The BMK Vision Podcast

This episode dives deep into one of the most important conversations in the MSP industry today: the decision every owner must make—transform or exit.

Josh Peterson is joined by James Davis, a strategy advisor and fractional CSO helping APAC technology companies modernize their business models and unlock new growth.

James breaks down why MSPs remain stuck at the $1–2M ceiling, how mindset and identity prevent owners from scaling, and why advisory services, automation, and rethinking your value streams represent the biggest Blue Ocean opportunity the industry has ever seen.

• Why most MSPs plateau and how to break free

• The real difference between tactical and strategic MSPs

• Why lifestyle businesses are not a negative—and how to be intentional

• How to uncover an owner’s true motivation and purpose

• Future revenue streams: automation, advisory, and AI

• How to forecast realistically and identify risky revenue

• What Blue Ocean offerings look like for MSPs

• Why now is the most dangerous time to “wait and see”

Guest LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesdavis-strategy

Guest Website: (none listed publicly; LinkedIn primary profile)

YouTube (Video Podcast):

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Learn More About the Vision Platform:

https://beringmckinley.com/vision

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What happens when an MSP owner takes dispatch seriously, insists on real-time time entry, and uses data instead of gut feel to run the business? In this episode, Luis M. Alvarez, President & CEO of Alvarez Technology Group, sits down with Josh Peterson to walk through 25 years of lessons building a security-focused MSP on the California Central Coast. 

Luis shares how he moved from break-fix to managed services, why agreement gross profit (AGP) became a non-negotiable metric, and how tools like ConnectWise and Cognition360 help his team decide which clients to grow and which ones to fire. Along the way, he explains why dispatch owns the tickets, the day, and the hours—and how a strong dispatcher protects both profit and client experience.

🎙 What We Cover in This Episode

• Luis’ journey from Air Force linguist to MSP CEO

• Building Alvarez Technology Group from 2-person shop to leading regional MSP

• The transition from time-and-materials to flat-fee managed services

• Hosted vs on-prem PSA/RMM and the real cost of switching tools

• Why AGP, utilization, and pull-through revenue matter more than MRR alone

• Using Cognition360, Power BI, and ConnectWise data to run the business

• Dispatch as the control tower for tickets, tech time, and client expectations

• Guardrails for scope creep and protecting project margins

• Becoming a security-focused MSP and making the stack non-negotiable

• How EOS, KPIs, and weekly rhythms keep a 25-person MSP aligned

👤 Guest Links

• Guest Website: https://www.alvareztg.com/ 

• Guest LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/luismalvarez 

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https://beringmckinley.com/vision

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Operational truth. Financial clarity. The real future of MSPs.

In this episode, Josh Peterson and Mordy (Morty) Hackel explore the foundations and philosophies that determine whether an MSP thrives, stagnates, or collapses under complexity. Morty brings more than two decades of New York–based MSP experience, blending technical depth with strategic insight.

Morty Hackel is Partner at KJ Technology, an MSP serving financial, professional services, and family-office clients across the New York region. In this conversation, Morty shares his journey from finance to technology, and breaks down the operational DNA required to run a resilient service organization today.

• Why gross margin is the truest measure of MSP health

• How time entry affects every financial report

• Why “hours are a perishable good” inside a services business

• The real purpose of dispatching (and how most MSPs misuse it)

• AI, automation & the next phase of MSP operations

• Sales reality: relationship sourcing vs. pipeline engineering

• How MSPs can grow beyond break/fix thinking

• The psychological journey of the aging MSP owner

• Building advisory-level relationships with clients

• What MSPs must learn before 2026 arrives

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mordyhackel/

Company Website: https://kjtechnology.com

YouTube (Video Podcast):

https://www.youtube.com/@beringmckinleyvision?sub_confirmation=1

Learn More About the Vision Platform:

https://beringmckinley.com/vision

Apply to Be a Guest:

https://beringmckinley.com/bering-mckinley-podcast-blog

What really happens after the deal closes? In this episode of the BMK Vision Podcast – From the Trenches, Josh Peterson sits down with David Spire, Chief Transformation Officer at Entech, to talk about scaling through M&A, re-signing legacy clients, and building a sales engine that actually supports enterprise value—rather than just buying your way to a number. 

David shares his journey from MSP founder to merger with Entech, a Florida-based platform MSP backed by private equity. He explains how he moved from owner to CRO and now Chief Transformation Officer, where he leads M&A integration, sales structure, and cross-functional change projects that keep growth disciplined instead of chaotic.

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• Why David sold and merged his MSP into Entech—and why he’s still there years later

• The emotional and practical challenges of moving from owner to partner

• How effective hourly rate and agreement gross profit became non-negotiable metrics

• Why Entech forces 3–5-year-old contracts back to the table for re-signing

• Using “dirty invoices” and floors-with-no-ceilings to fix underpriced agreements

• Hiring philosophy: junior sellers + strong system vs “hero” senior sales reps

• How acquisition integration runs on a 6-month, 30/60/90 project plan

• Why buying a company too close to your size often creates “sibling rivalry”

• The role of organic sales in building real enterprise value before and after PE capital

• Lessons from dozens of re-signs and multiple acquisitions MSPs can apply today

Plus: David’s perspective on culture, leadership, and why predictability in systems matters more than personality in sales.

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Guest LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/entech-david/ 

Company Website: https://www.entechus.com/ 

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YouTube (Video Podcast):

https://www.youtube.com/@beringmckinleyvision?sub_confirmation=1

Learn More About the Vision Platform:

https://beringmckinley.com/vision

Apply to Be a Guest:

https://beringmckinley.com/bering-mckinley-podcast-blog

What happens when an MSP owner decides that growth has to serve life—not the other way around? In this From the Trenches conversation, Josh Peterson talks with Brian Welch, founder and president of Welch Technology Services, LLC, about building a sustainable MSP in New Jersey, choosing the right clients, and setting a clear 15-year path to an eventual exit.

Brian shares how he left an acquired IT firm to start his own company, the emotional cost of hiring friends, and why he now values slow, deliberate growth that lets him be present as a father. They dive into cyber insurance questionnaires, Microsoft security defaults, and real-world ransomware stories that are finally waking small businesses up to cybersecurity risk. Along the way, Brian explains how The 20 and Robin Robins have shaped his pricing, marketing, and support model—and why documenting a real plan beats living from a never-ending to-do list.

🎙 What We Cover in This Episode

• Leaving an acquired IT company to start an MSP on your own

• How culture shifts after acquisition can push great people out

• Hiring friends vs. hiring family—and learning from painful lessons

• Choosing clients you actually like and protecting your time

• Designing a 15-year plan to sell the business and retire

• Cyber insurance questionnaires & small-business security reality

• Microsoft security defaults, MFA prompts and client education

• Using The 20 and Robin Robins to shape pricing and service delivery

• Networking via chambers vs. purchased lists and cold outreach

• Documenting goals, milestones and initiatives instead of “just a to-do list”

👤 Guest Links

Guest: Brian Welch – Welch Technology Services, LLC

🌐 Website: https://www.welchts.com/ 

🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-welch-16581979

🚀 Subscribe & Follow BMK Vision

YouTube (Video Podcast):

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Learn More About the Vision Platform:

https://beringmckinley.com/vision

Apply to Be a Guest:

https://beringmckinley.com/bering-mckinley-podcast-blog

What happens when a high-performing Xerox rep in the late ‘80s turns copier success into a 25-year growth story—and then decides to go all-in on MSP? In this episode of the BMK Vision Podcast – From the Trenches, Dan Strull, Founder & CEO of GoodSuite, joins Josh Peterson to unpack his journey from analog copiers to managed IT, the cash-flow scars that shaped him, and why he thinks 10X growth is more realistic than 2X. 

Guest Introduction

Dan Strull leads GoodSuite, a California-based provider of critical business systems that now combines managed IT, cybersecurity, managed print, VoIP, and AV solutions for hundreds of customers across the region.  Starting from humble copier-dealer roots, Dan has grown the company through multiple acquisitions and a deliberate shift into MSP services—while keeping culture, community, and “living is giving” at the center of the brand. He’s also co-author of “10x Happiness,” a book on building a more intentional and joyful life. 

• Moving from Xerox sales in the late ‘80s into entrepreneurship

• Launching a copier dealership and discovering cash-flow the hard way

• How Dan’s wife became CFO and helped scale past $10–12M revenue

• Transitioning from imaging-led to IT-led: ConnectWise, e-automate & CEO Juice

• Applying copier financial models to MSP agreements and gross margin

• Building a revenue team and “technology integrator” role to unify sales

• Why AV and physical security are natural extensions for copier/MSP hybrids

• 10X vs 2X thinking and the goal to grow from $13M to $25M on the same infrastructure

• The story behind 10x Happiness and decades of reading, accountability, and goal-setting

• How joy, generosity, and culture show up in GoodSuite’s day-to-day leadership

Guest LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dstrull/ 

Company Website (GoodSuite): https://goodsuite.com 

YouTube (Video Podcast):

https://www.youtube.com/@beringmckinleyvision?sub_confirmation=1

Learn More About the Vision Platform:

https://beringmckinley.com/vision

Apply to Be a Guest:

https://beringmckinley.com/bering-mckinley-podcast-blog

Doug Johnston, founder of Stonewall Finance, specializes in financial leadership for MSPs — from bookkeeping cleanup and forecasting to M&A readiness and improving operational decision-making. In this conversation, we dig into what financial maturity looks like, where most MSPs get stuck, and how owners can use their numbers to make smarter, more confident decisions.

• Why MSP financials are often messy — and how to fix them

• The difference between actuals, budgets, and forecasts

• Understanding financial maturity stages for MSP owners

• Clean books as the foundation for valuation and M&A readiness

• Sales tax complexity and state-level audit risks

• The CFO mindset: how to think beyond the P&L

• How buyers de-risk MSP acquisitions

• Why operational metrics matter as much as financial ones

• The accountant’s role — and boundaries — in MSP deals

Guest LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dougjohnstoncpa

Company Website: https://stonewallfinance.com

YouTube (Video Podcast):

https://www.youtube.com/@beringmckinleyvision?sub_confirmation=1

Learn More About the Vision Platform:

https://beringmckinley.com/vision

Apply to Be a Guest:

https://beringmckinley.com/bering-mckinley-podcast-blog

Faith, stewardship, and bold decision-making define this powerful conversation between Josh Peterson and Jason Robinson, Co-Founder of IntegriTech in Northwest Arkansas. Jason shares how he left a successful enterprise IT career at Tyson, stepped into small-business ownership with purpose, and built an MSP rooted in service, intentional growth, and values-driven leadership.

This episode explores how calling, partnership structure, and real business discipline transformed Jason’s journey—from early mistakes to Blue Ocean Strategy thinking and a clearer vision for the future of IntegriTech.

Jason Robinson, Co-Founder of IntegriTech, brings nearly two decades of enterprise experience—spanning storage architecture, large-scale infrastructure design, and church IT ministry leadership. In this episode, Josh and Jason break down:

• What it looks like to transition from corporate stability to entrepreneurship

• Lessons learned from early missteps in pricing, cash flow, and service delivery

• Building a strong 50/50 partnership with clear responsibilities

• The role of faith in business decision-making

• How Blue Ocean Strategy and vCIO services are shaping IntegriTech’s future

Jason offers an honest look at what it takes to grow an MSP sustainably while staying grounded in purpose and stewardship.

• Leaving corporate IT for a faith-driven entrepreneurial calling

• Turning church IT/AV volunteer work into a technical leadership advantage

• Navigating the business learning curve: pricing, cash flow & profitability

• How humility, stewardship, and trust shaped IntegriTech’s culture

• Building an intentional sales engine after years of referral-only growth

• Developing vCIO advisory services clients actually value

• Applying Blue Ocean Strategy to shift beyond commodity MSP work

• Identifying ideal clients and pruning misaligned ones

• Why “who, not how” matters when scaling your MSP

Jason Robinson – Co-Founder, IntegriTech

Company Website: https://integritech.io/

LinkedIn (Company): https://www.linkedin.com/company/integritechmsp/

YouTube (Video Podcast):

https://www.youtube.com/@beringmckinleyvision?sub_confirmation=1

Learn More About the Vision Platform:

https://beringmckinley.com/vision

Apply to Be a Guest:

https://beringmckinley.com/bering-mckinley-podcast-blog

MSP leadership, managed service providers, small business growth, MSP sales, Blue Ocean Strategy, Christian entrepreneurship, business stewardship, vCIO services, operational maturity, BMK Vision Podcast, Arkansas MSP, IntegriTech

Host: Josh Peterson

Producer: Bering McKinley

Episode: #54 – Faith, Stewardship & Blue Ocean Vision (Jason Robinson – IntegriTech)

From Army mechanized infantry to copier sales to a $19M MSP exit, Milton Bartley has lived several careers in one. In this episode, he joins Josh Peterson to unpack how ImageQuest grew from a small copier dealership into a security-focused MSP with fewer than 100 clients, a deep niche in community banks, and a successful sale to Evergreen Services Group / Lyra Technology Group.

Milton explains how military discipline, sales fundamentals, and a relentless focus on serving the right clients well shaped ImageQuest’s trajectory—and why he believes the best MSPs are truly service organizations that happen to use technology, not the other way around. He also breaks down three types of private equity and what MSP owners should understand before they think about selling.

• Milton’s journey from the U.S. Army to copier sales and into IT

• Launching ImageQuest in 2007 and discovering managed network services

• Why copier dealers often out-sell MSPs—and what MSPs can learn from them

• How Paul Dippel’s “pick a lane” advice changed ImageQuest’s strategy

• Building a service-driven, not purely tech-driven, organization

• Growing to ~$19M with under 100 clients through focus and referrals

• Specializing in community banks and becoming experts for regulators and auditors

• Deciding it was time to sell and the role of capital gains tax in the timing

• The three types of private equity and why “buy & hold” made sense for ImageQuest

• Life after the sale with Evergreen / Lyra and what stayed the same for staff and clients

• The one thing Milton would do earlier if he could: niche down faster

Guest LinkedIn: (add Milton’s LinkedIn URL here)

Company Website: https://imagequest.com

YouTube (Video Podcast):

https://www.youtube.com/@beringmckinleyvision?sub_confirmation=1

Learn More About the Vision Platform:

https://beringmckinley.com/vision

Apply to Be a Guest:

https://beringmckinley.com/bering-mckinley-podcast-blog

In this episode, Josh Peterson sits down with Todd Holloway, founder of Custech and one of the earliest ConnectWise adopters in the industry. Todd shares how a firefighting career unexpectedly led him into IT, how he built a 30-year MSP through relationships, and why client expectations are shifting fast in 2025.

Guest Introduction

Todd Holloway is the founder of Custech, an Atlanta-based boutique MSP known for deep client relationships and long-term operational maturity. We explore his early days in IT, the evolution of pricing models, the rise of low-cost national competitors, SDR hiring, and the ongoing challenge of technician time tracking.

• From firefighter to MSP owner

• Building a 30-year MSP through word of mouth

• Early ConnectWise history and adopting managed services

• Price fatigue & the return of hybrid MSP models

• Competing with national PE-backed rollups

• SDR hiring, comp plans, and bringing sales in-house

• List hygiene, postcards, and local outreach strategies

• Technician time entry culture

• Long-term client retention strategies

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/todd-holloway

Company Website: https://custech.net

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@beringmckinleyvision?sub_confirmation=1

Learn More About Vision: https://beringmckinley.com/vision

Apply to Be a Guest: https://beringmckinley.com/bering-mckinley-podcast-blog

msp, msp sales, custech, connectwise, firefighting, managed services, sdr hiring, account management, service delivery, bmk vision podcast, msp growth, recurring revenue

(Using your Spotify template)

🎧 #52 – Firefighting, MSP Longevity & the Changing Client Mindset (Todd Holloway – Custech)

In this episode of the BMK Vision Podcast, Josh Peterson sits down with Todd Holloway, founder of Custech and a 30-year MSP veteran. They dive into Todd’s shift from firefighting to IT, how he accidentally launched an MSP, the evolution of pricing models, and why client expectations are rapidly changing.

This conversation explores the rise of low-cost MSP competitors, time-entry challenges, relationship-based retention, SDR hiring, and long-term operational maturity.

👉 Learn more about the BMK Vision Operating System: https://beringmckinley.com/vision

About the Guest

Todd Holloway is the founder of Custech, an Atlanta-based MSP specializing in long-term client partnerships, operational maturity, and proactive support. A true early adopter of ConnectWise, Todd brings historical insight and practical experience shaped by decades in the industry.

About the Host

Josh Peterson is the CEO of Bering McKinley and host of the BMK Vision Podcast, helping MSPs grow through operational maturity, financial clarity, and leadership development.

Learn more: https://beringmckinley.com/vision