Podcast: How FIT Technologies and Lake Business Are Strengthening Technology Support in Northeast Ohio

In Northeast Ohio, strong business relationships have always mattered. For FIT Technologies and Lake Business, a new partnership is showing how two established technology companies can work together to create more value for the organizations they serve.

FIT VP of Client Partnerships Becky Cross recently sat down with FIT CEO Adam Tubbs and Lake Business CEO Jeremy Wood to discuss how the relationship developed, why the two organizations saw an opportunity to collaborate, and what the partnership could mean for businesses across Cleveland and Northeast Ohio.

A Northeast Ohio Technology Partnership Built on Shared Values

Lake Business has deep roots in the region. Founded in 1960, the second-generation, family-owned company began in the print and copier space before evolving into a broader technology partner serving small and midsized businesses throughout Northern Ohio.

But the relationship between Lake Business and FIT didn't begin with a formal business proposal. It started with a conversation.

Tubbs and Wood met over coffee to learn more about each other's organizations. What quickly stood out wasn't simply the services each company provided. It was how similarly the organizations thought about their people and clients.

Wood had already noticed FIT's presence around Cleveland, from social media to the Playhouse Square District. As he learned more about the organization, he said FIT's culture, employee ownership, and approach to clients caught his attention.

"People at the end of the day do business with people that they can relate to, that they trust, that they can see themselves doing business with for a long time."
– Jeremy Wood, Lake Business

That cultural alignment provided the foundation. From there, the conversation shifted toward what the two companies could accomplish together.

Complementary IT Services Create New Opportunities

At first glance, two technology companies serving businesses in the same region might seem more like competitors than partners. But both teams saw an opportunity to look beyond that assumption.

As Tubbs explained during the conversation, managed service providers are not interchangeable. Different providers may be particularly well suited to different types of organizations, markets, and technology needs.

Wood had reached a similar conclusion while talking with Lake Business clients about managed services. Rather than trying to provide every possible solution internally, Lake Business saw value in developing relationships with trusted organizations that could bring additional capabilities to the table.

That opened the door for FIT and Lake Business to explore their complementary strengths, including opportunities to connect clients with additional managed IT and cybersecurity services.

Expanding What's Possible for Local Businesses

For clients, the value of a partnership like this isn't simply about having access to another list of services. It's about being connected to people and organizations that already have an established level of trust with one another.

Tubbs noted that both companies have clients looking for additional technology capabilities. Through the partnership, they can help connect those organizations with resources while maintaining relationships across both teams.

That collaborative model creates opportunities for both organizations to grow while expanding the knowledge and technology resources available to their clients.

For businesses evaluating managed IT services or cybersecurity support in Cleveland and Northeast Ohio, it also illustrates an important point: the right technology partner doesn't necessarily need to do everything alone. A partner that understands its strengths, recognizes when another expert can provide additional value, and has trusted relationships to draw upon can help create better options for clients.

Growing the Northeast Ohio Business Community Together

The partnership isn't only about technology. Throughout the conversation, Cross, Tubbs, and Wood repeatedly returned to people, culture, relationships, and community.

The FIT and Lake Business teams have already begun connecting through community and networking events, client opportunities, and even a few rounds of golf. For Tubbs, bringing the organizations and their clients together represents an opportunity to continue building the broader Northeast Ohio business community.

Cross summed up that regional focus with a simple observation: "Cleveland does business with Cleveland."

It's a fitting description of what makes this partnership exciting. Instead of growth driven solely through transactions or acquisitions, two local organizations are finding ways to collaborate authentically, preserve their individual strengths, and create additional opportunities for the businesses they serve.