Brent Portera is proud to say that he had a front-row seat for the evolution of Copier Headquarters to GoodSuite. Little did he know at the time that more change was in the air.
It was the final day of 2019, and the newly-christened GoodSuite was holding a technology show at its office for customers and prospects to draw attention to its young but developing managed network services offering. Portera had been on board with the company for roughly a year, so when that party saw GoodSuite ink its largest-ever agreement with one of the guest attendees, he knew there was something special about this dealership.
“It underscored the potential of GoodSuite to achieve remarkable things,” said Portera, a 2024 ENX Magazine Difference Maker. “Securing a client of that size, especially against competition from three other MSPs with decades of experience, demonstrated that our hard work and dedication had paid off. It reaffirmed our ability to compete at a high level in the industry.”
Managed services has long resonated with Portera, GoodSuite’s vice president of technology services. The essential elements of MPS—lowering costs, driving efficiency, and the opportunity to demonstrate to clients the impact of print on budgets—provided tremendous job satisfaction. Enabling client CEOs to rest easy at night in the knowledge that technology is working for them, as opposed to an impediment, was particularly gratifying.
Meaningful Talks
Whereas his conversations once were relegated to facility managers and IT managers, it’s the chats with CEOs that allow them to focus on running their businesses while GoodSuite tended to the tech. “Technology is ever-evolving, and I’ve always been a bit of a madman when it comes to embracing change and staying in constant motion,” Portera noted. “I consider myself fortunate to have aligned my personality characteristics with my profession. I have never felt like I was delivering a sales pitch to the companies I work with; instead, I approach it as a consulting session, taking the time to truly understand how we can make a difference.
“If that level of passion and drive doesn’t resonate with you, it might be a good time to have your pulse checked.”
After graduating from Arizona State University with a computer science degree, he began his career doing contract work as a Tier 1 technician for companies. Between the lack of benefits or full-time positions and living contract to contract, it quickly led to burnout. When Portera joined a software company, he took an evaluation that suggested he would be better suited to sales. The full-time role was most attractive and the position catapulted him into the technology sector, in sales as opposed to service.
After relocating to Los Angeles with his wife in 2007, he took the role of director of print management services (and later vice president of MPS) with On-Site Laser Medic. MPS was really taking off at that point, and Portera became the company’s first managed print specialist, in charge of growing the platform. He spent nearly 12 years there, highlighted by a 2013 agreement with Xerox that he helped forge, which led to solid A3 growth.
When Portera got the itch to try something new, namely managed IT, he found a kindred spirit in GoodSuite CEO Dan Strull. “The passion Dan showed me, coupled with the amazing opportunity to work with clients who had such tenure with a company, revealed two things to me: the chance to grow my own professional development and an environment of consistency with a boutique level of service,” he said. “This opened doors for Copier Headquarters to become GoodSuite and focus on shifting attention to growing the available market share within our account base with services that every company truly needs.”
Answer Man
Portera’s inner mechanisms prevent him from becoming complacent. An unabashed self-critic, he believes passion and drive must come from within. His ability to make an impact for clients and GoodSuite alike stem from an insatiable appetite for learning, a passion for exceeding client expectations, and what Strull has termed a penchant for being an “answer man.”
“With GoodSuite, I’ve had the opportunity to make an impact across various areas of the business, and I don’t view my role with the company as singular,” Portera noted. “To my clients, I aim to provide them with peace of mind, knowing that when things go awry, my unwavering dedication to finding solutions sets me apart from others they’ve worked with in the past.”
Of the many influences who have guided Portera’s development, perhaps none have been as influential as Strull, whom he termed “my guiding light, my Sherpa, in reinforcing my belief in myself.” That was important to Portera’s confidence; after all, he had transitioned professionally from the managed print side to managed IT after a decade of success with the former. Those first 12-18 months in managed IT were pivotal to his growth, but Strull was there, always providing support and the tools necessary to flourish.
Success, Strull maintained, was a marathon and not a sprint. That helped to temper Portera’s nature toward operating at full speed. It has made for an optimal fit for both Portera and the dealership.
“Dan’s support, encouragement, and belief in me have been invaluable on this journey, and I couldn’t have asked for a better mentor and leader,” Portera noted.
Much of 2023 was spent integrating, and reaping the benefits of, GoodSuite’s 2022 acquisition of Strata IT, which greatly enhanced the dealer’s managed IT development and growth. Portera notes GoodSuite was able to quickly ingest the knowledge and best practices that Strata IT had refined during its nearly 15-year journey.
“The speed and efficiency with which we executed this integration is a testament to our determination and adaptability,” he said. “It underscores our commitment to continuous development/improvement and our ability to navigate the complexities of the ever-evolving managed services landscape.”
Tangible Difference
As for this year, GoodSuite has added several positions within the managed IT division to enhance its client servicing capabilities, geared toward reshaping the perception of the company among clients and prospects. With IT seeing a glut of competitors, Portera says the aim is to set GoodSuite apart from competitors by becoming more of a business solution provider as opposed to a technical support specialist.
“Our success should not be measured solely by revenue but by the tangible difference we make in our clients’ businesses,” he noted. “Unlike salespeople who prioritize pushing products, our approach is rooted in actively listening to our clients’ specific needs and recommending tailored solutions that address their unique challenges. By the end of 2024, my goal is for GoodSuite to have seamlessly integrated with each of our client companies, becoming indispensable partners in their technology strategies.”
Away from the office, Portera and his wife, Selina, have been married for 16 years and have two sons. She is an inspiration to her family having gone back to school at the age of 30 and attained a PhD—all the while juggling motherhood and her own job. He’s coached soccer in Simi Valley for many years (including his sons for 12-plus years) and guided one team to a top three finish in the state.
Travel is a passion for the Portera family. A framed map hangs on the living room wall, with pins marking the countries they’ve visited. Paris is a favorite, as is Selina’s native Mexico. Portera has learned a great deal about her family in visiting Jiquilipan, Michoacan.
