The IT Experts Podcast

In this episode of The IT Experts Podcast, I want to share something that I know many MSPs have either overlooked or been unsure about, and that is R&D tax relief for MSPs, and how it could potentially put thousands back into your business when approached in the right way. I am joined by Jack Davies, who has been working closely with our community for several years now, helping MSPs understand how R&D tax relief for MSPs actually works in practice. I will be honest, when I first came across this, I was sceptical. Like many of you, I wanted to be sure this was credible, compliant, and something that genuinely added value to a well-run MSP. What I have seen since then, through the results of our clients and the conversations we have had, is that when it is done properly, it can be a powerful opportunity. We start by getting clear on what R&D tax relief for MSPs really is. It is not a quick win or a shortcut. It is a structured incentive designed to reward businesses that are solving technical challenges and pushing things forward. When you look at it through that lens, it starts to make a lot more sense for MSPs, because that is exactly what many of you are doing every single day. As we go deeper into the conversation, it becomes clear that a lot of MSPs are already carrying out qualifying work without realising it. Whether it is system integrations, cloud migrations, automation, cyber security projects, or bringing AI into client environments, these are not always straightforward. They involve testing, iteration, and problem solving. This is where R&D tax relief for MSPs starts to become highly relevant, because it focuses on the effort involved in overcoming technical challenges. One of the most important parts of this conversation is understanding what does not qualify. Straightforward, plug and play work is not what we are talking about here. This is about those moments where your team has to think differently, where there is no obvious answer, and where you are working through uncertainty to find the right solution. Getting clear on this gives you the confidence to approach R&D tax relief for MSPs in a way that protects your reputation and keeps everything above board. Something that I found particularly interesting, and I know many of you will as well, is the areas that often get overlooked. Internal projects, ongoing improvements, and even the costs around software and subcontractors can all form part of the bigger picture. Many MSPs focus purely on client work, yet a lot of innovation is happening behind the scenes. When you start to recognise that, the opportunity around R&D tax relief for MSPs becomes much broader. We also spend time talking about how this works in practice. It is not about pointing at one project and saying that is the number. It is about looking across your year, understanding where time and effort has gone into solving technical challenges, and building a fair and reasonable view of that work. This is where having good structure in your business really helps, from tracking projects through to keeping your financials organised. There have also been some changes to the scheme over the past couple of years, and I wanted to make sure we addressed that clearly. The key takeaway is that the fundamentals of R&D tax relief for MSPs have not been reduced. If anything, they have become more structured. The updates are there to improve the process, create consistency, and make sure everything is handled properly. For you as an MSP owner, that means more clarity and a more stable framework to work within. We also talk openly about best practice and what to watch out for. There are still people in the market making bold claims and overpromising. My advice is simple, protect your reputation. Work with people who understand both R&D and the MSP space, who can explain the process clearly, and who are focused on doing things the right way. By the end of this episode, my goal is that you feel more confident about R&D tax relief for MSPs, what it is, what it is not, and whether it is something worth exploring further in your business. This is about making informed decisions, staying in control, and recognising the value of the work you are already doing. Connect with Jack Davies through his LinkedIn by clicking HERE. Make sure to check out our Ultimate MSP Growth Guide, a free guide that walks you through a proven process to take your MSP from stuck to scalable, without working even more hours. It's 44 pages rammed with advice, insights and inspiration to help you decide what support is available to you now if you want to grow and scale your business. Click HERE to get your copy. Connect on LinkedIn HERE with Ian and also with Stuart by clicking this LINK And when you're ready to take the next step in growing your MSP, come and take the Scale with Confidence MSP Mastery Quiz. In just three minutes, you'll get a 360-degree scan of your MSP and identify the one or two tactics that could help you find

In this episode of The IT Experts Podcast, we explore what it really takes to build a high performing team inside your MSP, and why so many leaders feel stuck when trying to get there. I am joined by an expert power panel featuring Zoe Chatley, Phylip Morgan, and Julie Hutchison, bringing together real world experience from leadership, recruitment, and growth to give you practical insight into how to move from confusion to clarity when building your team. The conversation opens with a simple yet powerful truth. Every business is moving from one place to another. The challenge is that many MSP owners have not clearly defined where they are heading. As Phylip Morgan explains, leadership is about moving from here to there, and without that clarity, building a high performing team becomes difficult because no one truly knows what success looks like. Vision is not a corporate exercise. It is a practical tool that gives your team direction, confidence, and purpose. Julie Hutchison brings this to life by highlighting that most leaders do have a vision, although it is often blurred. Many MSP owners stay on the hamster wheel of doing, without stopping to think about what they really want. Creating a high performing team starts with stepping back and defining a clear, specific outcome that your team can align with and work towards together. Once that clarity is in place, everything begins to shift. A high performing team is not built through pressure or control. It is built through alignment. When your team understands where the business is going, they can make better decisions, take ownership, and move forward with confidence. This is where leadership becomes less about doing everything and more about guiding others to succeed. A key theme throughout this episode is accountability. Julie Hutchison explains that accountability is not about pressure. It is about creating an environment where people know what is expected and feel supported to deliver it. A high performing team thrives when individuals are clear on their role, understand what good looks like, and have the confidence to take action within clear guide rails. Phylip Morgan reinforces this by sharing the importance of clarity in expectations. When people know what is expected of them, have the right tools, and are given the opportunity to do what they do best, performance improves naturally. A high performing team is built on this foundation of clarity, communication, and trust. Zoe Chatley adds a critical perspective from recruitment and team building. Many MSPs hire out of urgency rather than strategy, which makes it harder to build a high performing team. When you are clear on your vision, you can attract people who believe in what you are building. This creates stronger alignment, better retention, and a team that grows with your business over time. The panel also highlights the importance of learning through experience. Building a high performing team is not about getting everything right the first time. It is about making informed decisions, learning from mistakes, and refining your approach as your business grows. With the right leadership mindset, these lessons become the foundation for long term success. What stands out in this episode is how simple the fundamentals really are. Building a high performing team is not about complex frameworks. It is about clarity, consistency, and leadership that creates trust. When you combine these elements, you create a business where people want to contribute, grow, and succeed together. If you are looking to build a high performing team in your MSP, this episode will help you focus on what truly matters. Start by getting clear on your direction, create the right environment for your people, and lead with intention. The results will follow. Connect with Zoe Chatley through her LinkedIn by clicking HERE. Connect with Phylip Morgan through his LinkedIn by clicking HERE. Make sure to check out our Ultimate MSP Growth Guide, a free guide that walks you through a proven process to take your MSP from stuck to scalable, without working even more hours. It's 44 pages rammed with advice, insights and inspiration to help you decide what support is available to you now if you want to grow and scale your business. Click HERE to get your copy. Connect on LinkedIn HERE with Ian and also with Stuart by clicking this LINK And when you're ready to take the next step in growing your MSP, come and take the Scale with Confidence MSP Mastery Quiz. In just three minutes, you'll get a 360-degree scan of your MSP and identify the one or two tactics that could help you find more time, engage & align your people and generate more leads. OR To join our amazing Facebook Group of over 400 MSPs where we are helping you Scale Up with Confidence, then click HERE Until next time, look after yourself and I'll catch up with you soon!

In this episode of The IT Experts Podcast, we sit down with Mit Patel to explore what it truly takes to stand out in a crowded MSP marketplace. This is a grounded and practical conversation that cuts through noise and focuses on what actually drives growth, profitability, and long-term success. Mit Patel brings nearly 25 years of experience in the MSP space, having scaled his own business to 8 million in revenue with strong margins, and now supporting the industry in a new way. Early in the conversation, Mit Patel shares his journey from building an MSP from the ground up through to exit. What becomes clear is that growth is never accidental. Each stage brings a new level of challenge, and success comes from recognising what needs to change as you move forward. From the early milestone of reaching one million in revenue, where investing in sales becomes essential, through to the shift towards structured leadership at scale, Mit Patel highlights the importance of evolving your thinking as your business grows. One of the key themes Mit Patel emphasises is the role of leadership and structure. As MSPs grow beyond the early stages, the lack of clear roles and accountability often creates bottlenecks. Many owners find themselves involved in everything, which limits their ability to think strategically. Mit Patel explains how building a leadership team and creating consistent rhythms allows you to step back, focus on planning, and unlock the next phase of growth. This shift from being busy in the business to working on the business is where real transformation begins. The conversation also explores one of the most common challenges MSPs face, which is people. Mit Patel speaks openly about the impact of tolerating underperformance and how this shapes the culture of a business. When standards are not upheld, it sends a message across the organisation. Strong MSPs are built by having the right people in the right roles, with clear expectations and accountability. Mit Patel reinforces the idea that hiring should focus on who someone is, not only what they know. Skills can be developed, yet mindset, communication, and drive are far more difficult to change. As the discussion moves towards market positioning, Mit Patel addresses the growing issue of sameness across the MSP space. Many providers sound identical to potential clients, leading to decisions being based on price rather than value. This creates a race to the bottom, which is difficult to escape. Mit Patel explains that true differentiation comes from doing things differently and being able to clearly demonstrate that difference. Without this, even the best MSPs struggle to communicate their value effectively. A powerful part of the episode focuses on trust. Mit Patel highlights that many business owners do not fully understand what their IT provider is doing for them. This creates uncertainty and risk. By improving transparency and providing clear evidence of performance, MSPs can build stronger relationships and position themselves as trusted partners rather than interchangeable suppliers. This shift in perception is critical for long term success. The role of AI is also discussed as an emerging opportunity. Mit Patel shares that MSPs who can apply AI in a meaningful way to solve real business problems will create a strong competitive advantage. The key is not the technology itself, yet how it is used to deliver outcomes that matter to clients. This again links back to understanding the client's business and communicating in a way that resonates beyond technical language. Towards the end of the episode, Mit Patel offers practical advice for MSP owners who want to grow. Investing in marketing is highlighted as a key driver of future success, along with the importance of continuous personal development. Growth starts with the owner, and those who commit to learning, improving, and adapting will always create stronger businesses over time. This episode with Mit Patel is a clear reminder that standing out in the MSP market is not about doing more of the same. It is about clarity, leadership, structure, and the courage to raise your standards. When you focus on these areas, growth becomes more predictable, your team becomes more aligned, and your clients gain confidence in the value you deliver. If you are looking to build a stronger, more resilient MSP, this conversation will give you the direction and confidence to take the next step. Make sure to check out our Ultimate MSP Growth Guide, a free guide that walks you through a proven process to take your MSP from stuck to scalable, without working even more hours. It's 44 pages rammed with advice, insights and inspiration to help you decide what support is available to you now if you want to grow and scale your business. Click HERE to get your copy. Connect on LinkedIn HERE with Ian and also with Stuart by clicking this LINK And when you're ready to take the next step in growing your MSP, come and take the Scale

In this episode of The IT Experts Podcast, I talk about what really happens when good teams go wrong and how MSP leaders can rebuild trust, communication, and performance before small issues turn into major challenges. I see this time and time again when working with MSP owners. You invest in great people, you build what feels like a strong team, and then something shifts. Progress slows, frustrations grow, and you start to wonder what has changed. This episode is designed to help you recognise those moments and take practical action. I am joined by leadership coach Julie Hutchison, who works closely with MSP owners to strengthen their leadership capability and help their teams perform at a higher level. Together we explore why technical ability is rarely the real reason when good teams go wrong. More often it is about how people communicate, how leaders set expectations, and how comfortable teams feel about speaking openly. Many of the warning signs are subtle at first. Meetings feel heavier, decisions take longer, and accountability becomes inconsistent. Over time, these patterns begin to affect momentum and confidence across the business. Julie explains that trust sits at the heart of every high performing team. When trust is missing, people hold back. They may agree with plans in the room, yet struggle to follow through once they leave. This is not usually about capability. It is about clarity and psychological safety. When good teams go wrong, leaders often notice an increase in conflict, misunderstandings, or even staff turnover. These signals can feel frustrating, especially when you know you have talented individuals who genuinely care about the success of the business. One of the most powerful ideas we discuss is the importance of balancing empathy with direct challenge. Julie introduces the concept of radical candour, which encourages leaders to show genuine care for their people while also addressing difficult topics honestly. I know from my own experience that many MSP owners avoid these conversations because they do not want to upset anyone. Yet when good teams go wrong, avoiding the issue rarely helps. Clear, respectful communication builds stronger relationships and helps teams stay aligned around shared goals. We also talk about the role of self-awareness. Running an MSP comes with pressure and responsibility, and it can be tempting to look for quick operational fixes when performance dips. However, meaningful change often begins with the leader taking a step back and reflecting on their own behaviour and communication style. When good teams go wrong, modelling openness and vulnerability can create a positive ripple effect. It encourages others to be honest, take ownership, and recommit to working together. Another important point is that successful teams are not built on everyone being the same. Different strengths and perspectives bring balance and innovation. The key is helping people understand each other and learn how to work through disagreement in a healthy way. When teams develop this understanding, they become more resilient and more focused on achieving results together. As we wrap up the conversation, Julie and I emphasise that rebuilding trust takes intention and consistency. Leaders need to create space for honest dialogue, reinforce accountability, and help teams reconnect with their purpose. When good teams go wrong, there is always an opportunity to rebuild stronger foundations. MSP owners who take this approach often see renewed energy, better collaboration, and greater confidence as they continue to grow their business. Make sure to check out our Ultimate MSP Growth Guide, a free guide that walks you through a proven process to take your MSP from stuck to scalable, without working even more hours. It's 44 pages rammed with advice, insights and inspiration to help you decide what support is available to you now if you want to grow and scale your business. Click HERE to get your copy. Connect on LinkedIn HERE with Ian and also with Stuart by clicking this LINK And when you're ready to take the next step in growing your MSP, come and take the Scale with Confidence MSP Mastery Quiz. In just three minutes, you'll get a 360-degree scan of your MSP and identify the one or two tactics that could help you find more time, engage & align your people and generate more leads. OR To join our amazing Facebook Group of over 400 MSPs where we are helping you Scale Up with Confidence, then click HERE Until next time, look after yourself and I'll catch up with you soon!

In this episode of The IT Experts Podcast, we explore why many MSP owners are sitting on easy money without realising the scale of the opportunity already inside their existing client base. This practical break fix edition is designed to give you clarity, structure, and a clear set of actions you can take straight away to improve profitability, strengthen relationships, and build more predictable growth. A common challenge for MSPs is the hesitation around commercial conversations. You may have built strong technical trust with your clients over many years, yet still feel uncertain about how to introduce discussions around investment, value, or change. This episode reframes that concern. When you approach account management from a position of leadership and service, you are not selling in a pushy way. You are guiding your clients towards better outcomes. This is often where MSPs discover they have been sitting on easy money for far longer than they expected. The conversation begins with a reminder that growth does not always require new leads or more marketing activity. In many cases, the fastest path to stronger margins comes from improving the way you review and support the clients you already serve. By implementing a structured account management rhythm, you begin to uncover gaps in services, overlooked risks, and new opportunities to add value. This is where sitting on easy money becomes a practical reality rather than a catchy idea. One of the first steps discussed is creating a clear view of your current client base. When you take time to list every client and assess their value, engagement, and future potential, you start to see patterns emerge. This simple discipline builds focus and removes assumptions. From there, you can identify whitespace opportunities where clients may benefit from additional services that align with their goals. This structured review process helps MSP owners recognise that they have been sitting on easy money simply because the right conversations have not been happening consistently. Security and business risk also play a central role in the episode. When you lead with risk awareness and strategic guidance, you position your MSP as a trusted advisor rather than a reactive support provider. Clients value clarity around the impact of vulnerabilities and the steps required to strengthen resilience. These discussions often open the door to improvements that increase both client confidence and recurring revenue. Again, this reinforces the idea that MSPs are often sitting on easy money through unmet needs that have yet to be explored. Pricing hygiene is another theme that encourages thoughtful action. Reviewing legacy agreements and ensuring your pricing reflects the value you deliver is essential for long term sustainability. By communicating openly about cost drivers, service evolution, and the importance of profitability, you maintain trust while protecting the future of your business. Many MSP leaders find that once they begin these conversations, the fear reduces and the benefits become clear. The belief that you are sitting on easy money becomes a motivating insight that drives positive change. The episode also highlights the importance of regular business reviews. These structured conversations create space to understand your clients' ambitions, challenges, and growth plans. When you align your services with their direction, you strengthen partnerships and unlock new opportunities. This approach moves you from being seen as a supplier to being valued as a strategic contributor. Over time, this shift builds momentum and reinforces the message that sitting on easy money is often about applying consistent leadership rather than chasing quick wins. Education plays a powerful role in this journey. Many clients are unaware of the full scope of what their MSP can offer. By sharing your advisory capabilities, innovation plans, and compliance expertise, you help them make informed decisions. Clear recommendations delivered with confidence create reassurance and accelerate progress. When you systemise this entire process through repeatable frameworks and defined rhythms, you build a mature operating model that supports sustainable growth. Ultimately, this episode is a reminder that profitable expansion can begin with the relationships you already have. By focusing on value, structure, and strategic conversations, MSP owners can move from reactive habits to confident leadership. Sitting on easy money is not about shortcuts. It is about recognising potential, taking deliberate action, and building a business that delivers results for both you and your clients. Make sure to check out our Ultimate MSP Growth Guide, a free guide that walks you through a proven process to take your MSP from stuck to scalable, without working even more hours. It's 44 pages rammed with advice, insights and inspiration to help you decide what support is available to you now if you want to grow and scale your

In this episode of The IT Experts Podcast, we explore a topic that many MSP owners are quietly thinking about right now. Is fear driving your strategy when it comes to AI? More specifically, what is the real risk for MSPs and AI, and how should you approach it without getting caught in the noise and hype surrounding the latest tools? AI is everywhere at the moment. Every conference, every vendor conversation and every online discussion seems to revolve around it. For many MSP owners, that constant exposure creates pressure. It can feel like you must adopt every new AI solution immediately or risk being left behind. The conversation we unpack in this episode takes a step back from that pressure and looks at the situation from a more strategic perspective. One of the first things highlighted in the discussion is that the technology itself is not the real issue. AI is powerful and it is evolving quickly. What creates uncertainty for many MSPs is the pace of change combined with the fear of missing out. When every vendor is promoting AI driven products and every industry conversation focuses on automation and intelligence, it becomes easy to believe that your entire business strategy must shift overnight. This is where the conversation around risk for MSPs and AI becomes important. The risk is rarely about the technology itself. The bigger risk often sits inside the MSP business. Many providers are still developing operational maturity, documentation, and clear processes. Without these foundations in place, adopting advanced tools can create complexity rather than progress. Stuart makes an important observation during the episode. AI, when you strip away the hype, is an evolution of automation. The industry has experienced similar shifts before. Cloud computing created the same urgency years ago. Cybersecurity triggered a similar wave of concern. Even the move from break fix to managed services followed the same pattern. Each change brought opportunity alongside fear. Understanding this pattern helps MSP owners think more clearly about the risk for MSPs and AI. The opportunity is real. Automation can improve efficiency, support better service delivery and allow MSPs to add greater value to their clients. The risk appears when businesses rush into tools without the operational structure needed to support them. Another key theme in the conversation is the importance of client relationships. Many MSPs still operate in a reactive model where communication with clients only happens when something breaks. In that situation it becomes difficult to guide clients through strategic changes such as AI adoption. Strong advisory relationships create the foundation for these conversations. When clients trust your insight, they are far more likely to listen when you discuss the opportunities and the Risk for MSPs and AI. The discussion also highlights how operational maturity plays a crucial role in the successful use of automation and AI. Systems, SOPs, and internal processes form the backbone of scalable MSP businesses. Without these structures, introducing sophisticated tools often leads to frustration rather than improvement. AI cannot compensate for missing processes. It amplifies what already exists. I raise another important point around the security implications connected to the risk for MSPs and AI. Many organisations are experimenting with AI tools without fully considering how data flows through those systems. When employees begin connecting tools, sharing information, or integrating external platforms, the potential security exposure increases. MSPs who guide their clients through these risks can create real value by helping them adopt AI responsibly. There is also a commercial opportunity hidden within this challenge. When MSPs understand the risk for MSPs and AI, they are in a position to lead conversations around governance, policy, risk management, and operational efficiency. These are areas where trusted advisers create long term value for their clients. The episode closes with a practical reminder. AI is not something MSPs can ignore. The technology will continue to evolve and the market will move forward. At the same time, reacting from a place of fear rarely produces the right strategy. Progress comes from building strong foundations, understanding your own business readiness and then integrating automation in a way that strengthens your service and your client relationships. When MSP owners approach the risk for MSPs and AI with clarity and structure, the conversation shifts. Instead of chasing the latest tools, you begin to build a strategy that allows your business to grow, adapt and lead clients through the changes that are coming. Make sure to check out our Ultimate MSP Growth Guide, a free guide that walks you through a proven process to take your MSP from stuck to scalable, without working even more hours. It's 44 pages rammed with advice, insights and inspiration to help you decide what support is

In this episode of The IT Experts Podcast, we take you inside our Client Intensive Event and lift the lid on what really happens when ambitious MSP owners come together to build better businesses. This was our January 2026 Client Intensive Event, and it was the biggest room we have ever had. Over 60 MSP owners and team members gathered for two full days of structured thinking, planning, challenge, and collaboration. It was not a sit back and listen type of event. It was designed to stretch thinking, raise standards, and help every single business owner leave with clarity and a refreshed 16-week plan. The Client Intensive Event is a core pillar of the MSP Scale System. Three times a year, our clients step away from their day-to-day operations and immerse themselves in focused work on the business. The structure is deliberate. We expand thinking through expert led sessions, then channel that insight into practical planning, peer discussion, and clear next steps. Every attendee leaves with an updated 16-week roadmap built around their own business priorities. The theme this time was business maturity. We explored three key areas that underpin sustainable growth. Structural maturity, team and people maturity, and operational maturity. These are not theoretical concepts. They are the foundations that determine whether your MSP can grow with confidence or remains fragile beneath the surface. On the structural side, we focused on governance and risk. Many MSP owners are strong technically and commercially, yet have never formally considered how governance protects value. We explored how to build a practical risk register, how to identify exposure across legal, supplier, regulatory and client concentration risks, and how to put simple mitigation in place. For several business owners, this created real light bulb moments. Scaling with confidence requires knowing your ducks are in a row. When you understand your risks, you make stronger decisions and protect long term value. On the people side, we explored what makes a cohesive team. It is not only about systems and processes. It is also about how people feel inside the business. Trust, accountability, the ability to have difficult conversations, and clarity of expectation all drive performance. When those elements are weak, leaders experience frustration, repeated questions, slow decision making, and high staff turnover. The Client Intensive Event created space for honest reflection. Several owners recognised that team dysfunction often starts with leadership behaviour. That awareness is powerful. When leaders change how they show up, teams respond. Operational maturity formed the third pillar. We examined how margin is often lost in operations rather than in finance. By connecting systems properly and using accurate data from sales, service, projects and finance, MSP owners gain visibility over efficiency and profitability. We drilled into practical examples around help desk structure and the dispatcher role, helping owners see where small operational refinements can unlock meaningful financial impact. For one new client, this approach has already uncovered significant hidden profit within their first 60 days. Beyond the structured content, what continues to define every Client Intensive Event is the community. Observational learning is a powerful force. When MSP owners hear peers tackling similar challenges, sharing openly and supporting one another, confidence rises quickly. Trust builds. Relationships deepen. Competitors become collaborators in the pursuit of higher standards. The energy in the room this time reflected a step change in maturity across the community. One of the most rewarding moments came when we stood at the front for a group photograph and realised how far the community has grown. What started with a simple vision to help more MSP owners scale with confidence has become a room full of experienced leaders committed to doing business better. That growth is not measured only in revenue. It is measured in confidence, clarity and ambition. The Client Intensive Event always concludes with a rebuild of each owner's 16-week plan. Ideas are distilled. Priorities are clarified. Actions are documented. This discipline ensures that inspiration turns into implementation. It prevents overwhelm and replaces it with focused progress. If you are serious about building a business that works for you rather than you for it, stepping into a structured environment like a Client Intensive Event can transform the way you think about growth. Business maturity is not accidental. It is developed deliberately, one focused cycle at a time. At The MSP Growth Hub, our mission remains simple. Help MSP owners accelerate success and scale with confidence. The Client Intensive Event is one of the most powerful ways we do that. Make sure to check out our Ultimate MSP Growth Guide, a free guide that walks you through a proven process to take your MSP from stuck to scalable, withou

In this episode of The IT Experts Podcast, we ask a powerful question. Are you ready to stop being the bottleneck in your MSP and step into true Owner Not Needed leadership? So many MSP owners tell us the same story. They are still the person everything flows through. Every decision lands on their desk. Every problem escalates to them. Every opportunity waits for their approval. They are working eighty or ninety hours a week while the rest of the team finishes at five. And deep down, they are wondering whether the business is working for them, or whether they are working for the business. At The MSP Growth Hub we use the phrase Owner Not Needed. It is not about disappearing. It is about building a business that can grow, perform and create value without being dependent on you for every move. One day you will exit your MSP. Whether that is five years away or fifteen, the value of your business will be shaped by how needed you are. The less dependent it is on you, the stronger the valuation and the more freedom you create along the way. One of the biggest fears around Owner Not Needed is loss of control. Owners worry that if they delegate properly, quality will slip, standards will drop and clients will suffer. The truth is that poor delegation creates risk. Structured delegation reduces it. When you build clarity around roles, responsibilities and expectations, you do not lose control. You create scale. Another common challenge is decision dependency. Your team comes to you with ten-pound tasks. Small decisions. Quick clarifications. Simple approvals. Individually they feel harmless. Collectively they make you the bottleneck. A practical shift is the one three one rule. When someone brings you a problem, ask for one decision, three options and their recommendation. This develops thinking, confidence and ownership. It moves you closer to Owner Not Needed behaviour and further away from reactive firefighting. There is also the emotional side. What happens if the business runs smoothly without you? What happens if the team no longer needs your input every hour? Some owners experience a subtle fear of becoming irrelevant. The shift from technical doer to strategic leader is not easy. What got you here will not get you there. Owner Not Needed requires you to redefine your value. You move from fixing tickets to setting direction. From solving immediate problems to shaping long term outcomes. A practical starting point is to define your thousand pound an hour tasks. These are strategy, leadership, growth planning, financial oversight and culture. If you are spending your week buried in technical work or low value approvals, you are operating far below your true impact level. Owner Not Needed is about elevating your contribution. Delegate the ten-pound tasks. Develop your leadership team to handle the hundred-pound tasks. Protect your time for the thousand-pound decisions that drive growth. Building leaders rather than helpers is another essential shift. Helpers wait for instruction. Leaders take ownership. They understand their numbers. They report performance. They challenge ideas. They contribute to innovation. This requires structure. Clear KPIs. Departmental plans. Individual accountability. Regular one to ones. Without structure, people drift. With structure, they grow. Owner Not Needed thrives in a culture of clarity. Numbers also play a critical role. Many MSP owners cannot confidently say whether they are truly making money. They look at the bank balance and hope. Owner Not Needed demands financial visibility. Know your margins. Know your EBITDA. Share the right metrics with your team. When everyone understands performance, decisions improve and dependency reduces. Staying strategically involved is different from daily firefighting. A weekly cadence focused on progress, priorities and performance replaces reactive noise. Instead of walking around asking how things are going, you review structured updates. Instead of solving every issue, you coach leaders to solve them. This is how Owner Not Needed becomes a lived reality rather than a slogan. The benefits are powerful. Clear head space to think. A capable leadership team making aligned decisions. Consistent delivery without owner interruption. More time with family and friends. Greater flexibility and control over how you spend your time. And when the day comes to sell, a stronger multiplier because the business is not reliant on you. Owner Not Needed is not about stepping away and hoping for the best. It is about intentionally building a structure that allows the business to thrive without constant owner intervention. When you lift yourself out of the bottleneck position, you unlock growth, value and freedom. If this episode has struck a chord, take a moment to reflect. Where are you still the decision maker for something your team could own? What would change if you truly embraced Owner Not Needed thinking? Make sure to check out our Ultimate MSP Growth G

In this episode of The IT Experts Podcast, we explore why owner dependency quietly destroys MSP valuations and what you must do now to build real, transferable value in your business. If you have ever assumed your MSP will sell when the time comes, this conversation may shift your thinking. Stuart and I unpack a hard truth. A business that cannot run and grow without you will always carry risk in the eyes of a buyer. And risk directly impacts MSP valuations. We were prompted to record this episode after a sobering conversation with an MSP owner who had attempted to sell multiple times over several years. Each time, buyers began the process. Each time, due diligence exposed weaknesses. Each time, the deal collapsed. Not because the business was small. Not because there was no demand. The issue was clarity, structure, and owner dependency. The business worked for him. It did not work without him. That distinction is critical. When buyers assess MSP valuations, they are not buying your effort. They are buying sustainable profit. They are buying systems. They are buying a team. They are buying recurring revenue. They are buying predictability. If you are central to sales, delivery, relationships and decision making, the buyer sees fragility. And fragility reduces multiples. We often explain valuation through simple maths. Imagine a one million pound MSP generating two hundred and fifty thousand pounds of EBITDA. At a modest multiple, you may walk away with half a million pounds. After decades of work, that can feel underwhelming. The opportunity lies in understanding that MSP valuations are influenced by clear, controllable drivers. Recurring revenue mix is one of them. Many MSPs above two million pounds in turnover still rely heavily on project income. That may feel exciting and profitable. It also introduces volatility. Increasing recurring revenue from fifty percent to seventy five percent can materially improve how buyers view your stability and future cash flow. Contract length is another lever. Monthly rolling agreements are easy to sell. They also weaken your negotiating position when it comes to MSP valuations. As your confidence grows, building longer term agreements with clients strengthens predictability and reduces perceived risk. Service gross margin is often overlooked. Buyers want to see not only recurring revenue, but recurring margin. They want to understand the efficiency of your service desk and the return generated per technician. Strong revenue per full time employee signals operational maturity. Clean numbers, transparent reporting, and clear profitability remove doubt during due diligence. Then there is client concentration. Over-reliance on one or two major clients creates vulnerability. Strengthening account management, spreading revenue more evenly, and improving client retention all contribute positively to MSP valuations. Yet none of these matter fully if the owner remains the bottleneck. We refer to this as ONN, owner not needed. This does not mean you disappear tomorrow. It means your business can run and grow without your daily involvement. Holidays without disruption are a starting point. True value is created when growth continues even while you step back from delivery. Building towards ONN requires leadership development, documented processes, empowered managers, and consistent rhythm in reporting and accountability. It is straightforward in principle. It is demanding in practice. Letting go, hiring stronger people, and shifting your leadership style takes intention. The encouraging news is that this transformation does not require magic tools or dramatic reinvention. It is disciplined business practice. Clear KPIs. Departmental plans. Regular reviews. Consistent focus on sales, account management, people engagement and margin control. When stitched together, these habits compound. Improving MSP valuations is rarely about chasing a headline multiple. It is about reducing risk and increasing clarity. Buyers walk away when profit is opaque, when dependency is high, and when systems are weak. They lean in when performance is transparent and transferable. For established MSPs already above one million pounds in revenue, a focused three-year commitment to strengthening structure can materially change exit outcomes. For others, it may take longer. The timeline is less important than the decision to begin. Planning for exit today gives you options tomorrow, even if you choose to continue building. There is also a powerful side effect. Businesses that reach a strong ONN position often discover they enjoy the work more. Time increases. Profits rise. Acquisition opportunities become viable. MSP valuations improve not only because you are preparing to sell, but because you are building a stronger company. At some point, every owner will exit. The question is whether you leave with confidence and control, or whether you accept whatever is offered because options have narrowed. Owner depend

In this episode of The IT Experts Podcast, I want to speak directly to MSP owners who are getting Groundhog Day vibes from their business. That sense that every week feels the same, the same problems keep resurfacing, and despite working hard, progress feels slow or non-existent. If Groundhog Day vibes are creeping into your MSP, this conversation will resonate deeply. I was joined by Stuart Warwick in the podcast lounge, and we went straight into the reality behind that familiar sigh many MSP owners make. It does not matter what time of year it is. When Groundhog Day vibes show up, it usually means the business has reached a ceiling created by habits, structure, and leadership patterns that once worked and no longer do. We talked about how easy it is to stay busy while staying still. Many MSPs operate in a steady rhythm where the business pays the bills and supports a decent lifestyle. On the surface everything looks fine. Underneath, there is often frustration and a sense that something more was meant to happen by now. When Groundhog Day vibes become normal, it is a sign that the business is not aligned with the original vision that drove you to start. One of the biggest themes in the conversation was owner dependency. Most MSP owners built their business because they love technology and solving problems. Being needed feels good and that feeling can quietly turn into an addiction. Over time, this keeps you trapped in the day to day and limits growth. When Groundhog Day vibes keep returning, it is often because you have not decided what you are willing to let go of. We also spent time talking about the role your team plays. I see this repeatedly inside The MSP Growth Hub. Owners underestimate the capability and appetite of their people. When Groundhog Day vibes take hold, it is often because the team has not been invited into the bigger picture. When you involve them properly, energy changes. Ownership grows. Momentum starts to build in ways that surprise most owners. Stuart shared a simple and practical starting point. Stop and take an honest audit of your business. Look at operations, projects, sales, marketing, finance, billing, and admin. Notice what drains you and what energises you. When Groundhog Day vibes are present, this exercise brings clarity quickly. From there, the work becomes about spending more time on the areas that move the business forward and less time on the tasks that keep you stuck. We also explored leadership and culture. Whether you realise it or not, you set the tone for everything. Your team watches what you prioritise and what you tolerate. When expectations are unclear, people fill the gaps themselves. If Groundhog Day vibes persist, it often points to missing structure, unclear standards, or a lack of shared direction. This is not about blame. It is about growth as a leader. Consistency was another key part of the discussion. Change does not come from motivation alone. It comes from rhythm and follow-through. Write things down. Decide what success looks like. Check in regularly. When MSP owners fall back into old habits, it is usually because progress was not being measured. Groundhog Day vibes thrive in the absence of accountability. We also talked about what life can look like on the other side of this. Progress shows up in numbers, in time, and in satisfaction. Better margins. More space in your diary. Time to think and lead. When owners look back after a year of intentional action, they are often shocked by how much has changed. If Groundhog Day vibes are present today, that future is still available to you. This episode is a reminder that you are not stuck. You are where you are because of past decisions and actions, which means new decisions create new outcomes. Your team can be part of the solution. Structure can work in your favour. Momentum can be rebuilt. You do not have to keep reliving the same week on repeat. Make sure to check out our Ultimate MSP Growth Guide, a free guide that walks you through a proven process to take your MSP from stuck to scalable, without working even more hours. It's 44 pages rammed with advice, insights and inspiration to help you decide what support is available to you now if you want to grow and scale your business. Click HERE to get your copy. Connect on LinkedIn HERE with Ian and also with Stuart by clicking this LINK And when you're ready to take the next step in growing your MSP, come and take the Scale with Confidence MSP Mastery Quiz. In just three minutes, you'll get a 360-degree scan of your MSP and identify the one or two tactics that could help you find more time, engage & align your people and generate more leads. OR To join our amazing Facebook Group of over 400 MSPs where we are helping you Scale Up with Confidence, then click HERE Until next time, look after yourself and I'll catch up with you soon!

In this episode of The IT Experts Podcast, I want to talk to you about something that does not get enough attention in the MSP space, over-reliance on big clients. This is not about fear mongering or pointing fingers. It is about protecting the business you have worked so hard to build and making sure it is resilient, valuable, and able to withstand shocks that are completely outside your control. Over the last few weeks, I have seen several MSP owners lose large clients through no fault of their own. Long standing relationships, solid delivery, and good account management were all in place. Then a corporate buyout happened, private equity stepped in, and overnight the MSP was out. If you have ever experienced this, you know how gutting it feels. This is exactly why over-reliance on big clients is such a serious risk, even when everything appears to be going well. We talk about risk all the time with our clients, cyber risk, security risk, operational risk. Yet many MSPs do not have a proper internal risk register that includes client concentration. If one client makes up more than fifteen to twenty percent of your revenue, that is a risk. If a handful of clients account for half of your income, that risk increases again. Over-reliance on big clients also impacts valuation in a big way. Buyers, banks, and investors all look closely at client concentration when assessing the strength of a business. One of the traps I see MSPs fall into is assuming their biggest clients are their best clients. Size does not equal profitability. Often the largest clients are the noisiest, the most demanding, and the ones that introduce the most scope creep. Project work can hide this reality for a while, creating the illusion of strong performance, while margins quietly erode underneath. This is how over-reliance on big clients becomes both a financial and emotional burden. Contracts are another major factor. Weak renewals, rolling monthly terms, and informal agreements leave you exposed when circumstances change. Strong contracts with clear notice periods, structured SLAs, and defined expectations protect both sides of the relationship. I have seen MSPs completely transform their resilience by moving clients onto longer term agreements, creating stability and confidence even in uncertain markets. I also share practical steps you can take over the next ninety days to reduce over-reliance on big clients. This includes building a healthier pipeline so no single client dominates revenue, strengthening account management across your mid-tier clients, and intentionally growing those relationships instead of focusing all your attention on one whale account. Growth should never come at the cost of balance. Diversification matters too. That might mean going deeper into a vertical you already serve, refining your niche, or improving the mix between recurring revenue and project work. Over-reliance on big clients often creeps in when project revenue masks a lack of predictable monthly income. The managed service model works best when recurring revenue is the foundation. Pricing and packaging play a role here as well. Minimum standards, minimum security, and minimum value help ensure every client contributes fairly. When profitability improves, cash reserves improve, and cash gives you breathing space. It is not about comfort, it is about protection. Finally, I talk about the importance of proper account management that does not sit solely with the owner. When relationships and value delivery are embedded into clear processes, the business becomes stronger and less dependent on any one person or client. This shift is critical if you want to scale with confidence and reduce over-reliance on big clients in a sustainable way. I will leave you with a simple challenge. Review your top ten clients, look honestly at your concentration risk, and choose one action you can take in the next seven days to make your MSP safer, stronger, and more resilient. Over-reliance on big clients is not a failure. It is a signal. And with the right structure in place, it is a risk you can actively reduce. Make sure to check out our Ultimate MSP Growth Guide, a free guide that walks you through a proven process to take your MSP from stuck to scalable, without working even more hours. It's 44 pages rammed with advice, insights and inspiration to help you decide what support is available to you now if you want to grow and scale your business. Click HERE to get your copy. Connect on LinkedIn HERE with Ian and also with Stuart by clicking this LINK And when you're ready to take the next step in growing your MSP, come and take the Scale with Confidence MSP Mastery Quiz. In just three minutes, you'll get a 360-degree scan of your MSP and identify the one or two tactics that could help you find more time, engage & align your people and generate more leads. OR To join our amazing Facebook Group of over 400 MSPs where we are helping you Scale Up with Confidence, then clic

In this episode of The IT Experts Podcast, I sit down with leadership coach Julie Hutchison to explore what it really takes to supercharge your MSP by growing future leaders from within your existing team. This is a topic that comes up time and time again with MSP owners who want to scale with confidence and stop being the bottleneck in their own business. The conversation is practical, honest, and rooted in what we see working every day inside The MSP Growth Hub. I speak to many MSP owners who understand that leadership matters, yet feel unsure about what to do once they spot someone with potential. Growing future leaders is not about handing out titles or sending someone on a course and hoping it sticks. It is about creating the right environment where people can step up, build confidence, and perform in a way that supports the direction of the business. Julie shares insights from the work she has been doing with multiple cohorts of future leaders inside The MSP Growth Hub. One thing becomes clear very quickly. Learning only works when it is applied. Information without implementation leads to frustration. Confidence grows when people are given space to practise, reflect, and talk through the real situations they face inside their MSP each week. We spend time talking about the role of the business owner in this process. Growing future leaders does not mean stepping away or leaving people to figure it out alone. It means changing how you show up. As owners, we need to be clear on vision, expectations, and outcomes, while allowing future leaders the freedom to find their own way of delivering results. When the outcomes are clear and the guardrails are in place, leaders can act without fear of being micromanaged or overruled. Another key theme is safety. When someone moves from a technical role into leadership, they are being asked to think and behave differently. They need room to make mistakes, have honest conversations, and understand the impact they have on others. Without a safe environment, confidence drops and progress slows. With the right support, growing future leaders becomes one of the most powerful drivers of performance, communication, and team engagement. Julie introduces a simple analogy that really resonates. Future leaders need to be at least in the front passenger seat of the business. They understand where the business is going and help navigate the route. When owners constantly grab the wheel or dismiss input, those leaders slowly disengage and retreat. Growing future leaders requires trust, coaching, and a willingness to let go of doing everything your own way. We also talk about mindset. Leadership is not about creating mini versions of yourself. It is about being clear on outcomes and allowing different styles and approaches to work. When owners focus on results rather than methods, leaders gain confidence and ownership. This shift is essential if your MSP is going to grow beyond your personal capacity. Communication comes up repeatedly throughout the episode. Julie explains how leadership success often comes down to how conversations are handled. Understanding what drives people, approaching difficult conversations with confidence, and being willing to adjust your own behaviour has a direct impact on performance. When leaders change how they show up, the response from the team changes too. This episode is a reminder that growing future leaders is one of the most valuable investments you can make as an MSP owner. It reduces pressure, increases resilience, and creates a business that can scale with confidence. With the right structure, support, and mindset, leadership development becomes a strategic advantage rather than a risk. Make sure to check out our Ultimate MSP Growth Guide, a free guide that walks you through a proven process to take your MSP from stuck to scalable, without working even more hours. It's 44 pages rammed with advice, insights and inspiration to help you decide what support is available to you now if you want to grow and scale your business. Click HERE to get your copy. Connect on LinkedIn HERE with Ian and also with Stuart by clicking this LINK And when you're ready to take the next step in growing your MSP, come and take the Scale with Confidence MSP Mastery Quiz. In just three minutes, you'll get a 360-degree scan of your MSP and identify the one or two tactics that could help you find more time, engage & align your people and generate more leads. OR To join our amazing Facebook Group of over 400 MSPs where we are helping you Scale Up with Confidence, then click HERE Until next time, look after yourself and I'll catch up with you soon!

In this episode of The IT Experts Podcast, we dig into why building a real Sales Run Rate is one of the most important disciplines an MSP can put in place if it wants predictable, sustainable growth. Too many MSPs set big revenue goals without ever breaking them down into something tangible, measurable, or shared across the team. This conversation is about changing that pattern and replacing hope with clarity. I am joined by Stuart Warwick to explore why Sales Run Rate often gets ignored, even though it sits at the centre of confident decision making. Many MSP owners talk about wanting to reach one million or two and a half million in revenue, yet very few can clearly explain what needs to happen month by month to get there. Without a Sales Run Rate, goals remain emotional and aspirational rather than practical and achievable. The discussion opens by addressing a common frustration. MSPs are busy. They are deep in delivery, firefighting, and client work, which means long term planning often gets pushed aside. Sales Run Rate forces you to stop, step back, and look at the building blocks that sit underneath growth. When you understand what revenue needs to be added each month, each week, and even each day, the mountain suddenly feels climbable. Stuart explains that Sales Run Rate is not about chasing endless new logos. It is about understanding all the components that make up growth. New business plays a part, yet so does revenue from existing clients, projects, hardware refreshes, and improved account management. When MSPs break their numbers down properly, they often realise that a large percentage of growth is already happening inside the client base they have today. A key theme in the episode is confidence in numbers. Many MSP owners avoid their financials because they feel overwhelming or unclear. Sales Run Rate connects sales activity directly to budgets, forecasts, and real outcomes. Once the numbers make sense, confidence grows. With confidence comes better decisions, whether that is hiring, investing in systems, or planning for the future. The conversation also highlights the power of involving the whole team. Sales Run Rate is not owned by one person. When the goal is broken down and shared, support teams, engineers, and account managers can all see how their daily actions contribute. Listening for opportunities, asking better questions, and helping clients make informed decisions becomes part of normal service delivery rather than something labelled as selling. We also talk about how this shift changes culture. Sales stops being a dirty word and starts becoming a shared responsibility rooted in helping clients get the most from technology. When teams understand the impact of small actions repeated consistently, momentum builds. Progress becomes visible, measurable, and something worth celebrating each month. The episode also touches on long term outcomes. A clear Sales Run Rate supports healthier margins, stronger service delivery, and a more valuable business. MSPs that understand their numbers are better positioned to reduce risk, diversify revenue, and prepare for eventual exit if that is part of their plan. Growth stops being accidental and starts becoming intentional. This conversation is a reminder that Sales Run Rate does not need to be complex. It needs to be visible, realistic, and reviewed regularly. When MSP owners take the time to break goals down, communicate them clearly, and review progress with the team, growth stops feeling like guesswork and starts feeling manageable. If you want to take control of your growth rather than hoping for it, this episode will help you rethink how you approach revenue, planning, and team involvement. Sales Run Rate is not about pressure. It is about clarity, rhythm, and building a business that works for you. Make sure to check out our Ultimate MSP Growth Guide, a free guide that walks you through a proven process to take your MSP from stuck to scalable, without working even more hours. It's 44 pages rammed with advice, insights and inspiration to help you decide what support is available to you now if you want to grow and scale your business. Click HERE to get your copy. Connect on LinkedIn HERE with Ian and also with Stuart by clicking this LINK And when you're ready to take the next step in growing your MSP, come and take the Scale with Confidence MSP Mastery Quiz. In just three minutes, you'll get a 360-degree scan of your MSP and identify the one or two tactics that could help you find more time, engage & align your people and generate more leads. OR To join our amazing Facebook Group of over 400 MSPs where we are helping you Scale Up with Confidence, then click HERE Until next time, look after yourself and I'll catch up with you soon!

In this episode of The IT Experts Podcast, I sit down with Dan Wensley, CEO of GTIA, to go under the hood of an organisation that plays a far bigger role in our industry than many MSPs realise. This conversation is about community, leadership, and why staying connected to the wider channel is no longer optional if you want to build a business that lasts. Dan Wensley brings over 30 years of experience across the IT services industry, and that depth shows throughout the discussion. We talk about his journey through the channel, from the early reseller days, through solution providers, and into the managed services world most of us operate in today. What stood out for me is how clearly Dan connects those past transitions with what MSPs are facing right now. This is not theory. It is perspective earned through lived experience. A big part of our conversation centres on GTIA itself. Dan Wensley explains what the Global Technology Industry Association really is, why it exists, and how it supports MSPs around the world. What makes GTIA different is its position as a non-profit, member focused organisation. There is no product to sell and no commercial agenda to push. Instead, the focus is on research, education, and providing a neutral space where MSPs, vendors, and industry leaders can come together and learn from each other. We spend time talking about community and why it matters so much in this industry. I have always believed the MSP channel is unique in its willingness to share, collaborate, and support one another, and Dan reinforces this from a global perspective. The MSPs who succeed are rarely the ones trying to figure everything out on their own. They are the ones who stay curious, ask questions, and learn alongside their peers. GTIA exists to enable exactly that, without bias and without noise. Another theme that came up strongly is time. Many MSP owners tell me they are too busy to attend events or get involved in industry groups. Dan Wensley understands that pressure and challenges the idea that education is something you can put off. With the pace of change accelerating, especially with AI now influencing every part of the channel, staying informed has become part of the job. Dan makes it clear that learning does not only happen on a stage. It happens through conversations, shared insight, and exposure to different ways of thinking. We also talk about the future shape of the MSP model. Dan Wensley shares his view that customer success will be the defining factor moving forward. MSPs who focus on outcomes rather than tools, and who sit alongside their clients as true partners, will be the ones who stand out. Asking customers what success looks like and then delivering against that consistently is still the most reliable way to build trust and long-term relationships. Risk and change naturally come up in the conversation. Drawing on lessons from earlier industry shifts, Dan Wensley talks about the importance of defining the path, not only the destination. Too many MSPs aim for the end state without thinking through the steps needed to get there. Whether it is AI, security, or operational change, progress comes from doing the right things in the right order. We also touch on the GTIA Foundation and the role it plays in giving back. Dan shares how member led philanthropy allows GTIA to support education, access to technology, and community initiatives worldwide. It is a reminder that this industry has an opportunity to make a meaningful impact beyond commercial success. This episode is ultimately about staying connected. Dan Wensley leaves us with a clear message. Stay inquisitive. Stay educated. Stay involved. For MSP owners who want to build resilient businesses and remain relevant in a fast-moving market, this conversation offers both reassurance and direction. Connect with Dan Wensley through his LinkedIn by clicking HERE. You can also visit their website and learn more about GTIA by clicking HERE. Make sure to check out our Ultimate MSP Growth Guide, a free guide that walks you through a proven process to take your MSP from stuck to scalable, without working even more hours. It's 44 pages rammed with advice, insights and inspiration to help you decide what support is available to you now if you want to grow and scale your business. Click HERE to get your copy. Connect on LinkedIn HERE with Ian and also with Stuart by clicking this LINK And when you're ready to take the next step in growing your MSP, come and take the Scale with Confidence MSP Mastery Quiz. In just three minutes, you'll get a 360-degree scan of your MSP and identify the one or two tactics that could help you find more time, engage & align your people and generate more leads. OR To join our amazing Facebook Group of over 400 MSPs where we are helping you Scale Up with Confidence, then click HERE Until next time, look after yourself and I'll catch up with you soon!

In this episode of The IT Experts Podcast, we focus on one clear outcome, helping you build a practical MSP growth plan for 2026 in the next 30 minutes. Stuart and I recorded this right at the start of the year because this is the moment when MSP owners finally get space to think. Not space to dream or hope, although to decide. The goal of this conversation is simple, to replace short lived motivation with real momentum through structure, clarity, and commitment. At the start of every new year, it is easy to feel energised. New year, new goals, new intentions. The problem is that motivation fades quickly once the pressure returns. What actually carries you forward is momentum, and momentum only exists when there is substance behind it. A strong MSP growth plan gives that substance. Without it, you risk repeating the same patterns and getting the same results, even when your ambition is higher. We see this every December. MSP owners tell us they are not doing another year like the last one. They have had time over Christmas to reflect while walking the dog, spending time with family, or stepping away from the noise of the business. That reflection is valuable, although only if it leads somewhere. An MSP growth plan turns reflection into action and gives you a clear direction instead of frustration. The first step we talk through is getting clear on the destination. We encourage you to define what success really looks like three to five years from now. Not in vague terms, although in practical ones. What role do you want to play in the business. How involved do you want to be day to day. What values do you want the business to stand for as it grows. When this is clear, decisions become easier and distractions lose their pull. Your MSP growth plan needs a destination before it can define a route. From there, we move into structure. The structure that got you here will not get you where you want to go next. That includes your role, your team, and how accountability works. Many MSP owners stay trapped in technical delivery long after the business needs them elsewhere. A proper MSP growth plan forces you to look honestly at where you add the most value and what needs to change to remove you as the bottleneck. We also talk about investing ahead of growth. Waiting until things feel comfortable often keeps you stuck. Progress comes from deliberate decisions, not from hoping things will improve. Bringing in the right people, especially experienced technical or leadership hires, creates the space you need to focus on higher value work. This is how growth becomes intentional rather than accidental. Sales, marketing, and account management play a central role in any MSP growth plan. High performing MSPs understand that trust takes time to build. Consistency matters more than bursts of activity. Getting clear on your target market, showing up regularly, and having proper conversations with existing clients unlocks both new opportunities and hidden value that already exists in your business. Accountability is the final piece. A plan without measurement will drift. We talk openly in this episode about the need for clear expectations, meaningful numbers, and regular review rhythms. This applies to your team and to you as the owner. External accountability keeps you moving forward when energy dips and distractions creep back in. Momentum is protected when someone is there to challenge you and keep you aligned to the plan. We close the episode by reminding you that growth should feel energising. When structure replaces chaos, teams become more engaged, confidence increases, and the numbers start to reflect the progress you are making. A well-built MSP growth plan creates sustainable progress that supports the business and the life you want it to fund. If you want help applying this properly, we are running a live working session on February designed to help you build your MSP growth plan step by step, with clarity you can use immediately. You can register for the session HERE. Make sure to check out our Ultimate MSP Growth Guide, a free guide that walks you through a proven process to take your MSP from stuck to scalable, without working even more hours. It's 44 pages rammed with advice, insights and inspiration to help you decide what support is available to you now if you want to grow and scale your business. Click HERE to get your copy. Connect on LinkedIn HERE with Ian and also with Stuart by clicking this LINK And when you're ready to take the next step in growing your MSP, come and take the Scale with Confidence MSP Mastery Quiz. In just three minutes, you'll get a 360-degree scan of your MSP and identify the one or two tactics that could help you find more time, engage & align your people and generate more leads. OR To join our amazing Facebook Group of over 400 MSPs where we are helping you Scale Up with Confidence, then click HERE Until next time, look after yourself and I'll catch up with you soon!

In this episode of The IT Experts Podcast, I dig into one of the most misunderstood leadership habits inside MSPs, the one to one. I am joined by Julie Hutchinson, and together we explore why MSP 1:1s so often feel heavy, awkward, or avoidable, and what is really going on beneath the surface when leaders say they do not have time for them. This conversation is about stripping away complexity and bringing the focus back to clarity, trust, and leadership rhythm inside growing MSPs. I speak to MSP owners and leaders every week who know that MSP 1:1s matter. They understand the theory. They know they should be happening regularly. Yet in practice, these meetings are often the first thing to be cancelled, rushed, or turned into task updates that add little value. Julie and I unpack why this happens so often. It is rarely a diary problem. More often it comes down to discomfort, uncertainty, and a lack of structure. When leaders are unsure what good looks like, avoidance quickly becomes the default. Throughout the episode, I come back to a simple truth. MSP 1:1s are not about tasks. They are about people. When leaders turn one to ones into performance interrogations or reactive problem-solving sessions, trust slowly erodes. Team members become guarded. Leaders feel drained. The meeting becomes something to get through rather than something that creates progress. Julie shares how this shows up again and again in MSPs where growth has outpaced leadership capability, leaving managers unsure how to hold effective people conversations. I also share why MSP 1:1s work best when they are treated as a leadership habit rather than a management tool. Consistency matters more than perfection. A regular rhythm creates psychological safety. Over time, people stop bracing themselves and start opening up. This is where real issues surface early, before they turn into disengagement, performance dips, or people quietly checking out. I see this constantly with MSPs who come to us thinking they have technical problems, when what they really have are unresolved people issues that better one to ones could have surfaced sooner. A big part of the conversation is about ownership. Julie challenges the idea that leaders need to carry the entire meeting. Effective MSP 1:1s are a shared responsibility. When team members are encouraged to bring topics, reflect on their own progress, and talk openly about what they need, the dynamic shifts. The meeting becomes lighter, more focused, and far more productive. Leaders stop feeling like they are dragging information out of people and start having proper conversations instead. We also talk openly about the emotional side of MSP 1:1s. Many leaders avoid them because they fear difficult conversations. I am very clear on this point. Avoiding these conversations does not remove the difficulty, it delays it. When feedback is withheld, frustration builds on both sides. When issues are named early, with care and clarity, relationships strengthen. The confidence to do this well comes from practice and from having a simple structure to lean on. Another important insight we explore is that MSP 1:1s are not the place to fix everything. They are the place to notice patterns. I explain how leaders can listen for themes across multiple one to ones and then address systemic issues elsewhere, rather than trying to solve every problem in isolation. This reduces pressure on the meeting and helps leaders think more strategically about their teams and their business. Julie also shares practical guidance on what good actually looks like. MSP 1:1s should feel human. They should create space for personal check in, professional development, and honest dialogue. When leaders show up with curiosity rather than judgement, trust grows naturally. Over time, these meetings become one of the strongest tools an MSP has for retaining good people, developing future leaders, and maintaining momentum through change. We close the conversation with a reminder that leadership is learned through doing. Nobody starts out brilliant at MSP 1:1s. The leaders who improve are the ones who commit to the rhythm, reflect on what is working, and stay open to feedback themselves. When one to ones are done well, they stop being hard work and start becoming one of the most rewarding parts of leading an MSP. If you want to strengthen your leadership rhythm and make MSP 1:1s simpler and more effective, this episode will give you clarity, reassurance, and practical next steps you can apply straight away. Make sure to check out our Ultimate MSP Growth Guide, a free guide that walks you through a proven process to take your MSP from stuck to scalable, without working even more hours. It's 44 pages rammed with advice, insights and inspiration to help you decide what support is available to you now if you want to grow and scale your business. Click HERE to get your copy. Connect on LinkedIn HERE with Ian and also with Stuart by clicking this LINK And when yo