Staying Connected

Hosted by TC2 & LB3

TechnologyExplicit

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Episodes

100

Latest episode

Aug 2026

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About the show

TechCaliber Consulting (TC2) and Levine, Blaszak, Block & Boothby (LB3) provide strategic business and legal advice to leading companies around the globe covering the procurement, deployment, and regulation of Information and Communications Technology. Our Staying Connected podcasts deliver insights, tips and market commentary from TC2 consultants and LB3 lawyers, collected from our work on the cutting edge of ICT procurements, deal negotiations, and regulatory proceedings.

Listen to episodes

60 recent

August 24, 20269 min

Comparing Cloud, Software, and Network Deals Without Getting Lost in the Math

Cloud, software and networking deals all sit under the enterprise technology umbrella, but they do not behave the same way. Enterprise customers need a benchmarking approach that compares lifecycle value, flexibility, operating reality and commercial risk without forcing dissimilar deals into a misleading math exercise. In this 9-minute episode of Staying Connected, Tony Mangino is joined by TC2's Brent Knight to discuss how customers can benchmark complex cloud, software and network proposals in a way that supports better decision making, stronger negotiation positions and clear internal alignment. If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our Benchmarking and Strategic Sourcing webpages.

August 24, 202610 min

HPE + Juniper: What Network Consolidation Means for Enterprise Leverage

The HPE-Juniper combination may create stronger technology options, but it also changes the competitive map for enterprise networking. Customers that once viewed HPE, Aruba and Juniper as distinct sourcing alternatives need to reassess how consolidation affects channel strategy, roadmap decisions, pricing leverage, and future flexibility. A broader supplier relationship can simplify operations, but it can also create dependency if the commercial structure makes it harder to compete, reduce or unwind parts of the technology estate. In this 10-minute episode of Staying Connected, Tony Mangino is joined by TC2's Larry York to discuss what the HPE-Juniper transaction means for enterprise customers and how they can protect leverage by revisiting supplier alternatives, asking roadmap questions early and negotiating portfolio deals with future options in mind. If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our Strategic Sourcing webpage.

August 6, 202611 min

CCaaS and UCaaS Sourcing: How to Compare Offers, Not Stories

Sourcing CCaaS and UCaaS can appear straightforward, that is until the proposals arrive. If customers don't force comparability early, the decision can turn into a contest of narratives instead of a rigorous evaluation of cost, scope, accountability and operating risk. In this 11-minute episode of Staying Connected, Tony Mangino is joined by TC2's Julie Gardner to discuss how customers can structure CCaaS and UCaaS sourcing so suppliers actually show their work. Tony and Julie explore why licensing, migration, voice, AI features, usage-based costs, responsibility matrices and contract terms need to be clear before supplier selection. If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our Strategic Sourcing webpage.

July 29, 20269 min

From Invoice Fire Drill to a Baseline You Can Trust

A polished report, monthly invoice or TEM dashboard doesn't necessarily give customers a baseline they can trust. In complex technology environments, contracts, invoices, inventories and ownership records often drift apart as services change, sites move and suppliers bill differently. When the baseline is wrong, strategy, sourcing decisions, savings targets, and budgets are built on shaky ground. In this episode of Staying Connected, Tony Mangino is joined by TC2's Frank Zagrodnik to discuss how enterprise customers can move from invoice fire drills to a defensible and actionable baseline by connecting contracts, invoices, inventory and ownership. If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our IT Cost Management webpage.

July 25, 202610 min

How to Turn a Network Rate Review into Real Leverage

A rate review is more than a routine supplier meeting. Done poorly, it can produce a modest price reduction while giving the supplier more term, more commitment and better control over the next negotiation. Customers need to understand the baseline, market position, service mix and strategic roadmap before trading flexibility for short-term savings. In this 10-minute episode of Staying Connected, Tony Mangino is joined by TC2's Larry York to discuss how customers can turn rate reviews into real leverage events. Tony and Larry explore how benchmarking, service segmentation, contract guardrails and negotiation discipline can improve your contract economics without weakening future options and flexibility. If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our Strategic Sourcing webpage.

July 25, 20268 min

How to Make a Global Network Roadmap Executable

A network transformation roadmap can look robust on a slide, but if enterprise customers go to market before all the details. steps and sequencing are clear, the sourcing process can quickly expose gaps in the baseline, stakeholder alignment, contract timing and migration readiness. In this 8-minute episode of Staying Connected, Tony Mangino is joined by TC2's Brent Knight to discuss how enterprise customers can ensure a network transformation roadmap is truly executable before launching an RFP. Tony and Brent explore why the baseline, sourcing structure, contract planning and migration timing all need to align before suppliers start shaping the conversation. If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our Strategic Sourcing webpage.

July 15, 202610 min

IT Strategy That Survives the Renewal Calendar

A renewal date is not a strategy, it's a deadline. But in many enterprise technology environments, contract expirations, supplier proposals and budget cycles start driving decisions that should be tied to a larger strategic roadmap. When that happens, customers lose leverage, accept unfavorable contract extensions or lock in terms that limit flexibility before they have time to build better options. In this 11-minute episode of Staying Connected, Tony Mangino is joined by TC2's Larry York to discuss how customers can connect renewal calendars to technology strategy, sourcing plans, contract mechanics and operational priorities so they can make decisions with time, facts and credible alternatives. If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our Strategic Sourcing webpage.

July 14, 202610 min

"Who Did I Just Buy This From?" — Negotiating SaaS Deals Through Cloud Marketplaces and Resellers

Enterprise SaaS deals are moving to cloud marketplaces — and resellers are often in the driver's seat. But what looks like a fast, seamless purchase can quickly turn into a legal maze, with three sets of terms and hidden risks around pricing, support, data protection, liability, and termination. In this episode of Staying Connected, Tony Mangino and LB3 Partner Deb Boehling break down the three-party contracting triangle, expose the pitfalls of flow-through obligations, and share practical strategies for legal and procurement teams to protect their interests. If you want to avoid finger-pointing and ensure your protections actually stick, this conversation is a must-listen. To learn more about our SaaS & Software experience, visit our webpage?????

July 6, 202614 min

Why the New Verizon/BT Joint Venture Should Get the Attention of Every Enterprise Customer

Last Monday, Verizon and BT unexpectedly announced a joint venture that would combine their international enterprise operations. The new business is expected to serve more than 3,000 customers across more than 180 countries, representing roughly $4 billion in combined annual revenue. Their enterprise customers were the last to know. The proposed Verizon/BT joint venture raises an important question for enterprise customers with multinational operations: is this proposed JV simply a new international platform, or is it a signal that Verizon is effectively exiting parts of the enterprise network market? The Verizon/BT JV will undoubtedly create real confusion around supplier competition, account ownership, contracting entities, pricing leverage, service accountability, and long-term network strategy. And of course, tie-ups between two competing network providers have a notable history of failure. In this 14-minute episode of Staying Connected, Tony Mangino is joined by TC2's Brent Knight and Ben Fox to discuss what the Verizon/BT joint venture means for multinational enterprise customers, why Verizon's commitment to the enterprise-market is a question worth asking and how enterprise customers can protect their sourcing strategy, contract posture, pricing position and operational control during the transition window. If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our Strategic Sourcing webpage.

June 30, 202612 min

My Invoice Doesn't Match My Contract, What Do I Do Now?

When an invoice doesn't match the contract, customers need a structured way to understand what was negotiated, what is being used, what the supplier is billing, and where the mismatch is occurring. Without that discipline, recurring billing issues can undermine cost management, renewal readiness, supplier accountability, and confidence in the baseline. In this 12-minute episode of Staying Connected, Tony Mangino is joined by TC2's Theresa Knutson and Jaime Hansen to discuss how enterprise customers can move from invoice frustration to fact-based review, contract compliance, service inventory validation, and root-cause remediation. If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our Contract Compliance & Optimization webpage.