FEATURE COVER STORY
7 Hard Truths About Growth Every MSP Needs to Hear— From Dr. Phil Himself
At a recent TMT event, TV talk show host, author, and entrepreneur Dr. Phil McGraw shared some powerful advice to help MSPs scale their businesses— covering everything from standing out in a crowded market to building accountability and embracing discomfort as a path to growth.
BY CINDY PANETTI CYR
You know him as TV’ s Dr. Phil, who took a nononsense approach to personal and psychological issues on his long-running talk show. But he’ s also built multiple successful enterprises by following steps any entrepreneur can apply. He shared some of his no-nonsense tips for MSPs who want to scale their businesses at TMT’ s 2025 IT Sales and Marketing Boot Camp held earlier this year.
From Guest to Guru
In 1996, Dr. Phil McGraw was a clinical psychologist working in Amarillo, Texas, as a trial consultant for lawyers. He was largely unknown to the public.
When the beef industry sued Oprah Winfrey, she hired him to advise her and help with her defense. She liked his straighttalking, tell-it-like-it-is style, so she invited him to be a guest on her show.
He quickly became a regular guest on the Oprah show and is now one of the most visible and well-known mental health professionals in the world. Best known for his 23-year run as the host of the“ Dr. Phil” talk show, he has published 19 books, launched the Merit TV network, and co-founded the telemedicine company Doctor on Demand.
So, what is the secret to his success? You might think it was Oprah’ s show, but there’ s much more to the story than that. In a conversation with Robin Robins, founder of MSP Success and TMT, Dr. Phil revealed the tactics and strategies that every MSP can implement to propel their own businesses.
1. Stand Out
Dr. Phil credits his commitment to“ not just be another face in the crowd” for staying relevant. Technical capabilities alone aren’ t enough to make you stand out in a crowded marketplace. Define what makes your MSP truly unique and remain“ passionately committed to it.”
“ I believe in a defined product,” Dr. Phil said.“ You’ ve got to know what that is and what separates you from everybody else.
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