LETTER FROM THE CEO
You Can Have Either
Excuses Or Results ,
Not Both
R
eader ’ s Digest recently posted the 60 most ridiculous excuses people have actually used for being unable to come into work . Among them were the following :
1 . Grandma tried to poison me . Again .
2 . A fortune-teller told him if he stepped outside , he ’ d suffer a brain hemorrhage .
3 . He had a “ lucky night ” and didn ’ t know where he was when he woke up .
Sadly , this is not too surprising from employees in a culture that is rapidly moving toward an anti-work , entitlement attitude — but it ’ s not just employees who prefer a good excuse over a good opportunity .
The folks over at Service Leadership recently published their semiannual report on the financial fitness of MSPs , and it turns out 25 % of the MSPs they reviewed are NOT profitable . They ’ re LOSING money during a time when the average MSP is growing 18 %, their profits soaring — and that 18 % is an AVERAGE that includes those losing money , which means the real winners are growing and profiting at a much higher clip .
My question : How do you lose money when demand is at an all-time high for IT services ? When corporate budgets are set aside for buying cybersecurity and compliance solutions ?
If you ask the MSPs that are failing , you ’ ll hear all the same old tired excuses I ’ ve been hearing for over 20 years of working in this industry . People won ’ t spend the money . The competition is too stiff . They can ’ t find or keep good people . They don ’ t have the time to work on marketing . They need to bake a cherry pie ( well , one excuse is as good as any since the results are the same ).
Here ’ s what you have to realize : You can have EITHER excuses or results . They are incompatible . You cannot have BOTH . If you want to accelerate your achievement in any area of your business or your life , you must simultaneously shed all excuses you have for not getting that result .
Put another way , there ’ s NO PROFIT in finding reasons why something WON ’ T work . Any moron can make a list of reasons why you “ can ’ t ” do something — charge high prices , get more clients , find good people , generate more profits . The money isn ’ t in vomiting excuses . ALL the money in business is made by figuring out HOW TO MAKE SOMETHING WORK .
You have to find a way to get the results you need despite all the friction . Yes , it ’ s hard to find great people right now — so tell me the 10 things you ’ ve done to solve that ? Most haven ’ t done even ONE yet are resigned to the fact you “ can ’ t find good people .” That they don ’ t have time for marketing . If that ’ s the problem , then what ’ s your plan for delegating , outsourcing or stopping certain things you ’ re doing so you can MAKE TIME to get the marketing done and build the sales function ? Again , you ask someone for that list , and you ’ ll find they ’ ve actually made no effort . They ’ ve simply decided that they “ can ’ t ,” and all effort stopped right there .
This is one of the many reasons I was so excited to have Nick Vujicic at our event earlier this year and on the cover of this month ’ s issue of MSP Success . He ’ s one of the absolute best living REAL examples of how the right mind-set of gratitude and no excuses can turn your life around . How many people do you know who have all their faculties yet “ can ’ t do _______,” whatever that blank is ?
Nick is also one of the most genuine , loving people I know and someone I deeply respect for so many reasons . I would encourage you to go online and watch the “ 60 Minutes ” interview with him to better understand the challenges he ’ s overcome in his life . We ’ ve also posted some of his presentation from Boot Camp , held earlier this year , at MSPSuccess . com / nick , or scan the QR code . Be ready to be moved and motivated .
Sincerely ,
Robin Robins Founder And CEO , MSP Success
Robin Robins is the CEO and Founder of TMT . TMT is the parent company of MSP Success .