MSP Business School

A podcast geared to Technology Service Providers where we bring you strategies and tactics to grow your business and build a winning culture.

This podcast helps MSPs and MSSPs accelerate their business through strategies, tips, and tactics to drive sales, marketing, and account management.

Join our host, Brian Doyle, with a new episode every Tuesday!

MSP Business School Host Brian Doyle

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Show Website: https://mspbusinessschool.com/ Host Brian Doyle: https://www.linkedin.com/in/briandoylemetathinq/ In the latest installment of MSP Business School, host Brian Doyle takes the helm solo to dive into the increasingly relevant topic of developing MRR (Monthly Recurring Revenue) opportunities by establishing a VCIO service. The episode begins with a warm welcome and an update on the podcast, acknowledging the transitions within the MSP Business School team and reassuring the audience of the podcast's continuity and commitment to delivering valuable content. Brian segues into a compact yet enlightening discussion centered on recognizing the shifting dynamics within the MSP sector, the growing need for higher-level advisory services, and the potential financial impact of implementing VCIO services. With a nuanced understanding of the industry's evolution, the dialogue touches upon compliance costs, framework assessments, risk management, and the integral role of the VCIO in strengthening an organization's defensive capabilities against ever-advancing security threats. ### Key Takeaways: * The Evolving MSP Landscape**: Brian outlines the sector's shift from product-driven approaches to advisory services, emphasizing how MSPs are now integrating AI and advanced analytics into their offerings. * Opportunity for Advisory Services**: Citing Jay McBain from Canalysis, Doyle highlights the growth in the IT services market share and the potential for high-margin, service-based MSP opportunities. * Compliance and its Cost**: The episode delves into the financial burden of compliance audits (such as CMMC, HIPAA, and SOC 2) and how MSPs can offer cost-effective readiness and governance solutions. * VCIO Responsibilities and Deliverables**: Brian details the various responsibilities of a VCIO, including policy evaluation, cybersecurity training, strategic IT planning, and periodic security assessments. * Advisory Opportunity Realization**: The host encourages MSPs to capitalize on the advisory opportunity by transforming high compliance costs into manageable MRR security stack offerings. Sponsors vCIOToolbox: https://vciotoolbox.com SalesMaturIT: https://salesmaturit.com
EP 187 Create MRR with vCISO services
Show Website: https://mspbusinessschool.com/ Guest: Name: Frank Raimondi Linkedin page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/frankraimondi/ Company: IGI Cybersecurity & Nodeware Website(s): https://igicybersecurity.com/ and https://nodeware.com/ About the Guest(s): Frank Raimondi is a seasoned channel and partner strategy specialist currently associated with IGI Global, working specifically with their Nodeware product. With a wealth of experience spanning over two decades, Frank has a track record of fostering partnerships and alliances in the tech industry. He has previously held notable positions at Apple Computer and Intel, where he focused on maximizing value from hardware components and driving vendor relationships. His entry into the cybersecurity and software realm marks a significant transition from his earlier focus on hardware. Episode Summary: In the latest installment of MSP Business School, we are joined by cybersecurity expert Frank Raimondi from Nodeware, a part of IGI Global. This episode dives into the intricate differences between penetration testing and vulnerability scanning and their integration into the assessment processes for security validation. We unravel the essentials defining each concept and explore their roles in fortifying MSPs against increasing cyber threats. Frank Raimondi elaborates on the vital mechanics behind vulnerability assessments and management, illustrating how these defenses act as a company's internal security checkpoints. In contrast, he clarifies the crucial role of penetration testing performed by an external third party to ethically evaluate the security from an outsider's perspective. The conversation further navigates the relationship between these tests, cybersecurity insurance, and regulatory compliance, underlining the importance of ongoing scrutiny in an ever-evolving threat landscape. Key Takeaways: Vulnerability Assessments vs. Management: A snapshot of current system vulnerabilities against a continuous, proactive approach to mitigating them. The Necessity for External Penetration Testing: MSPs must ensure that an independent third party carries out penetration tests for unbiased security validation. Preparation for Compliance and Insurance: Active vulnerability management programs are becoming essential prerequisites for regulatory compliance and favorable cybersecurity insurance premiums. Strategic Scheduling of Cybersecurity Tests: Implementing vulnerability management can prepare a system for penetration testing and vice versa. Importance of Cyber Hygiene: Frank highlights four pillars of cyber hygiene: security awareness training, MFA, email security, and vulnerability management. Hosts Brian Doyle: https://www.linkedin.com/in/briandoylemetathinq/ Robb Rogers: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robb-rogers-07415251/ Tim McNeil: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timmcneil3/ Sponsors vCIOToolbox: https://vciotoolbox.com OSR Manage: https://osrmanage.com
The Real Difference between Vulnerability Scans and Pen Tests
Show Website: https://mspbusinessschool.com/ Guest Name: Alexander Abney-King Linkedin page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexanderabney-king/ Company: https://www.secureittulsa.com/ About the Guest(s) Alexander Abney-King is a seasoned professional in the field of technology with over 15 years of experience. Throughout his impressive career, he has worked at prominent companies such as Apple and HP, and took on a role as an IT director in a manufacturing organization. Alongside his technological pursuits, Alexander ventured into the depths of psychology, specializing in workplace psychology. Particularly engaged with industrial organizational psychology, he has been exploring the science behind implementing change in the workplace. Currently, he is associated with Secure IT of Tulsa, focusing on aiding companies to adopt Google Workspace, considering the evolving workforce dynamics. Episode Summary In this engaging episode of MSP Business School, host Brian Doyle sits down with Alexander Abney-King to delve into the intricacies of workplace management and the challenges related to an evolving workforce. With a keen eye towards the future, they discuss the embodiment of the workplace environment, the integration of different generational cohorts, and how technological preferences like Google Workspace are shaping employment landscapes. The conversation transitions into an insightful exploration of generational shifts, touching upon the imminent influence of Gen Z in the workplace. Alexander shares his perspective on how workplace dynamics must adapt to serve the unique needs of this upcoming cohort, which seeks collaboration, technological alignment, and a meaningful psychological contract with employers. He also sheds light on the reluctance some organizations show towards integrating Gen Z into their teams and suggests pathways for multi-generational mentorship. Key Takeaways - Gen Z is entering the workforce with a strong preference for collaborative environments and is accustomed to using technologies like Google Workspace, influencing their career choices. - There's an emerging tension between employing Gen Z individuals and the existing workforce's hesitancy to hire them, resulting in a unique challenge for managers. - The role of baby boomers as mentors could be pivotal in bridging the gap between seasoned professionals and Gen Z, considering their experience and adaptability to technological changes. - Companies are increasingly seeking collaborative tools that work beyond traditional file structures, acknowledging the shift in workplace communication and expectations. - Alexander emphasizes the importance of understanding different generational perspectives, fostering empathy, and collectively stretching ourselves to create a conducive and supportive work environment. Hosts Brian Doyle: https://www.linkedin.com/in/briandoylemetathinq/ Robb Rogers: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robb-rogers-07415251/ Tim McNeil: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timmcneil3/ Sponsors vCIOToolbox: https://vciotoolbox.com OSR Manage: https://osrmanage.com
EP185 Managing Gen Z, the new playbook
Show Website: https://mspbusinessschool.com/ Guest: Jake Carroll LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jake-carroll-3855977/ Company: https://osrmanage.com About the Guest(s): In this episode, we are joined by Jake Carroll, renowned for his expertise in sales strategy and storytelling. Jake brings to the table a wealth of experience in sales management and leadership, with a specific talent for making connections through storytelling. His aptitude for understanding customer needs and offering relevant solutions has cemented his reputation in the industry. Jake endorses practical frameworks and strategies that enable salespeople to resonate with prospects and effectively communicate value. Episode Summary: In the latest installment of MSP Business School, hosts Brian Doyle, Tim McNeil, and Rob Rogers engage in a captivating conversation with Jake Carroll, exploring the intricate art of storytelling in sales. The episode delves into the challenges faced by salespeople in today's market and offers a fresh perspective on connecting with prospects. Beginning with a candid discussion about the ongoing struggles with today's viruses impacting both personal health and business operations, the episode quickly pivots to its core: equipping sales individuals with a storytelling framework that enhances their ability to engage clients. Carroll outlines a simple yet powerful storytelling structure designed to captivate potential customers by addressing their needs and offering tangible solutions. Furthermore, the dialogue touches on the effectiveness of concise communication, especially within email outreach and social selling strategies. Key Takeaways: Sales storytelling requires a structured approach to be effective; the "Who, What's Their Want, But, and So" framework can guide sales representatives in crafting their narratives. Familiarity with the customer's industry and challenges is key to resonating and connecting with prospects. Integrating social selling with traditional approaches can increase familiarity and name recognition among your target market. Modern sales communication, especially emails, should be brief and packed with value to capture the reader's attention within seconds. Tools like Lavender and AI platforms, such as ChatGPT, can enhance and streamline the email composition process for sales outreach. Hosts Brian Doyle: https://www.linkedin.com/in/briandoylemetathinq/ Robb Rogers: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robb-rogers-07415251/ Tim McNeil: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timmcneil3/ Sponsors vCIOToolbox: https://vciotoolbox.com OSR Manage: https://osrmanage.com
EP 184 New Prospecting with Professor Jake
Show Website: https://mspbusinessschool.com/ Guest Name: Mark Alayev LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-alayev-a1194525/ Company: https://getthread.com Hosts Brian Doyle: https://www.linkedin.com/in/briandoylemetathinq/ Robb Rogers: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robb-rogers-07415251/ Tim McNeil: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timmcneil3/ About The Guest: Mark Alayev is the CEO at Thread, a service experience platform that focuses on providing digital-first communication for MSPs. With a background in infrastructure security and development, Mark brings a unique perspective to the MSP industry. He is passionate about creating exceptional customer experiences and streamlining service delivery processes. Summary: Mark Alayev, the Director of Service Experience at Thread, joins the MSP Business School podcast to discuss the challenges of traditional ticketing systems and the future of AI in the MSP industry. Mark shares his journey in the MSP world and how it led him to co-found Thread. He explains how Thread's service experience platform simplifies ticketing and improves technician and customer experiences. Mark also discusses the role of AI in automating simple tasks and empowering technicians to focus on more complex problem-solving. He shares his vision for the future of AI in the MSP industry, where full-service automation and digital-first communication will revolutionize service delivery. Key Takeaways: - Thread's service experience platform simplifies ticketing and improves technician and customer experiences. - AI and generative AI will automate simple tasks, allowing technicians to focus on more complex problem-solving. - Full-service automation and digital-first communication will revolutionize service delivery in the MSP industry. Sponsors vCIOToolbox: https://vciotoolbox.com OSR Manage: https://osrmanage.com
EP 183 Mark Alayev, Thread - Death to the Ticket
Show Website: https://mspbusinessschool.com/ Guest Name:Jeff Farris LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jfarris Company: https://cloudradial.com Hosts Brian Doyle: https://www.linkedin.com/in/briandoylemetathinq/ Robb Rogers: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robb-rogers-07415251/ Tim McNeil: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timmcneil3/ Sponsors vCIOToolbox: https://vciotoolbox.com OSR Manage: https://osrmanage.com About The Guest(s): ​ Jeff Ferriss is the founder of CloudRadial, a platform that helps MSPs manage their clients at scale and improve client relationships. With over 40 years of experience in the MSP industry, Jeff has witnessed the evolution of the industry and understands the challenges and opportunities that come with it. ​ Summary: ​ Jeff Ferriss discusses the changing landscape of the MSP industry and the need for MSPs to adapt and evolve. He emphasizes the importance of building strong client relationships and delivering outcomes that go beyond technical support. Jeff also introduces CloudRadial, a platform that helps MSPs manage their clients and improve collaboration through a client portal. He highlights the role of AI and analytics in the future of the industry and the need for MSPs to stay ahead of their clients' needs. ​ Key Takeaways: ​ 1. The MSP industry is constantly evolving, and MSPs need to adapt to new technologies and client expectations. 2. Building strong client relationships and delivering outcomes are essential for the success of MSPs. 3. CloudRadial provides a client portal that allows MSPs to improve collaboration and transparency with their clients. 4. AI and analytics will play a significant role in the future of the MSP industry, and MSPs need to stay ahead of their clients' needs. ​ **Quotes:** ​ - "The MSP industry changes every eight to ten years, and MSPs need to adapt and expand to stay ahead." - Jeff Ferriss - "MSPs need to focus on delivering outcomes and building strong client relationships to thrive in the industry." - Jeff Ferriss - "CloudRadial provides an IT hub for clients, allowing them to collaborate with their MSP and understand the performance of their IT systems." - Jeff Ferriss About The Guest(s): Jeff Ferriss is the founder of CloudRadial, a platform that helps MSPs manage their clients at scale and improve client relationships. With over 40 years of experience in the MSP industry, Jeff has witnessed the evolution of the industry and understands the challenges and opportunities that come with it. Summary: Jeff Ferriss discusses the changing landscape of the MSP industry and the need for MSPs to adapt and evolve. He emphasizes the importance of building strong client relationships and delivering outcomes that go beyond technical support. Jeff also introduces CloudRadial, a platform that helps MSPs manage their clients and improve collaboration through a client portal. He highlights the role of AI and analytics in the future of the industry and the need for MSPs to stay ahead of their clients' needs. Key Takeaways: The MSP industry is constantly evolving, and MSPs need to adapt to new technologies and client expectations. Building strong client relationships and delivering outcomes are essential for the success of MSPs. CloudRadial provides a client portal that allows MSPs to improve collaboration and transparency with their clients. AI and analytics will play a significant role in the future of the MSP industry, and MSPs need to stay ahead of their clients' needs.
EP 182 Driving Business Growth with MSPs: Leveraging Analytics and AI for Success
Show Website: https://mspbusinessschool.com/ Guest Name: Jennifer Bleam, https://www.linkedin.com/in/bleamjennifer/ Company: MSP Sales Revolution, https://mspsalesrevolution.com/ About The Guest(s): Jen Bleam is the founder of MSP Sales Revolution and the author of "Simplified Security Sales for MSPs." With a deep background in marketing and sales, Jen helps MSPs develop effective sales systems and marketing frameworks to accelerate their growth. Jennifer Bleam's LinkedIn Summary: Jen Bleam, founder of MSP Sales Revolution, shares her journey into the world of MSP and how she helps MSPs overcome their sales and marketing challenges. She emphasizes the importance of troubleshooting skills in sales and highlights the need for a sales system and marketing framework to achieve growth. Jen also discusses the upcoming MSP Transformation Machine event, where MSP leaders can learn how to reach the $5 million mark in their businesses. Key Takeaways: Troubleshooting skills can be applied to sales and marketing to identify and solve challenges. A sales system and marketing framework are essential for MSPs to achieve growth. The close of a sales call should be a natural culmination of a good conversation. The MSP Transformation Machine event helps MSP leaders reach the $5 million mark in their businesses. Hosts Brian Doyle: https://www.linkedin.com/in/briandoylemetathinq/ Robb Rogers: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robb-rogers-07415251/ Tim McNeil: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timmcneil3/ Sponsors vCIOToolbox: https://vciotoolbox.com OSR Manage: https://osrmanage.com
EP 181 Jennifer Bleam, The close is the natural culmination of a really good conversation
Show Website: https://mspbusinessschool.com/ Hosts Brian Doyle: https://www.linkedin.com/in/briandoylemetathinq/ Robb Rogers: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robb-rogers-07415251/ Tim McNeil: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timmcneil3/ Andrea Barrow: Andrea is a Senior Ecosystem Marketing Manager at ConnectWise. She has worked in the MSP space since 2010 and manages the Invent program. - Louie Cocchiola: Louie is a Senior Ecosystem Marketing Manager at ConnectWise. He has been working in the MSP space since 2010 and is responsible for raising awareness of the ConnectWise ecosystem. - Sean Lardo: Sean is an Associate Evangelism Director at ConnectWise. He has worked with MSPs and vendors in the industry for many years and is responsible for managing the Pitch It program. Sponsors vCIOToolbox: https://vciotoolbox.com OSR Manage: https://osrmanage.com SalesMaturIT: https://Salesmaturit.com Summary: In this episode of MSP Business School, Brian Doyle, Tim McNeil, and Rob Rogers are joined by Andrea Barrow, Louie Cocchia, and Sean Lardo from ConnectWise. They discuss the Pitch It program and the Invent program, both of which aim to support and promote innovative vendors in the MSP space. The Pitch It program is a shark tank-like competition that helps vendors gain exposure and funding, while the Invent program focuses on technical integration and marketing visibility. The guests share their experiences and the benefits of participating in these programs. Key Takeaways: The Pitch It program is a competition that helps innovative vendors gain exposure and funding in the MSP space. The Invent program focuses on technical integration and marketing visibility for vendors in the ConnectWise ecosystem. Certification and security reviews are important aspects of the Invent program to ensure the quality and security of integrations. The ConnectWise marketplace is a platform where MSPs can discover and browse integrations that meet their business needs. Certified integrations have a higher page view advantage in the marketplace, making them more attractive to MSPs. Quotes: "The Pitch It program is a shark tank-like competition to find the best innovators in the MSP space." - Sean Lardo "The Invent program focuses on technical integration and marketing visibility for vendors in the ConnectWise ecosystem." - Louie Cocchiola
EP 180 Building and Ecosystems with ConnectWise PitchIT and Invent Programs
Summary: Brian Doyle and Tim McNeil discuss strategies for MSPs to maximize sales during the final two weeks of the year. They emphasize the importance of capitalizing on the budget spending season and offer tips for closing deals and engaging with key clients. They also recommend using this time to plan for the upcoming year, including analyzing customer needs and identifying opportunities for growth. Additionally, they discuss the current market conditions and the need for creativity in sales approaches. Key Takeaways: The final two weeks of the year are a prime time for MSPs to close deals and secure project commitments from clients who need to spend their budgets before year-end. Engaging with key clients during the holiday season by taking them to lunch or giving small gifts can help build relationships and set the stage for future sales. Conducting a business canvas analysis of clients can reveal opportunities for providing additional value and optimizing their operations. Sales cycles may be longer during this time due to market uncertainties, but once clients commit, they are highly engaged and ready to move forward. MSPs should be creative in their sales approaches, offering flexible payment options or tiered pricing to accommodate clients' needs without compromising MRR. Quotes: "This is the time to go get that low-hanging fruit. Close up those hardware deals." - Brian Doyle "Get out in front of those key clients or the ones that are ready to be risen up and make sure you're making some personal connections." - Brian Doyle "Don't touch your MRR. And even if you do touch your MRR, don't reduce it, just spread it differently." - Tim McNeil Hosts Brian Doyle: https://www.linkedin.com/in/briandoylemetathinq/ Robb Rogers: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robb-rogers-07415251/ Tim McNeil: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timmcneil3/ Sponsors vCIOToolbox: https://vciotoolbox.com OSR Manage: https://osrmanage.com
4 Steps you can to crush the close of 2023!
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