In this episode of The COVI Way, co-hosts Dave and Cody Lents flip the script—Cody takes the guest seat to share the story behind his journey at COVI and how the company evolved from a scrappy IT provider into a strategic partner focused on people, process, and purposeful technology.
From early days as Netlink to leading sales and consulting at COVI, Cody dives into what it takes to balance security and standardization with customization and creativity. It’s not just about solving technical problems—it’s about building trust, enabling productivity, and helping organizations grow with clarity and confidence.
You’ll hear stories of growing pains, valuable lessons in scaling with intention, and why COVI is committed to using "good conflict" to create long-term value. Whether you're leading a team, managing tech, or navigating digital transformation, this conversation will challenge you to think differently about how structure unlocks innovation.
Key Takeaways:
Why standardization isn’t the enemy of creativity—it’s the foundation of it
How strategic IT partners empower leaders to do meaningful work
What it takes to balance strong security with user freedom
How conflict, when healthy, drives clarity and alignment
The power of simplifying the complex to fuel growth
Five Key Quotes:
“Standardization is a requirement to sustainability and survival.”
“You don’t get great productivity without great security.”
“We avoided the MSP ‘raise prices, cover less’ model—and we’re better for it.”
“If there's no tension, there's no growth.”
“We don't just protect systems—we empower a culture of security.”
Chapters:
00:00 – Welcome + Meet Cody
01:32 – The Netlink Days + Birth of COVI
04:25 – Building Sales from Chip’s Vision
08:45 – Standardization and Early Growth
13:15 – Balancing Structure and Creativity
17:40 – Growing Pains with Bigger Clients
22:08 – Remote Access and the COVID Shift
26:30 – Conflict as a Path to Innovation
30:20 – Redefining Value in Managed Services
34:05 – Culture of Security + Simplicity
38:10 – Final Thoughts + Partnership and Possibility
