LETTER FROM THE CEO
Success Leaves Clues
When I was a kid , we often spent the weekend at my grandparents ’ house in a place called Greenbank , which was right outside of Elkton , Maryland .
One of the things my Nana was famous for was her potato salad . She always made it on summer nights when we were cooking hot dogs and hamburgers on the grill outside because it was a cheap and easy way to fill up the bellies of her five grandchildren and adults . I ’ ll never forget the big green glass bowl she made it in , which to this day I ’ m convinced was part of the magic of her recipe .
Forty years later , the bowl and the index card with the well-worn , handwritten recipe are still around . When I make it today , it ’ s never quite the same as she used to make , but it ’ s damned close — the only key ingredient missing is her .
As with all success “ recipes ,” the mechanics can be replicated . A cup of this , a dash of that . If we are smart , we should always start with proven recipes for success in all endeavors , particularly in business . Why anyone would try to figure out how to package , price , and sell IT services from scratch is beyond me . Recipes provide SPEED toward success as well as cost savings , risk mitigation , and , of course , preserving sanity . That ’ s why I ’ m a huge proponent of Napoleon Hill ’ s mastermind theory , that smart minds coming together can share collective experiences to the benefit of all involved .
It ’ s in that spirit that I decided to dedicate a big portion of this month ’ s content to a special report I ’ ve compiled after having multiple conversations with the CEOs of “ Super MSPs ,” as I ’ ve titled them . These are all highly successful leaders who are growing their organizations by acquisition but also by organic growth . These conversations were mostly centered on how they are dealing with the various challenges all MSPs are facing such as the labor shortage , increased competition , and high inflation as well as where they see the industry going and what opportunities they are putting their full focus on .
These were conducted mostly over Zoom and were recorded to be posted on the MSP Success Magazine website for you to watch at MSPSuccessMagazine . com / titans . I highly encourage you to dig into these interviews with pen and paper handy .
These conversations were all extremely informative and chock-full of wisdom and advice . To capture everything would require a book on the topic ( and yes , I ’ m contemplating it ). But more importantly , I think you will find these to be very encouraging . All feel that it is a very good time to be an MSP , with opportunities in cybersecurity , compliance solutions , and co-managed IT being “ blue ocean ” opportunities still .
Of course , there are headwinds . The recent bank failures and rising interest rates have people a little cautious at the moment with their investments . Since the government has changed the definition of what a recession is and how they report the unemployment rates and inflation , it ’ s a little harder to determine where we truly are right now . Layoffs are happening . The rising interest rates have — and will continue to — put a hurting on commercial and residential real estate . Consumer debt is at an all-time high , like a giant pile of books teetering and about to tumble , with paychecks not keeping up with the rising costs of living .
I hope we never hit a hard recession , but hope is not a strategy for success . Preparation is . I hope you take the advice given in these interviews and get your MSP “ house ” in order now if you aren ’ t growing and profitable . As Kevin O ’ Leary and Robert Herjavec agreed onstage at my event in April , it ’ s not going to get any better for MSPs than it is right now .
Sincerely ,
Robin on stage with the multi-millionaire investors , the “ Sharks ,” Kevin O ’ Leary and Robert Herjavec at the 16th Annual IT Sales and Marketing Boot Camp .
Founder & CEO , MSP Success Magazine