About This Episode

If you’ve been in the channel for any length of time, you know Rob Rae and have most likely seen him at an event or two. We’re delighted to have Rob join us for this episode of MSP Business School to talk about the current climate of the industry and the opportunities he sees for MSPs in the coming year.

0:56 – Rob Rae shares how his childhood dream of being an accountant led him to the IT space. When hardware margins deteriorated and IT companies began moving from resellers to managed services, he shares how being willing to get ahead of the shift placed him in an excellent position to earn more money and grow a better business.

4:59 – Rob Rae explains how the monumental evolution we’ve seen since Covid began has created an exciting time for MSPs where they’re no longer seen as the “red-headed stepchild,” but can now claim a seat at the table, with larger vendors realizing they need to give MSPs the respect and attention they deserve.

8:25 – Robb Rogers points out how all the attention being directed at MSPs right now comes with its own set of challenges, mainly the difficulties MSPs are facing by being targeted by bad actors. Rob Rae shares his opinion about the path the industry is currently on, and stresses the importance of cyber resiliency.

12:17 – Rob and the hosts discuss how the current landscape of “work from anywhere” presents an incredible opportunity for MSPs to step in, expand their services, and take a true leadership role with their clients. Rob Rae shares an analogy of a castle to further explain these opportunities.

20:43 – Rob Rae dives into the third area of opportunity he sees for MSPs in the current market: co-managed workspaces. He addresses the mindset shifts that MSPs need to have in order to thrive in this sort of environment, stressing that going upmarket is desirable. He also explains how project-based co-managing contracts can turn into dependable recurring revenue. He leaves listeners with the reminder that now is the time to be aggressive.