Erick and Rich discuss NinjaOne’s $252 million acquisition of Dropsuite and three tips for managing cash flow and profitability. Then they get an insider’s introduction to the Global Technology Industry Association (which you might know by its former name, CompTIA) by its chief community officer, MJ Shoer. And finally, one last thing: Erick’s vivid description of what the “corpse flower” currently blooming in Brooklyn smells like. 

Discussed in this episode:
Hot Take: NinjaOne Buys Dropsuite
GTIA home page
GTIA Communities and Councils Forum home page
Visitors flock to New York botanic garden for a whiff of a flower that smells like a rotting corpse

Erick and Rich discuss what dual acquisitions by Cytracom and AvePoint say about the importance of platforms in managed services, as well as why and how to get in on the large and growing opportunity in co-managed IT. Then they’re joined by Peter Kujawa, vice president and general manager of ConnectWise’s Service Leadership unit, for a fascinating, fact-filled exploration of what Service Leadership’s latest MSP benchmark reports says about the state of the channel. And finally, one last thing: what happens when generative AI gets snippy. 

Discussed in this episode:
Hot Take: AvePoint, Cytracom, and the Platform Play in Managed Services
How do AvePoint and Cytracom define platform?
Service Leadership Q3 Index Data Reveals Revenue Growth Slowdown But Continued Profitability for Managed Service Providers and Revenue Growth for Value-Added Resellers
Google’s NotebookLM had to teach its AI podcast hosts not to act annoyed at humans

Erick and Rich are joined by Kaseya Co-Founder and Vice Chairman Fred Voccola in his first interview since stepping down as CEO to discuss why he’s changed roles and what it means for Kaseya partners. That comes after your hosts talk about recent research suggesting there’s a huge latent co-managed IT opportunity for MSPs in cloud management and three tips for helping customers manage legacy systems. And finally, one last thing: “soup you can suck on.” 

Discussed in this episode:
Rackspace The 2025 State of Cloud Report
Progresso launches Soup Drops, a hard candy that's 'soup you can suck on'

In this special bonus episode of MSP Chat, sponsored by Alchemi Data Management, Erick and Rich talk about the connection between data security and insider threat security, and why both are more important than ever right now, as well as three techniques MSPs can use to more closely align their IT services with a client’s business goals. Then they’re joined by Rob Sims, CTO and co-founder of Alchemi, for an eye-opening conversation about insider threats and how to protect against them. And finally, one last thing: disheartening evidence from the U.K. that Gen Z needs professional help screwing in light bulbs. 

Discussed in this episode:
ShieldCRS website
By Rob Sims: Protecting Against Inevitable Insider Threats
Check Point Software’s 2025 Security Report Finds Alarming 44% Increase in Cyber-Attacks Amid Maturing Cyber Threat Ecosystem
Cybersecurity Insiders: Insider Threat Report – New Data Shows Spike in Insider Attacks in 2024
Many young adults 'unable to do basic DIY tasks' - including changing light bulbs

Erick and Rich discuss Ingram Micro’s platform-based strategy for driving growth and winning partner loyalty, as well as three proven techniques MSPs can use to build credibility with sales prospects. Then they’re joined by Nick Heddy, president and chief commerce officer of Pax8, for an insider’s look at why online marketplaces matter and how MSPs should pick the right one to go deep with. And finally, one last thing: Proof, courtesy of a Waymo ride with a comically bad ending, that autonomous vehicle tech isn’t ready for prime time just yet. 

Discussed in this episode:
Platform is the Plan at Ingram Micro
LA tech entrepreneur nearly misses flight after getting trapped in robotaxi

Erick and Rich discuss what research from CompTIA implies about the year ahead for the channel in AI, plus three proven strategies for navigating client budget constraints. Then they’re joined by compliance guru Mike Semel for a deep dive look at what the recently published CMMC final rule means for MSPs. And finally, one last thing: The lamest excuse ever given for failing to return a rental car on time. 

Discussed in this episode:
Happy Days Are Here Some More!
CompTIA’s IT Industry Outlook 2025 report
Mike Semel’s free CMMC 2.1 Desktop Reference Guide
Woman arrested in Spokane after saying she was too busy to return rental car

Welcome to 2025! Erick and Rich kick off the year by discussing research from last month showing just how much MSPs value platforms, explaining how to use LinkedIn Sales Navigator to generate leads without cold calling, and sharing New Years resolutions for themselves and the channel. And finally, one last thing: A look back at last year’s predictably chaotic Santa Claus bar crawl. 

Discussed in this episode:
MSPs Love Platforms
Eighty Percent of Security Leaders Prefer Platform-Based GenAI, Finds Crowd
Strike State of AI Survey
Significant changes reported in the managed services software market (PSA/RMM) today
Thousands of Santas and a few Grinches hit the streets for annual SantaCon bar crawls

Erick and Rich discuss what agentic AI will mean to MSPs and three techniques for getting more from your vendor relationships. Then they’re joined by attorney Brad Gross for a conversation about legal New Year’s resolutions every MSP should adopt. And finally, one last thing: a report on who won this year’s Microsoft Excel World Championship. 

Discussed in this episode:
The Agents Are Coming
Brad Gross’s Website
Canadian man wins Microsoft Excel World Championships in Las Vegas

Don’t worry. Listening to this week's episode of MSP Chat will be insightful rather than painful. Erick and Rich discuss what a new collaboration agreement between Ingram Micro and AWS Marketplace says about marketplaces and MSPs generally, plus three tips to get end users bought into purchasing advanced security services by keeping them apprised of the latest cyber threats. Then they're joined by Nadir Merchant, general manager of the IT Operations Suite at Kaseya, for a conversation about AI in managed services and managed service platforms. And finally, one last thing: Why “brain rot” is the Oxford English Dictionary’s word of the year. 

Discussed in this episode:
Nadir Merchant’s Haymakers for Hope donation page
Ingram Micro Signs New Agreement with AWS to Drive Channel Partner Services Capabilities and Scale
Channelholic Hot Take: Ingram Micro and AWS Double Down on Marketplace Collaboration
Which Marketplace? Wrong Question.
Think ‘brain rot’ summed up 2024? Oxford agrees it was the word of the year

Did you know that the average MSP bundle includes 13 product categories? Erick and Rich discuss that and a host of other research insights in this episode with Colin Knox, CEO of Gradient MSP. They also dive into the hype and reality of agentic AI and three critical nuances to delivering co-managed IT services. And finally, one last thing: proof that generative AI is the slimiest marketer on Earth when it comes to designing websites. 

Discussed in this episode:
KnowBe4’s Artificial Intelligence Defense Agents To Combat AI-Generated Phishing Attacks and Measure Cyber Risk in Humans
Colin Knox’s research LinkedIn posts:
Post 1
Post 2
Post 3
Post 4
Post 5
ChatGPT was tasked with designing a website. The result was as manipulative as you’d expect