Now That’s IT, Season 1 Highlights—Part 1
By Chris Massey
As the host of “Now That’s IT: Stories of MSP Success,” I’ve had the incredible opportunity to engage with some of the most innovative and insightful minds in the Managed Service Provider (MSP) industry. As we wrap up our first season, I find myself reflecting on the wealth of knowledge, experiences, and personal stories shared by our guests. Each episode was not just a conversation but a journey into the heart of what makes the MSP world tick.
From the perseverance of Ted Clouser to the strategic insights of Pete Hughes, our guests have opened up about their challenges, triumphs, and the lessons learned along the way. They’ve shared stories that are not only inspiring but also deeply educational, offering a treasure trove of advice for anyone looking to navigate the complex yet rewarding landscape of MSPs.
Over the next two blog posts, I want to take you on a retrospective journey through Season 1. We’ll revisit the key takeaways from each episode and share a memorable quote that encapsulates the essence of our guests’ insights. Whether it’s Scott Bernoudy’s transformative experiences with peer groups or John Joyce’s emphasis on understanding the ‘why’ behind IT solutions, each episode has left us with valuable lessons to ponder. So, let’s dive in to the first half of season one and revisit these moments of wisdom and inspiration, as we celebrate the end of a season that has been as enlightening as it has been enjoyable.
Chris Massey is Senior Product Marketing Manager at N‑able and presenter of our Now That’s IT Podcast
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Episode 1: Starting and Scaling an MSP with Perry Bowles of Ziptech Services Perry Bowles, the technical director for Ziptech Services, shared his journey of starting and scaling an MSP business. He highlighted some of the early challenges of convincing clients and technicians to adopt the managed service model over the traditional break-fix model. Perry emphasized the importance of having a clear vision and adapting to new tools and technologies to stay ahead in the industry. He also discussed the company’s growth strategy, which includes potential mergers and acquisitions, and a focus on automation, business analytics, and enhancing their cybersecurity offerings. Perry says: “We’ve never done break-fix. Even then we called it monthly recurring revenue. MSP became a thing later… we were just doing it in a different way.” Listen on Apple, Spotify, or watch on YouTube.
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Episode 2: IT Staffing to Top-Tier MSP with Tony Johnson of LemonTree Tony Johnson talks about LemonTree’s transformation from an IT staffing company to a leading MSP. He highlights the importance of standardization in their services, and everything that entails, as well as how their outstanding customer service philosophy has been paramount in their transition to becoming a leading MSP. Tony says: “The courage to decline clients not aligned with our technology stack or company DNA, and the importance of standardization in our services, has been pivotal.” Listen on Apple, Spotify, or watch on YouTube.
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Episode 3: Transforming Your Business: From VAR to Successful MSP with David McKenna David McKenna narrates the pivotal transition from VAR to MSP, which involved them dramatically reducing their customer base. This bold move allowed them to focus on providing quality service and becoming part of their clients’ decision-making processes. He emphasizes the importance of understanding the client’s business deeply, which has been key to their success and customer trust. David says: “We went from 500 customers to 12. It was quite bold and it was the best decision. […] It went from being a business where I spend most of my time managing people, to a business where I really got to deal with technology again. […] We’re not on the receiving end of the decisions. We’re part of the decision-making process.” Listen on Apple, Spotify, or watch on YouTube.
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Episode 4: Passion to Profit: Scaling an MSP with Dan Kitchen, CEO of Razorblue Group Dan Kitchen shares his journey of scaling Razorblue Group from a small technical team to a larger, more diverse company. He highlights the challenges of outgrowing people within the company and the importance of adapting roles and responsibilities as the company expands. Dan also discusses the significance of M&A in achieving geographical growth and the ability to bid for larger business opportunities. Dan says: “I think when you’re growing quite aggressively, you can outgrow people and I think that’s a bit of a challenge. You might have someone who was doing a great job when you were 10, 15, 20 employees, but then when you get to 100 … they may not be the right person for that job anymore. They’re the right person for the business, right, but doing something different. That’s quite a big challenge because obviously, particularly when you’ve grown a business from nothing to where it is, you’ve grown up with these people and they’ve worked with you and they’ve supported you along that journey.” Listen on Apple, Spotify, or watch on YouTube.
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Episode 5: Customer-Centric Strategies for MSP Growth with Chris Janssen Chris Janssen discusses the transformation of his company from a project-based business to one that is predominantly managed services, with a strong focus on customer-centric strategies. He emphasizes the importance of understanding and integrating into the customers’ primary processes, putting the end user at the center of their service delivery. Chris says: “A lot of the work we do is in the background. Keeping them up and running, keeping them secure, keeping them safe from cyber threats. And I think the trick is to talk a lot with them over the services you provide in reports and dashboards. Listen on Apple, Spotify, or watch on YouTube
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Episode 6: Scaling Success: Transforming a Small Help Desk into a Powerhouse Robbie Swartenbroekx shares his experience scaling b-inside from a small four-person help desk to a robust 50-person company. He emphasizes the importance of automation and the need for a mindset geared towards efficiency and continuous improvement. Robbie says: “It’s the mindset you have to have. See if something can be automated. See where we can do better. That mindset that everyone needs to have. And if they can automate, maybe someone else from us can help them or automate it if it’s possible.” Listen on Apple, Spotify, or watch on YouTube.
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Episode 7: Mastering the MSP Industry: Insights and Strategies with Pete Hughes Pete Hughes shares his journey of building a successful MSP business, Aura Technology, highlighting the importance of a strategic and standardized approach to service delivery. He emphasizes the significance of understanding customers’ businesses to tailor IT solutions that truly support their growth and success. Pete says: “We realized that the way we were delivering the service to the customers is just very different than anyone else has, and it was working.” Listen on Apple, Spotify, or watch on YouTube.
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Episode 8: Benefits of Early Adoption for MSPs with Rogier de Jong of Kembit Rogier de Jong discusses the advantages and challenges of being an early adopter of new technologies in the MSP space. He reflects on the strategic use of Azure and the importance of learning from early mistakes to improve services before they impact customers. Rogier says: “Sometimes I was a bit too enthusiastic and started using things a bit too early… We adopted Azure in a pretty early stage, so we had time to make mistakes before the customers really had to experience the mistakes.” Listen on Apple, Spotify, or watch on YouTube.
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Episode 9: From Accounting to Managed Services with Braddon McCleland of South Africa’s Network Associates Braddon McCleland shares his unique transition from an accounting background to establishing a thriving managed services business. He underscores the adaptability required to shift career paths and the benefits of leveraging a services model to demonstrate value to customers. Braddon says: “[Having] a services model allowed us to demonstrate the value we were adding to our customers’ businesses more easily.” Listen on Apple, Spotify, or watch on YouTube.
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Episode 10: Family Affair—Growing Brite into a Great MSP with Justin Smith Justin Smith shares his journey growing Brite into a successful MSP, emphasizing the value of family involvement and the unique dynamics it brings to business operations and culture. Justin says: “Having a family business means you’re not just building a company; you’re nurturing a legacy. It’s about more than profit; it’s about creating something that lasts and reflects our shared values.” Listen on Apple, Spotify, or watch on YouTube.
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