MSP Business School

Sean Lardo is the VP of Partner Development at OIT, an organization that specializes in telecommunications and distributed networking. Having started as an MSP working with clients in many different industries, Sean understands the unique needs of OIT's partners in the MSP industry. In this episode, Sean and the guys discuss how partnering with your vendors can help your MSP reap great benefits and rewards.

In this episode of MSP Business School, hosts Brian Doyle, Tim McNeil, and Robb Rogers sit down to discuss the challenges that MSPs typically face when hiring sales professionals. They take us on a deep dive into the sales recruiting process, why MSPs struggle with it, and the game-changing approach Tim and Robb implement in their own business.

You don't often think of ransomware and growth in the same sentence, but for Gary Jones and VCPI, an attack a few months before the pandemic was the catalyst for a whole new approach to security. Add in a healthy dose of automation, and this episode is packed with unconventional ways to expand your MSP and deepen your client relationships.

A former MSP owner who successfully grew his business for over 20 years before selling it in 2018, Shawn Walsh of Encore Strategic Consulting knows a thing or two about leadership. In this episode, the guys sit down with Shawn to pick his brain about what makes a good leader and how to develop the skills and qualities needed to lead a team to profitability.

As one of the leaders and founders of Aligned Technology Solutions – an MSP with offices in both the DC area and Orlando, Florida – Don Sauer has seen quite a few shifts and changes in the industry over the past few decades. In this episode, Brian, Tim, and Robb sit down with Don to talk about his path to building a successful MSP and the pivotal decisions that helped propel Aligned to the top.

Doug is the CEO of TruTechnology based in Jacksonville, FL. Doug had a personal situation that caused him to have to delegate more than he had at that point. T here he learned the lesson many founders find, that by getting out of the way and trusting the team his business flourished.

Zay is the Director of Business Development and Partner at IT Help, Inc. Zay, a New York based tech firm where COVID hit hardest, had to find a creative way to grow the organization when companies were leaving the city. Starting with an outsourcing strategy to allow for scale and meet the demands of almost any market, Zay has built the blueprint for his company's long-term success.

Today we discuss what is the responsibility of the MSP owner upon exit. Most look to take care of their team, especially if they are not being retained, but how about our responsibility to your community? We give our thoughts about an owners community approach after selling their baby.

Dave Hodgdon is someone who truly believes that a company's success – and therefore its owner's eventual exit – relies on its people. As the president and founder of PCGIT, an MSP that he began in 1996, Dave has a unique exit strategy that exhibits his faith in his people, ensures his top employees remain with the company, and shows his commitment to making others successful. 1:08 – Dave gives us a quick background on Portsmouth Computer Group and how they slowly transformed over the years from a training company to an MSP, to eventually offering security. 7:09 – The guys ask Dave how his company has handled the work from home phenomenon over the past year, particularly when it comes to security. Dave details the difficulties they've encountered as well as the significant increase in the number of risk assessments they've conducted. He shares how his team has managed to maintain a sense of company culture while working remotely, and stresses the importance of fostering community in the workplace. 13:20 – Dave shares his incredibly unique, twofold exit and retention strategy. He explains why the venture capital route isn't right for him and how he's able to feel like he has more control over his legacy. Dave believes that treating your people like partners is the most surefire way to increase revenue and exponentially grow your company's value. 20:00 – Dave digs into the details of how his plan works, clarifying some points and making it clear that with his approach, he and his people have skin in the game, and both sides end up winning. In closing, Dave reminds us that giving the best client experience is the most important thing. He stresses that if there's an issue that needs to be resolved, or you feel something is off, a phone call or a visit in person is far more effective than an email.