The IT Nation community, guided by Dan Scott, Director of IT Nation EMEA, is undergoing changes aimed at community growth, regional expansion, and strategic alignment. The goal is to encourage deeper collaboration and support profitability among its members.
Although over 100,000 people have attended IT Nation events over the last decade, the core lies in the peer group programme, IT Nation Evolve. "Our peer group programme has approximately 650 companies all around the world, from North America, Europe and Australia and New Zealand who meet once a quarter for two-day peer groups and across community days where we bring the whole community together, quarter in, quarter out," said Scott.
The European chapter consists of nearly 60 companies. "We're proud to welcome members from across the UK, Ireland, Benelux, and even South Africa, showing commitment by travelling every quarter," Scott noted.
Accountability and peer-led growth have been central to the programme. "Accountability is where we see the game change. That's where people see the rewards and progress," said Scott pointing to recent data that suggests members have experienced a 9.6% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) in revenue and a 28% CAGR in profitability.
Strategic Expansion in Europe
Scott stated an aim to double the European peer group membership, with a focus on expanding into the Benelux, Nordic, and DACH regions. "I would love to double our member base in Europe. It's about focus and ensuring we are where our partners are," he said. Upcoming events, such as a conference in Copenhagen this May, are designed to engage new markets and strengthen relationships. "We have also shifted to annual events in Europe and Australia to provide consistent opportunities for engagement," Scott added.
The integration of service leadership is also part of the strategy, focusing on enhancing operational maturity across member organisations. "Service leadership and IT Nation coming together create synergy, breaking down barriers and accelerating our impact," said Scott. Leadership changes include unifying ConnectWise community programmes like IT Nation, Service Leadership Inc, and Partner Advisory Councils (PACs) with Peter Kujawa now leading this initiative as EVP of Service Leadership and IT Nation.
At its recent IT Nation Connect event in London , Scott observed that its marketing workshop was "completely sold out" and well attended, indicating an ongoing interest in addressing broader business challenges. Scott highlighted the aim of strengthening the community’s impact in areas such as sales, marketing, and M&A.
Building a Community of Communities
A notable theme for IT Nation is fostering what Scott described as a "community of communities." This concept is about creating a space where different industry groups can share ideas and experiences. "It's not about picking a flag or forming a tribe. It's about opening doors to collaboration and creating value," Scott said.
Pre-day workshops and collaborations with organisations like CompTIA at Connect events were cited as examples of this approach. "There's no reason why any of those communities wouldn't be running pre-day workshops if it's beneficial," Scott explained. Scott concluded, "We owe everyone who invests their time with us a tangible return."
