim - Satellite connectivity
Dean - Quantum communications
John - The world's deepest hotel
Keep in Touch!
Email – nation@bluestarinc.com
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/blue-star
Subscribe to the BlueStar Nation Newsletter - https://nation.bluestarinc.com/#subscribe
Sponsored by: