MSP Chat

In this special bonus episode of MSP Chat, sponsored by Kaseya, Erick and Rich discuss AI’s role in declining member satisfaction with partner programs (it’s smaller than you might think) and three ways to ensure you talk to your clients about AI before someone else does. Then they’re joined by Paul Burke, the Kaseya VP of engineering in charge of the company’s AI-powered digital workforce, for a deeply informed conversation about AI, deterministic reasoning, and the “integration tax” many MSPs are paying today and shouldn’t be. And finally, one last thing: Just in time for the tail end of summer, Snickers Ice Cream has a job opening for a Chief Online Chill Officer. 

Discussed in this episode: 

Don’t Blame AI for Sliding Partner Program Satisfaction
Kaseya Unveils the First Agentic IT Management Platform – Turning Data into Autonomous Action
Searching for Its First-Ever ‘Chief Online Chill Officer’ to Help Bring More Chill and Humor to the Internet

Some guests on this podcast are clients of Channel Mastered. Compensation plays no part in their appearance or the content of the discussion unless the episode they appear on is a “bonus episode” explicitly labeled as sponsored.

Erick and Rich discuss Fusion, the new security platform from Sophos, and what it says about the meaning of platform in the security market today as well as three things every MSP can do to ensure their business improves every quarter. Then they’re joined by Yaron Baitch of managed services suite vendor IgnitHQ for a conversation about what it means to build a truly AI-native MSP tool stack in the age of AI. And finally, one last thing: the dangerous lengths to which residents of a city in Greece are willing to go to shave a few minutes from their daily commute. 

Discussed in this episode:
When Is a Security Platform Not a Security Platform?I
gnitHQ Dares to Dream
Locals Keep Driving on This Buckled Bridge Because It’s Quicker Than the Detour 

Some guests on this podcast are clients of Channel Mastered. Compensation plays no part in their appearance or the content of the discussion unless the episode they appear on is a “bonus episode” explicitly labeled as sponsored.

Erick and Rich discuss data from ConnectWise’s Service Leadership unit offering preliminary evidence that AI automation software for MSPs is having a productivity and profitability impact on early adopters, as well as suggestions for being smarter and more strategic about when to say yes to clients and when not to. Then Erick’s joined by Juan Fernandez of MSP as a Service to learn more about how that company’s solution is helping newcomers get managed service practices up and running quickly. And finally, one last thing: The $1.5 trillion shock some subscribers got when AWS rounded their bill way, way up.
 
Discussed in this episode:
Service Leadership Takes on Two MSP Mysteries
MSP as a Service website
Amazon Web Services customers receive bills for up to $1.5tn after global glitch
 
Some guests on this podcast are clients of Channel Mastered. Compensation plays no part in their appearance or the content of the discussion unless the episode they appear on is a “bonus episode” explicitly labeled as sponsored.

Live from Ingram Micro’s 2026 Trust X Alliance Unplugged event in (fabulous, trust them) Buffalo, N.Y., Erick and Rich discuss the role community and trust play in adapting to AI transformation and strategies for easing employee anxieties about what AI means for their job. Then Rich is joined by Bill Brandel, Ingram’s EVP and president, North America, for a conversation about how Ingram’s helping partners navigate ever-shifting price changes and supply shortages while preparing for success in the AI economy. And finally, one last thing: a helpful reminder that your local police department would prefer that you NOT bring your unused hand grenades to the station.

Discussed in this episode:
Ontario police: Do not bring grenades to police stations

Some guests on this podcast are clients of Channel Mastered. Compensation plays no part in their appearance or the content of the discussion unless the episode they appear on is a “bonus episode” explicitly labeled as sponsored.

Erick and Rich discuss why service desk automation startup Squash believes there’s a close connection between AI automation for MSPs and governance and why they’re probably correct, as well as three steps MSPs can take to ready tomorrow’s generation of leaders today. Then they’re joined by Arve Kjoelen for a timely conversation about the security implications for MSPs and their customers posed by leading-edge LLMs like Mythos and GPT-5.6. And finally, one last thing: how two joy-riding teens discovered the hard way that the long arm of the law extends into Waymos.

Discussed in this episode:
It’s Governance First, AI Second at Squash
Police detain 2 teens after a joy ride in a Waymo in Northern California

Some guests on this podcast are clients of Channel Mastered. Compensation plays no part in their appearance or the content of the discussion unless the episode they appear on is a “bonus episode” explicitly labeled as sponsored.

Erick and Rich discuss N-able’s Shadow AI Visibility solution and the larger opportunity it represents for MSPs to add AI services, plus why and how to build a multi-quarter AI and security roadmap for your clients today. Then they’re joined by James Farrow, CEO of Cyft, for an insider’s take on the present and future of AI productivity tooling for MSPs. And finally, one last thing: why the absolute worst time for a pizza delivery robot to arrive at someone’s home is when a SWAT team is already there.
 
Discussed in this episode:
N-able Sheds Light on AI’s Shadows
AI agents are breaking things and organisations know it. They are deploying more anyway.
AvePoint Research Reveals AI Visibility Gaps Have Nearly Tripled as AI Agents Scale and Almost Half of Enterprise Employees Now Rely on Agents Daily or Weekly
New Research Finds Workforce AI Policy Compliance Is an Enforcement Problem, Not an Awareness One
DoorDash Delivery Robot Invades SWAT Scene, Won’t Leave as Cops Flashbang Resident
 
Some guests on this podcast are clients of Channel Mastered. Compensation plays no part in their appearance or the content of the discussion unless the episode they appear on is a “bonus episode” explicitly labeled as sponsored.

Erick and Rich discuss Rewst’s effort to democratize automation for everyone who works at MSPs and their agents too, plus three ways to address customer satisfaction issues before they ruin client relationships. Then Rich is joined by Rewst CRO Charlie Tomeo for a look at Rewst’s perspective on the present and future of automation for MSPs. And finally, one last thing: how an Australian air conditioning mechanic set a new Guinness record by yelling a single word louder than a jet aircraft.
 
Discussed in this episode:
Rewst Answers the Automation Divide With AI-Native Capabilities as MSP Task Volume Surges 2.4x
Man crowned world’s loudest person makes as much noise as a jet taking off
 
Some guests on this podcast are clients of Channel Mastered. Compensation plays no part in their appearance or the content of the discussion unless the episode they appear on is a “bonus episode” explicitly labeled as sponsored.

Erick and Rich discuss ConnectWise’s new AI-native platform, the fate of its earlier Asio platform, and why today’s most successful MSPs solve business problems, not technology problems. Then they’re joined by Tony Anscombe of ESET for an insightful conversation about ESET’s 2026 SMB Cyber Readiness Index. And finally, one last thing: how a single recent incident proves both that a memory stick could save your life and that dogs are more dangerous than you think.
 
Discussed in this episode:
ConnectWise Unveils the Industry’s First Predictive Intelligence Platform to Lead the Era of Predictive IT
ESET Finds that SMBs Currently Leverage Cyber Insurance to Arm Against Attacks, Report Incidents and Improve Resilience
Gaming PC saves owner from bullet fired by neighbor’s dog
 
Some guests on this podcast are clients of Channel Mastered. Compensation plays no part in their appearance or the content of the discussion unless the episode they appear on is a “bonus episode” explicitly labeled as sponsored.

Coming to you live from Pax8 Beyond in Salt Lake City, Erick and Rich discuss the many ways Pax8 is trying to accelerate the path from managed service provider to managed intelligence provider, plus three things you can do to reduce recurring issues that consume resources, frustrate clients, and suppress profitability. Then they have two interviews for you, one with Rex Frank, Pax8’s VP of Academy, about making the journey from MSP to MIP and another with Elliott Hyman, CEO of Lyra Technology Group, about what being an MIP looks like in today’s market. And finally, one last thing: Proof that it’s possible the person flying you home from your next business trip isn’t a licensed pilot.
 
Discussed in this episode:
Pax8 Launches Managed Intelligence Solutions to Help Partners Monetize AI and Deliver Real Outcomes for Their Clients
The Pax8 Managed Intelligence Provider Playbook
‘Like a movie script’: Former Air Canada pilot arrested after allegedly flying with fake licence: police
 
Some guests on this podcast are clients of Channel Mastered. Compensation plays no part in their appearance or the content of the discussion unless the episode they appear on is a “bonus episode” explicitly labeled as sponsored.

Erick and Rich discuss why the rapid emergence of usage-based AI pricing schemes is going to make “token economics” and AI spend management essential skills for MSPs as well as the importance of giving everyone inside an MSP an understanding of big picture business performance. Then they’re joined by John Harden to discuss client-facing AI service opportunities and how his new app Lemhi aims to help MSPs seize them. And finally, one last thing: The most (phones) and least (dentures with two teeth) common items in Uber’s lost and found.
 
Discussed in this episode:
AI Model Spending is a Black Hole
More reasons to get smart about token spending sooner versus later
Lemhi Launches the SaaS Platform MSPs Need to Deliver AI as a Recurring Managed Service
Uber Lost & Found Index includes breast milk, ankle monitor
 
Some guests on this podcast are clients of Channel Mastered. Compensation plays no part in their appearance or the content of the discussion unless the episode they appear on is a “bonus episode” explicitly labeled as sponsored.