June 3, 2025 • 33 mins
In-Depth Conversation on Telecom and Personal Growth with Charlie Rodriguez
In this episode of The Wireless Way, host Chris Whitaker interviews long-time friend Charlie Rodriguez, a seasoned telecom professional. The conversation kicks off with personal anecdotes and an apology from Chris for the delayed invite. Charlie shares his inspiring journey of overcoming personal struggles, including battling alcohol addiction and coping with the loss of his daughter to cancer. He also discusses his professional achievements and the evolution of the telecom channel, especially post-COVID. The episode dives deep into the cutting-edge solutions offered by KORE Wireless, focusing on purpose-built devices in healthcare and other industries. The discussion aims to motivate, educate, and inspire listeners, making it a must-watch for anyone interested in telecom innovations and personal resilience. Don't miss this heartfelt and insightful conversation!
00:00 Introduction and Guest Apology
00:39 Charlie's Professional Background
03:11 Personal Struggles and Triumphs
04:59 Overcoming Alcoholism
11:29 Charlie's Journey into Telecom
14:09 Reflections on the Telecom Industry
14:29 Career Journey at KORE Wireless
15:43 Changes in the Channel Post-COVID
16:44 Challenges in Partner Engagement
19:01 The Evolution of IoT and AI
20:45 Winning with Purpose-Built Devices
21:18 Healthcare Solutions and RPM
23:12 The Importance of Purpose-Built Devices
28:03 KORE's Comprehensive Solutions
30:04 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
Check out my website https://thewirelessway.net/ use the contact button to send request and feedback.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
chris_1_06-03-2025_111255 (00:00):
Hey, welcome to another episode of
(00:03):
The Wireless Way.
I'm your host, Chris Whitaker,and this is almost embarrassing
for me.
I'll tell you why, because I'vebeen friends with this guest for
a long time, people, and he's, Ijust now got around to asking
him to come on the show.
So first of all CharlieRodriguez is with me today.
A lot of you know him.
If you're in the channel one of,one of the, one of the best guys
(00:25):
brought brilliant minds in thechannel.
Love this guy.
So first of all, I'm gonna startoff with apologizing, Charlie,
although you're gonna tell me Idon't need to, but I'm like, why
did it take so long, man?
My apologies my apologies toyou, the listener,'cause you're
gonna this a lot.
A little bit about Charliebefore I bring him on, a season
telecom professional with adistinguished career.
Just again, hey, when I saydistinguish your career, man,
(00:47):
just like everyone's career.
It's a checkerboard of a patternof different experiences
business and professional andpersonal.
It is, he's got it covered, man.
Both on the direct side andindirect side with the wealth of
experience and wireless IOTenterprise Solutions Cloud, MPLS
the network if you will, managednetwork services all kinds of
(01:08):
connectivity.
A little side story.
Charlie, this is not in his bio,but I'm gonna add it.
When I, we were at Comcastbusiness together, I was a Coax
Circuit slinger and was toldChris, you gotta start selling
fiber.
I gotta be honest with you backthen, I'm like, oh my God, man,
you have to be like an engineerto sell fiber or something.
And Charlie, flew fromCalifornia to Tennessee.
We did a road show and hecoached me and mentored me.
(01:31):
And at the end I realized, okay,so this isn't really any
different.
It's actually easier to sell.
Some of my technical knowledgeand expertise came from this
guy.
Charlie's constantly co consistdelivered results by supporting
agents and customers alike.
He looks at both of them asequally important.
Extensive background includesbuilding, launching, and
(01:51):
managing successful sales teamsand startup environments,
established environmentsshowcasing his ability to drive
growth and innovation in thetelecom industry sounds very
formal.
But you are you're a prettyformal guy, but you got a good
side, right?
Charlie you're a funny guy too.
charlie_1_06-03-2025_08094 (02:09):
Hey, Chris, thank you so much.
Really appreciate being here.
And you know what?
It there's no, like you said, noapology necessary.
I think this was meant to be atthis point in time in our lives.
chris_1_06-03-2025_111255 (02:21):
Man.
charlie_1_06-03-2025_080947 (02:21):
you
chris_1_06-03-2025_111255 (02:21):
Good words.
charlie_1_06-03-2025_080947 (02:22):
out to visit you that met so many
years ago Dan Atlanta, and whenI really first met you, I really
didn't even know you when youcalled and said, Hey, I
chris_1_06-03-2025_111255 (02:30):
Yeah.
charlie_1_06-03-2025_08094 (02:31):
help with this fiber stuff.
I was like, yeah, heck yeah,I'll, I got permission to fly
down and hang with you.
First time I met you.
Loved you.
Good human being, and so gladwe've been friends for so long
chris_1_06-03-2025_111255 (02:41):
No thank you man.
charlie_1_06-03-2025_080947 (02:42):
on my friend.
chris_1_06-03-2025_111255 (02:43):
No, and it will brother.
You're right.
I think we're both cut from thesame cloth.
Yeah, I'm grateful for that aswell.
That was a great time.
So first question for allguests, man.
We got this professional bio.
We know what's on LinkedIn.
Tell us the rest of the story.
What's not in the bio?
How did you get here?
charlie_1_06-03-2025_080 (02:58):
That's a great question.
Life's a funny thing, Chris.
Life will give you some twistsand turns and sometimes it'll
kick you.
And, hear the old cliche,
chris_1_06-03-2025_111255 (03:06):
i.
charlie_1_06-03-2025_080947 (03:07):
do you handle diversity tough
times, and how do you get backup?
This, we lost our oldestdaughter to cancer about nine
years ago.
And and at that moment in time,prior to that, I had been
struggling with alcohol.
And at one point I made adecision that enough was enough.
I got help and I was able to Ihaven't had alcohol since
(03:28):
September of 2016.
My daughter passed away Deceactually January Christmas Day
in 2016.
So I was able to be sober for myfamily at the really.
Challenging tough time in ourlives and I've maintained that
sobriety ever since.
And so the blessing that's comeout of it, I know it's hard to
find blessing when you lose yourdaughter.
(03:50):
The blessing is that we wereable to, take over raising our
granddaughter at that time, shewas three years old, she's now
11 years old, and
chris_1_06-03-2025_111255 (03:59):
Wow.
charlie_1_06-03-2025_0809 (03:59):
just.
The sunshine of our lives and mymotivation and I'm just a better
dad the second time aroundChris.
So that's something I don'tthink anyone knows about me, but
it, we were able to come back asa family.
I was able to come back fromthat and today I feel I bring a
different Charlie to people, tomy partners, my, my customers,
my company, my employers.
(04:20):
Then the Charlie that, that wasaround 10 or 15 years ago.
chris_1_06-03-2025_111255 (04:24):
Wow.
You're right because I think, Imet that original Charlie, but
even, you.
Who you are at your core is whoyou are now.
Yeah.
The alcohol just that was adistraction, right?
That, that, that was, hate tosay the word watering down the
real Charlie.
'cause you don't think ofalcohol watering down anything
but.
But and that's a very, I know wedidn't even really talk much
about this in our pre-showdiscussion, but I'm thank you
(04:47):
for bringing that up.
'cause that is a real problem inour society.
Alcohol use, whether it bealcoholism or, social drinking
day, drinking, everybody's got aname for it, binging, whatever.
The bottom line is a poison.
You mentioned you got help.
Can you, how did, what wouldthat look like?
Who, what who?
charlie_1_06-03-2025_0809 (05:04):
Yeah, so I literally found a local
rehab center.
It was John Muir Health here in,in Concord, my backyard.
And I asked to sign up.
They said, give us a week, we'llfind a bed for you.
And I checked in they, theyhoused me for about a month
where I was locked down, nophone, no communication with my
family.
After that I was I went througha year of therapy and at this
(05:25):
point in time, we were stillstruggling with losing.
Our daughter and she was, thecancer was really kicking in the
last few months of 2016.
Went through a year of therapythroughout, during and post
rehab and that therapy waspositive in multiple ways.
Number one, helping me overcomethe struggle with alcohol.
But two it gave me an outlet tovoice.
(05:47):
What was going on in my life andthe tragedy we were dealing with
other people that had strugglesin their lives.
'cause everyone that's analcoholic, you'd be surprised at
how many successful peoplestruggle with alcoholics.
I was in rooms withmillionaires, business owners
very smart individuals.
But alcohol is a poison and it'sallowed, I look around, you
can't.
(06:07):
Almost watch a football gamewithout seeing 15 commercials
about alcohol or booze or yourregular shows or billboards.
It's just everywhere and it'saccepted, part of the channel
event.
You know this, we go to Vegasevery year and a lot of times
it's a big party for two orthree days and I'm now blessed
to be that guy that's.
Exercised by seven o'clock inthe morning, showered, ready to
(06:28):
go, and I'm bright and peppy ateight o'clock in the morning.
Something I couldn't have said,10 or 12 years ago, You were, A
lot of people are struggling ateight o'clock in the morning in
Las Vegas.
Not me anymore.
I'm feeling good and zip
chris_1_06-03-2025_111255 (06:41):
man.
charlie_1_06-03-2025_080947 (06:41):
to go, man.
chris_1_06-03-2025_111255 (06:43):
God man, again, thank you so much
for sharing that.
'cause whether you're listeningand you're dealing with that.
And if you're not, you surelyknow someone that is.
And I'm a big proponent ofcounseling and, getting help.
We get checkups on our heartsand our lungs and, but a lot of
times we don't think about ourhead.
Our mind, our body, our soulneeds.
We gotta check on thatsometimes.
(07:04):
And whether you're a person offaith, which I am, which I,
that's my go-to prayermeditation level sets me
personally.
But if not, yeah, talking tosomeone, some, someone that's, I
could say even talking to afamily member or friend, but
even that's not the same, right?
Because you need someone that'snot gonna, maybe a third party.
I don't know.
That's my opinion.
I'm biased person that's trainedand you can just let it all out,
(07:24):
man.
But wow.
charlie_1_06-03-2025_080947 (07:25):
and one thing I wanna say is, I'm
always open to speaking toanyone that is struggling.
The thing is this, you can nevertell an alcoholic or a drug
abuser or whatever you'restruggling with in life what to
do, how to do, you need tochange your life.
Because the challenge is, Chris,that person, that individual
struggling with that addiction.
not change until they make adecision to change.
(07:48):
As much as they're not gonna doit for their family, their kids,
their mom, their wife, they needto make the decision that they
want to be done with it.
And until that happens it's notgonna change.
So what I try to do is share mystory with folks that are
struggling and I don't tell themwhat to do.
I don't.
I just share my past experienceand struggles and I share my
successes and say.
(08:09):
If the door, there's the pathyou now have to make that
decision.
chris_1_06-03-2025_111255 (08:13):
It is a choice.
charlie_1_06-03-2025_08094 (08:15):
It's a choice.
chris_1_06-03-2025_111255 (08:16):
W was it a hard choice?
Was it, again, I mean you, yousaid how long in the rehab, 30
days
charlie_1_06-03-2025_080947 (08:23):
30 days in rehab and then and
chris_1_06-03-2025_111255 (08:24):
a year of counseling.
charlie_1_06-03-2025_080947 (08:26):
of counseling after that.
For me, it was not a hardchoice.
I was mentally done.
You have to make a decision.
You have to go, I'm sick andtired of being sick and tired,
and you have to be at thatpoint, you can, many people
crash, and they've losteverything.
Many people crash and make thatdecision when they're still
doing okay.
Many people crash and they'revery successful, but you have to
(08:47):
make that decision no matterwhat.
Point in your life you're at,but when you make that decision,
you're ready.
It was not a problem for me.
I was ready.
I wanted to be done.
I just needed that help.
I needed that support system toget it, get me out, get it outta
my system, get back on track.
And when I was done, Chris, Iwas done.
I remember the bad times.
So intently I never want to goback and experience that again.
chris_1_06-03-2025_111255 (09:10):
Yeah.
charlie_1_06-03-2025_080947 (09:10):
and that's my strength.
I know
chris_1_06-03-2025_111255 (09:12):
Wow.
charlie_1_06-03-2025_08094 (09:12):
Been and I know where
chris_1_06-03-2025_111255 (09:13):
And
charlie_1_06-03-2025_08094 (09:13):
want to go
chris_1_06-03-2025_111255 (09:14):
no, thank you for sharing that.
That is very, I told you when wedid our pre-show conversation,
inspire, motivate, and educate.
Man, if that was aninspirational brother, no, I, it
did.
I hope it was, I hope someone'slistening is inspired by that to
either talk to that love one,that friend.
We all have friends.
We look at them at the channelshows and go, man, what?
There they go again.
(09:34):
Someone go get so and help'emthem get back their, whether it
be he or she or we don't, that'sa bad thing.
A lot of people just go, eh, notmy problem.
Good luck with that.
That's a tough one and I don'tknow, maybe it's'cause I'm
getting older, been, doing thisa long time.
I feel like there's definitely amovement of professionals that
are.
Giving up, drinking.
They're, they're for all kind ofreasons, whether it be health
reasons or it's causing aproblem in their life.
(09:57):
E even for me, I've been doing alot of reading on it and, I
don't wanna have any brain fog,man.
I'm trying to stay sharp here,and I don't need any thing
getting in my way.
And so yeah, currently, I guesswhere I'm at in life, if I, not
that you, not that I need todivulge it, but just, yeah, just
sharing, we're sharing here yeahI probably, I wouldn't say it's
a social drinker, but I'll havea couple of drink a beer or two
(10:17):
a week.
It used to be three or four aday.
Yeah.
Yeah.
So I was going down the path of,I noticed I started to wobble,
man, I started, I was getting introuble, man.
The oil light was coming on, andI'm like, man I don't want to, I
don't want to go there.
And so I think, and then I thinkit was someone said, Hey, you
should try dry January.
This was probably five, sixyears ago.
And I'm like, why would I wannago a whole month without
(10:38):
drinking?
What's the point?
But I got it.
First of all, it gave me theconfidence that I could do it
for one, I gave it up for amonth and yeah, it was hard.
It was, I was tempted and, yougoing to parties and everybody's
drinking.
I'm just, and it's so funny, I'msure you get this a lot when
you, someone says, Hey man whatare you having?
I'll have a, an iced tea.
A lemonade, Long Island.
No.
A regular iced tea.
What's wrong?
(10:59):
What's, there's something wrong.
No, I'm good.
I'm actually really good.
charlie_1_06-03-2025_0809 (11:03):
Yeah.
chris_1_06-03-2025_111255 (11:03):
Do you get that when you tell
people you don't drink?
charlie_1_06-03-2025_080947 (11:05):
I have no problem sharing what
chris_1_06-03-2025_111255 (11:07):
Yep,
charlie_1_06-03-2025_0809 (11:07):
with.
And the minute you've mentionedthat, here's the great thing
about where we're at today.
It's not taboo to talk aboutthis anymore.
chris_1_06-03-2025_11125 (11:14):
that's right.
charlie_1_06-03-2025_ (11:15):
something that people are ashamed to hide,
and you shouldn't be ashamed tohide it.
I think you should share.
And so I just share my story
chris_1_06-03-2025_111255 (11:21):
Yeah,
charlie_1_06-03-2025_080947 (11:22):
get it and they go done.
They're
chris_1_06-03-2025_11125 (11:24):
that's right.
charlie_1_06-03-2025_080947 (11:24):
Let me get you a ginger out, let me
get
chris_1_06-03-2025_11125 (11:25):
That's right.
charlie_1_06-03-2025_0809 (11:26):
water and
chris_1_06-03-2025_111255 (11:27):
good to hear.
charlie_1_06-03-2025_0809 (11:27):
good.
Yeah.
chris_1_06-03-2025_11125 (11:28):
That's good to hear.
Changing gears a little bit onyour bio, we didn't really go
into pre-technology.
What, was there a point youcould remember going, Hey, this
telecom stuff's pretty cool, I'mgonna do this, or did you
stumble into it like most of usdid?
How did you get into thisbusiness?
charlie_1_06-03-2025_0 (11:44):
Stumbled into it.
I was working retail back in thelate nineties and a friend of
mine who was in retail had got ajob selling telecommunications
for a local Clec out of theCentral Valley in California.
And he just needed some salesguys and he knew I was top.
Top producer at my retail,position.
And he called me up and said,Hey, I need a couple of guys.
(12:06):
You interested in jumping outtaretail?
And I thought, hey, Mondaythrough Friday, nine to five and
I got a salary and Icommissioned, yeah, I could do
this.
And I remember the first time myboss at that company and,
knocking doors, going out andactually walking into businesses
and.
Asking them for their businesswas something I'd never done
before.
And I tell you, it was a littlescary at first, but when my
(12:27):
first boss and I went out doorknocking together and he just
started walking in doors andjust said, Hey, I'm, Joe with
this company, here's what we do.
Who?
Your company makes thatdecision.
Bam.
I thought.
Oh, I can do that.
And from that point forward, Iwas out knocking doors.
And that's, and back in thosedays, Chris, we were selling
symmetrical DSL, if you canbelieve it.
(12:49):
It was
chris_1_06-03-2025_111255 (12:49):
Ooh.
charlie_1_06-03-2025_080947 (12:50):
up and 128 down, but it was
symmetrical,
chris_1_06-03-2025_111255 (12:53):
Ooh.
That's good.
Good stuff.
charlie_1_06-03-2025_080 (12:55):
Bonded T ones, Chris.
Yeah.
Not just 1.5.
We're talking three gigs, baby,up and down.
Guaranteed speeds on bonded Tones.
Yeah, that was back in the day,and so that's how I got into it
and I ended up learning that.
I love technology.
I love being, I, I've alwaysloved electronics, as you can
see, I have a lot of antiqueelectronics, but I love new
(13:15):
electronics and so it was just agood space for me.
And it's just, I just, itattracted me and I'm here ever
since 25 years Now, if you canbelieve it.
These wrinkles.
Prove that,
chris_1_06-03-2025_111255 (13:26):
Yeah.
Hey if you ever come to Georgia,both my daughters are
aestheticians and one, one of'emworks at a med spa.
They'll do some Botox for you.
charlie_1_06-03-2025_0809 (13:33):
Count
chris_1_06-03-2025_111255 (13:33):
Yeah.
Yeah.
I'm not for it.
I haven't done anything, but Isay, what can about these crow's
feet?
charlie_1_06-03-2025_0809 (13:38):
Yeah.
chris_1_06-03-2025_111255 (13:38):
I, so yeah, they're pretty much gone.
charlie_1_06-03-2025_080947 (13:40):
No
chris_1_06-03-2025_111255 (13:41):
It works.
I love it.
Yeah.
Yeah, so you, you've been doingit a while.
I, like you, I stumbled into itas well, so thank goodness.
I've always loved technology.
I've always been curious aboutwhat, in fact, I'm more into
what it does and how it does it,that's, I have friends that are
a bunch of engineers and youhave you do as well.
The engineers wanna know how itworks, how does that work?
(14:02):
I'm more like, no, I just wannaknow what it does.
How does it make my life easier?
charlie_1_06-03-2025_0809 (14:05):
Yeah.
chris_1_06-03-2025_111255 (14:06):
How can this add value?
And and that, that's beenworking for me.
Okay.
So looking back over the last,two decades or so.
I'm sure you have an opinion onlike, where, what's the state of
the industry, What's yourobservations about when you when
you think about where we are asa industry, as a channel, as in,
in technology.
What are your thoughts?
charlie_1_06-03-2025_0809 (14:25):
Yeah, good question.
A few things cross my mind.
Number one, just a littlebackground.
So I've been with the last,almost six years now, I've been
at KORE Wireless initially myfirst three years.
You brought me over Chris, sothank you for that.
It's been a.
Great career here at KORE, sothank you.
Appreciate that.
Those, so for those first threeyears, help helping KORE build a
channel team, you started thatproject here and then there was
(14:48):
some changes.
I had the opportunity to move toour connected health team for
two years, and that was on adirect, in a direct sales role.
So I guess the end of last year,maybe November's timeframe.
I was asked to come back to thechannel here at KORE, and so
I've been in the channel againfor the last six months at this
point it's a different channel.
We've got a new leadership teamtoday.
(15:08):
What's different here at KORE inthe channel is that.
The internal teams understandthe channel today, which is
something you and I strugglewith trying to teach and train
and motivate internal teams onwho the channel is, who partners
are, who agents are, how theywork, how they understand our
services and how they make aliving.
That was a struggle.
That's not a struggle at KOREanymore.
(15:28):
That's part of the reason I cameback to the team.
very channel focused.
We team with all the directreps.
And so the direct reps arehungry for partner opportunities
and they treat them gingerly andthey treat them well.
So that's what's really changedhere at KORE.
Overall.
What's interesting, Chris, iscoming back to the channel post
COVID because.
I was in the channel here atKORE when COVID hit, and all of
(15:51):
a sudden everyone was remote andwe had great success regardless
of what happened during COVIDwithout having to go out and
visit partners and agents and doevents and travel.
That all stopped, and we went tozero.
Today.
It's interesting, Chris, thelast six months is, agents now
have dispersed, they're allworking remote offices that I
(16:12):
was used to walking into andseeing 12 or 15 different reps
in an office or independentbrokers in an office.
It's not the world anymore.
They're, those offices areempty.
I'm lucky if there's two orthree folks in any given office,
even if they have offices,here's.
Part of the thing is many of ourold larger agents out in the
west, they've closed down theiroffices.
(16:33):
The leases were up and they justshut'em down because no one was
coming in.
Why are they spending$15,000 amonth or 10,000 a month for that
rent and no one's showing up.
So I think the biggest changefor me is how.
To get in front of partnerstoday.
So we have valuableconversations.
So they see the value in what myproduct brings to them and how
they can make money selling ourservices.
(16:54):
Because it's just the lunch andlearns the dine and dashes, the
whatever the events we weredoing, they're just not
attracting partners anymore.
So that's the biggest change.
So now it's been a lot ofindependent individual reach
outs LinkedIn visits, phonecalls, emails.
So really it's just.
Interesting.
Trying to figure out the new wayto work.
The channel is what I'm seeingas far as that goes.
chris_1_06-03-2025_111255 (17:17):
You mentioned lunch and learns and
events.
And you're right, these are alltactics that have been around
for a while and I've always web,webinars is a lot of work can go
into separate webinar and yougot five people show up.
You're like my feeling is that'sbetter than zero.
At least still five.
charlie_1_06-03-2025_08094 (17:30):
Five touches
chris_1_06-03-2025_111255 (17:31):
Five.
Do five pitches at one time.
That's better than, I make fiveseparate phone calls.
Do you have an opinion on whatkind of partner engagement
activity is most beneficial ormost productive?
Have you seeing anything?
charlie_1_06-03-2025_080947 (17:45):
I can tell you when I sit down
face to face, it, there's adifference between having a
teams call or a Zoom call withsomebody, you're far away.
It makes it tough for us to gettogether personally, but, there
is the, a huge difference whenyou sit down with somebody and
break some bread and have a mealand sit down and then.
Those discussions tend to bemore personal about who is
(18:09):
Chris, who is Charlie, who isthis agent I'm talking to?
and I think that's thedifference.
When you meet someone face toface and you sit with them it's
deeper than the 30 minute or the45 minute zoom call because that
really ends up being allbusiness, all conversation about
what we need to accomplish toget this customer their
services.
Whereas you sit down withsomebody.
(18:30):
it's not always, it's not alwaysall about business.
It's about who you are, who Iam.
And I think that's thedifference.
So for me, it's when I get achance or an opportunity to sit
with somebody personally, breaksome bread, have some coffee in
an environment that's not a workenvironment, it really, that
personalized touch is huge.
So I,
chris_1_06-03-2025_111255 (18:47):
Yeah.
charlie_1_06-03-2025_08094 (18:48):
love that aspect of what we do.
And I to find that more often Ithink is where we're gonna find
success in this channel.
chris_1_06-03-2025_111255 (18:55):
No, it's, we always say it's about
the relationship, it's alwaysabout the relationship.
So in these conversations you'rehaving, And of course you know
me, wireless way, I love iot.
What are you talking about themost when it comes to the area
of iot technology andconnectivity?
Is there a common thread or isit all over the map?
charlie_1_06-03-2025_080947 (19:11):
Oh, great question.
Look, if you go back to fiveyears ago, e every new
technology has a boom, right?
Becomes the buzz word and thehot topic, and everyone wants to
learn about it.
Today, it's ai.
years ago was IOT.
Years, seven years ago was SDwan, So e every time
chris_1_06-03-2025_111255 (19:28):
Prior to that cloud,
charlie_1_06-03-2025_08094 (19:29):
that the cloud, right?
So that those times are excitingthat happens.
And that happened for us in iotmany years ago and back then we
were talking about.
Trash cans that openedautomatically or would notify
the maintenance teams or we'retalking about connected this or
connected that.
Connected chairs in retail.
All of this stuff was connectedand I think the excitement of
(19:51):
that was fun.
And every agent was interestedbecause it was a hot topic.
the challenge is that.
That appeal is gone.
Right now.
AI the newest buzzword andeveryone's talking about AI and
what to do there.
So the difference today in myworld, in the I in the iot space
is we have to have not justconnectivity, it's gotta be a
(20:12):
solution.
So today we focus on sourcingequipment.
Purpose-built equipment.
We focus on connecting thatequipment with connectivity and
we focus on delivering acomplete solution to our end
users.
So it's not about just a simsome odd science project that
needs connectivity, thatliterary science projects don't
pay money'cause they take yearsoff and sometimes they fizzle
(20:34):
out because they are just that ascience project.
Whereas when we deliversolutions, we bring value to our
partners, their customers makethem look good and everyone wins
in those situations.
chris_1_06-03-2025_111255 (20:45):
So when it comes for partners that
are winning deals and makingmoney, what do the what, tell me
about the last few wins you'vehad.
What did they look like?
Protect the innocent and keepthe names out, but what where
are people winning and earningthe commissions and the money.
charlie_1_06-03-2025_08094 (20:58):
Yeah it, again, it's about solutions.
Right now our, we have, we'vebeen winning with purpose-built
devices especially in thehealthcare space.
We KORE, most folks don't knowthis, we have a hundred million
dollar a year healthcarebusiness practice here at KORE,
thriving.
It's booming.
In healthcare.
(21:18):
There are remote patientmonitoring solutions being
delivered today.
By all of the healthcareorganizations, whether it's a
Kaiser Permanente out here inthe West, or Baylor Health in
Texas, whatever the healthcareorganization is, they're
delivering these remote patientmonitoring solutions.
What that is, Chris, is ifsomeone goes in for a surgery or
some sort of term, post-acute,long-term issue, they need help
(21:40):
with when they're released fromthe hospital.
They are delivered, they aresent home with a kit.
That kit would be a gateway theyused to send Samsung tablets or
with them and all theseperipherals.
And what that kit would do isbasically that patient or
participant could have a visitwith their doctor in their home
with all the tools that you'dexpect to see in a doctor's
(22:01):
office, except they have'em intheir home.
And what that is ideal for Chrisis for especially hospitals,
need to avoid what's calledreadmittance.
If you go to have a largesurgery at a hospital and you're
released and within two or threeweeks, you have to be readmitted
because something didn't healright and they have to open you
(22:22):
up and do that surgery again.
It's not any cheaper the secondtime around, Chris, so say that
first surgery was$300,000.
second time it's gonna be$300,000.
So what happens is when they goto Bill, the insurance companies
or the Medicare Medi-Cal, what'sgonna happen is they're gonna
get a veto on the second surgeryor the second ad admittance
(22:44):
because they're gonna say, look,we paid you once.
If the patient didn't heal, it'son you.
You're gonna have to eat thatother$300,000.
So to avoid that.
They're sending home these kitsto ensure patients are healing
properly, or if something'sgoing sideways, fever starts
kicking in.
They'll get notifications,they'll know it's happening, and
they'll bring that patient inand get ahead of it before they
(23:05):
have to get into a big, majorsurgery.
So that's called RPM.
Where we're winning big is.
challenge with using consumergrade devices, no offense to
Samsung and iPads, they'refantastic.
I have an iPad, I love it.
Samsung Samsungs are great, butthe challenge is they are really
meant for consumers.
you can't go out and buy a newiPhone and think you've got the
(23:26):
latest and greatest'cause.
Within three months, they'llhave one that's even better than
the last one you got.
Three months, literally, right?
Every three to six monthsthere's a new iPhone, iPad,
latest, greatest, right?
That's fantastic for you and Iif you want to have the greatest
technology in a phone or atablet, but it's not great for a
business.
Chris, imagine a Christmas a, abusiness, Chris that buys a.
A thousand tablets and within ayear that tablet now is end of
(23:48):
life.
It doesn't exist anymore andneeds firmware updates and those
updates happen when it's leastexpected or least wanted, and
they often cause crashes.
So now imagine you have apatient in the field with a kit,
they have an iPad or a Samsunggets a firmware update, and now
there RPM kit does not work.
That could be tragic.
It could cost hospitalsthousands of dollars.
(24:09):
Worse than that, it couldsomeone's personal lives and
their health.
We work with a company calledSocial Mobile, which builds
purpose-built devices.
These devices, they don't haveany bloatware.
They're an Android gold cer.
They're Google Gold, certifiedAndroid devices, so they're
certified by Google.
And these devices arepurpose-built.
They have a minimum shelf lifeof three years support for five
(24:32):
to eight years from what I'veseen to date.
So now can basically supportyour healthcare customers.
Trucking companies that usetablets, right?
With these purpose-built devicesthat will last out in the field
for 3, 5, 8 years without havingto be refreshed every two to
three years.
'cause the devices are just endof life.
Or if you, there's a huge marketin.
(24:54):
In certified pre-owned deviceswhere companies are buying bits
and pieces and patching togetherdevices, they're a great value
as far as cost goes, but in thelong run they're very expensive
because say you buy a thousandof this apple iPad version X
one, two, and then you buy, youfind another certified pre-owned
pa, that batch of devices, 500of these devices, version three,
(25:17):
400 of these devices.
Now you have a mix, mash mix andmash of.
Of devices and equipment in yourinventory that don't make sense.
Whereas if you go with apurpose-built device, Chris, now
that healthcare organization hasa single device, they can keep
finding those devices for yearsto come buy new ones.
They don't have to refresh everyyear, and they've got a device
that is the same with all oftheir users in the organization.
(25:40):
So it's huge cost savings,literally millions of dollars.
And where we're winning, Chrisis our current customers.
Are literally refreshing all oftheir old certified pre-owned
devices or iPads or Samsungswith social mobile devices that
are purpose-built and will onlydo what they want it do for,
want it to do for the next threeto five years and longer from
what we've seen.
chris_1_06-03-2025_111255 (26:01):
And a lot of the iPads in Samsung,
consumer tablets have a lot offeatures and technologies that a
business really doesn't need, sothey're paying a premium.
So oftentimes, not only is itpurpose built, but it's probably
more cost effective and budgetfriendly.
Is that a fair statement?
charlie_1_06-03-2025_080 (26:16):
That's ab absolutely.
They're budget friendly.
They're probably a third of thecost, half the cost sometimes
then your Samsung and iPads outthere.
The other thing is, what youtalked about is bloatware.
Whenever you get a, the latest,greatest phone, right?
What happens is there's allthese, apps on there that you'll
never use.
You can't delete'em.
But what no one realizes isthey're actually eating up
memory behind, the scenes.
chris_1_06-03-2025_1112 (26:36):
battery life?
charlie_1_06-03-2025_08 (26:37):
battery life and your phone doesn't work
that long.
So imagine getting ready of thatcalled bloatware.
So now you don't have anybloatware on these devices.
So they, the batteries lastlonger, the devices last longer.
You don't have to worry aboutany of those things.
Eating at memory, they workbetter, they're more efficient,
chris_1_06-03-2025_111255 (26:52):
Is
charlie_1_06-03-2025_080 (26:52):
built.
chris_1_06-03-2025_111255 (26:53):
when you say social mobile is it, are
they really.
Meant to be replacements forsmartphones or smart tablets, or
are there other devices likemaybe point of sale or you see a
lot of people, a lot ofrestaurants now taking orders on
toast and clover devices, zebradevices, or did they do anything
beyond a smartphone and atablet?
charlie_1_06-03-2025_08 (27:12):
They're working on a couple things.
They're look working on smartwatches.
chris_1_06-03-2025_111255 (27:16):
Okay.
Okay.
charlie_1_06-03-2025_080947 (27:16):
the healthcare space that will do,
more than what your I, youriWatch will do.
They're working on dongles,right?
Plugin dongles.
That's a space that I think hasbeen neglected for years.
Just a dongle that'll have a simcard in it, and you can plug it
in and out of different devicesas you need connectivity.
So they are working on otherdevices.
chris_1_06-03-2025_111255 (27:34):
Cool.
charlie_1_06-03-2025_080947 (27:35):
in mind, these are not replacements
for iPhones and I, Samsungthey're not.
Consumer grade devices, theydon't have, you can't, they're
not made to make phone calls.
They're not made for theconsumer.
These are strictly purpose builtfor business use only.
chris_1_06-03-2025_111255 (27:47):
Got it.
Got it.
Yeah, you see a lot of ininventory and logistics and,
everything's scanning thebarcodes or the QR codes Hell
lot.
Yeah.
You don't need a$800, a thousanddollars device to do that.
You just need something with abasic, and you said there are
androids, so you can load an MDMon'em as well, I imagine,
charlie_1_06-03-202 (28:03):
absolutely.
And that's part of the serviceswe offer at KORE.
We work with all the top MDMservices, manage engine,
O-D-I-B-M, mass winnable, right?
So we can load that device withthe MDM, services load it with
the customer's applications.
Make sure it works, hasconnectivity.
'cause that's what we do as anMVNO.
We provide connectivity, we'llmake sure the device works
(28:23):
globally.
We launched these, we sell thesedevices around the world and
with our super sim, they willconnect around the world with a
single single sku, single IMSIKORE sim, which is also added
value.
Again, it's a complete solutionthat we're offering Chris, and
that's the value we bring to ourcustomers.
We're not just.
Of competitors in our space onlydo connectivity.
(28:43):
We don't just do connectivity.
We provide complete solutionshere at KORE.
chris_1_06-03-2025_111255 (28:48):
Did I understand correctly?
You guys are have a voiceoffering now there, like a
voiceover IP type solution?
charlie_1_06-03-2025_080947 (28:54):
So not KORE directly, but look, any
device that has a SIM card andconnectivity voice could be
converted to data via WhatsApp,
chris_1_06-03-2025_111255 (29:04):
Yeah.
charlie_1_06-03-2025_08 (29:04):
there's other VOIP applications.
So that in essence could becomea voice solution, and
chris_1_06-03-2025_111255 (29:10):
Got it.
charlie_1_06-03-2025_08094 (29:10):
most applications in the healthcare
space use.
When they're having a visit witha part patient and a doctor,
that patient will have theirsocial mobile device in their
home.
They can have a phone call'causethere's a camera in there.
They can have that conversation.
But it's all digital.
It's not traditional Services.
chris_1_06-03-2025_111255 (29:26):
I'd be curious to know if they, if
someone should survey.
I could do a survey, a poll,but.
Of all the voice conversationsyou have on your smart device,
how many of them are actuallyover the PTSN?
How many are actually over theswitch network or, you dial a
phone number, it's always evenFaceTime.
My granddaughter FaceTimes meall the time and I.
There's no phone number there.
(29:46):
It's just, it's FaceTime.
Even right now we're talkingover a data based solution
whether it be again, zoom and,teams and all that.
Yeah.
So it's really interesting tosee where the future goes when
it comes to mobile voicesolutions.
I definitely think we're seeingthis pivot, maybe, but
charlie_1_06-03-2025_0 (30:02):
digital.
Everything's digital.
Everything's data.
chris_1_06-03-2025_111255 (30:04):
man, so is there anything else we
haven't, that we need to talkabout?
I.
Charlie, anything?
Anything we haven't mentioned orany last words you want to give
us?
charlie_1_06-03-2025_080947 (30:14):
I just I think, I, there's a lot
of competition in our space inthe iot space.
And what I want to do issimplify.
What we do for our partners outthere.
And let them understand a couplethings, right?
You can come to us not just forconnectivity.
We're not just a sim provider,we're not just an iot provider.
We are a solutions company.
(30:35):
We wanna be the trusted advisorto ensure that when you bring us
your opportunities, we'll ensurethat we bring a solution to the
table.
A device.
Connected device, MDM services,if needed, deployment services.
We can also do third partylogistics where we'll deploy
these kits completely working tothe end users.
Whether it's a distributioncenter that will redistribute
(30:57):
these devices or whether it's tothe actual participants or
patients like actual individualusers.
We'll ship directly to thoseusers.
And the other side of that is wedo the reverse logistics.
So we'll also return thosedevices.
Those are things that we offerthat I think our competition
can't touch.
The complete logistics, fulllifecycle services here at KORE.
chris_1_06-03-2025_111255 (31:17):
Wow.
That's a good one to leave on.
Yeah, that's, managed device,mobile devices are not going
away.
They're just becoming more andmore prevalent.
Again, you going back to therestaurants, obviously
healthcare too.
You go to the doctor, you,instead of signing in on a
clipboard you're, punching awayon a tablet, checking in
everything, everything is gonnabe a tablet.
There's clipboards are goingaway.
Even, the small restaurants are,I travel, I'm seeing more and
(31:38):
more.
Of the orders being taken onthese handheld devices.
You go to the big box homeDepot, Lowe's, they're checking
inventory on a handheld devicewithout having to run back to
the computer terminal, so
charlie_1_06-03-2025_08094 (31:50):
ever been in a retail store where,
they're checking you out, with atablet, so you don't even have
to go to the
chris_1_06-03-2025_11125 (31:55):
That's Right.
Yeah.
Seeing that more and more.
charlie_1_06-03-2025_080947 (31:57):
the world is changing and technology
is a part of it and jump onboard.
It's fun.
It makes things easier and corkcan help.
chris_1_06-03-2025_1 (32:04):
Excellent.
Charlie, thank you so much formaking time today.
It's been a great conversation.
We covered a lot.
If you're listening, definitelycheck the show notes, some links
to learn more about KORE.
And if you need to contactCharlie and the team he's with
I'll have that information inthe show notes, man.
Thanks so much.
It's been as always a pleasureand I'm so glad we got to do
this.
charlie_1_06-03-2025_0809 (32:23):
Thank you so much, Chris.
Really appreciate it.
I'm honored to be here and thankyou again for the
chris_1_06-03-2025_111255 (32:27):
Yeah, man.
Honor's all mine, brother.
I there you go folks.
Another episode of The WirelessWay.
And as always, if you heardsomething that kinda hit home it
made you think about a acustomer, a prospect, or maybe a
colleague, please share thisepisode with'em.
And check out the wirelessway.net.
It's a website where you can hitthe contact us button and send
(32:50):
any feedback, input,suggestions, recommendations.
I love to hear from you and howwe can make this show better for
you.
So once again, thanks so much.
So grateful you joined us today,and I'll talk to you next time
on the Wireless Way.
Hey, welcome to another episode of
(00:03):
The Wireless Way.
I'm your host, Chris Whitaker,and this is almost embarrassing
for me.
I'll tell you why, because I'vebeen friends with this guest for
a long time, people, and he's, Ijust now got around to asking
him to come on the show.
So first of all CharlieRodriguez is with me today.
A lot of you know him.
If you're in the channel one of,one of the, one of the best guys
(00:25):
brought brilliant minds in thechannel.
Love this guy.
So first of all, I'm gonna startoff with apologizing, Charlie,
although you're gonna tell me Idon't need to, but I'm like, why
did it take so long, man?
My apologies my apologies toyou, the listener,'cause you're
gonna this a lot.
A little bit about Charliebefore I bring him on, a season
telecom professional with adistinguished career.
Just again, hey, when I saydistinguish your career, man,
(00:47):
just like everyone's career.
It's a checkerboard of a patternof different experiences
business and professional andpersonal.
It is, he's got it covered, man.
Both on the direct side andindirect side with the wealth of
experience and wireless IOTenterprise Solutions Cloud, MPLS
the network if you will, managednetwork services all kinds of
(01:08):
connectivity.
A little side story.
Charlie, this is not in his bio,but I'm gonna add it.
When I, we were at Comcastbusiness together, I was a Coax
Circuit slinger and was toldChris, you gotta start selling
fiber.
I gotta be honest with you backthen, I'm like, oh my God, man,
you have to be like an engineerto sell fiber or something.
And Charlie, flew fromCalifornia to Tennessee.
We did a road show and hecoached me and mentored me.
(01:31):
And at the end I realized, okay,so this isn't really any
different.
It's actually easier to sell.
Some of my technical knowledgeand expertise came from this
guy.
Charlie's constantly co consistdelivered results by supporting
agents and customers alike.
He looks at both of them asequally important.
Extensive background includesbuilding, launching, and
(01:51):
managing successful sales teamsand startup environments,
established environmentsshowcasing his ability to drive
growth and innovation in thetelecom industry sounds very
formal.
But you are you're a prettyformal guy, but you got a good
side, right?
Charlie you're a funny guy too.
charlie_1_06-03-2025_08094 (02:09):
Hey, Chris, thank you so much.
Really appreciate being here.
And you know what?
It there's no, like you said, noapology necessary.
I think this was meant to be atthis point in time in our lives.
chris_1_06-03-2025_111255 (02:21):
Man.
charlie_1_06-03-2025_080947 (02:21):
you
chris_1_06-03-2025_111255 (02:21):
Good words.
charlie_1_06-03-2025_080947 (02:22):
out to visit you that met so many
years ago Dan Atlanta, and whenI really first met you, I really
didn't even know you when youcalled and said, Hey, I
chris_1_06-03-2025_111255 (02:30):
Yeah.
charlie_1_06-03-2025_08094 (02:31):
help with this fiber stuff.
I was like, yeah, heck yeah,I'll, I got permission to fly
down and hang with you.
First time I met you.
Loved you.
Good human being, and so gladwe've been friends for so long
chris_1_06-03-2025_111255 (02:41):
No thank you man.
charlie_1_06-03-2025_080947 (02:42):
on my friend.
chris_1_06-03-2025_111255 (02:43):
No, and it will brother.
You're right.
I think we're both cut from thesame cloth.
Yeah, I'm grateful for that aswell.
That was a great time.
So first question for allguests, man.
We got this professional bio.
We know what's on LinkedIn.
Tell us the rest of the story.
What's not in the bio?
How did you get here?
charlie_1_06-03-2025_080 (02:58):
That's a great question.
Life's a funny thing, Chris.
Life will give you some twistsand turns and sometimes it'll
kick you.
And, hear the old cliche,
chris_1_06-03-2025_111255 (03:06):
i.
charlie_1_06-03-2025_080947 (03:07):
do you handle diversity tough
times, and how do you get backup?
This, we lost our oldestdaughter to cancer about nine
years ago.
And and at that moment in time,prior to that, I had been
struggling with alcohol.
And at one point I made adecision that enough was enough.
I got help and I was able to Ihaven't had alcohol since
(03:28):
September of 2016.
My daughter passed away Deceactually January Christmas Day
in 2016.
So I was able to be sober for myfamily at the really.
Challenging tough time in ourlives and I've maintained that
sobriety ever since.
And so the blessing that's comeout of it, I know it's hard to
find blessing when you lose yourdaughter.
(03:50):
The blessing is that we wereable to, take over raising our
granddaughter at that time, shewas three years old, she's now
11 years old, and
chris_1_06-03-2025_111255 (03:59):
Wow.
charlie_1_06-03-2025_0809 (03:59):
just.
The sunshine of our lives and mymotivation and I'm just a better
dad the second time aroundChris.
So that's something I don'tthink anyone knows about me, but
it, we were able to come back asa family.
I was able to come back fromthat and today I feel I bring a
different Charlie to people, tomy partners, my, my customers,
my company, my employers.
(04:20):
Then the Charlie that, that wasaround 10 or 15 years ago.
chris_1_06-03-2025_111255 (04:24):
Wow.
You're right because I think, Imet that original Charlie, but
even, you.
Who you are at your core is whoyou are now.
Yeah.
The alcohol just that was adistraction, right?
That, that, that was, hate tosay the word watering down the
real Charlie.
'cause you don't think ofalcohol watering down anything
but.
But and that's a very, I know wedidn't even really talk much
about this in our pre-showdiscussion, but I'm thank you
(04:47):
for bringing that up.
'cause that is a real problem inour society.
Alcohol use, whether it bealcoholism or, social drinking
day, drinking, everybody's got aname for it, binging, whatever.
The bottom line is a poison.
You mentioned you got help.
Can you, how did, what wouldthat look like?
Who, what who?
charlie_1_06-03-2025_0809 (05:04):
Yeah, so I literally found a local
rehab center.
It was John Muir Health here in,in Concord, my backyard.
And I asked to sign up.
They said, give us a week, we'llfind a bed for you.
And I checked in they, theyhoused me for about a month
where I was locked down, nophone, no communication with my
family.
After that I was I went througha year of therapy and at this
(05:25):
point in time, we were stillstruggling with losing.
Our daughter and she was, thecancer was really kicking in the
last few months of 2016.
Went through a year of therapythroughout, during and post
rehab and that therapy waspositive in multiple ways.
Number one, helping me overcomethe struggle with alcohol.
But two it gave me an outlet tovoice.
(05:47):
What was going on in my life andthe tragedy we were dealing with
other people that had strugglesin their lives.
'cause everyone that's analcoholic, you'd be surprised at
how many successful peoplestruggle with alcoholics.
I was in rooms withmillionaires, business owners
very smart individuals.
But alcohol is a poison and it'sallowed, I look around, you
can't.
(06:07):
Almost watch a football gamewithout seeing 15 commercials
about alcohol or booze or yourregular shows or billboards.
It's just everywhere and it'saccepted, part of the channel
event.
You know this, we go to Vegasevery year and a lot of times
it's a big party for two orthree days and I'm now blessed
to be that guy that's.
Exercised by seven o'clock inthe morning, showered, ready to
(06:28):
go, and I'm bright and peppy ateight o'clock in the morning.
Something I couldn't have said,10 or 12 years ago, You were, A
lot of people are struggling ateight o'clock in the morning in
Las Vegas.
Not me anymore.
I'm feeling good and zip
chris_1_06-03-2025_111255 (06:41):
man.
charlie_1_06-03-2025_080947 (06:41):
to go, man.
chris_1_06-03-2025_111255 (06:43):
God man, again, thank you so much
for sharing that.
'cause whether you're listeningand you're dealing with that.
And if you're not, you surelyknow someone that is.
And I'm a big proponent ofcounseling and, getting help.
We get checkups on our heartsand our lungs and, but a lot of
times we don't think about ourhead.
Our mind, our body, our soulneeds.
We gotta check on thatsometimes.
(07:04):
And whether you're a person offaith, which I am, which I,
that's my go-to prayermeditation level sets me
personally.
But if not, yeah, talking tosomeone, some, someone that's, I
could say even talking to afamily member or friend, but
even that's not the same, right?
Because you need someone that'snot gonna, maybe a third party.
I don't know.
That's my opinion.
I'm biased person that's trainedand you can just let it all out,
(07:24):
man.
But wow.
charlie_1_06-03-2025_080947 (07:25):
and one thing I wanna say is, I'm
always open to speaking toanyone that is struggling.
The thing is this, you can nevertell an alcoholic or a drug
abuser or whatever you'restruggling with in life what to
do, how to do, you need tochange your life.
Because the challenge is, Chris,that person, that individual
struggling with that addiction.
not change until they make adecision to change.
(07:48):
As much as they're not gonna doit for their family, their kids,
their mom, their wife, they needto make the decision that they
want to be done with it.
And until that happens it's notgonna change.
So what I try to do is share mystory with folks that are
struggling and I don't tell themwhat to do.
I don't.
I just share my past experienceand struggles and I share my
successes and say.
(08:09):
If the door, there's the pathyou now have to make that
decision.
chris_1_06-03-2025_111255 (08:13):
It is a choice.
charlie_1_06-03-2025_08094 (08:15):
It's a choice.
chris_1_06-03-2025_111255 (08:16):
W was it a hard choice?
Was it, again, I mean you, yousaid how long in the rehab, 30
days
charlie_1_06-03-2025_080947 (08:23):
30 days in rehab and then and
chris_1_06-03-2025_111255 (08:24):
a year of counseling.
charlie_1_06-03-2025_080947 (08:26):
of counseling after that.
For me, it was not a hardchoice.
I was mentally done.
You have to make a decision.
You have to go, I'm sick andtired of being sick and tired,
and you have to be at thatpoint, you can, many people
crash, and they've losteverything.
Many people crash and make thatdecision when they're still
doing okay.
Many people crash and they'revery successful, but you have to
(08:47):
make that decision no matterwhat.
Point in your life you're at,but when you make that decision,
you're ready.
It was not a problem for me.
I was ready.
I wanted to be done.
I just needed that help.
I needed that support system toget it, get me out, get it outta
my system, get back on track.
And when I was done, Chris, Iwas done.
I remember the bad times.
So intently I never want to goback and experience that again.
chris_1_06-03-2025_111255 (09:10):
Yeah.
charlie_1_06-03-2025_080947 (09:10):
and that's my strength.
I know
chris_1_06-03-2025_111255 (09:12):
Wow.
charlie_1_06-03-2025_08094 (09:12):
Been and I know where
chris_1_06-03-2025_111255 (09:13):
And
charlie_1_06-03-2025_08094 (09:13):
want to go
chris_1_06-03-2025_111255 (09:14):
no, thank you for sharing that.
That is very, I told you when wedid our pre-show conversation,
inspire, motivate, and educate.
Man, if that was aninspirational brother, no, I, it
did.
I hope it was, I hope someone'slistening is inspired by that to
either talk to that love one,that friend.
We all have friends.
We look at them at the channelshows and go, man, what?
There they go again.
(09:34):
Someone go get so and help'emthem get back their, whether it
be he or she or we don't, that'sa bad thing.
A lot of people just go, eh, notmy problem.
Good luck with that.
That's a tough one and I don'tknow, maybe it's'cause I'm
getting older, been, doing thisa long time.
I feel like there's definitely amovement of professionals that
are.
Giving up, drinking.
They're, they're for all kind ofreasons, whether it be health
reasons or it's causing aproblem in their life.
(09:57):
E even for me, I've been doing alot of reading on it and, I
don't wanna have any brain fog,man.
I'm trying to stay sharp here,and I don't need any thing
getting in my way.
And so yeah, currently, I guesswhere I'm at in life, if I, not
that you, not that I need todivulge it, but just, yeah, just
sharing, we're sharing here yeahI probably, I wouldn't say it's
a social drinker, but I'll havea couple of drink a beer or two
(10:17):
a week.
It used to be three or four aday.
Yeah.
Yeah.
So I was going down the path of,I noticed I started to wobble,
man, I started, I was getting introuble, man.
The oil light was coming on, andI'm like, man I don't want to, I
don't want to go there.
And so I think, and then I thinkit was someone said, Hey, you
should try dry January.
This was probably five, sixyears ago.
And I'm like, why would I wannago a whole month without
(10:38):
drinking?
What's the point?
But I got it.
First of all, it gave me theconfidence that I could do it
for one, I gave it up for amonth and yeah, it was hard.
It was, I was tempted and, yougoing to parties and everybody's
drinking.
I'm just, and it's so funny, I'msure you get this a lot when
you, someone says, Hey man whatare you having?
I'll have a, an iced tea.
A lemonade, Long Island.
No.
A regular iced tea.
What's wrong?
(10:59):
What's, there's something wrong.
No, I'm good.
I'm actually really good.
charlie_1_06-03-2025_0809 (11:03):
Yeah.
chris_1_06-03-2025_111255 (11:03):
Do you get that when you tell
people you don't drink?
charlie_1_06-03-2025_080947 (11:05):
I have no problem sharing what
chris_1_06-03-2025_111255 (11:07):
Yep,
charlie_1_06-03-2025_0809 (11:07):
with.
And the minute you've mentionedthat, here's the great thing
about where we're at today.
It's not taboo to talk aboutthis anymore.
chris_1_06-03-2025_11125 (11:14):
that's right.
charlie_1_06-03-2025_ (11:15):
something that people are ashamed to hide,
and you shouldn't be ashamed tohide it.
I think you should share.
And so I just share my story
chris_1_06-03-2025_111255 (11:21):
Yeah,
charlie_1_06-03-2025_080947 (11:22):
get it and they go done.
They're
chris_1_06-03-2025_11125 (11:24):
that's right.
charlie_1_06-03-2025_080947 (11:24):
Let me get you a ginger out, let me
get
chris_1_06-03-2025_11125 (11:25):
That's right.
charlie_1_06-03-2025_0809 (11:26):
water and
chris_1_06-03-2025_111255 (11:27):
good to hear.
charlie_1_06-03-2025_0809 (11:27):
good.
Yeah.
chris_1_06-03-2025_11125 (11:28):
That's good to hear.
Changing gears a little bit onyour bio, we didn't really go
into pre-technology.
What, was there a point youcould remember going, Hey, this
telecom stuff's pretty cool, I'mgonna do this, or did you
stumble into it like most of usdid?
How did you get into thisbusiness?
charlie_1_06-03-2025_0 (11:44):
Stumbled into it.
I was working retail back in thelate nineties and a friend of
mine who was in retail had got ajob selling telecommunications
for a local Clec out of theCentral Valley in California.
And he just needed some salesguys and he knew I was top.
Top producer at my retail,position.
And he called me up and said,Hey, I need a couple of guys.
(12:06):
You interested in jumping outtaretail?
And I thought, hey, Mondaythrough Friday, nine to five and
I got a salary and Icommissioned, yeah, I could do
this.
And I remember the first time myboss at that company and,
knocking doors, going out andactually walking into businesses
and.
Asking them for their businesswas something I'd never done
before.
And I tell you, it was a littlescary at first, but when my
(12:27):
first boss and I went out doorknocking together and he just
started walking in doors andjust said, Hey, I'm, Joe with
this company, here's what we do.
Who?
Your company makes thatdecision.
Bam.
I thought.
Oh, I can do that.
And from that point forward, Iwas out knocking doors.
And that's, and back in thosedays, Chris, we were selling
symmetrical DSL, if you canbelieve it.
(12:49):
It was
chris_1_06-03-2025_111255 (12:49):
Ooh.
charlie_1_06-03-2025_080947 (12:50):
up and 128 down, but it was
symmetrical,
chris_1_06-03-2025_111255 (12:53):
Ooh.
That's good.
Good stuff.
charlie_1_06-03-2025_080 (12:55):
Bonded T ones, Chris.
Yeah.
Not just 1.5.
We're talking three gigs, baby,up and down.
Guaranteed speeds on bonded Tones.
Yeah, that was back in the day,and so that's how I got into it
and I ended up learning that.
I love technology.
I love being, I, I've alwaysloved electronics, as you can
see, I have a lot of antiqueelectronics, but I love new
(13:15):
electronics and so it was just agood space for me.
And it's just, I just, itattracted me and I'm here ever
since 25 years Now, if you canbelieve it.
These wrinkles.
Prove that,
chris_1_06-03-2025_111255 (13:26):
Yeah.
Hey if you ever come to Georgia,both my daughters are
aestheticians and one, one of'emworks at a med spa.
They'll do some Botox for you.
charlie_1_06-03-2025_0809 (13:33):
Count
chris_1_06-03-2025_111255 (13:33):
Yeah.
Yeah.
I'm not for it.
I haven't done anything, but Isay, what can about these crow's
feet?
charlie_1_06-03-2025_0809 (13:38):
Yeah.
chris_1_06-03-2025_111255 (13:38):
I, so yeah, they're pretty much gone.
charlie_1_06-03-2025_080947 (13:40):
No
chris_1_06-03-2025_111255 (13:41):
It works.
I love it.
Yeah.
Yeah, so you, you've been doingit a while.
I, like you, I stumbled into itas well, so thank goodness.
I've always loved technology.
I've always been curious aboutwhat, in fact, I'm more into
what it does and how it does it,that's, I have friends that are
a bunch of engineers and youhave you do as well.
The engineers wanna know how itworks, how does that work?
(14:02):
I'm more like, no, I just wannaknow what it does.
How does it make my life easier?
charlie_1_06-03-2025_0809 (14:05):
Yeah.
chris_1_06-03-2025_111255 (14:06):
How can this add value?
And and that, that's beenworking for me.
Okay.
So looking back over the last,two decades or so.
I'm sure you have an opinion onlike, where, what's the state of
the industry, What's yourobservations about when you when
you think about where we are asa industry, as a channel, as in,
in technology.
What are your thoughts?
charlie_1_06-03-2025_0809 (14:25):
Yeah, good question.
A few things cross my mind.
Number one, just a littlebackground.
So I've been with the last,almost six years now, I've been
at KORE Wireless initially myfirst three years.
You brought me over Chris, sothank you for that.
It's been a.
Great career here at KORE, sothank you.
Appreciate that.
Those, so for those first threeyears, help helping KORE build a
channel team, you started thatproject here and then there was
(14:48):
some changes.
I had the opportunity to move toour connected health team for
two years, and that was on adirect, in a direct sales role.
So I guess the end of last year,maybe November's timeframe.
I was asked to come back to thechannel here at KORE, and so
I've been in the channel againfor the last six months at this
point it's a different channel.
We've got a new leadership teamtoday.
(15:08):
What's different here at KORE inthe channel is that.
The internal teams understandthe channel today, which is
something you and I strugglewith trying to teach and train
and motivate internal teams onwho the channel is, who partners
are, who agents are, how theywork, how they understand our
services and how they make aliving.
That was a struggle.
That's not a struggle at KOREanymore.
(15:28):
That's part of the reason I cameback to the team.
very channel focused.
We team with all the directreps.
And so the direct reps arehungry for partner opportunities
and they treat them gingerly andthey treat them well.
So that's what's really changedhere at KORE.
Overall.
What's interesting, Chris, iscoming back to the channel post
COVID because.
I was in the channel here atKORE when COVID hit, and all of
(15:51):
a sudden everyone was remote andwe had great success regardless
of what happened during COVIDwithout having to go out and
visit partners and agents and doevents and travel.
That all stopped, and we went tozero.
Today.
It's interesting, Chris, thelast six months is, agents now
have dispersed, they're allworking remote offices that I
(16:12):
was used to walking into andseeing 12 or 15 different reps
in an office or independentbrokers in an office.
It's not the world anymore.
They're, those offices areempty.
I'm lucky if there's two orthree folks in any given office,
even if they have offices,here's.
Part of the thing is many of ourold larger agents out in the
west, they've closed down theiroffices.
(16:33):
The leases were up and they justshut'em down because no one was
coming in.
Why are they spending$15,000 amonth or 10,000 a month for that
rent and no one's showing up.
So I think the biggest changefor me is how.
To get in front of partnerstoday.
So we have valuableconversations.
So they see the value in what myproduct brings to them and how
they can make money selling ourservices.
(16:54):
Because it's just the lunch andlearns the dine and dashes, the
whatever the events we weredoing, they're just not
attracting partners anymore.
So that's the biggest change.
So now it's been a lot ofindependent individual reach
outs LinkedIn visits, phonecalls, emails.
So really it's just.
Interesting.
Trying to figure out the new wayto work.
The channel is what I'm seeingas far as that goes.
chris_1_06-03-2025_111255 (17:17):
You mentioned lunch and learns and
events.
And you're right, these are alltactics that have been around
for a while and I've always web,webinars is a lot of work can go
into separate webinar and yougot five people show up.
You're like my feeling is that'sbetter than zero.
At least still five.
charlie_1_06-03-2025_08094 (17:30):
Five touches
chris_1_06-03-2025_111255 (17:31):
Five.
Do five pitches at one time.
That's better than, I make fiveseparate phone calls.
Do you have an opinion on whatkind of partner engagement
activity is most beneficial ormost productive?
Have you seeing anything?
charlie_1_06-03-2025_080947 (17:45):
I can tell you when I sit down
face to face, it, there's adifference between having a
teams call or a Zoom call withsomebody, you're far away.
It makes it tough for us to gettogether personally, but, there
is the, a huge difference whenyou sit down with somebody and
break some bread and have a mealand sit down and then.
Those discussions tend to bemore personal about who is
(18:09):
Chris, who is Charlie, who isthis agent I'm talking to?
and I think that's thedifference.
When you meet someone face toface and you sit with them it's
deeper than the 30 minute or the45 minute zoom call because that
really ends up being allbusiness, all conversation about
what we need to accomplish toget this customer their
services.
Whereas you sit down withsomebody.
(18:30):
it's not always, it's not alwaysall about business.
It's about who you are, who Iam.
And I think that's thedifference.
So for me, it's when I get achance or an opportunity to sit
with somebody personally, breaksome bread, have some coffee in
an environment that's not a workenvironment, it really, that
personalized touch is huge.
So I,
chris_1_06-03-2025_111255 (18:47):
Yeah.
charlie_1_06-03-2025_08094 (18:48):
love that aspect of what we do.
And I to find that more often Ithink is where we're gonna find
success in this channel.
chris_1_06-03-2025_111255 (18:55):
No, it's, we always say it's about
the relationship, it's alwaysabout the relationship.
So in these conversations you'rehaving, And of course you know
me, wireless way, I love iot.
What are you talking about themost when it comes to the area
of iot technology andconnectivity?
Is there a common thread or isit all over the map?
charlie_1_06-03-2025_080947 (19:11):
Oh, great question.
Look, if you go back to fiveyears ago, e every new
technology has a boom, right?
Becomes the buzz word and thehot topic, and everyone wants to
learn about it.
Today, it's ai.
years ago was IOT.
Years, seven years ago was SDwan, So e every time
chris_1_06-03-2025_111255 (19:28):
Prior to that cloud,
charlie_1_06-03-2025_08094 (19:29):
that the cloud, right?
So that those times are excitingthat happens.
And that happened for us in iotmany years ago and back then we
were talking about.
Trash cans that openedautomatically or would notify
the maintenance teams or we'retalking about connected this or
connected that.
Connected chairs in retail.
All of this stuff was connectedand I think the excitement of
(19:51):
that was fun.
And every agent was interestedbecause it was a hot topic.
the challenge is that.
That appeal is gone.
Right now.
AI the newest buzzword andeveryone's talking about AI and
what to do there.
So the difference today in myworld, in the I in the iot space
is we have to have not justconnectivity, it's gotta be a
(20:12):
solution.
So today we focus on sourcingequipment.
Purpose-built equipment.
We focus on connecting thatequipment with connectivity and
we focus on delivering acomplete solution to our end
users.
So it's not about just a simsome odd science project that
needs connectivity, thatliterary science projects don't
pay money'cause they take yearsoff and sometimes they fizzle
(20:34):
out because they are just that ascience project.
Whereas when we deliversolutions, we bring value to our
partners, their customers makethem look good and everyone wins
in those situations.
chris_1_06-03-2025_111255 (20:45):
So when it comes for partners that
are winning deals and makingmoney, what do the what, tell me
about the last few wins you'vehad.
What did they look like?
Protect the innocent and keepthe names out, but what where
are people winning and earningthe commissions and the money.
charlie_1_06-03-2025_08094 (20:58):
Yeah it, again, it's about solutions.
Right now our, we have, we'vebeen winning with purpose-built
devices especially in thehealthcare space.
We KORE, most folks don't knowthis, we have a hundred million
dollar a year healthcarebusiness practice here at KORE,
thriving.
It's booming.
In healthcare.
(21:18):
There are remote patientmonitoring solutions being
delivered today.
By all of the healthcareorganizations, whether it's a
Kaiser Permanente out here inthe West, or Baylor Health in
Texas, whatever the healthcareorganization is, they're
delivering these remote patientmonitoring solutions.
What that is, Chris, is ifsomeone goes in for a surgery or
some sort of term, post-acute,long-term issue, they need help
(21:40):
with when they're released fromthe hospital.
They are delivered, they aresent home with a kit.
That kit would be a gateway theyused to send Samsung tablets or
with them and all theseperipherals.
And what that kit would do isbasically that patient or
participant could have a visitwith their doctor in their home
with all the tools that you'dexpect to see in a doctor's
(22:01):
office, except they have'em intheir home.
And what that is ideal for Chrisis for especially hospitals,
need to avoid what's calledreadmittance.
If you go to have a largesurgery at a hospital and you're
released and within two or threeweeks, you have to be readmitted
because something didn't healright and they have to open you
(22:22):
up and do that surgery again.
It's not any cheaper the secondtime around, Chris, so say that
first surgery was$300,000.
second time it's gonna be$300,000.
So what happens is when they goto Bill, the insurance companies
or the Medicare Medi-Cal, what'sgonna happen is they're gonna
get a veto on the second surgeryor the second ad admittance
(22:44):
because they're gonna say, look,we paid you once.
If the patient didn't heal, it'son you.
You're gonna have to eat thatother$300,000.
So to avoid that.
They're sending home these kitsto ensure patients are healing
properly, or if something'sgoing sideways, fever starts
kicking in.
They'll get notifications,they'll know it's happening, and
they'll bring that patient inand get ahead of it before they
(23:05):
have to get into a big, majorsurgery.
So that's called RPM.
Where we're winning big is.
challenge with using consumergrade devices, no offense to
Samsung and iPads, they'refantastic.
I have an iPad, I love it.
Samsung Samsungs are great, butthe challenge is they are really
meant for consumers.
you can't go out and buy a newiPhone and think you've got the
(23:26):
latest and greatest'cause.
Within three months, they'llhave one that's even better than
the last one you got.
Three months, literally, right?
Every three to six monthsthere's a new iPhone, iPad,
latest, greatest, right?
That's fantastic for you and Iif you want to have the greatest
technology in a phone or atablet, but it's not great for a
business.
Chris, imagine a Christmas a, abusiness, Chris that buys a.
A thousand tablets and within ayear that tablet now is end of
(23:48):
life.
It doesn't exist anymore andneeds firmware updates and those
updates happen when it's leastexpected or least wanted, and
they often cause crashes.
So now imagine you have apatient in the field with a kit,
they have an iPad or a Samsunggets a firmware update, and now
there RPM kit does not work.
That could be tragic.
It could cost hospitalsthousands of dollars.
(24:09):
Worse than that, it couldsomeone's personal lives and
their health.
We work with a company calledSocial Mobile, which builds
purpose-built devices.
These devices, they don't haveany bloatware.
They're an Android gold cer.
They're Google Gold, certifiedAndroid devices, so they're
certified by Google.
And these devices arepurpose-built.
They have a minimum shelf lifeof three years support for five
(24:32):
to eight years from what I'veseen to date.
So now can basically supportyour healthcare customers.
Trucking companies that usetablets, right?
With these purpose-built devicesthat will last out in the field
for 3, 5, 8 years without havingto be refreshed every two to
three years.
'cause the devices are just endof life.
Or if you, there's a huge marketin.
(24:54):
In certified pre-owned deviceswhere companies are buying bits
and pieces and patching togetherdevices, they're a great value
as far as cost goes, but in thelong run they're very expensive
because say you buy a thousandof this apple iPad version X
one, two, and then you buy, youfind another certified pre-owned
pa, that batch of devices, 500of these devices, version three,
(25:17):
400 of these devices.
Now you have a mix, mash mix andmash of.
Of devices and equipment in yourinventory that don't make sense.
Whereas if you go with apurpose-built device, Chris, now
that healthcare organization hasa single device, they can keep
finding those devices for yearsto come buy new ones.
They don't have to refresh everyyear, and they've got a device
that is the same with all oftheir users in the organization.
(25:40):
So it's huge cost savings,literally millions of dollars.
And where we're winning, Chrisis our current customers.
Are literally refreshing all oftheir old certified pre-owned
devices or iPads or Samsungswith social mobile devices that
are purpose-built and will onlydo what they want it do for,
want it to do for the next threeto five years and longer from
what we've seen.
chris_1_06-03-2025_111255 (26:01):
And a lot of the iPads in Samsung,
consumer tablets have a lot offeatures and technologies that a
business really doesn't need, sothey're paying a premium.
So oftentimes, not only is itpurpose built, but it's probably
more cost effective and budgetfriendly.
Is that a fair statement?
charlie_1_06-03-2025_080 (26:16):
That's ab absolutely.
They're budget friendly.
They're probably a third of thecost, half the cost sometimes
then your Samsung and iPads outthere.
The other thing is, what youtalked about is bloatware.
Whenever you get a, the latest,greatest phone, right?
What happens is there's allthese, apps on there that you'll
never use.
You can't delete'em.
But what no one realizes isthey're actually eating up
memory behind, the scenes.
chris_1_06-03-2025_1112 (26:36):
battery life?
charlie_1_06-03-2025_08 (26:37):
battery life and your phone doesn't work
that long.
So imagine getting ready of thatcalled bloatware.
So now you don't have anybloatware on these devices.
So they, the batteries lastlonger, the devices last longer.
You don't have to worry aboutany of those things.
Eating at memory, they workbetter, they're more efficient,
chris_1_06-03-2025_111255 (26:52):
Is
charlie_1_06-03-2025_080 (26:52):
built.
chris_1_06-03-2025_111255 (26:53):
when you say social mobile is it, are
they really.
Meant to be replacements forsmartphones or smart tablets, or
are there other devices likemaybe point of sale or you see a
lot of people, a lot ofrestaurants now taking orders on
toast and clover devices, zebradevices, or did they do anything
beyond a smartphone and atablet?
charlie_1_06-03-2025_08 (27:12):
They're working on a couple things.
They're look working on smartwatches.
chris_1_06-03-2025_111255 (27:16):
Okay.
Okay.
charlie_1_06-03-2025_080947 (27:16):
the healthcare space that will do,
more than what your I, youriWatch will do.
They're working on dongles,right?
Plugin dongles.
That's a space that I think hasbeen neglected for years.
Just a dongle that'll have a simcard in it, and you can plug it
in and out of different devicesas you need connectivity.
So they are working on otherdevices.
chris_1_06-03-2025_111255 (27:34):
Cool.
charlie_1_06-03-2025_080947 (27:35):
in mind, these are not replacements
for iPhones and I, Samsungthey're not.
Consumer grade devices, theydon't have, you can't, they're
not made to make phone calls.
They're not made for theconsumer.
These are strictly purpose builtfor business use only.
chris_1_06-03-2025_111255 (27:47):
Got it.
Got it.
Yeah, you see a lot of ininventory and logistics and,
everything's scanning thebarcodes or the QR codes Hell
lot.
Yeah.
You don't need a$800, a thousanddollars device to do that.
You just need something with abasic, and you said there are
androids, so you can load an MDMon'em as well, I imagine,
charlie_1_06-03-202 (28:03):
absolutely.
And that's part of the serviceswe offer at KORE.
We work with all the top MDMservices, manage engine,
O-D-I-B-M, mass winnable, right?
So we can load that device withthe MDM, services load it with
the customer's applications.
Make sure it works, hasconnectivity.
'cause that's what we do as anMVNO.
We provide connectivity, we'llmake sure the device works
(28:23):
globally.
We launched these, we sell thesedevices around the world and
with our super sim, they willconnect around the world with a
single single sku, single IMSIKORE sim, which is also added
value.
Again, it's a complete solutionthat we're offering Chris, and
that's the value we bring to ourcustomers.
We're not just.
Of competitors in our space onlydo connectivity.
(28:43):
We don't just do connectivity.
We provide complete solutionshere at KORE.
chris_1_06-03-2025_111255 (28:48):
Did I understand correctly?
You guys are have a voiceoffering now there, like a
voiceover IP type solution?
charlie_1_06-03-2025_080947 (28:54):
So not KORE directly, but look, any
device that has a SIM card andconnectivity voice could be
converted to data via WhatsApp,
chris_1_06-03-2025_111255 (29:04):
Yeah.
charlie_1_06-03-2025_08 (29:04):
there's other VOIP applications.
So that in essence could becomea voice solution, and
chris_1_06-03-2025_111255 (29:10):
Got it.
charlie_1_06-03-2025_08094 (29:10):
most applications in the healthcare
space use.
When they're having a visit witha part patient and a doctor,
that patient will have theirsocial mobile device in their
home.
They can have a phone call'causethere's a camera in there.
They can have that conversation.
But it's all digital.
It's not traditional Services.
chris_1_06-03-2025_111255 (29:26):
I'd be curious to know if they, if
someone should survey.
I could do a survey, a poll,but.
Of all the voice conversationsyou have on your smart device,
how many of them are actuallyover the PTSN?
How many are actually over theswitch network or, you dial a
phone number, it's always evenFaceTime.
My granddaughter FaceTimes meall the time and I.
There's no phone number there.
(29:46):
It's just, it's FaceTime.
Even right now we're talkingover a data based solution
whether it be again, zoom and,teams and all that.
Yeah.
So it's really interesting tosee where the future goes when
it comes to mobile voicesolutions.
I definitely think we're seeingthis pivot, maybe, but
charlie_1_06-03-2025_0 (30:02):
digital.
Everything's digital.
Everything's data.
chris_1_06-03-2025_111255 (30:04):
man, so is there anything else we
haven't, that we need to talkabout?
I.
Charlie, anything?
Anything we haven't mentioned orany last words you want to give
us?
charlie_1_06-03-2025_080947 (30:14):
I just I think, I, there's a lot
of competition in our space inthe iot space.
And what I want to do issimplify.
What we do for our partners outthere.
And let them understand a couplethings, right?
You can come to us not just forconnectivity.
We're not just a sim provider,we're not just an iot provider.
We are a solutions company.
(30:35):
We wanna be the trusted advisorto ensure that when you bring us
your opportunities, we'll ensurethat we bring a solution to the
table.
A device.
Connected device, MDM services,if needed, deployment services.
We can also do third partylogistics where we'll deploy
these kits completely working tothe end users.
Whether it's a distributioncenter that will redistribute
(30:57):
these devices or whether it's tothe actual participants or
patients like actual individualusers.
We'll ship directly to thoseusers.
And the other side of that is wedo the reverse logistics.
So we'll also return thosedevices.
Those are things that we offerthat I think our competition
can't touch.
The complete logistics, fulllifecycle services here at KORE.
chris_1_06-03-2025_111255 (31:17):
Wow.
That's a good one to leave on.
Yeah, that's, managed device,mobile devices are not going
away.
They're just becoming more andmore prevalent.
Again, you going back to therestaurants, obviously
healthcare too.
You go to the doctor, you,instead of signing in on a
clipboard you're, punching awayon a tablet, checking in
everything, everything is gonnabe a tablet.
There's clipboards are goingaway.
Even, the small restaurants are,I travel, I'm seeing more and
(31:38):
more.
Of the orders being taken onthese handheld devices.
You go to the big box homeDepot, Lowe's, they're checking
inventory on a handheld devicewithout having to run back to
the computer terminal, so
charlie_1_06-03-2025_08094 (31:50):
ever been in a retail store where,
they're checking you out, with atablet, so you don't even have
to go to the
chris_1_06-03-2025_11125 (31:55):
That's Right.
Yeah.
Seeing that more and more.
charlie_1_06-03-2025_080947 (31:57):
the world is changing and technology
is a part of it and jump onboard.
It's fun.
It makes things easier and corkcan help.
chris_1_06-03-2025_1 (32:04):
Excellent.
Charlie, thank you so much formaking time today.
It's been a great conversation.
We covered a lot.
If you're listening, definitelycheck the show notes, some links
to learn more about KORE.
And if you need to contactCharlie and the team he's with
I'll have that information inthe show notes, man.
Thanks so much.
It's been as always a pleasureand I'm so glad we got to do
this.
charlie_1_06-03-2025_0809 (32:23):
Thank you so much, Chris.
Really appreciate it.
I'm honored to be here and thankyou again for the
chris_1_06-03-2025_111255 (32:27):
Yeah, man.
Honor's all mine, brother.
I there you go folks.
Another episode of The WirelessWay.
And as always, if you heardsomething that kinda hit home it
made you think about a acustomer, a prospect, or maybe a
colleague, please share thisepisode with'em.
And check out the wirelessway.net.
It's a website where you can hitthe contact us button and send
(32:50):
any feedback, input,suggestions, recommendations.
I love to hear from you and howwe can make this show better for
you.
So once again, thanks so much.
So grateful you joined us today,and I'll talk to you next time
on the Wireless Way.
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