Tate Talks - The MSP Podcast

In this episode, Chris Tate sits down with Augie Staab, who leads the MSP Sales Division for TD Synnex in North America, for a look at how distribution is evolving to keep pace with the MSP market.

Augie shares how TD Synnex rebuilt its MSP go-to-market around dedicated, consultative reps rather than a purely digital/marketplace model, what's behind the newly launched MSP Maturity Assessment, and the three trends she's hearing most often from partners on the road: intensifying competition, security becoming a forced conversation rather than an optional upsell, and the governance challenges of AI adoption. She also makes the case for vertical specialisation as the clearest way for MSPs to differentiate in a crowded market and offers her own definition of what actually separates an MSP from a reseller with a service contract.

The conversation closes with a lighter look at what Augie does outside of work (spoiler: a serious fantasy/sci-fi reading habit and a Marvel/Star Wars collection to match), plus a fairly definitive ruling on the best Star Wars film.

In this episode:

• TD SYNNEX's dedicated MSP sales division and why headcount quadrupled

• The new MSP Maturity Assessment and what it means for partners

• What actually defines an MSP

• Three trends shaping the MSP market: competition, security, and AI governance

• Why vertical specialisation is the differentiator that wins

• Augie's book and movie recommendations (and her Star Wars verdict)

  
  

  
  

Connect with Augie on LinkedIn here or visit the TD Synnex website here

Music by purple-planet.com

Register for ChannelCon EMEA ⁠Here⁠ and use code TATETALKS26 for totally free entry...

In this episode of Tate Talks, Chris sits down with Hollie Whittles MBE - co-founder and director of Purple Frog Data (a data analytics and AI consultancy marking its 20th anniversary this year) and Power BI Sentinel (a Power BI governance SaaS with clients across the UK and US). Hollie is also Vice Chair of GTIA's UK & Ireland Executive Council and National Policy Skills Champion at the Federation of Small Businesses, advising the UK government on tech skills, apprenticeships and T-levels — work that contributed to her MBE for services to women in business.

They cover a lot of ground: the recruitment and skills gap MSPs keep running into, why the stereotypes that keep people (and especially women) out of tech careers start as early as primary school, and the shift in the UK's work experience model away from rigid two-week blocks and towards flexible placements via the Careers and Enterprise Company.

On AI, Hollie is direct: deploying AI agents on top of messy, ungoverned data isn't transformation, it's a governance failure. Her advice for MSPs planning for 2027 — get the people, the skills and the data foundations right before the next platform purchase.

They also get into the hybrid vs. remote work debate and its outsized impact on people starting their careers, plus a lighter detour into stadium shows with symphony orchestras, Star Trek, and the one true answer to "what's your favourite Star Wars film."

Guest: Hollie Whittles MBE - LinkedIn

Purple Frog Systems

Power BI Sentinel

Music by purple-planet.com

Register for ChannelCon EMEA Here and use code TATETALKS26 for totally free entry...

Chris catches up with Nick Wolf, VP of Sales at Hook Security, for a wide-ranging conversation on security awareness training, the AI-driven evolution of phishing, and what MSPs need to know heading into 2027.

Nick's career has tracked the MSP channel almost from the start — from joining Datto as a teenage intern (employee #16) and rising to become the company's #1 sales rep, to roles at Skout Cybersecurity (acquired by Barracuda Networks) and Cork (cyber warranty/insurance, founded by Datto's Austin McCord), and now leading sales at Hook Security.

In this episode:

• Why the user — not the software — is usually the weakest link, and what that means for how MSPs should be building their security stack

• How Hook Security's live-action training content, micro-learnings, and "Campaign of the Month" autopilot model work for MSPs, including per-user pricing and a price-lock guarantee

• Why classic "spot the typos" phishing training doesn't hold up anymore now that AI is writing the phishing emails too

• The AI shift Nick's hearing about most from MSPs — and why he doesn't think AI replaces MSPs, but will change how clients buy from them

• A shoutout to fellow Series 13 guest Jimmy Hatzel of Hatz AI

• Nick's tip for MSP owners: don't be afraid to delegate and build out your team as you scale

• A detour into all 50 states, national parks, Disney World, and the best food to eat in every state you visit

Connect with Nick Wolf : Website LinkedIn

Music by purple-planet.com

Jimmy Hatzell is back on Tate Talks. Jimmy is the founder of Hatz AI, an AI company that helps MSPs build an AI-as-a-service business. He was in Skout Cybersecurity's early team, stayed through its acquisition by Barracuda, and has since worked with CyberQP.

Last time Jimmy was on, Hatz AI was an early-stage idea. Now it's a full company. Chris and Jimmy cover:

• Why Jimmy is betting on MSPs to close the AI gap for small and medium-sized businesses, and why it feels like the early days of cybersecurity
• The "security, spend and scope" framework, and why an AI policy of "no one's allowed to use AI" isn't a real policy
• How an AI code review tool ran up a $5,000 bill in 24 hours
• Why the MSP owner, not a new hire, should start the AI practice with the first two or three clients
• Why AI is a "show, don't tell" technology, and how fast it's changing month to month
• What's new at Hatz AI: importing customers from your PSA, AI agents that research each client, shadow AI scans, and ready-made decks and one-pagers for first conversations
• How Jimmy uses AI at home, AI in education, and why he's optimistic about AI in medicine
• Life in New York City and his weekend runs in Central Park with his daughter

Connect with Jimmy on LinkedIn or visit Hatz AI

Sponsor: enhanced.io

Music by purple-planet.com

In the final episode of Season 12, I am joined by industry veteran Pete Hughes to discuss the evolving landscape of Managed Service Providers (MSPs) and the transformative power of AI. With over 20 years in the industry, Pete shares insights from his journey from an internal techie to building and growing MSPs.

• The Evolution of Proactivity: The shift from time-and-materials to fixed-price services has forced MSPs to move beyond simple automations (like restarting a service) toward real proactivity that prevents issues before they occur.

  
  

• The AI Relevance Challenge: Pete emphasizes that AI is not just a tool but a necessity for staying relevant. MSPs must adopt AI internally to drive efficiency and profitability, or risk being replaced by those who do.

  
  

• Consultative Selling: Rather than selling "AI tools," Pete advises MSPs to have business-first conversations—identifying process inefficiencies and then translating how AI can solve those specific challenges.

  
  

• PSA Insights: Pete introduces his new platform, PSA Insights, which uses AI to analyze massive amounts of ticket data in common PSAs (Halo, Autotask, ConnectWise). The tool surfaces patterns, identifies common problems costing money, and provides remediation plans.

  
  

• User-Driven Agents: A fascinating prediction discussed is that in the future, creating AI agents will be as common as creating a PowerPoint, with end-users driving implementation while MSPs provide the guardrails and policies.

  
  

When he isn't revolutionising MSP data, Pete can be found helming (or steering, for the cool people) his yacht along the South Coast of the UK, a passion he has pursued for 40 years.

Connect with today's guest on LinkedIn here or check out their website here

Music - https://www.purple-planet.com

Key Discussion Points:Downtime & Diversions

In this episode of Tate Talks, I sit down with Dor Eisner, a 25-year cybersecurity veteran and the mind behind Guardz.

We dive deep into the rapidly shifting threat landscape of 2026, exploring how cybercriminals are currently leveraging AI more effectively than defenders to generate "attack as a service" tools at a massive scale. Dor shares the "epiphany moment" involving his father’s small law firm that led him to focus exclusively on empowering MSPs.

Outside of the SOC, Dor finds his "mental healthcare" through kitesurfing. He draws a fascinating parallel between the balance required in the waves—managing wind, waves, and the kite—and the balance required to run a successful business.

Connect with today's guest on LinkedIn ⁠⁠⁠here⁠ or check out their website here

Music - https://www.purple-planet.com

Bringing Back the Magic with Michael Fass 

In this episode of Tate Talks, I sit down with Michael Fass, the Founder and CEO of Slide, a modern BCDR (Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery) solution purpose-built for the MSP community. Michael shares his "winding road" from being a lawyer by trade to becoming the "consigliere" and Chief People Officer at Datto, and eventually launching Slide to finish what he and Austin McChord started.

Check out Michael Fass on Spotify: Listen to Michael's Music Here 

Connect with today's guest on LinkedIn here or check out the Slide website here 

Music - https://www.purple-planet.com

It’s been six years since Rachel Williams (formerly McGuinness) last graced the podcast to talk about sleep. Now, she’s back to tell us that if we haven't fixed our sleep by now, we probably have bigger problems—specifically, the "post-lunch slump" that Chris is still trying to fight with a cup of tea and sheer willpower.

In this health-focused pivot, Rachel breaks down how to stop treating your body like a bin and start treating it like the power source of your business. From "Knowing your Numbers" to why you should probably ignore the siren call of a Boots meal deal, this episode is a wake-up call for every MSP owner who thinks "burnout" is just a setting on their coffee machine.

Connect with the Zesty Lady on LinkedIn here or check out her website here.

Music - https://www.purple-planet.com

In this episode of Tate Talks, I sat down with Phil McGowan, Sales Engineering Manager for EMEA at Huntress. Phil shares his journey from technical support to leading a team of 11 technical experts, providing deep insights into the evolving cybersecurity landscape for Managed Service Providers (MSPs).

Connect with todays guest on LinkedIn ⁠⁠⁠here or check out their website here

Music - https://www.purple-planet.com

In this episode of Tate Talks, sponsored by JumpCloud, Chris Tate sits down with Daniel Welling, a seasoned MSP veteran, mentor, and motorsport enthusiast. Daniel shares his journey from running a "dark MSP"—operating in isolation without the support of the community—to becoming a central figure in the UK MSP ecosystem.

The conversation dives deep into the value of community, the nuances of M&A, and how Daniel has successfully blended his passion for racing with business networking.

• The Power of Community: Daniel reflects on his first iteration as an MSP owner and how a lack of community awareness led to missed opportunities for growth and confidence.

• Motorsport as a Networking Tool: Learn how Daniel uses events at iconic tracks like Brands Hatch and Silverstone to create intimate, high-value networking experiences that break the mold of traditional conferences.

• Defending Your Client Base: Daniel discusses why the "mundane" basics—like consistent QBRs (Quarterly Business Reviews)—are the best defense against competitors, especially as clients look for guidance on navigating the AI hype.

• The "Numbers Game": Why every MSP owner should pick at least one core metric to measure progress and gain a sense of achievement in the daily grind.

• The Tech Tribe: Local meetups and a global community for MSPs.

• It’s a Numbers Game Podcast: Daniel’s podcast exploring the financial landscape of MSPs.

• Welling Media (YouTube): Check out Daniel’s "Channel Cars" series and his insights on F1 sponsorships.

• CompTIA / GTI: The industry trade association mentioned regarding community events.

Connect with todays guest on LinkedIn here

It’s a Numbers Game podcast https://mspfinanceteam.com/blog/

IT & Motorsport YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@itandmotorsport

Karting MSP Meetup https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-msp-finance-team-karting-meetup-2026-tickets-1982350254976?aff=oddtdtcreator

BTCC MSP Meetup https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-msp-finance-team-btcc-brands-hatch-2026-meetup-tickets-1773108407979?

MSP Finance Team https://mspfinanceteam.com/

Music - https://www.purple-planet.com