Over the years, through coaching hundreds of MSPs, one recurring pattern shows up time and again: business owners who’ve built something great but are now the single point of failure. You're the one the team turns to for answers. You're the one the clients call on a Saturday morning. You're the one holding everything together, and that, my friend, is both the blessing and the curse of being a committed leader. But if we don't break that cycle, we burn out, stagnate, or worse, we limit the growth of the very business we’ve worked so hard to build. 

In this episode, I tackle the fears and frustrations head-on. The fear of losing control. The worry that standards will slip if you delegate. The concern that clients will walk away if it’s not you they’re dealing with. And the unspoken one is what the hell will you do with your time if you’re not fixing tickets, answering questions, or juggling 30 spinning plates at once? I get it. I’ve been there. And I work with clients every day who are going through this same transition. 

But what if the real growth came not from doing more, but from doing less? What if leading meant choosing what to focus on, freeing up your calendar, and creating the space to think strategically? Because here's the truth, while you're stuck fixing, you cannot lead. While you're stuck being the bottleneck, your business can’t move forward. 

I talk about how important it is to find your “thousand pound tasks” which is the strategic work only you, the business owner, can and should be doing. It's not about abdicating responsibility, it’s about putting systems, people and processes in place so you can finally step up and lead like the business needs you to. Whether it's building your leadership team, documenting your SOPs, or creating a clear cascade from vision to daily tasks, everything starts with making time. And that’s exactly what this episode is all about. 

I walk you through five practical steps that you can start using straight away to stop being the bottleneck and start leading with confidence. These include planning your week every Friday with clarity and purpose, blocking out your 10% strategic thinking time, and getting that one hairy task done each week that you've been avoiding. I cover how to better utilise your PSA and tech stack (without just stack-fiddling endlessly), and I encourage you to build accountability by joining a peer group or finding a buddy. Finally, I talk about hiring future leaders, not just doers, the kind of team members who lift you up, drive progress and free you to lead. 

This episode also tackles the reality of burnout. I've seen it first-hand where MSP owners who haven’t had a proper holiday in over a decade. That’s not success. That’s survival. And it’s not sustainable. When you're permanently in the thick of it, there's no space to think, no time to innovate, and no energy left for the people who matter most at home. It’s why so many owners end up resenting their businesses – not because they don’t care, but because the business has become dependent on them in all the wrong ways. 

I also share the importance of building value into your business. If you're thinking about exiting one day, whether that’s in 3 years or 13, you’ll want to create something that works without you. Buyers don’t want bottlenecks. They want SOPs, leadership teams, and a well-oiled machine. That only happens when you start leading properly today. 

So if you’re ready to stop being the bottleneck in your MSP and start leading your team, your clients and your future with clarity and confidence, then this episode is for you. Take the five steps I share, start small, and make them stick. Because when you stop fixing and start leading, the doors really do blow off. 

If you're serious about getting this right, make sure you grab the free Ultimate MSP Growth Guide – it’s packed with tools and comparisons to help you decide what support you need, when you need it, and how to get the results you're after. 

Connect on LinkedIn HERE with Ian and also with Stuart by clicking this LINK 

And when you’re ready to take the next step in growing your MSP, come and take the Scale with Confidence MSP Mastery Quiz. In just three minutes, you’ll get a 360-degree scan of your MSP and identify the one or two tactics that could help you find more time, engage & align your people and generate more leads. 

OR  

To join our amazing Facebook Group of over 400 MSPs where we are helping you Scale Up with Confidence, then click HERE 

Until next time, look after yourself and I’ll catch up with you soon!   

We had an honest and practical discussion about the current broken state of recruitment and how the smart use of AI is giving MSPs a genuine edge in finding the right people — not just the most available ones. 

We kicked off with a bit of fun, noting how just using the term 'AI' in the title gets everyone’s attention! But in all seriousness, the technology is no gimmick. As Dean Watmough explained, AI is now playing a pivotal role in helping MSPs find talent faster and more accurately — when used properly. Dean pointed out that AI, when applied with good data and human insight, can help MSPs avoid the chaos of sifting through hundreds of irrelevant CVs, saving a huge amount of time, effort and cost. 

Dean Watmough shared a brilliant reminder that the traditional CV and interview process is hopelessly outdated. With only 14% of CVs accurately predicting job performance, it’s no wonder that recruitment often feels like an expensive game of chance. He highlighted how easy-apply job boards, and bullet-point job descriptions create a flood of unsuitable candidates, overwhelming MSP owners and leading to poor hiring decisions. Dean and I agreed that MSPs aren’t just selling tech to their clients; they’re selling the experience, knowledge, and attitude of their people. That’s why getting recruitment right is so critical. 

The conversation then took an exciting turn as we got stuck into how AI is changing the game. Dean Watmough explained that by integrating AI into the recruitment process, and combining it with human intelligence, MSPs can better assess not just technical skills but, more importantly, cultural fit, attitude and values alignment. Through skills assessments, culture tests, behavioural profiling, and smart data gathering — all analysed with AI — you can now really understand the whole person, not just the surface CV. Dean stressed that you still need that gut feel, but AI gives you the confidence and data to back up your instincts. 

One big takeaway was the importance of slowing down the hiring process at the start. Rather than throwing out a job advert and hoping for the best, Dean Watmough emphasised the value of defining exactly what you want: who your ideal candidate is, the three most important things they must do daily, and what type of behaviours and values match your company. Then, and only then, should you engage candidates. Put hurdles in the way: screening questions, shortlisting exercises, even short video intros, to make it harder for the wrong people to apply and easier for the right ones to stand out. AI can then filter and assess these candidates with incredible accuracy based on the right data. 

We also tackled the myth that technical skills alone are enough. As Dean Watmough pointed out, a candidate with transferable skills, high levels of learning agility and the right personality can often outperform someone with a fancy CV but a bad attitude. AI’s ability to benchmark candidates against your current best-performing team members gives MSPs a secret weapon to spot hidden gems that traditional recruitment would miss. 

Towards the end of the episode, we summarised the top three actions that every MSP owner should take right now. First, slow down and think carefully about who you actually need. Second, identify the three daily must-do tasks and build your hiring questions around them. Third, and perhaps most importantly, stop chasing volume and start chasing quality. Make it hard to apply and ensure every candidate entering your funnel is serious about the opportunity. 

Dean Watmough and I wrapped up by agreeing that recruitment is just marketing with people. It’s about being crystal clear on who you want and communicating that clearly, authentically, and confidently. AI isn’t a magic wand, but used properly it is a powerful tool to accelerate finding, engaging, and retaining the right talent in your MSP — faster, cheaper, and with better outcomes than ever before. 

If you’re ready to rethink how you recruit and bring some serious firepower into your hiring process, reach out to Dean Watmough and the team at Humnize by clicking HERE. 

Want to go even deeper? These episodes will support and expand on what we’ve discussed today:  🎥 How to build a high performing technical team…when you don’t know where to start by Ian Luckett  🎙️ STOP Attracting the Wrong People to Your MSP with Julie Hutchison & Ian Luckett 

Want to see it in action?  👉 Book a 15-minute live demo — you won’t have seen anything like it! 

 

 

Connect on LinkedIn HERE with Ian and also with Stuart by clicking this LINK 

And when you’re ready to take the next step in growing your MSP, come and take the Scale with Confidence MSP Mastery Quiz. In just three minutes, you’ll get a 360-degree scan of your MSP and identify the one or two tactics that could help you find more time, engage & align your people and generate more leads. 

OR  

To join our amazing Facebook Group of over 400 MSPs where we are helping you Scale Up with Confidence, then click HERE 

Until next time, look after yourself and I’ll catch up with you soon! 

It’s a jam-packed episode where I’m joined by two absolute champions of the channel, Alex Harris and David Maguire, the driving force behind this standout industry event. 

Let’s be honest – this one’s a bit of a shameless plug. But for all the right reasons. The 2025 MSP Show isn’t just another exhibition – it’s quickly becoming the place where MSP business owners and their teams come together to get inspired, connect with new tech, and actually have a good time doing it. Whether you came along last year or this is your first time hearing about it, this episode breaks down exactly why you need to carve out two days in your diary to be there. 

We opened up the conversation reflecting on how the show first came about. David explained that, off the back of 30 years of running the Service Desk & IT Support Show, the team saw an opportunity. MSPs were showing up in droves, but the content and vendors weren’t fully speaking their language. So rather than tweak the original format, they launched the MSP Show as a fresh, focused, vendor-neutral event tailored specifically for business owners in the managed services space. What started with 30 vendors and one theatre in 2024 has now doubled in size, with over 90 providers across both shows and two full seminar theatres hosting 24 sessions across the two days. 

Alex gave us a behind-the-scenes look at the planning, the thinking behind the content curation, and how every session has been shaped by real feedback from the MSP community. Topics cover everything from AI and cybersecurity to wellbeing, neurodiversity, vendor partnerships, and how to write proposals that win business. What’s powerful here is that it’s all geared towards helping MSPs build a better, stronger business – with no sales pitches allowed. The content is pure gold for business owners and leadership teams who want to step out of the day-to-day grind and start working on their business. 

We talked a lot about the vibe of the event – because it really matters. This isn’t a crowded, pushy tech circus. It’s open, welcoming and genuinely relaxed. That sense of space and calm made a huge difference last year and allowed people to actually have meaningful conversations with vendors and peers alike. For those bringing team members, it’s also a brilliant way to get everyone out of the office, learning, and feeling part of the wider vision for growth. We had clients come last year who brought along key team members and they’re still raving about the experience. 

Something else I absolutely loved from last year — and I’m glad it’s back — is the networking drinks. And yes, it’s free. Day one ends with a proper social, where you can unwind and build connections in a casual, no-pressure setting. This year, they’re stepping it up with the new Wonder Years lounge – a nostalgic nod to the past with retro games, photo opportunities, and a cracking new food truck experience that honestly might be the best food I’ve had at Excel. 

Alex and David have also introduced some really clever tech upgrades this year, including a Bluetooth-enabled audio system where you can listen to talks through your own headset, meaning no more queuing for those seminar headphones and crystal-clear audio even at the back of a packed room. 

And of course, I’ll be back on stage again this year kicking off Day Two with our most popular session, “MSP Growth Secrets: Three Keys to Faster Growth.” If you're serious about scaling your MSP and want to get the team aligned behind your goals, you’re not going to want to miss that one. 

To sum it up – The MSP Show 2025 is free to attend, but the value you’ll walk away with is priceless. Whether it’s your next vendor relationship, a golden nugget from a speaker, or the motivation to take that next leap in your business – it’s all waiting there for you. Don’t just turn up and wander, come with purpose, plan your visit, and leave inspired. 

Ready to join us at the 2025 MSP Show?  Don’t miss your chance to connect, learn, and grow alongside hundreds of like-minded MSP business owners. It’s free to attend, packed with value, and designed to help you build a business that works for you. 👉 Click here to register now and make sure to pop by Stand 865 and say hello – we’d love to see you there. 

Connect on LinkedIn HERE with Ian and also with Stuart by clicking this LINK 

And when you’re ready to take the next step in growing your MSP, come and take the Scale with Confidence MSP Mastery Quiz. In just three minutes, you’ll get a 360-degree scan of your MSP and identify the one or two tactics that could help you find more time, engage & align your people and generate more leads. 

OR  

To join our amazing Facebook Group of over 400 MSPs where we are helping you Scale Up with Confidence, then click HERE 

Until next time, look after yourself and I’ll catch up with you soon!   

Or more accurately, the fear of niching. It’s that internal tug-of-war between wanting more leads and being scared that if you narrow your focus, you’ll somehow lose out on opportunities. So in this episode, I turned the tables and interviewed my co-host Ian Luckett, who’s been doing some seriously powerful work with our clients on this very subject over the past 12 months. 

Let’s get this out in the open straight away – niching is not about turning people away or putting your business in a box. It’s about getting clear on who you help, how you help them, and making sure your marketing speaks directly to them in a way that resonates. One of the stories Ian shared perfectly summed this up – a smoked meat restaurant that had crafted a name for itself by focusing purely on one thing: slow-cooked, smoked meats. The manager wasn’t just someone running a restaurant – she knew the ins and outs of the process, the timing, the flavours, and what makes it exceptional. That’s expertise. That’s niching. And it’s a brilliant metaphor for your MSP business. When you’re known for something, people remember you. They seek you out. They refer you. 

Throughout the episode, we reminded listeners that niching is, at its core, a marketing exercise. You’re not changing the structure of your MSP. You’re not excluding existing clients or rewriting all your service offerings. You’re simply putting a wrapper around your message that clearly communicates the value you bring to a specific audience. Whether it’s accountants in the North West, architects in the Midlands, or hybrid-working legal firms in London – if your MSP can solve a clear problem for a group of people, and you can talk about that in their language, you’re already halfway there. 

Ian explained that one of the biggest blocks MSP owners hit is thinking they have to do a full business overhaul to niche effectively. But in reality, it’s about small steps. One message. One landing page. One campaign. That’s all it takes to start seeing what lands, what generates curiosity, and what brings in the right leads. And that’s key – the right leads. Leads who already understand what you do, who are pre-qualified, and who are much more likely to convert. It’s easier, more efficient, and ultimately more profitable. 

We talked about clients who’ve seen significant growth simply by getting tighter with their niche. One MSP doubled his business over two years after focusing on a sector he’d previously worked in. His background gave him credibility. His language mirrored that of his audience. His content hit the mark. Suddenly, he wasn’t chasing leads – they were coming to him. Another client narrowed his niche down to a specific profession in a specific location – and it transformed his marketing from generic and vague to clear, direct and compelling. This kind of shift is possible for every MSP – but you’ve got to start by looking in the rear-view mirror. Where have you been? Which sectors have brought you the best clients? Where do you already have expertise, even if you’ve not yet capitalised on it? 

AI can help with this, too. Use tools like ChatGPT to map out the pain points of your ideal niche, how your MSP solves those issues, and how to speak to them in ways that cut through the noise. Within half an hour, you can have a rough blueprint for your niche strategy. And don’t forget the power of geography – you don’t always have to go industry-specific. Sometimes being the go-to IT provider for a specific area is more than enough to build traction, reputation and referrals. 

The real kicker in all of this is the value of your business. A well-positioned, niched MSP is worth more when you come to exit. It’s more attractive to buyers, less reliant on you as the owner, and easier to grow because you’ve already built a repeatable, scalable marketing engine. And for those worried about stepping back or scaling out of the day-to-day, niching makes it easier to teach your team how to sell what you do – because the messaging is clearer and the target is sharper. 

If there’s one message we want you to take away from this episode, it’s this: you don’t have to niche your MSP overnight. But if you want more leads, better leads, and a more valuable business in the long run, you need to start somewhere. Try one message, one audience, one clear offer – and see what happens. And if you’re not sure how to do that, we’ve got plenty more episodes that walk through building your funnel and your marketing engine, step by step. 

You don’t need to be everything to everyone. You just need to be the right solution to the right people. That’s the power of niching for MSPs. 

Connect on LinkedIn HERE with Ian and also with Stuart by clicking this LINK 

And when you’re ready to take the next step in growing your MSP, come and take the Scale with Confidence MSP Mastery Quiz. In just three minutes, you’ll get a 360-degree scan of your MSP and identify the one or two tactics that could help you find more time, engage & align your people and generate more leads. 

OR  

To join our amazing Facebook Group of over 400 MSPs where we are helping you Scale Up with Confidence, then click HERE 

Until next time, look after yourself and I’ll catch up with you soon!   

Now, for those of you who don’t know Scott, he’s been helping MSPs since 2016 after experiencing the all-too-familiar frustration of lead generation in his own MSP. As he says, once you’re in the room with a prospect, it’s usually straightforward to talk about tech, pain points and solutions. The hard bit? Getting in the room in the first place. That challenge became the mission behind IT Rockstars, and today Scott works with hundreds of MSPs around the world, transforming how they attract and engage new business. 

The heart of our conversation was about practical, real-world tips for MSPs who want to finally get some traction with their marketing. One of the key points Scott made early on was the power of lead gen ads—especially using Meta (yes, Facebook and Instagram), not just LinkedIn. It’s a bit counterintuitive, but Meta’s algorithm is miles ahead when it comes to identifying and targeting the right people based on behaviour, not just job titles. And with lead forms that open within the feed, the friction for conversion is much lower. Scott shared that they’re seeing cost-per-lead figures of £3–£4 for webinar sign-ups, which is incredible when you think about the quality and warmth of those leads. 

Another gem in this episode was around how to actually use AI in your marketing without it turning into robotic mush. Scott walked us through how he uses tools like Descript and ChatGPT to turn transcripts into blog posts and LinkedIn articles. And the best bit? If you tailor your prompts properly, the output feels more human, more you—and less like it’s been churned out by a bot. As we said, it’s like baking a cake: if the ingredients are good and you’ve got the right recipe, the result is going to taste spot on. 

Scott and I also got into one of my favourite topics: the importance of building a Power Audience. That is, creating a group of people who want to hear from you. Not cold outreach, not spamming inboxes, but an actual audience who’ve opted in because your messaging resonates. Once those leads are in, that’s when the real work starts—nurturing them with regular value-add content, running useful webinars, and having follow-up processes that are simple, human and consistent. MSP marketing doesn’t need to be complex, it just needs to be consistent and personal. 

We touched on the elephant in the room too: SEO. Scott was very open about this—yes, SEO still has its place, especially when you go after low-hanging fruit keywords like “cyber essentials price” (hint hint), but it’s not the golden ticket some think it is. Algorithms change, rankings fluctuate, and if you’re not careful, you end up building your whole strategy on shifting sand. Instead, focus on what you can control—your content, your voice, and your relationships. 

There was also a brilliant reminder from Scott that when it comes to lead magnets, the old-school PDF downloads don’t really cut it anymore. What’s working now are educational, insight-driven webinars, where you show up, deliver real value, and start building that all-important trust. As Scott says, getting uncomfortable—whether that’s showing up on camera or hosting a webinar—is often the fastest route to growth. It’s not always easy, but it is simple. 

And finally, a golden nugget to finish: don’t just focus on who isn’t ready to buy. Many leads aren’t in buying mode today, but they might be in six months. Your job is to stay visible, stay valuable, and be the one they remember when they’re ready. Nurture, follow up, and—this bit I loved—don’t forget the referral goldmine in your list. A formal referral programme can turn a “maybe” into a warm intro with zero ad spend. 

So, if you’re serious about getting your MSP’s marketing moving, stop overthinking it. Try a lead gen ad. Run a webinar. And most importantly, play the long game. Scott Millar’s insight today is a brilliant reminder that MSP marketing isn’t about magic tricks. It’s about showing up with the right message, at the right time, to the right people—and doing it in a way that feels natural and honest. 

Connect with Scott Millar through his LinkedIn HERE and to learn more about Scott and his work with MSPs, check out HERE. 

Connect on LinkedIn HERE with Ian and also with Stuart by clicking this LINK 

And when you’re ready to take the next step in growing your MSP, come and take the Scale with Confidence MSP Mastery Quiz. In just three minutes, you’ll get a 360-degree scan of your MSP and identify the one or two tactics that could help you find more time, engage & align your people and generate more leads. 

OR  

To join our amazing Facebook Group of over 400 MSPs where we are helping you Scale Up with Confidence, then click HERE 

Until next time, look after yourself and I’ll catch up with you soon!

Now we all know M&A – mergers and acquisitions – can be one of the fastest ways to grow and scale your business. Once you’ve got your house in order, and you’re running at a solid EBITDA with strong operational maturity, bolting on new businesses might seem like the logical next step. But – and it’s a big but – what’s often overlooked is what that really means for your people. And if your culture, leadership, and structure aren’t ready, the train can very quickly come off the rails. 

Alison brings a grounded, real-world view to this conversation. She’s been on the front line of some pretty major acquisitions, including one that jumped from £8m to £24m turnover and took the team from 45 to 140 heads almost overnight. And she shares, with honesty and clarity, what it actually takes to pull this off in the real world – and how to stop your people, and ultimately your growth, from falling apart at the seams. 

We talk about the massive difference between tactical HR and strategic HR. It’s one thing having your contracts and compliance sorted, but when you’re growing – especially through M&A – you need to shift your mindset. Strategic HR is about seeing your people as assets who are actively driving your commercial goals, not just passengers on the bus. If you’re growing from 30 to 50 to 60 people – whether gradually or through acquisition – you need the structure, the leadership, and the culture that will carry the weight of that growth. 

One of the key points we covered is that M&A isn’t just about the deal. Signing the contract is only the halfway point – the real work starts once the ink is dry. Integration takes time, effort and energy. The leadership team will be tired, decision-fatigued, and ready to move on. But for your people – this is day one. For those coming into your business through the acquisition, it can be an unsettling, nerve-wracking time. They didn’t choose this change – it’s been done to them – so empathy and clear communication are absolutely essential. 

Alison shares her proven approach, which includes creating a detailed FAQ document before the announcement is made. This answers the big, scary questions your team will have: “Is my role changing?”, “Is my manager changing?”, “Will I have to move?”, “What’s happening with my benefits?” It sounds simple, but this one proactive step can calm the chaos and build confidence straight out of the gate. And that goes for both sides – your existing team will have just as many concerns as the team you’re bringing in. Having honest, timely conversations is key. 

We also discussed the importance of appointing a dedicated facilitator – someone who knows your business inside out and can lead the integration project. Whether it’s a head of people internally or a consultant who’s been through this before, this person becomes the glue that holds the project together. They keep the comms flowing, make sure nothing falls through the cracks, and allow the senior leadership team to stay focused on the bigger strategic picture. 

Crucially, M&A should never become BAU – Business As Usual. It’s a project – a big one – and it needs to be treated as such. Weekly updates, clear milestones, and a firm timeline for integration are essential. Otherwise, you risk ending up with multiple businesses operating under one roof, with different systems, processes, and a fractured culture – and that’s the opposite of scale. 

If you’re an MSP leader even thinking about growing through acquisition, this episode is a must-listen. Alison Whitfield brings not just the strategy, but the practical wisdom that comes from years of experience. Her insights on people, planning and culture are gold dust – especially in the fast-paced world of M&A. 

For more insights on structuring and growing your MSP, connect with Alison Whitfield on LinkedIn or visit Cultivate People Services to learn more about their people and culture solutions.   

Connect on LinkedIn HERE with Ian and also with Stuart by clicking this LINK 

And when you’re ready to take the next step in growing your MSP, come and take the Scale with Confidence MSP Mastery Quiz. In just three minutes, you’ll get a 360-degree scan of your MSP and identify the one or two tactics that could help you find more time, engage & align your people and generate more leads. 

OR  

To join our amazing Facebook Group of over 400 MSPs where we are helping you Scale Up with Confidence, then click HERE 

Until next time, look after yourself and I’ll catch up with you soon! 

But is that really the end of the road, or is there something you can do to keep that client, maintain profitability, and avoid unnecessary churn? In this episode of the IT Experts Podcast, I sat down with our resident finance coach, Clare Elliott, to explore what MSPs can do when faced with clients who are reconsidering their contracts. 

Clare works with MSPs every day inside the Growth Hub, helping business owners understand their numbers, optimise their pricing, and make better financial decisions. One of the key takeaways from our conversation is that if a client calls you to say they’re leaving, it should never come as a surprise. If you’ve been proactively managing your client relationships, you should already have an idea of their situation. So, the first tip is simple but powerful—know your clients. Regular account management, consistent check-ins, and open communication ensure that you’re never blindsided by a client’s decision to leave. It also means you have a chance to address any concerns before they become deal-breakers. 

Another critical point we covered is that MSPs must know their numbers inside out. Many business owners avoid digging into their financials because they find them dull or even intimidating. But the reality is, without a clear understanding of your profitability—by client, by service, and by contract—you could be working with accounts that are costing you money rather than generating it. Clare highlighted how important it is to track the profitability of each client, ensuring they’re worth retaining. If a client isn’t profitable, their departure might not be a bad thing. In fact, it could free up resources for better opportunities. 

We also discussed the importance of value perception. Sometimes, when a client says they can’t afford you, what they’re really saying is they don’t see enough value in what they’re paying for. This is where proactive communication is essential. MSPs need to regularly remind clients of the benefits they receive—whether that’s seamless IT support, cybersecurity protection, or increased business efficiency. If clients don’t see what you’re doing in the background, they might assume they’re paying for less than they’re actually getting. MSPs should be educating clients on the value they provide, whether that’s through case studies, testimonials, or regular business reviews. The more you communicate your worth, the less likely a client is to see your service as an unnecessary expense. 

One of the biggest mistakes an MSP can make when a client threatens to leave is resorting to discounts as a knee-jerk reaction. Clare and I both agreed that discounting is a dangerous path. It not only reduces profitability but also sets a precedent for future price negotiations. Instead, MSPs should focus on reinforcing the value of their service. If a client is genuinely struggling, consider restructuring their package rather than simply lowering the price. Having clear service tiers, such as a gold, silver, and bronze package, can help give clients flexibility while maintaining overall profitability. 

Security also plays a huge role in pricing and client retention. I’ve heard from MSPs who still offer security as an optional extra rather than making it a non-negotiable part of their service. Clare made an excellent point—security should never be an option. MSPs that separate security from their core offering run the risk of clients opting out, exposing themselves to unnecessary risks, and blaming their provider when things go wrong. If an MSP isn’t making security a baseline requirement, they need to rethink their approach. 

Finally, we discussed knowing when to walk away. Not every client is worth saving. If you’re constantly firefighting an unprofitable client or bending over backwards to accommodate their demands, it might be time to let them go. Business owners often feel nervous about losing a customer, but keeping a bad-fit client can sometimes be worse than losing them. By knowing your financials and understanding the true cost of service delivery, you can make confident decisions about which clients are worth fighting for and which ones you should let go. 

At the end of the day, MSPs need to be proactive, data-driven, and confident in their value. If you’re managing your client relationships well, staying on top of your numbers, and ensuring your pricing reflects your worth, you’ll be in a much stronger position to handle pricing objections and client churn. And if a client still decides to leave, handle the offboarding professionally—you never know when they might come back. 

Connect on LinkedIn HERE with Ian and also with Stuart by clicking this LINK 

And when you’re ready to take the next step in growing your MSP, come and take the Scale with Confidence MSP Mastery Quiz. In just three minutes, you’ll get a 360-degree scan of your MSP and identify the one or two tactics that could help you find more time, engage & align your people and generate more leads. 

OR  

To join our amazing Facebook Group of over 400 MSPs where we are helping you Scale Up with Confidence, then click HERE 

Until next time, look after yourself and I’ll catch up with you soon!   

I’m joined by fellow MSP Growth Hub coaches Stuart Warwick, Julie Hutchison, and Clare Elliott, as we reflect on the key takeaways from our January 2025 two-day intensive. 

These intensives are the cornerstone of the MSP Growth Hub’s Scale with Confidence model, bringing together MSP owners and leaders to reflect, reset, and refocus on their business growth. The January event was centred around the theme of ‘Harnessing Ambition’—not just setting strategic goals but ensuring they are cascaded throughout the entire organisation. This is where business owners can make real progress, ensuring their company, departments, and individuals are all aligned and working towards the same vision. When this is done properly, businesses accelerate growth, eliminate friction, and reduce stress for the owner and their teams. 

One of the most powerful aspects of these events is the energy in the room. We had around 55 MSPs from all different stages of business maturity, but each and every one of them had a clear plan. They knew their headline numbers, their biggest challenges, and what they wanted to get out of the two days. And while there was plenty of networking (and cake!), this wasn’t just a social gathering. It was a working event. In fact, we encourage attendees to take an extra decompression day afterwards to process everything they’ve learned and recalibrate their action plans. 

A standout session from this intensive was our deep dive into transforming profits in 180 days. Clare and Stuart walked the room through a practical framework that got everyone thinking differently about their numbers. Many realised they had never truly understood their financial levers and wished they had brought their finance teams along—though, of course, this session was specifically designed for MSP owners to take ownership of their financial strategies. We focused on high-level principles of financial management, helping them understand how to improve profitability in a structured way that compounds year on year. 

Another major highlight was Julie’s session on identifying and developing future leaders within an MSP. So many business owners struggle with delegation and succession planning, yet they have potential leaders sitting right in front of them. The key is not just identifying technical skill but looking for people who genuinely want to lead. As Julie put it, if you don’t give those people the opportunity to grow, they will find it elsewhere. She introduced a simple scoring system that helped MSP owners assess their teams objectively, ensuring they are nurturing the right people and not just promoting someone because they’re the best technician. 

A personal highlight for me was delivering the ICE Framework—a brand-new, practical system to help MSP owners escape overwhelm, find more time, and focus on the right activities. From time management to prioritisation and delegation, we crammed every ounce of value into this framework. The feedback was fantastic, with many attendees saying it was the missing piece they needed to create more headspace and get out of the daily firefighting mode. It’s now a permanent part of our growth system, sitting in the Vault for members to access anytime. 

What makes these events so special isn’t just the frameworks and strategies—it’s the shared learning. The room is packed with like-minded business owners who are all on the same journey, using the same language, frameworks, and processes. That alignment is what allows them to move faster, make better decisions, and ultimately compress the time it takes to scale. The discussions, the problem-solving, and the breakthroughs that happen in real-time are what make these intensives so impactful. 

And the impact doesn’t stop when the event ends. The ripple effect through MSP teams is incredible. We saw business owners leaving with a renewed sense of purpose, taking what they learned straight back to their teams, engaging them in the vision, and aligning everyone with the company’s mission. We even had one MSP receive a thank-you gift from their team because they had gone back, implemented everything, and made such a difference to the way they operated. That’s what it’s all about—helping MSP owners build businesses that work for them rather than them being stuck in the day-to-day grind. 

Looking ahead to our next event in May, we’ll be focusing on ‘Amplifying Capacity.’ This means going deep into team structures, operational efficiency, and leadership skills. We’ll be tackling topics like how to get more from your people, how to recruit and retain the right talent, and how to eliminate the bottlenecks that slow down business growth. Expect practical workshops, panel discussions, and insights on everything from using productivity tools like Asana to maximising PSA systems. And, of course, Julie will be leading a powerful session on dealing with difficult conversations—something every MSP leader needs to master. 

For anyone listening who wants to get more insight into how the MSP Growth Hub can support your business, we’d love to connect. You can take the Scale Your MSP Quiz or drop me a message on LinkedIn for a chat. 

Running an MSP can be a lonely place, but it can also be an amazing place with the right support network. That’s why we do what we do—to help MSP owners make a bigger impact, change more lives, and enjoy their business journey. 

 

Connect on LinkedIn HERE with Ian and also with Stuart by clicking this LINK 

And when you’re ready to take the next step in growing your MSP, come and take the Scale with Confidence MSP Mastery Quiz. In just three minutes, you’ll get a 360-degree scan of your MSP and identify the one or two tactics that could help you find more time, engage & align your people and generate more leads. 

OR  

To join our amazing Facebook Group of over 400 MSPs where we are helping you Scale Up with Confidence, then click HERE 

Until next time, look after yourself and I’ll catch up with you soon!   

Many MSPs start with a handful of technical people, then bolt on account management, sales, marketing, and operations as they grow. But without a clearly defined structure, this approach can create inefficiencies, miscommunication, and stalled growth.   That’s why we brought in Alison Whitfield from Cultivate People Services, a people and culture expert with a wealth of experience working with MSPs. Together, we unpack the essential components of structuring an MSP for growth, leadership development, and team alignment.

Alison shares her perspective on why structure is so much more than just an organisational chart or job descriptions. She compares a well-structured MSP to an orchestra, where the conductor sets the pace and ensures each musician plays their part in harmony. In an MSP, the leadership team acts as the conductor, guiding different departments while allowing them to operate effectively within their roles. Without this level of coordination, businesses risk becoming chaotic, where people take on mismatched roles, processes break down, and leadership gets bogged down in daily operations rather than focusing on strategic growth. 

One of the key takeaways from this conversation is the importance of defining leadership roles early on. Many MSP owners make the mistake of promoting internally without fully assessing whether the individual is ready for leadership. Just because someone is a brilliant technical expert or account manager doesn’t mean they’ll thrive in a leadership position. Alison emphasises that the transition from a technical role to a senior leadership team (SLT) role requires different skills—strategic thinking, communication, and the ability to manage and inspire a team. That’s why it’s crucial to evaluate potential leaders based on their ability to drive the business forward, rather than simply their tenure or technical expertise. 

We also touch on the reality that most MSPs don’t get past the £1 million turnover mark, largely due to poor structure. If an MSP wants to scale beyond this, it needs to establish a proper SLT with clear departmental functions, accountability, and measurable outcomes. But as we discuss, there’s no shop called 'SLTs R Us' where MSP owners can simply pick out a ready-made leadership team. Instead, they have to be intentional about developing leaders internally or bringing in external talent who align with their business vision and culture. 

Alison highlights the critical need for strong communication across all levels of an MSP. Many businesses assume that everyone understands the company vision, but often, strategy is only understood at board level while the rest of the team remains out of the loop. This creates internal conflicts, especially between service and sales teams, as they struggle to see how their roles contribute to the overall business success. The solution? A structured approach to internal communication—regular meetings, clear role definitions, and alignment on key objectives so that every team member knows their contribution to the bigger picture. 

Recruiting the right leaders is another major challenge for MSPs, especially when filling gaps in an SLT. Alison advises MSP owners to start by defining exactly what they need from a role before hiring. Is it a Chief Technology Officer, a Head of Operations, or a Commercial Director? More importantly, does this person need to come from a similar-sized MSP or from a different background? Bringing in someone who has only worked in a highly structured corporate environment may struggle in a fast-moving MSP where adaptability is key. Understanding the culture and operational pace of an MSP is just as important as technical expertise. 

We also explore the growing trend of fractional leadership, which is becoming an invaluable solution for MSPs that need experienced leadership but don’t require (or can’t afford) full-time roles. Many MSPs looking to scale can benefit from a fractional CIO, CTO, or COO who brings expertise and strategic oversight without the long-term commitment of a permanent hire. This approach provides flexibility, ensures that high-level decisions are being made, and prevents business owners from becoming overwhelmed by operational responsibilities. 

The conversation then shifts to leadership models and how they impact MSP structure. Alison emphasises that there’s no one-size-fits-all model—every MSP must build a structure that fits its size, growth ambitions, and company culture. However, certain fundamentals remain universal: defining a clear vision, having structured departmental plans, and ensuring that every role contributes to business growth. Whether a business is running a flat structure with few management layers or a more hierarchical setup, the key is clarity—who is responsible for what, how decisions flow, and how success is measured. 

One of the biggest pitfalls we see in MSPs is a lack of focus on operational efficiency. Many MSPs end up stagnating at break-even because they fail to measure success properly. Business owners must be clear on what their teams need to deliver. Are they driving revenue? Improving client retention? Expanding service offerings? Without these key performance indicators, an MSP can fall into the trap of 'busyness' without real business progress. 

Alison leaves us with a final thought: MSPs need to take structure seriously if they want to grow beyond the owner-operator phase. Every MSP must define what success looks like, ensure clear communication across the team, and build a leadership structure that supports both day-to-day operations and long-term strategic goals. Whether this means promoting from within, hiring externally, or leveraging fractional leadership, the key is to be proactive rather than reactive. 

 

For more insights on structuring and growing your MSP, connect with Alison Whitfield on LinkedIn or visit Cultivate People Services to learn more about their people and culture solutions. 

 

For further information on The MSP Growth Bootcamp starting on 1st April - Click HERE 

Connect on LinkedIn HERE with Ian and also with Stuart by clicking this LINK 

And when you’re ready to take the next step in growing your MSP, come and take the Scale with Confidence MSP Mastery Quiz. In just three minutes, you’ll get a 360-degree scan of your MSP and identify the one or two tactics that could help you find more time, engage & align your people and generate more leads. 

OR  

To join our amazing Facebook Group of over 400 MSPs where we are helping you Scale Up with Confidence, then click HERE 

Until next time, look after yourself and I’ll catch up with you soon!   

As business owners, we often pride ourselves on pushing forward, solving problems, and keeping things moving. But what happens when we don’t stop to reflect? What are the hidden risks of ploughing ahead without taking a moment to reassess our strategy, our goals, and even our own leadership? Stuart and I unpack exactly that in today’s conversation, and trust me, if you’re an MSP looking to scale, this is something you don’t want to ignore. 

We all know the feeling of getting caught up in the day-to-day operations—whether it's handling client issues, managing your team, or dealing with the constant flow of incoming tickets. But without stepping back, you’re in danger of drifting into what Stuart calls the Black Box—a state of denial where problems build up unnoticed until they explode into full-blown chaos. One of the biggest risks for MSPs is failing to see the early warning signs, whether that’s declining profit margins, client dissatisfaction, or employees who are disengaged and looking to move on. 

We introduce a simple yet powerful tool to help MSPs assess where they’re spending their time and energy—the Momentum Matrix. This model divides your business state into four quadrants: Performing, Denial (Black Box), Chaos (Red Box), and Renewal. Every MSP wants to be in the Performing quadrant, where things are running smoothly—revenues are strong, customers are happy, and your team is motivated. But many businesses get trapped in the Black Box, ignoring the small issues that eventually push them into Chaos, where they’re forced to react to major problems. It’s only when this happens that business owners wake up and move into Renewal, where they finally take action to fix what’s broken. 

But here’s the thing—what if you didn’t have to wait for a crisis to enter renewal? What if, instead of swinging between denial and chaos, you could move directly between Performing and Renewal, constantly refining and improving your MSP without ever hitting a major setback? That’s where a structured rhythm of review comes into play. Regularly stopping to assess where you’re at—whether in daily huddles, weekly meetings, or strategic quarterly planning—ensures that you never let problems fester to the point of disaster. 

Stuart highlights a crucial distinction between simply holding meetings and having quality conversations. It’s not enough to check in with your team and run through a list of tasks; you need to actively dig into the roadblocks that are slowing progress. Are your goals aligned? Are your KPIs telling you the full story? Are you tracking the right data to measure business success? The best MSPs don’t just rely on gut instinct—they combine hard data with real conversations to make better decisions. 

One of the key takeaways from this episode is the importance of honesty. Too many MSP owners stay in denial because they’re afraid to confront the numbers, the reality of client churn, or the weaknesses in their leadership. But facing these issues head-on is the only way to build a stronger, more resilient business. Stuart shares a real-world example of an MSP that went from £1.1 million in revenue to £500K simply because they failed to de-risk their business. They relied too heavily on a few key clients, and when those clients left, they were left scrambling. If they had taken the time to step back earlier and put a proper plan in place, they could have avoided such a drastic decline. 

For MSPs looking to scale and eventually exit their businesses, taking stock isn’t optional—it’s essential. Too many owners dream of selling their MSP but don’t have a clear plan in place for what a successful exit looks like. Understanding the value of your business, ensuring your revenue is stable and diversified, and putting systems in place to maintain momentum are all key to creating a business that is actually sellable. The reality is, an MSP under £1 million in revenue is often worth very little, and even those over £2 million struggle to secure high multiples unless they’ve optimised their financials and operations. 

So, what’s the takeaway from today’s episode? Stop. Take stock. Be brutally honest with yourself about where you are in the Momentum Matrix, and don’t let fear keep you in denial. The best MSPs don’t wait for chaos to strike—they take control early, maintain a strong rhythm of review, and focus on the quality of conversations within their business. That’s what keeps them in the Performing quadrant and ensures they continue to grow sustainably. 

If today’s episode resonated with you, take a few minutes to reflect on where your MSP is right now. Are you truly performing, or are there warning signs you’ve been ignoring? And if you need support in moving your business forward, reach out—because no MSP should have to navigate this journey alone. 

 

For further information on The MSP Growth Bootcamp starting on 1st April - Click HERE 

Connect on LinkedIn HERE with Ian and also with Stuart by clicking this LINK 

And when you’re ready to take the next step in growing your MSP, come and take the Scale with Confidence MSP Mastery Quiz. In just three minutes, you’ll get a 360-degree scan of your MSP and identify the one or two tactics that could help you find more time, engage & align your people and generate more leads. 

OR  

To join our amazing Facebook Group of over 400 MSPs where we are helping you Scale Up with Confidence, then click HERE 

Until next time, look after yourself and I’ll catch up with you soon!