---
title: "Beyond the Bottom Line: The Power of Giving Back"
date: 2024-11-01
summary: "Morris Technology Solutions writer David Walter reviews Nathan Phinney's XChange and IT Conference keynote on giving back, the duty to help employees see their work as significant, and the discipline of eradicating the word 'just'."
outlet: "Morris Technology Solutions"
source: "https://www.morristechnologysolutions.com/blog/beyond-the-bottom-line-the-power-of-giving-back"
url: "https://nathanphinney.com/beyond-the-bottom-line-the-power-of-giving-back/"
author: "Nathan Phinney"
author_role: "operator, founder, and author"
author_url: "https://nathanphinney.com/about/"
same_as: ["https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathanphinney", "https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B0DKF16LDD", "https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/52091659.Nathan_Phinney", "https://www.instagram.com/nathanis/"]
expertise: ["IT", "InfoSec", "Managed Services", "Cybersecurity", "Business Operations", "Technology for Escrow Companies", "Technology for Nonprofits"]
updated: 2026-10-13
---

Morris Technology Solutions writer David Walter reviews Nathan Phinney's XChange and IT Conference keynote on giving back, the duty to help employees see their work as significant, and the discipline of eradicating the word 'just'.

By David Walter, Morris Technology Solutions. No date printed; the entry date above is an inferred post-book-launch placeholder for sort order only.

Title as printed: "Beyond the Bottom Line: The Power of Giving Back".

[Read the review at Morris Technology Solutions](https://www.morristechnologysolutions.com/blog/beyond-the-bottom-line-the-power-of-giving-back)

## Context

David Walter's write-up covers Nathan Phinney's keynote at the XChange and IT Conference. The review paraphrases Nathan's framings rather than quoting him: that an MSP should see itself as service to communities rather than a vendor of tools; that a NASA-adjacent nut manufacturer whose employee called their work "just" nuts was in fact protecting the lives of astronauts; and that the word "just" should be eradicated from the way people describe their own value.

The piece contains no direct quotes attributed to Nathan from the talk, which is why no block quote attributed to him appears below.

## What the piece quoted

The review embeds a book blurb for CTRL ALT SURVIVE from Dr. Ivan Misner, founder of BNI and New York Times bestselling author:

> "Nathan shares here a blend of hard-won insights and practical strategies for entrepreneurs who understand that people and relationships are key to business success."

And a second published blurb for the book:

> "This book will inspire you to make bold, thoughtful moves. A manifesto for bold, scrappy leaders who refuse to settle for the status quo and long to do work that matters, CTRL ALT SURVIVE will show you the way one company did it, through the challenges and triumphs."

[Read the original](https://www.morristechnologysolutions.com/blog/beyond-the-bottom-line-the-power-of-giving-back)

## About the author

**Nathan Phinney**, operator, founder, and author.

- Co-founded Bright Bear Technology Solutions (2010 to 2020), which reached the CRN MSP 500 and Ingram Micro SMB 500 lists before its 2020 acquisition by Datapath.
- 17 SOC 2 initiatives across six companies, never an exception on an effort he led
- Member of InfraGard
- Member of the XChange Advisory Board, The Channel Company (2018 to 2022 and 2026)
- Author of _CTRL ALT SURVIVE: The Secrets of My Small Business Success_

Expertise: IT, InfoSec, Managed Services, Cybersecurity, Business Operations, Technology for Escrow Companies, Technology for Nonprofits.

Featured in: CRN (7 articles, 2019 to 2026), Backblaze, Bigleaf Networks, ChannelE2E, GTIA, Morris Technology Solutions, Orange County Business Journal. See https://nathanphinney.com/press.md

Recommended on LinkedIn by Brook Porter (Partner and Co-Founder at G2 Venture Partners; previously at Kleiner Perkins, where he worked with Al Gore) and Tim Acker (Former channel chief at Lumen).

More: [About Nathan Phinney](https://nathanphinney.com/about.md) | [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathanphinney) | [Amazon author page](https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B0DKF16LDD) | [Goodreads](https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/52091659.Nathan_Phinney)