Cloud Computing Evens Playing Field for SMBs

CompTIA Small Business Spotlight: Cloud Computing Evens Playing Field for SMBs, Fosters New Innovation

Washington, D.C., May 24, 2012 – In conjunction with National Small Business Week, CompTIA, the non-profit association for the information technology (IT) industry, is spotlighting its small business members and some of the issues affecting their ability grow their businesses. Today’s featured member is ClikCloud of Laguna Beach, Calif.

Founded in October 2011, ClikCloud offers managed service providers a variety of fixed-fee digital marketing programs. The firm was founded by Dan Shapero, a former executive with Kaseya, a provider of automated IT systems management software.

“When I was at Kaseya our channel partners would ask every week for some sort of market support,” Shapero said. “I knew there was an opportunity to help them out but it needed to be affordable for them.”

Most of ClikCloud’s clients are small service providers spread across North America, the United Kingdom and Australia. Customers have access to a full menu of marketing services – websites with search engine optimized content, pay-per-click ad management, blogs and email newsletters – all hosted and delivered via a cloud computing platform.

“The cloud has created a frictionless market for us to deliver high value services at an affordable price point,” Shapero explained. “Because everything we do is in the cloud we can serve our customers regardless of location.”

Cloud computing represents a significant growth sector in the IT industry. The efficiencies it provides can be a difference maker for a small start-up firm or a business looking to reduce costs.

“Economies of scale afforded by the cloud help keep our capital costs down and help fix our operating expenses,” Shapero said. “In turn, we can put our efforts into value added service instead of maintenance of expensive infrastructure.”

Cloud computing levels the technology playing field for companies of all sizes. The cloud offers even the smallest business easy and affordable access to a broad expanse of applications and services.

There’s also a role for both the large cloud infrastructure player and the small IT business, which can offer clients customized applications and solutions made possible because of the ubiquity of the cloud infrastructure. Many of these smaller players are guiding client companies in creating the infrastructure and services that make up a private cloud.

Cloud computing platforms are an enabling technology that can foster the growth of new startup companies and improve public services. Currently, the United States is the undisputed leader in cloud services. Three common sense actions can help the country build on its leadership position:

•     Federal agencies should more aggressively move toward a cloud environment. As the largest institutional trend-setter in the economy, an aggressive move by federal agencies into cloud-based platforms will foster greater innovation and competition. The efficiencies gained will improve services for citizens, while saving tax dollars.

•     The Small Business Administration, which has expended educational resources and financial incentives for the adoption of cloud services by SMBs, should become more aggressive by tying incentives and grants toward the adoption of cloud technologies by startups. This will give SMBs a greater chance of success, due in large part to the reduced computing costs and improved efficiencies made possible by the cloud.

•     Public policies aimed at the IT sector should always remain technology neutral. Laws should focus on outcomes, not technology. U.S. leadership in cloud computing is the result of entrepreneurs competing in an environment unencumbered with cloud regulations.

“Government regulation and additional taxation would negatively impact our ability to service clients and would limit our growth and ability to expand globally,” Shapero concluded.

About CompTIA

CompTIA is the voice of the world’s information technology (IT) industry. Its members are the companies at the forefront of innovation; and the professionals responsible for maximizing the benefits organizations receive from their investments in technology. For more information, visit www.comptia.org or follow CompTIA at www.facebook.com/CompTIA and twitter.com/comptia.

CompTIA’s Public Advocacy group focuses on a broad array of issues affecting the IT industry, with particular emphasis on representing the interests of small and mid-sized IT companies and entrepreneurs.  Areas of focus include workforce education and training, tax matters, access to capital, health IT, procurement, cybersecurity and smart technologies.