Podcasts about msps

The dominant structural shift highlighted is margin pressure and business model viability for MSPs due to workforce reduction driven by AI automation. This is exemplified by Microsoft's introduction of Agent365—an enterprise product licensing AI agents rather than human users—and industry reports forecasting that 30–50% of white-collar jobs may be replaced by AI technologies, according to publication summaries referenced during discussion. The shift fundamentally threatens the per-seat managed services pricing model that has anchored MSP revenue. Evidence of mounting financial risk is provided by the scenario where clients may halve their seat counts within a two-to-three-year window. As stated, this adjustment would immediately cut monthly recurring revenue (MMR) for MSPs. The discussion connects this trend to Microsoft's evolving licensing model and notes an industry-wide consensus reflected in a Capterra survey, which found all surveyed MSPs in 2024 facing significant increases in local competition. The implication is that margin pressure from both automation and intensifying competition is occurring simultaneously. Additional developments reinforce the risks to stability. Security complexity and associated liability are increasing, as non-specialist teams—originally tasked with legacy IT functions—are now expected to take responsibility for security operations without adequate expertise. This burden is heightened by the emergence of unmanaged AI adoption at client organizations, creating new avenues for data exposure and regulatory risk. Surveyed business owners are considering exit or consolidation, citing inability or unwillingness to restructure business models to accommodate these changes. Peer group participation is recognized as widespread but not a direct countermeasure to these structural challenges. For MSPs and IT service providers, the practical implications are clear: reliance on the per-seat model is a growing contract risk, with revenue volatility linked to workforce automation outpacing both the speed of traditional service adaptation and client technology adoption. Accountabilities around AI risk, security governance, and compliance are expanding—often without a corresponding increase in compensable scope or staff capability. Operators must assess vendor dependency (especially in rapidly shifting software licensing models), realign service portfolios towards advisory, compliance, and security, and prepare for sustained market turbulence marked by shrinking margins and rising operational complexity. Supported by:  Small Biz Thoughts Community Sign up for the SMB Online Conference: www.smbonlineconference.com

Send us Fan MailClayton Mouney joins Joey Pinz for a powerful conversation on leadership, accountability, entrepreneurship, and where the MSP industry is heading next.

A structural repricing of memory and silicon components is forcing a shift in the economics of hardware resale for managed service providers (MSPs) and IT service providers. This shift is driven by concentrated demand for memory components from AI infrastructure build-outs, as evidenced by data from IDC and remarks from companies including Apple, Micron, SK Hynix, and Samsung. The episode highlights that memory costs have quadrupled in a year, and that both endpoint devices and servers are experiencing durable price inflation due to component scarcity and intensified competition for supply. The most consequential development cited is Apple's acknowledgment—confirmed by Tim Cook to the Wall Street Journal—that device price increases are now “unavoidable” because the cost of memory can no longer be absorbed. Memory manufacturers' share prices rallied on this signal, reinforcing an investor consensus that higher component costs will persist. IDC data showed AI-focused, non-x86 servers using Nvidia's ARM chips generated $58.7 billion—or nearly 48% of all server revenue—up 107% year over year, while x86 server revenue declined due to DRAM and NAND shortages. This dynamic indicates that AI infrastructure is bidding up component costs at the expense of standard business hardware. Secondary developments further reinforce this mechanism. The market's response to U.S. government announcements regarding Intel chip capacity expansion demonstrates that relief from the silicon crunch remains years away, not months. Channel partners—according to industry reporting—were already pivoting from hardware resale to services prior to these price shocks, with thinning hardware margins preceding the current pressure. The combination of fixed-fee hardware contracts and rising component costs now places providers in a position where they are “short silicon,” having unknowingly absorbed inflation risk they cannot pass on under existing contractual terms. For MSPs and IT leaders, the principal operational implications center on contract structure, exposure to component price volatility, and diminished hardware margins. Providers with fixed monthly agreements or hardware-as-a-service contracts based on last year's component costs are at an increasing risk of margin erosion, as their ability to reprice is contractually limited. Practical mitigation steps include auditing all fixed-fee agreements for exposure, amending contracts to include component index or price adjustment clauses, and separating hardware as a transparent, pass-through line item. Failing to adapt contract terms or refresh timing may compound both financial risk and the security profile of client endpoints. 00:00 Not the Tokens  03:31 An Auction for the Parts 05:46 Short Silicon 07:44 Why Do We Care?   Supported by: Pax8 ScalePad    Sign up for the SMB Online Conference: www.smbonlineconference.com

The future belongs to organizations that invest in people as much as they invest in technology. Whether building stronger communities, developing emerging leaders, or reducing human cyber risk, lasting success comes from creating environments where individuals are informed, connected, engaged, and empowered to contribute at their highest level. Recorded live at the Beyond 26 Conference in Salt Lake City, Utah, this special episode brings together two dynamic technology leaders who are helping shape the future of the IT channel from very different—but equally important—perspectives. Brook Lee, Senior Director of Community at Rev.io, and Nihil Morjaria, Chief Revenue Officer at usecure, share insights on leadership, community building, cybersecurity, and the evolving role of human behavior in technology. Brook discusses the power of authentic relationships, meaningful conversations, and creating communities where MSPs can learn and grow together. Nihil explores why Human Risk Intelligence is becoming a critical pillar of modern cybersecurity as AI-driven threats increasingly target people rather than systems. Together, their perspectives reveal a common theme: technology alone does not drive success—people do.   Highlights include:  People remain the most important factor in business growth, innovation, and cybersecurity. The "secret sauce" behind meaningful engagement: listen more, talk less, and create genuine connections. How Rev.io is helping MSPs strengthen operations and community collaboration.   What Human Risk Intelligence means and why it is transforming cybersecurity strategies How AI is changing both business opportunities and cyber threats. Why security awareness programs should focus on culture, behavior, and proactive participation. The growing importance of measuring human risk posture and organizational resilience.   Follow Brook and Nihil on LinkedIn and visit rev.io as well as usecure.io   Brook is also offering our listeners an incredible resource: The Vendor Situationship

The episode reveals a structural shift where “AI powered” has moved from a selling point to a source of liability and customer distrust. Surveys from WordPress VIP, the Pew Research Center, and Carnegie Mellon University indicate that both consumers and professionals increasingly see visible AI in products and services as a negative attribute, eroding trust rather than adding perceived value. This trend impacts MSPs directly, as their role in advising clients on technology adoption now brings increased accountability for customer experience outcomes tied to AI-driven automation. According to a WordPress VIP survey, 60% of US consumers are deterred by the term “AI” in brand marketing, and 86% do not fully trust AI-delivered information, preferring original sources. The Pew Research Center found that, while 49% of US adults now use AI chatbots, 40% believe AI will worsen society and 67% distrust regulatory oversight. A Carnegie Mellon study of working visual artists reported 99% disapproving of generative AI and 85% refusing to use it. These quantified findings underscore a broad disconnect between AI adoption and public trust. Additional research reinforces this skepticism and clarifies operational risks. AnswerConnect's survey of 6,000 consumers across the US, UK, and Canada found that 85% prefer human service over bot interactions, 57% lose trust in brands using AI for support, and 73% exhibit greater loyalty to businesses maintaining human involvement. Data from Fractal and Search Engine Land shows that the share of consumers who say heavy AI use would decrease their trust in a brand nearly doubled in a year, rising from 20% to 39%. Furthermore, 84% desire businesses to disclose AI use, yet only 20% of businesses consistently do so. These patterns suggest tangible declines in customer loyalty and increased expectation for transparency surrounding AI deployment. For MSPs and IT service providers, visible AI in customer-facing areas introduces pricing risk and trust liabilities. Delegating key customer interactions to AI without clear disclosure can erode brand equity and disrupt client retention metrics. The operational recommendation is to segment human-in-the-loop service as the standard premium offering, with fully automated AI positioned as a disclosed, lower-tier alternative. Writing these distinctions explicitly into contracts and statements of work—pairing them with actual client retention data—enables more defensible pricing and clarifies accountability, helping avoid unintended consequences tied to silent automation. 00:00 The Turn-Off  03:39 Reading the Motive 05:25 The Loyalty Account 08:35 Why Do We Care?    Supported by:  Pax8  ScalePad    Sign up for the SMB Online Conference: www.smbonlineconference.com

Vendor channel consolidation, specifically through peer and family-owned acquisitions, is driving a fundamental shift in the operational landscape for MSPs. This episode analyzes the case of NetSciences, an MSP based in New Mexico, which was acquired by Qual IT—a family-owned operator with over two decades in the space. The MSP market now includes multiple buyer categories: peer acquisitions, roll-ups, and private equity (PE) players, each with distinct approaches to valuation, integration, and operational continuity. The transition of NetSciences to Qual IT illustrates that smaller MSPs increasingly face decisions about optimal sale pathways. According to Joshua Liberman, roll-up buyers and PE investors often introduce rapid shifts in deal terms and operational models, with PE offers described as subject to abrupt valuation changes (drops up to 67% noted by Liberman), creating a higher risk profile for sellers seeking stability and legacy preservation. By contrast, the peer acquisition model (as executed through platforms such as ASCII's peer-to-peer review process) is allowing some MSPs to complete sales with greater continuity and cultural alignment, though post-sale integration often defaults to the acquirer's systems and standards rather than blending best practices. Secondary developments reinforcing this shift include persistent market focus on monthly recurring revenue (MRR) metrics and the operational tradeoffs of pursuing high MRR percentages. Liberman maintained a 50–60% MRR intentionally, arguing that chasing 80%+ MRR metrics can distort business health and does not universally suit all MSP models. Discussion of cybersecurity underscores the need to reposition technical services as business outcomes—security is described as foundational, permeating every operational and client decision, yet is often misunderstood or negotiated away to the detriment of risk posture. Operationally, these trends imply that MSPs must be highly selective about both client and acquirer fit, balancing growth trajectories against risk aggregation and cultural alignment. Attempts to homogenize client environments and enforce consistent security baselines are necessary but limit scale and acquisition appeal. Failure to assess how integration will shift toolsets, processes, and staff autonomy can result in loss of operational maturity and control post-sale. Additionally, the unchecked adoption of tools such as AI—without oversight or documented process—exemplifies emerging areas of governance risk that technology leaders cannot overlook. Supported by: ScalePadTimeZest Sign up for the SMB Online Conference: www.smbonlineconference.com

“Conversations Are Becoming the Operating System of the Enterprise,” 8×8 Podcast, “The real shift is that conversations are no longer just moments in time,” says says Dhwani Soni, Global Vice President of Product Management at 8×8. “They are where work is coordinated, decisions are made, risks are surfaced and customer relationships are understood.” @Doug Green 8×8 is moving beyond communications as simple connectivity and into a broader role for communications as a source of action, intelligence and accountability. In this podcast, we look at two recent 8×8 announcements posted on Technology Reseller News: 8×8 Resolve, a mobile-first critical communications and incident management solution for deskless and distributed workers, and 8×8 Pulse, a conversational intelligence solution that turns business conversations into insight. “The real shift is that conversations are no longer just moments in time,” says Dhwani Soni, Global Vice President of Product Management at 8×8. “They are where work is coordinated, decisions are made, risks are surfaced and customer relationships are understood.” 8×8 Resolve addresses a practical enterprise problem: when something goes wrong, the people most affected may be the hardest to reach. Frontline employees in healthcare, retail, logistics, utilities, manufacturing and field services often do not sit at a desk, may not have corporate email, and may not be connected to the same tools used by office-based teams. As outlined in the TR-posted announcement on 8×8 Resolve, the solution reaches workers through channels they actually use, including SMS, voice, WhatsApp and the 8×8 Work mobile app. Resolve can escalate until acknowledgment is confirmed and produce an exportable audit trail showing who was notified, when they responded and how the incident was handled. The conversation also explores 8×8 Pulse. Businesses already generate valuable intelligence in calls, meetings, chats, emails, support tickets and customer conversations. Too often, that information remains scattered across recordings, transcripts, inboxes and systems of record. “With Pulse, the conversation itself becomes a source of business memory,” says Soni. “That changes how leaders, account teams, customer success teams and frontline managers understand what is actually happening across the organization.” As described in the TR-posted announcement on 8×8 Pulse, the product is built around the idea that business decisions increasingly happen inside conversations — and that those conversations can become a source of insight, context and action. Taken together, Resolve and Pulse point to a larger platform strategy. Communications are becoming the place where organizations detect problems, coordinate responses, capture commitments, understand customers, manage risk and create a record of what happened. For service providers, MSPs, channel partners and enterprise IT leaders, the message is clear: the next wave of cloud communications value will come from helping customers act on communications data, not simply move it from one endpoint to another. 8×8 Resolve: https://telecomreseller.com/2026/06/03/8×8-announces-8×8-resolve-a-critical-communications-solution-built-for-the-deskless-workforce/ 8×8 Pulse: https://telecomreseller.com/2026/06/03/8×8-introduces-8×8-pulse-conversational-intelligence-built-for-where-decisions-are-made/ Learn more at www.8×8.com.

In this episode of The IT Experts Podcast, we explore one of the most powerful leadership skills any MSP owner can develop: self-awareness. While many business conversations focus on strategy, sales, systems, and growth, this discussion takes a different path. I am joined by leadership coach Julie Hutchison and Managing Director of Mark1 IT Mark Stevens to unpack how self-awareness impacts you, your team, and ultimately the success of your business.     The conversation begins with Mark sharing his own leadership journey and the challenges he experienced as his business grew. Like many MSP owners, he found himself frustrated when team members did not perform in the way he expected. He wanted people to move at the same speed, think in the same way, and approach challenges with the same intensity. Over time, that created pressure, frustration, and a growing disconnect between what he wanted from his team and what they were able to deliver.     What makes this episode particularly valuable is Mark's honesty. Rather than focusing on what was wrong with his team, he reflects on what he discovered about himself. Through coaching, reflection, and experience, he began to understand that many of the challenges within the business were connected to the way he was showing up as a leader. This realisation became the starting point for meaningful change.     Julie explains that self awareness is not simply about understanding your personality. It is about recognising the impact your behaviour has on other people. Every leader influences the confidence, motivation, and performance of their team. When leaders become more aware of how they communicate, react under pressure, and set expectations, they create an environment where people can thrive.     A key moment in the discussion centres around behavioural profiling and understanding different communication styles. Mark shares how learning about his DISC profile helped him recognise that not everyone thinks, works, or processes information in the same way. What felt obvious and straightforward to him often felt overwhelming or unclear to others. Developing greater self-awareness allowed him to adapt his communication and lead people more effectively.     The conversation also explores the relationship between self-awareness and emotional intelligence. Mark talks openly about recognising the impact of stress, fatigue, and even lifestyle choices on the way he interacted with his team. Rather than allowing frustration to dictate his behaviour, he learned to pause, reflect, and respond more intentionally. This shift created stronger relationships and helped build trust throughout the business.     One of the most powerful themes throughout the episode is the idea that leadership starts with personal responsibility. It is easy to blame team members when results are not where you want them to be. It takes courage to hold up the mirror and ask what role you might be playing in the situation. Julie introduces the concept of "Can't, Won't, Don't", a framework that helps leaders understand whether team members lack capability, confidence, motivation, or clarity. Instead of assuming people are underperforming, leaders are encouraged to become curious and seek understanding.     As self-awareness increases, leaders become better equipped to identify the real barriers holding their teams back. They stop reacting emotionally and start creating conditions where people can succeed. This leads to improved communication, stronger accountability, and greater engagement across the organisation.     Mark also shares how greater self-awareness transformed the culture inside Mark1 IT. What was once a source of frustration became a business environment he genuinely enjoys. Team members became more confident. Conversations became more productive. The business became more structured and aligned. Most importantly, people started taking ownership and making decisions with confidence.     The discussion highlights another important lesson for MSP owners. Self-awareness is not a destination. It is an ongoing process. Every stage of business growth brings new challenges, new responsibilities, and new opportunities for personal development. The leaders who continue to learn, reflect, and adapt are the ones who create sustainable success for themselves and their teams.     Throughout the episode, Ian, Julie, and Mark remind us that people are the most valuable asset in any business. Systems, technology, and processes all matter. Yet the way leaders think, behave, and communicate has a profound impact on everything else. When leaders invest in their own growth, they create ripple effects that influence culture, performance, and long-term business results.     If you have ever found yourself frustrated with your team, questioning why people are not taking ownership, or wondering why progress feels slower than it should, this episode offers a valuable perspective. It provides practical insights, honest reflections, and powerful reminders that leadership begins with understanding yourself first.     Self-awareness creates clarity. Clarity builds confidence. Confidence helps people perform at their best. When leaders embrace that journey, they create stronger businesses and more fulfilling places to work.    Connect with Mark Stevens through LinkedIn and his website.    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.    If you're serious about growth and want to explore what this could look like for your MSP, you can book a Right Fit Clarity Call with us HERE.  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!   

By Doug Green “Governance is absolutely necessary. It's no longer optional.” In this episode of the Technology Reseller News podcast, Doug Green speaks with Rajesh Kari, Senior Director of Products and Solutions at Versa Networks, about the emerging security challenges created as agentic AI moves into live network and security operations. Kari says Versa Networks is a leader in SASE, offering a unified platform that brings together networking, security and operations across enterprise infrastructure. As AI becomes more embedded in operations, Versa is focused on a new zero trust challenge: controlling not only users and devices, but also the hidden AI-driven sub-actions that can touch production systems. Kari explains that agentic AI is different from traditional AI because it can take action on behalf of users. Rather than simply answering a prompt or returning information, an agent may break a task into sub-queries, call APIs, use credentials, access systems and make changes inside the infrastructure. Those hidden sub-queries can create risk if organizations cannot see, validate and govern what the agent is doing. “People build agents. They know what the objective of the agents are,” Kari says. “But under the hood, what the agent actually deploys, which APIs it accesses, and what kinds of authorization and authentication it leverages can be unknown.” The podcast explores how this creates new exposure for enterprises, MSPs and channel partners. If an AI agent gains access to credentials or production systems, organizations need constant verification, validation and governance around each action. Kari says agentic AI can also hallucinate or generate unnecessary sub-queries, creating additional security and operational risk. Versa is addressing this through Versa Verbo and its Zero Trust MCP architecture. Verbo is designed to help network practitioners gain visibility, management and analytics through natural language interactions. Instead of searching through hundreds of alerts or dashboards, operators can ask questions about outages, performance issues, configuration changes, security incidents and branch health. The Zero Trust MCP architecture extends that capability by applying governance and access control to AI-driven actions. Kari says this enables AI models and agents to query Versa infrastructure securely, while maintaining controls around authentication, authorization, APIs and operational workflows. For MSPs and channel partners, Kari sees an important opportunity. Many organizations want to deploy AI quickly but do not have the internal capability to build governance infrastructure around it. Partners that develop practices around policy architecture, deployment, ongoing governance and human-in-the-loop approval can help customers adopt agentic AI more safely. Kari says AI operations copilots are becoming standard in SASE and network platforms. Network teams, infrastructure managers and executives increasingly want to use natural language to understand the health of their infrastructure instead of relying only on dashboards. But as those tools become more powerful, governance becomes the deciding factor in adoption. “If the agent has gained access into certain files or visuals which has violated any particular compliance standards, it becomes the responsibility of the organization to prove it,” Kari says. For Versa, the message is clear: agentic AI can simplify operations and accelerate decision-making, but it must be governed from the beginning. Zero trust principles need to be built into every AI agent connection. Learn more at www.versa-networks.com  

In IT services M&A, depending on a single platform or channel partner is a valuation risk, not a strength. This episode breaks down what happens to your firm's value when a vendor changes its pricing, partner tiers, or lead flow, and what the most acquirable IT services firms do instead. Chapters (verify exact times against the final cut) 0:00 Cold open 0:30 Why channel partners matter, and why dependency is risky 3:30 Vendors act in their own interest first 8:00 The "$5M consultancy" problem: when the rules change overnight 11:30 Specialize or diversify? The verticalization hedge 17:30 When the leads dry up 20:00 The future partner role: final-mile and the "service garage" 23:30 "My partner program just changed": what to do first 27:30 What program changes mean for M&A and consolidation 34:00 Services as software: the opportunity ahead In this episode • Vendors optimize for vendors; partner programs have trended toward fewer partners and lower payouts for 20+ years • Buyers discount single-vendor dependency the way they discount customer concentration • Verticalized expertise naturally makes you multi-vendor and harder to disrupt • The durable partner role is implementation, integration, and ongoing service • Program upheaval accelerates consolidation; well-run, profitable firms stay attractive Links • Read more on our blog: https://www.revenuerocket.com/blog/ • What's your firm worth? Valuation calculator: https://www.revenuerocket.com/valuation-calculator/ • Schedule a confidential conversation: https://www.revenuerocket.com/contact-us/ • Listen to Shoot the Moon on your favorite platform: https://www.revenuerocket.com/podcast/ • More from Revenue Rocket: https://www.revenuerocket.com/ About Revenue Rocket — Revenue Rocket is a sell-side and buy-side M&A advisory firm focused exclusively on IT services companies, including MSPs, cybersecurity, cloud, custom application development, and VARs. For 25+ years we have helped founders grow, position, and sell their firms. Thinking about your next move? Schedule a confidential conversation: https://www.revenuerocket.com/contact-us/ Listen to Shoot the Moon on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.Buy, sell, or grow your tech-enabled services firm with Revenue Rocket.

The episode centers on persistent margin pressure and operational discipline as the dominant structural mechanisms in the managed services sector. Data from the Service Leadership Index (SLI), managed by ConnectWise under Peter Kujawa, reveals that best-in-class MSPs continue to target aggressive profit growth—specifically, a 34% increase in profit dollars on only 10.6% revenue growth—despite already sustaining a six-year average of 19% adjusted EBITDA. The discussion highlights that achieving these targets relies less on rapid revenue growth and more on cost control, particularly around SG&A (Selling, General and Administrative Expenses), and highlights the influence of financial discipline often seen in private equity-backed firms. The analysis is grounded in quantitative benchmarking. According to the SLI's 2026 profitability report, while best-in-class EBITDA performance has been sustained, recent years show a widening gap between budget targets and attainment. Specifically, in 2023, MSPs overshot their profit budget by 31%, but in 2024 and 2025, performance dropped to 81.9% and 89.4% of budget respectively. The report explicitly calls current profit targets “ambitious,” given recent misses. Scale thresholds were also referenced, notably the operational risks between $6M and $10M in annual revenue, with Peter Kujawa citing stalls in growth and compressed margins as common in that band. The episode further introduces the first iteration of an Automation Index intended to quantify financial and operational impact of AI adoption on MSPs. Metrics such as service multiple of wages, revenue per employee, and service gross margin are emphasized, but findings show that automation is not delivering uniform benefit. Top-tier MSPs increase efficiency and retain pricing discipline, while bottom quartile firms see little or no improvement in core metrics. The report also notes that private equity-backed providers are investing significantly in AI, though organic growth and acquisition costs remain similar across provider types. Operational implications for MSPs include heightened accountability for realistic forecasting and disciplined budgeting. Failure to match projections with operational realities risks unnecessary cost expansion, especially around headcount and tool adoption. For firms in key scale thresholds, owner delegation and leadership investment are essential to avoid stagnation and margin erosion. Additionally, automation and AI adoption provide efficiency opportunities but deliver benefit only to those with strong management practices; undisciplined adoption or margin givebacks through pricing discounts negate potential gains. MSPs must therefore focus on data-driven decision-making, careful cost control, and ongoing evaluation of both financial and operational KPIs to navigate increasing complexity, vendor dependency, and persistent margin pressures.

By Doug Green “It's the first time we've had a really global effort around bringing our partnerships together.” Dorothy Copeland, Chief Channel Partner Officer at NiCE, joined the Technology Reseller News Podcast at NiCE World to discuss her vision for the company's partner strategy following her appointment earlier this year. Copeland joined NiCE in January as the company's first partner officer, a role created to bring together the company's global partner efforts and strengthen its channel organization. NiCE is leaning more deeply into its partner ecosystem as both a source of growth and a source of scale. Copeland's work includes building a global partner organization, growing partner revenue, strengthening enablement, and ensuring partners have the capabilities needed to support customer implementations. The conversation also explored the changing role of agents, trusted advisors, and MSPs as customer needs evolve. Copeland noted that AI is creating greater demand for managed services and end-to-end customer support. “One of the changes with AI is that customers need more of a managed services approach,” Copeland said. For channel partners, that shift creates an opportunity to move beyond initial customer relationships and participate more fully across the customer's CX journey, from strategy and deployment to ongoing support and optimization. Copeland also discussed the development of NiCE's first formal channel program, the importance of partner enablement, and the company's broader commitment to building an ecosystem that supports long-term partner success. Learn more at NiCE.

AI readiness doesn't start with AI; it starts with the infrastructure most organizations overlook. In this episode of #shifthappens, Lior Bela, Business Director for Microsoft Intune, breaks down what it actually takes to prepare managed service providers (MSPs) and their customers for AI adoption, and why skipping the foundation creates more risk than it solves. Lior explains why cloud-native environments are the prerequisite, not the afterthought, for AI success — comparing the journey to paving a road before driving a car on it. He discusses how legacy tooling and on-prem comfort create a growth ceiling, why AI agents should be governed with the same guardrails as employees, and what happens when organizations fail to offer sanctioned AI tools: shadow AI fills the gap. The conversation also covers the three-tier path to AI maturity, from baseline alignment to assisted automation to full autonomy, and why building trust in AI follows the same arc as trusting a driverless car. Lior closes with a practical 30-day action plan any MSP can follow: learn, experiment in a sandbox, and deploy on low-risk, high-impact processes.

A significant regulatory development affecting MSPs was discussed: the US Government ordered the suspension of access to the Fable 5 and Mythos 5 AI models by any foreign national, including those inside and outside the United States, citing national security authorities. As reported in the Anthropic company statement, this directive forced abrupt discontinuation of these AI tools for all customers, regardless of business impact. The decision resulted in the sudden loss of access to custom-built AI applications and business process automation tools that MSPs and their clients had integrated into daily operations. Immediate disruptions included the cessation of SEO and analytics engines, RMM automation, and bespoke backup solutions that relied on the now-restricted AI platforms. Further clarification showed these suspensions are tied to concerns about potential backdoor access, disputed by Anthropic but acted upon due to US Government findings. Additional context revealed Amazon—the largest investor in Anthropic and a direct competitor—alerted federal authorities to the supposed vulnerability. Stock prices of competitive AI offerings in China reportedly rose by 48% following the announcement, indicating market reactivity to perceived US regulatory risks. The episode underscored that AI model dependencies—whether managed internally by MSPs or by third-party vendors—can introduce sudden continuity hazards if access or legal standing is rapidly altered. Adjacent discussions evaluated operational models for MSP service offerings. Contrasting perspectives highlighted the tradeoff between providing a single comprehensive managed services plan, designed for streamlined staff training and high-touch customer experience, versus offering a tiered set of plans (“good, better, best”) that, according to shared data, can result in about 70% higher revenue through client segmentation and option-based sales. The choice was framed as fundamentally cultural, influencing both workforce structure and scalability, with differing risk and complexity profiles for technical delivery and sales management. Key implications for MSPs and IT leaders include the need for explicit risk assessments around reliance on AI platforms and third-party tools. Business continuity planning should contemplate not only technical redundancy but also legal and regulatory exposures to abrupt vendor or governmental action. When building service portfolios, organizations should align plan standardization or diversification with internal capacity, capability for sales-driven growth, and staff training. Establishing clear governance for evaluating the ongoing viability and risk exposure of both internally developed and vendor-supplied technology is critical for operational resilience in an environment of rapid regulatory change. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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The core structural shift highlighted in this episode is the commoditization of AI model platforms and concurrent consolidation at the vendor and platform layer, forcing Managed Service Providers (MSPs) to move their value proposition above reselling models to orchestrating, governing, and verifying AI outputs. The discussion references the rising concentration and valuation of platforms such as NinjaOne—a founder-led, profitable RMM platform with a $12.3 billion valuation and 70% year-over-year growth—and Pax8 building business toolkits that draw more operational functions onto their rails. At the same time, major AI developers like OpenAI are entering the channel more directly by launching partner programs aimed at MSPs and consultants. The most consequential development is the confirmed shift from reselling AI models to managing their outputs and risks. Glean surveyed 6,000 digital workers and found that while AI delivers approximately 11 hours of weekly time savings, nearly 6.4 hours are reclaimed by “bot sitting”—the human intervention required to supply context, verify, and correct AI outputs. This hidden labor raises a risk scenario: two-thirds of workers admit to releasing unchecked AI outputs, and Ivanti found that only 42% of IT environments actually have a named owner for each AI agent, despite 85% claiming so—a 43-point gap in accountability. Asana and Deloitte further reinforce the issue, reporting frequent cost overruns and unmanaged autonomous AI deployments among enterprise and SMB environments. Supporting developments underscore this governance and accountability gap. TechCrunch cited that ChatGPT's AI market share has dropped below 50% as the field becomes more interchangeable and less differentiated by underlying model. Vendors such as Anthropic and OpenAI, recognizing model commoditization, are seeking revenue through high-volume partner channels, blurring the lines between vendor and channel competitor. According to Asana, more than 80% of UK IT leaders encountered unplanned AI costs, and over half reported business harm from autonomous AI actions, shifting operational and liability risks squarely onto MSPs and IT service providers. Operationally, these trends compel MSPs to take explicit ownership of the orchestration and governance layer, rather than relying on tool reselling. The transcript advises mapping every AI-driven decision or output that reaches client endpoints and identifying who verifies these outputs before customer exposure. Failing to address these governance blanks does not avoid work but shifts it to unbilled, post-incident cleanup, often with financial, legal, or compliance consequences. Effective MSPs will need to price, document, and regularly review their verification, orchestration, and risk assumption, positioning these as standalone, billable services to manage risk and maintain margin as AI platforms commoditize and vendor dependencies rise. 00:00 Bigger Platforms, Unwatched AI 03:44 The Vendor Walks Into the Channel 05:56 Govern It or Absorb It 08:52 Why Do We Care?  Supported by:  ScalePad  Sign up for the SMB Online Conference: www.smbonlineconference.com

By Doug Green “AI can be perfect, but it can't care.” In this episode of the Technology Reseller News podcast, Doug Green speaks with Dan Rochon, author of Teach to Sell: Why Top Salespeople Never Sell and What They Do Instead, about trust, influence, and why the best sales conversations begin with teaching rather than pitching. Rochon says Teach to Sell is about ethical influence. For MSPs, service providers, technology resellers, and channel partners, that means moving beyond product-first selling and becoming a guide who helps customers understand their own needs, problems, and desired outcomes. The conversation comes at a time when AI is changing how buyers are approached, how salespeople prepare, and how marketing messages are created. Rochon says AI can help with research and preparation, but it cannot replace the human connection that creates trust. “Technology can give us more information than ever before,” Rochon says. “But only human beings can give us trust.” Rochon outlines a sales approach built around rapport, deeper questions, and active listening. Instead of telling a customer what their problem is, the salesperson should guide the customer to discover it. He argues that the product or service should be presented as the bridge between the customer's pain and the result they want to achieve. For channel partners and MSPs, Rochon's message aligns closely with the long-running idea of becoming a trusted advisor. Customers do not simply need another vendor selling tools, subscriptions, or services. They need someone who understands their business, asks the right questions, and helps them make better decisions. The podcast also explores renewals and recurring revenue. Rochon says salespeople should not be afraid to revisit customers when they believe their product or service is genuinely helping. Maintaining an existing customer is often easier than winning a new one, but it still requires confidence, communication, and a commitment to guiding the customer. Rochon says Teach to Sell is designed for people who are tired of pitching and want better conversations, shorter sales cycles, stronger trust, and more consistent revenue. Learn more at www.teachtosellbook.com  

By Doug Green “Everything is fighting for your attention.” In this episode of the Technology Reseller News podcast, Doug Green speaks with Gerry Christensen, trusted industry strategist at ICA AI, about the future of business-to-consumer communications, AI-powered voice solutions, and how enterprises, carriers, MSPs and channel partners can prepare for a post-agentic AI communications environment. Christensen says ICA AI is focused on making it easier for consumers and businesses to engage with the calls and messages they actually want, while filtering out the unwanted traffic. The company uses AI, including deterministic AI, to help determine whether a call should be allowed through, blocked, or handled through an AI-powered interaction layer. The conversation looks ahead to a future where AI is increasingly used for outbound calls, contact center interactions, appointment setting, collections, notifications and even person-to-person communications. Christensen says AI-to-AI interactions are likely to become more common, where one person's AI assistant may interact with another person's AI assistant before a human conversation ever takes place. That future, he says, will require governance, transparency and trust. Consumers may accept AI-driven communication, but they will want to know when AI is being used and whether the entity behind the call can be trusted. “What matters is, do you trust who's calling you?” Christensen says. The podcast also explores the risks of AI being used by bad actors. Agentic AI can automate useful workflows, but the same capabilities can also be used to create more convincing fraud, impersonation and scam attempts. Christensen says that is why solutions such as ICA AI will become increasingly important as AI-powered communications become more common. For enterprises, the implications are significant. Contact centers, collections teams, healthcare organizations, appointment-setting operations and customer service groups may all use AI to reach consumers more efficiently. At the same time, they will need systems that help ensure legitimate calls get through while unwanted or harmful traffic is blocked. Christensen describes ICA AI's current approach in three parts: allow calls that should go through, block known bad calls, and use AI to handle the middle ground where additional screening or interaction is needed. That middle ground may become especially important as consumers increasingly rely on their own AI tools to manage communications. For MSPs, channel partners and carriers, Christensen says there is also an opportunity. ICA AI is developing channel partnerships and licensing its technology to carriers, creating a path for providers to bring AI-powered call protection and engagement tools to their customers. As AI becomes more deeply embedded in communications, Christensen says the industry needs to prepare now. The future may include dynamic AI-to-AI exchanges, more intelligent call handling, and new ways for consumers to control their attention. But that future will also demand trust, accountability and stronger protections against abuse. Learn more at icatrusted.ai  

Expereo: Enterprises Are Racing Into AI, But the Network Still Has to Carry the Load, Podcast, “AI is no longer a debate. Enterprises are already using it. The question now is whether the network is ready to support what comes next,” says Marek Wasilewski of Expereo @Doug Green “AI is no longer a debate. Enterprises are already using it. The question now is whether the network is ready to support what comes next,” says Marek Wasilewski of Expereo. In this Cisco Live 2026 podcast, Doug Green speaks with Marek Wasilewski of Expereo about the company's 2026 Enterprise Horizons report and what it reveals about enterprise AI adoption, network readiness and the growing pressure on global connectivity. This is one of several Cisco Live podcasts worth revisiting after the initial wave of show coverage. The conversation provides interesting insights into how AI is changing the network conversation for enterprises, service providers and channel partners. According to Expereo's research, 92% of enterprises are using AI in some form, while 30% are already using it extensively. At the same time, 70% are investing in AI without carefully measuring ROI. That combination creates both opportunity and risk: enterprises are moving quickly, but many are still building on networks that were not designed for the scale, performance and resilience demands of AI-driven operations. Expereo, a global Network-as-a-Service provider, helps enterprises simplify and manage connectivity across complex international environments. In the podcast, Wasilewski explains why AI success depends not only on models, applications and cloud platforms, but also on the underlying network that connects users, data, workloads and business locations. For channel partners, MSPs and enterprise technology leaders, the message is clear: AI is making the network strategic again. Connectivity is no longer just plumbing. It is becoming a core part of digital transformation, customer experience, automation and business continuity. The conversation also explores how enterprises can think more clearly about AI investment, how global connectivity strategies are changing, and why network visibility, flexibility and reliability will matter even more as AI moves from pilot projects into production environments. Learn more: expereo.com

A pronounced infrastructure dependence on third-party AI models has emerged across the MSP ecosystem, largely due to the rapid adoption and integration of AI-powered features within vendor products. This structural shift is increasingly opaque, as providers are sold features rather than transparent access to underlying models, leaving MSPs exposed to changes in technologies and policies enacted upstream by vendors or regulators. The episode highlights how this dependency extends to delivery teams and end clients, with operational continuity tightly linked to decisions and actions outside the MSP's direct control. The most consequential development referenced is Anthropic's release and rapid withdrawal of its Fable 5 AI model following a directive from the U.S. Commerce Department, which ordered a cutoff of model access to foreign nationals within 72 hours of public launch. According to published benchmarks, Fable 5 surpassed GPT 5.5 in performance, but the government-mandated suspension exposed how quickly model access can be rescinded. The policy move immediately impacted any MSP or client with offshore or nearshore staff relying on AI features invisibly powered by that model. Further supporting the central theme, companies such as PAX8, Enforcer, and CloudRadio are embedding AI capabilities into platforms used by MSPs to manage Microsoft 365 environments, automate ticketing, and support scalable client operations. In parallel, vendors like Proofpoint are integrating compliance solutions directly with AI model APIs, further entwining risk management tools with the same core AI infrastructures. A Netrio survey cited in the episode found that while 82% of mid-market IT leaders have AI in production, only 26% report organization-wide governance, highlighting an accountability and visibility gap. Operationally, MSPs face heightened contract and vendor risk. Most lack an accurate inventory of which AI models underpin their services and how rapidly these dependencies can be affected by regulatory directives or vendor shifts. The discussion underscores the need for explicit procurement protocols, delivery mapping, and outage runbooks that account for opaque model dependencies. As clients seek greater transparency and contractual assurances regarding model use and continuity, MSPs who anticipate and document these dependencies may be positioned to reduce exposure and establish clearer accountability. 00:00 Switched Off  03:19 Painted Over 05:20 Govern or Absorb 08:41 Why Do We Care?  Supported by: Pax8 Sign up for the SMB Online Conference: www.smbonlineconference.com

Recorded live at the Pax8 Beyond 26 Conference in Salt Lake City, Utah, these back-to-back conversations with Chris Marks, VP of Marketplace Innovation, and Chance Weaver, Global Vice President of AI Adoption, offer a powerful glimpse into the future of the IT channel and the evolution from Managed Service Providers (MSPs) to Managed Intelligence Providers (MIPs). Together, they share how Pax8 is helping partners navigate one of the most significant technology shifts in decades by combining innovation, community, education, and practical AI adoption strategies. While Chris focuses on the vision, leadership, and marketplace transformation required to unlock new opportunities, Chance provides a tactical roadmap for turning AI into measurable business outcomes and recurring revenue streams. Discover why AI is not simply another tool, but a catalyst for deeper client relationships and strategic business transformation. Key themes include the importance of moving beyond technology conversations to business outcome discussions, embedding AI into workflows rather than treating it as a standalone solution, leveraging community to accelerate learning, and embracing curiosity, adaptability, and servant leadership in times of rapid change. Chris highlights the tremendous opportunity for MSPs to become trusted business advisors, while Chance demonstrates how partners can start immediately by having AI conversations with clients, identifying business challenges, delivering quick wins, and building long-term value. Together, their insights reinforce a powerful message: the future belongs to technology leaders willing to innovate, educate, and guide their clients. Key Highlights: The evolution from MSP to MIP and why business advisory services are becoming a critical differentiator. AI creates new opportunities for growth, efficiency, and recurring revenue when tied to measurable outcomes. Community, collaboration, and continuous learning are essential for navigating technological disruption. Practical strategies for introducing AI to clients, addressing governance concerns, and demonstrating ROI. Leadership lessons centered on curiosity, empowerment, servant leadership, and enabling teams to innovate. How Pax8 is building the programs, tools, and ecosystem partners need to thrive in the AI-driven economy.   Be sure to register for Beyond 27 in San Diego, California, and visit pax8.com to learn more about the marketplace.

Network Is Hot Again: Stackpane's Sarbjeet Johal on Cisco Live, AI Infrastructure and Systems Economics, Podcast, Johal brings a unique mix of technical, business, and economics experience to the discussion @Doug Green, Publisher, Technology Reseller News “The network is hot again because a lot more data is traversing on it, and a lot more data will traverse on it,” says Sarbjeet Johal of Stackpane. In this Technology Reseller News podcast, Doug Green speaks with Sarbjeet Johal, Founder and CEO of Stackpane, technology analyst, cloud strategist and go-to-market specialist, about why the network has moved back to the center of the enterprise technology conversation. Johal brings an unique mix of technical, business and economics experience to the discussion. A veteran of VMware, Oracle and Dell EMC, Johal has spent decades building and deploying enterprise systems, advising technology providers, and helping buyers understand cloud strategy, infrastructure modernization and digital transformation. At Cisco Live, Johal says the biggest theme was simplification. Cisco, he argues, is working to reduce infrastructure complexity for customers operating across public cloud, on-premises systems, AI workloads and increasingly distributed environments. That includes a renewed focus on infrastructure as code, platform control, and AI-assisted tools such as Cisco IQ, which Johal says can help customers and partners troubleshoot, configure and operate Cisco environments more effectively. The conversation then turns to Johal's recent observation that “the network is hot again.” His point is that AI, real-time systems, digital services, autonomous agents, and API-driven interactions are all placing new demands on network performance. As more data moves across enterprise systems, latency, memory, compute, and connectivity become more strategically important. Johal notes that during AI inference, latency is especially critical, making the network, chips, CPUs, and memory all part of the same infrastructure story. Johal also frames the issue through systems economics. Enterprises are not simply buying more technology for the sake of modernization. They are being forced to ask whether cloud, AI, on-prem infrastructure, and automation actually pencil out in terms of total cost of ownership, return on investment, and operational value. For MSPs, channel partners, and technology providers, that creates an opportunity to help customers make better architecture decisions, not just consume more tools. The podcast closes with a look ahead to a future conversation on token economics, AI infrastructure costs, and where MSPs and channel partners can find real business opportunity as enterprise technology becomes more automated, more data-intensive, and more dependent on resilient network infrastructure. Editor's note: This podcast was recorded at Cisco Live in Las Vegas and is being posted later. With time, the conversation has become even more notable. Johal's central point — that the network is “hot again” — has only gained relevance as AI, automation, cloud infrastructure and real-time digital services continue to place new pressure on enterprise networks. Learn more: Stackpane at stackpane.com

Your friend sold for a great multiple. PE pays more than strategics. Earnouts are a trap. Wait for the right market. You're too small to sell. Here's what's actually true. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Intro 00:20 Welcome and Episode Setup 02:00 Myth 1: "My Friend Sold for X EBITDA, That's My Benchmark" 07:30 Myth 2: "PE Always Pays More" (Or "Strategics Always Win on Price") 13:00 Myth 3: "Earnouts Are a Trap" 18:30 Myth 4: "I Need to Wait for the Right Market Conditions" 24:00 Myth 5: "I'm Too Small to Sell" 28:30 The Common Thread and What to Do Instead ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ LISTEN AND SUBSCRIBE Podcast: https://www.revenuerocket.com/series/shoot-the-moon/ Website: https://www.revenuerocket.com Talk to us: https://www.revenuerocket.com/contact-us/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/revenue-rocket-consulting-group ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ Revenue Rocket is the premier M&A advisor to IT services companies, helping owners in the lower middle market navigate sell-side and buy-side transactions with specialized expertise and hands-on deal management. Shoot the Moon is their weekly podcast covering M&A strategy, valuation, and growth for IT services leaders including MSPs, cybersecurity firms, cloud providers, VARs, and digital transformation companies. Listen to Shoot the Moon on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.Buy, sell, or grow your tech-enabled services firm with Revenue Rocket.

Most first acquisition offers are not the best offers. If a buyer has approached your MSP or IT services company out of the blue, this episode walks through how to evaluate that offer, what a letter of intent actually binds you to, and why bringing in an advisor before you sign protects both your price and your optionality.   CHAPTERS 0:00 Why most first offers are not the best offer 1:45 What changed: a seller's market and nonstop inbound offers 4:45 "I already have an offer" — what an LOI really binds you to 7:00 Why the first offer usually is not optimized 10:15 Mistakes founders make running their own deal 14:50 When to bring in an M&A advisor 18:00 Deal facilitation vs. a full sell-side process 22:00 Control vs. leverage: what an advisor actually does 24:15 The first thing to do when an offer lands 26:30 Wrap-up   KEY TAKEAWAYS Most first offers are not optimized. Without competitive tension, you usually leave price, terms, and strategic fit on the table. In an LOI, the no-shop clause is typically the only binding provision. The number can still move significantly in diligence. There are roughly 150 things to negotiate between LOI and close, from working capital to earnout structure to reps and warranties. "Deal facilitation" meets you where you already are  with a buyer or signed LOI, and helps you get to close at a lower scope than a full process. An advisor does not take control. They add leverage, while you make every final decision. Before you respond to any offer: don't engage emotionally, validate the buyer's credibility and certainty to close, and protect your optionality.   LINKS Read more on our blog: https://www.revenuerocket.com/blog/ Estimate your company's value with our Valuation Calculator: https://www.revenuerocket.com/valuation-calculator/ Schedule a confidential conversation: https://www.revenuerocket.com/contact-us/ Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/shoot-the-moon-with-revenue-rocket/id1478519505 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6y7u9KuOjaplhScHtINGZU More episodes: https://www.revenuerocket.com/series/shoot-the-moon/ Website: https://www.revenuerocket.com   ABOUT REVENUE ROCKET Revenue Rocket is a sell-side and buy-side M&A advisory firm focused exclusively on IT services companies, including MSPs, cybersecurity, cloud, custom application development, and VARs. Based in Bloomington, Minnesota, the firm has advised technology and IT services founders on mergers, acquisitions, and exits for 25+ years.Shoot the Moon is hosted by Revenue Rocket partners Mike Harvath, Ryan Barnett, and Matt Lockhart.

Join Brian Doyle as he hosts Johnathan Schofield, aka Skofi, in an engaging episode of MSP Business School. Jonathan, a celebrated community connector, shares insights into his journey into the IT service world and talks about the art of sales in the industry. He touches on his accidental foray into IT services, stressing the importance of community in propelling his career forward. The conversation unfolds with a deep dive into the impact of AI on the IT services industry. Johnathan and Brian discuss the real and perceived roles of AI, examining both the opportunities and misconceptions surrounding its implementation within small to medium-sized service providers. They delve into the crucial importance of understanding a buyer's current and future needs, and how AI can bridge this gap in a meaningful way. This episode is rich with strategies on leveraging AI without losing sight of core sales principles—a must-listen for aspiring MSPs and IT vendors. Key Takeaways: Community Focus: Johnathan emphasizes the role of community in growing and sustaining a successful business in the IT services field. AI's Role in Sales: While AI offers extraordinary capabilities, it's crucial to first understand and communicate the needs and future visions of customers. Sales Fundamentals: Despite technological advancements, the core principles of sales—understanding and tailoring to customer needs—remain unchanged. AI Readiness: MSPs should evaluate their clients' current usage of AI and establish governance and security measures to avoid data risks. Channel Collab Initiative: Johnathan's Channel Collab promotes local networking, learning, and sharing among MSPs and vendors, emphasizing growth through relationships. Guest Name: Johnathan Skofi LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnathan-schofield/ Company: Skofi - findmyitpartner.com Website: https://findmyitpartner.com/ Show Website: https://mspbusinessschool.com/ Host Brian Doyle: https://www.linkedin.com/in/briandoylevciotoolbox/ Sponsor vCIOToolbox: https://vciotoolbox.com

In this episode of The Virtual CISO Moment, Greg Schaffer welcomes Bruno Lecoq, Co-Founder, CEO, and CISO of BEMO, for a wide-ranging conversation on Microsoft's evolving security ecosystem, CMMC compliance, and the realities of securing small and midsized businesses.Drawing on nearly two decades at Microsoft and years leading an award-winning cybersecurity firm, Bruno shares insights on the rapid pace of AI innovation, why SMBs must carefully vet their technology partners, and the hidden risks organizations face when pursuing compliance without truly embracing security. The discussion also explores CMMC requirements, Microsoft security capabilities, and the importance of building trust-based relationships with clients.Bruno also reflects on his remarkable journey from France to Microsoft, the future of AI governance, and how a lifelong passion for football (soccer) helps him stay balanced in an ever-changing industry.A thoughtful conversation packed with practical advice for cybersecurity leaders, MSPs, and business executives alike.

The episode highlights a structural shift from automation that suggests actions to automation that executes actions autonomously, thereby transferring substantial operational risk and accountability to technology vendors and their AI-driven platforms. This transition is exemplified by Atera's deployment of their autonomous AI agent, Robin, which is positioned to handle a significant proportion of Tier 1 and complex Tier 2 IT tickets for managed service providers (MSPs). The company's commercial strategy, including performance guarantees, signals an increased expectation that AI can assume core IT operational responsibilities that were traditionally reserved for human engineers. Atera has introduced a policy wherein Robin is guaranteed to autonomously close at least 50% of all Tier 1 and complex Tier 2 tickets within 90 days of onboarding, or fees are waived. According to Atera, this commitment is supported by a backend analysis of MSP tickets and live demonstrations using historical data. The company asserts that Robin's mean time to repair is approximately 120 seconds, that onboarding is managed collaboratively, and that the rollout is more akin to hiring and training a human engineer than a standard software deployment. This approach is backed by patent filings and a business model integrating AI as the foundation rather than an add-on. The episode further examines the implications of mandatory AI bundling in Atera's redefined RMM and PSA platform offering. The company has faced pushback from segments of the MSP community dissatisfied with bundled AI services and associated pricing changes, particularly from those wishing to maintain control over their technology stack. Atera responds by describing a re-conceptualization of their platform as inherently AI-driven, distinguishing between “platform AI” and the autonomous Robin agent, and clarifying that preexisting AI users would not incur additional costs. There is also discussion around the impact of automation on human roles and the need for new approaches to training and accountability, particularly for junior staff. For MSPs and IT service providers, these developments signal an increase in infrastructure dependency on vendor-managed AI agents, as well as new layers of contract risk linked to performance guarantees and platform integration. The operational reality described involves a significant reduction in required headcount, a shift in staff responsibilities from routine incident response to higher-order business and security tasks, and the necessity for designated internal management of AI tools. There remain unresolved concerns about skill degradation and the long-term risks of over-automation, including the narrower pathways through which junior personnel may acquire foundational experience. Sponsored by:  ScalePad https://scalepad.com/dave/ Nerdio https://nerdio.co/MSP-Radio Sign up for the SMB Online Conference: www.smbonlineconference.com

By Doug Green “We're absolutely on the path, and we're not talking five, six, seven years. We're talking in the next 18 to 24 months.” In this episode of the Technology Reseller News podcast, Doug Green speaks with Josh Kindiger, COO and co-founder of Grokstream, about the company's new L1 Agent and what it means for the future of AI-driven network and IT operations. Grokstream is the company behind Grok, an AI-powered predictive agent platform for network and IT operations. The platform comes out of the event intelligence and AIOps space and is designed to help operations teams identify, triage, and resolve recurring issues more efficiently. Kindiger says Grokstream recently released its first role-based agent, the L1 Agent, in beta. The full production release is expected in Q2. The agent is already being used with customers to prove out real-world capabilities. Because many organizations remain cautious about AI-driven automation, Grokstream is starting with low-risk, repeatable use cases. In many operations centers, Kindiger notes, the same incidents occur repeatedly, sometimes accounting for as much as 70% of activity. The L1 Agent is designed to recognize those patterns and guide operators through triage and resolution. For example, if a recurring issue requires a service restart, the system can recommend or automate that step. If a pattern points to a commercial power outage at a site, the agent can help avoid unnecessary dispatches while monitoring backup power systems. Kindiger says the goal is not to remove human oversight immediately, but to build trust through guardrails, staged automation, and operator control. Low-risk automations can be handled end to end, while higher-risk actions may require human approval. The podcast also explores the broader opportunity for enterprises, MSPs, and CSPs. Kindiger says service providers and managed service providers face growing pressure to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and differentiate in competitive markets. AI-driven operations can help them respond faster, lower manual workload, and deliver better service outcomes. The long-term direction is clear: autonomous network operations are coming. Kindiger says companies should begin now because foundational work is needed before they can fully benefit from automation. For MSPs and CSPs, he says the urgency is even greater. Cost pressure is shaping renewals and new customer wins, and AI-powered operations may become a competitive advantage. Learn more at www.grokstream.com

By Doug Green “AI is generating code, but it's not generating secure code.” In this episode of the Technology Reseller News podcast, Doug Green speaks with Jonathan Kozimor, Vice President of Channel Americas at Checkmarx, about the company's next-generation SAST engine and the growing opportunity for MSPs and channel partners in application security. Kozimor says software development has changed dramatically. Developers are producing more code, AI is accelerating that process, and traditional security models are struggling to keep up. The old approach of writing code, scanning it, and fixing issues later is no longer enough. Checkmarx's new SAST engine is designed to reduce noise, false positives, and lack of context by helping teams focus on the vulnerabilities that matter most. “The industry does not need more vulnerability data,” Kozimor says. “Security teams already have plenty of findings. What they need is intelligence, and they need faster fixes.” The podcast also explores findings from recent Checkmarx research, including the gap between security awareness and execution. Kozimor notes that many organizations understand the risks, but still struggle to operationalize security at the speed of modern development. Looking ahead, Kozimor says AppSec must become more automated, more intelligent, and more deeply embedded in the development lifecycle. AI will play a role, but it must be paired with governance, security policy, and human oversight. For channel partners, the opportunity is clear. Customers need help modernizing AppSec, managing change, and embedding security into development workflows without slowing innovation. “This is where the partner ecosystem is fundamental to customer success,” Kozimor says. Learn more at www.checkmarx.com

In this episode of the IT Experts Podcast, we explore one of the most overlooked opportunities for MSP growth: exhibitions and events. If you have ever invested time and money into a trade show, only to come away wondering whether it was worth it, this conversation with Steve Lloyd is essential listening.     Many MSP owners know they need to get out into the market, meet potential clients, build relationships, and generate fresh opportunities. The challenge is that exhibitions can often feel uncomfortable, especially for technical founders who are far more confident discussing technology than approaching strangers in a busy exhibition hall. The result is that many businesses turn up with a couple of banners, a table full of brochures, and a hope that the right people will stop by. According to Steve Lloyd, that approach is exactly why so many exhibitors fail to see a return on their investment.     Throughout this episode, Steve Lloyd shares a completely different way of thinking about exhibitions. Rather than viewing them as a one-day event, he encourages MSPs to see them as part of a much larger business development process. Success begins long before the doors open and continues long after the exhibition has finished.     One of the most powerful insights from the conversation is the idea that you are not simply renting a stand. You are creating a temporary shop inside a temporary shopping centre. When viewed through that lens, everything changes. You start thinking about customer experience, visibility, engagement, staff preparation, and follow up. You begin asking better questions about what success actually looks like and how you can create meaningful conversations with the people who matter most.     Steve Lloyd explains that many exhibitors make the mistake of accepting the standard setup provided by the venue. Tables become barriers. Brochures create clutter. Team members sit behind their stand waiting for visitors to approach. Unfortunately, that approach rarely creates energy, excitement, or engagement.     Instead, Steve Lloyd encourages businesses to take ownership of their space. Every element of the stand should support a clear message. Visitors should immediately understand who you help, what problem you solve, and why they should engage with you. Simplicity becomes a competitive advantage. Clear messaging consistently outperforms complicated explanations and technical jargon.     The discussion also highlights an important challenge many MSP owners face. Technical expertise does not automatically translate into effective communication. It is easy to fall into the expert trap and overwhelm prospects with information. Steve Lloyd explains that successful exhibitors learn how to simplify complex ideas and connect with people who may have very little technical knowledge. Confidence comes from clarity, and clarity helps create stronger conversations.     Another key theme throughout the episode is preparation. Steve Lloyd introduces what he calls the Exhibition Life Cycle, a framework built around preparation, promotion, execution, and follow up. Each stage plays a critical role in determining the overall success of an exhibition.     Preparation involves far more than ordering banners and booking accommodation. It includes defining objectives, developing messaging, planning customer journeys, training staff, preparing follow up processes, and ensuring there are no surprises on the day. The more preparation that happens in advance, the more confident and effective your team becomes during the event itself.     Promotion is another area where many businesses leave opportunities on the table. Steve Lloyd encourages exhibitors to build anticipation before the event begins. The most successful stands create awareness and excitement before visitors even arrive at the venue. This helps maximise engagement and creates momentum throughout the event.     When it comes to execution, the conversation focuses heavily on human interaction. While games, competitions, and attractions can help capture attention, Steve Lloyd believes that well trained staff remain the most valuable asset on any exhibition stand. Great conversations consistently outperform gimmicks when it comes to building trust and generating quality leads.     The discussion also challenges the traditional approach to exhibition competitions. Rather than offering prizes that attract everyone, Steve Lloyd recommends prizes that attract the right people. A free workshop, assessment, training session, or educational event creates far more value than generic prizes that have no connection to your expertise. The goal is to bring prospects into your world and allow them to experience the value you provide.     Perhaps the most important takeaway from this episode is that exhibitions are not about making immediate sales. They are about starting meaningful conversations with the right people. Every interaction becomes part of a larger relationship building process that continues long after the exhibition has ended.     If you want to generate better results from your next event, this conversation with Steve Lloyd provides a practical framework you can implement immediately. From creating stronger messaging and improving stand design to building effective follow up systems, the advice shared in this episode will help you approach exhibitions with greater confidence, structure, and purpose.     Whether you are attending your first trade show or looking to improve the return on events you already invest in, the lessons from Steve Lloyd offer a clear roadmap for turning exhibitions into a powerful growth channel for your MSP.    Connect with Steve Lloyd through LinkedIn and his website.    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.    If you're serious about growth and want to explore what this could look like for your MSP, you can book a Right Fit Clarity Call with us HERE.  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! 

Vendors supplying AI-driven technologies are experiencing sustained margin pressure from high operational costs and underwhelming business-level returns, leading to the rapid creation of new product categories that are pushed into the MSP channel. Companies such as Atomic Work, Silverfort, and Guards are releasing governance tools for managing AI agents, while Connect Secure is offering patch management products targeted at MSPs. These launches are not indicators of competitive differentiation, but of structural cost challenges being passed from vendors to their partners.   Business media reports and internal industry data reveal that while individual productivity from AI implementations increases—for example, by accelerating engineer output—the promised business-level gains in productivity, revenue, and profit have not materialized to the extent vendors projected. According to analysis cited by Dave Sobel, high operational costs are forcing large firms like Microsoft, Google, Amazon, and Uber to restrict or cap AI usage internally, reflecting an industry-wide retreat from premium pricing models due to an unclear return on investment at the organizational level.   Additional developments reinforce this margin-driven shift. The federal Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has mandated 72-hour patching of high-risk vulnerabilities, underscoring heightened compliance requirements. Simultaneously, vendors are accelerating the rollout of governance, identity, and patch velocity tools. However, a study analyzing over 13,000 US MSPs found that those surpassing $1 million in revenue are distinguished by market positioning, online visibility, and business maturity, not by the breadth or novelty of their toolsets.   For operators, the implication is clear: stacking up new vendor products is now a baseline requirement rather than a path to competitive advantage. Firms that rely solely on vendor frameworks and toolsets risk absorbing more complexity without improving margin or differentiation. Practical separation will come from owning the "judgment layer"—defining, governing, and pricing how AI functions within client environments—rather than reselling tools. Positioning, documented governance, and clear operational standards will be more defensible than investing exclusively in vendor-driven offerings. 00:00 Manufactured Urgency  03:58 The Cost Confession 06:09 Out-Buy vs. Out-Position 08:35 Why Do We Care?    Supported by:  Nerdio  Sign up for the SMB Online Conference:  www.smbonlineconference.com

“Trust is built through very small moments,” says Julie Thiel of TTS Company. In this Telecom Reseller podcast, Doug Green speaks with Thiel about how MSPs, channel partners and growing technology businesses can strengthen leadership, retention and performance through everyday interactions with employees. Thiel says HR is often misunderstood as paperwork, compliance or “the fun police.” In reality, she says, effective people practices are about leadership and helping businesses grow. For smaller entrepreneurial companies, that means building trust with employees through regular conversations, follow-through, recognition and simple moments of human connection. The discussion focuses on the idea that leadership is not built only through major decisions or formal speeches. It is built through small, repeated actions: asking how someone is doing, remembering what matters to them, listening a little longer, and making time for regular one-on-one conversations. Thiel says those small moments can make difficult conversations easier later, whether a manager needs to give feedback, address a client issue or ask an employee to take on new responsibilities. When trust already exists, employees are more likely to hear feedback constructively and bring forward ideas, concerns and opportunities. For MSPs and channel companies that may not be able to compete with larger employers on compensation alone, Thiel says relationship-building can become a competitive advantage. Smaller businesses can often offer flexibility, development opportunities and direct access to customers in ways larger organizations cannot. The conversation also connects leadership and trust to company value. Thiel says businesses with stable teams, low turnover and developing leaders are better positioned for growth, succession and potential acquisition. Learn more at thettscompany.com.

“If you're not moving forward, you're moving backwards,” says Elie Katz, CEO of National Retail Solutions. In this Telecom Reseller podcast, Doug Green speaks with Katz about National Retail Solutions, its relationship with IDT, and the continuing opportunity for telecom resellers, MSPs and channel partners to serve independent retailers. Katz explains that National Retail Solutions was built to help independent merchants gain access to the tools they need to compete, including point-of-sale systems, credit card processing, cash advance, payroll and related business services. The company now serves more than 35,000 locations. Katz says NRS grew out of IDT's long-standing relationship with independent retailers, many of which were already selling telecom products. That connection helped NRS recognize that small merchants needed practical, easy-to-use technology to remain competitive as e-commerce, delivery, AI and digital payments reshape retail. The discussion also looks at the importance of local stores in their communities. Katz says independent retailers often have close relationships with their customers, giving them a level of service and flexibility that larger chains may not offer. For telecom resellers and channel partners, Katz says the retail community remains a strong opportunity. Many already have relationships with small businesses and can add value by bringing them technology and services that help them operate more efficiently. Katz also discusses NRS retailer networking meetups, which bring merchants and business partners together to share ideas, learn from one another and identify new opportunities. Learn more at NRSplus.com.  

“What this industry needs is a fundamentally different approach, not probabilistic, deterministic,” says Gerry Christensen, Plus Trusted Industry Strategist at ICA AI. In this Telecom Reseller podcast, Doug Green speaks with Christensen about ICA AI's Plus Trusted platform, an AI-based communications assistant designed to help manage unwanted, suspicious and trusted calls. Christensen explains that Plus Trusted is built around three basic call treatments: block known bad calls, interrogate questionable calls using AI, or allow trusted calls to pass through normally. The platform uses caller behavior, number reputation and the relationship between the calling and called parties to determine whether a trusted relationship exists before the phone rings. While ICA AI can use probabilistic AI in gray-area situations, Christensen says the company emphasizes deterministic AI because many calls can be handled based on known patterns and trusted relationships. The discussion also looks at the growing threat of AI-enabled robocalls, voice cloning and social engineering. Christensen says that as bad actors use AI to automate and personalize attacks, users and organizations will need AI-based protection on their side of the call. For UCaaS providers, MVNOs, MSPs and channel partners, Christensen says Plus Trusted creates a new opportunity to help customers reduce unwanted calls while preserving legitimate communications. The platform is designed to interoperate with existing carriers and communications platforms. “We consider ourselves Switzerland,” Christensen says. “You don't have to be on a specific UCaaS platform. You don't have to have a specific carrier.” Visit icatrusted.ai.

For this episode, I spoke with Jay Mellon, the co-founder and owner of AtNetPlus, a top-ranked MSP serving SMBs across Northeast Ohio and South Carolina, about the evolution of MSPs and the small to mid-sized companies they serve, and how AI, security and collaboration are driving this evolution. You can find more information about my guest on my blog at buckleyplanet.com/

About Jennifer Buchholz: The rapidly changing tech landscape won't slow down to allow you to absorb information. Right now, we're seeing explosive growth and innovation almost daily.Just when you have something figured out... It changes.Teams can become buried in an avalanche of information, coming from who-knows-what-source (or the telephone game, let's be honest). They lose valuable time trying to figure out tech on their own, they make unforced errors when they don't know what they don't know, and they can (GASP) lose the organization money when overwhelm slows them down.That's where I come in.As a Microsoft Office Trainer and Adoption Consultant, my greatest joy is watching an employee stop feeling intimidated and overwhelmed by the programming that's supposed to be serving them. I believe that transformational technical training takes translation. I'm the translator.Instead of putting your people through hours of exhausting training that's impossible to absorb because it doesn't relate to their needs, I'm the “engaging geek” who makes learning fun and relevant to their job.By engaging your people in hour-long training groups, followed by study halls and practice sessions, I show them how to apply the technology to the specific issues they are having on the job, rather than to some abstract set of problems.I work with large corporations, small to midsize businesses, and non-profits. The people who typically reach out to me are MSPs, human resource managers, learning and development managers, and decision makers around sales teams, finance, IT and marketing. They've already invested in the tech. The software is locked and loaded, and without training, it's going nowhere.I have over 20 years of training experience onsite and online. I've worked with over 500 companies since creating Excel and Flourish in 2012. I've worked with organizations as large as 45,000 and as small as 4. I see people leave my training sessions having gained three things:• Increased confidence in using the technology they've been given• More curiosity and excitement about what's possible• Greater creativity – how they can use programs independently and to their advantage, for example, by adding their own automationsIf you're looking for information on training, reach out via email to jennifer@excelandflourish, support@excelandflourish or DM via LinkedIn.Don't forget to take our LinkedIn Scorecard here:https://www.thetimetogrow.com/ecs-scorecard

Vendor channel consolidation continues to restructure the MSP landscape, with private equity-backed rollups driving both market concentration at the top and increased deal volume. This episode centers on the sale of Worksighted, a 25-year-old, $27 million revenue MSP with strong vertical focus in healthcare and construction, to Thrive in a 35-day close. The structural mechanism at play is an increasing market segmentation where larger MSPs systematically acquire or merge with similarly sized providers, often leaving a gap for smaller operators as larger entities move upmarket. Primary evidence for this consolidation includes direct transaction data and workflow. According to Abraham Garver, his team handled 132 vetted buyer candidates for Worksighted, resulting in eight competitive offers after 76 signed NDAs. Thrive, having completed 27 MSP acquisitions, was able to accelerate the deal's timeline due to deep experience and preparation by both buyer and seller. The trend is further supported by Q2 market updates indicating 22 U.S. MSPs likely to come to market in 2026 and over 120 M&A transactions in Q1 alone, as reported by Drake Star. Related developments highlight the bifurcation of deal opportunities by provider size and the associated liquidity for MSPs. Private equity buyers increasingly favor acquisitions with a minimum of $3 million in revenue and $500,000 in EBITDA, while smaller MSPs are more commonly left to pursue peer-to-peer mergers or organic growth strategies. The episode also addresses the operational pitfalls of optimizing solely for high recurring revenue percentages, with evidence suggesting buyers offer premiums for organic growth and new client acquisition rather than rigid recurring revenue thresholds. For operators, these dynamics generate clear tradeoffs and risks. Larger MSPs face the challenge of integrating acquired firms and potentially divesting smaller clients who do not meet their revised minimums. Smaller MSPs may find opportunity by acquiring divested clients or targeting niche segments that fall beneath larger consolidators' thresholds. For all providers, the importance of thorough preparation, clean financials, and strategic clarity on post-transaction roles emerges as a key safeguard against value loss and disruption. Rigid adherence to target metrics not grounded in buyer behavior—such as focusing excessively on monthly recurring revenue—carries the risk of reduced flexibility and diminished exit prospects. Sponsored by:ScalePad ABCS Sloutions LLC

A central discussion in the podcast focused on the applicability of the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) for small Managed Service Providers (MSPs). Divergent perspectives were presented regarding whether the EOS framework is suitable for MSPs with very few staff. The conversation highlighted that while EOS provides accountability, transparency, and structured communication, some very small organizations (e.g., four employees or fewer) may find the framework's meeting cadence and process requirements disproportionate to their operational needs. It was noted that EOS promises value in promoting ownership and alignment but that this benefit is more likely realized when an organization reaches a scale where individual ad hoc communications become inefficient. Supporting these observations, it was emphasized that EOS, as detailed in resources such as Gino Wickman's book and related summaries, is designed with flexibility to span small, medium, and large teams. Examples were offered indicating that even companies with four employees have derived benefits through formalizing updates and consolidating communication, provided their baseline culture supports collective knowledge sharing. However, one position outlined that simply reading EOS materials may be sufficient for the smallest organizations to improve focus without fully implementing the structure, especially when daily meetings or formal processes are not otherwise necessary. The episode additionally examined risk management and operational best practices surrounding MSP business growth and eventual sale. The dialogue discouraged running a business constantly as if preparing for immediate sale, citing the need for risk-taking during growth phases. Factors such as maintaining diverse client portfolios, implementing clear master service agreements (MSAs), reducing owner dependency, and minimizing client concentration risk were underscored as practices that support both ongoing scalability and future valuation. A case was discussed in which valuation was negatively impacted by an overreliance on non-contracted, concentrated clients and a lack of W2 employees, illustrating the risk implications of operational decisions. For MSPs and IT service leaders, the discussion underscored the importance of regularly reviewing operational frameworks and business hygiene regardless of size. The tradeoffs between structure and agility require clear-eyed evaluation, particularly in managing risk, scaling sustainably, and ensuring future options for valuation or exit. While formal systems like EOS can strengthen accountability and communication, overengineering processes in very small teams may reduce efficiency. Careful attention to client diversification and contractual commitments is essential for risk reduction and maximizing enterprise value.   Title:    Is EOS good for a small MSP?What are we talking about today: MSP Question of the week: EOS framework in your business – is this good for MSPs? First introduced by Gino Wickman in his book Traction, the EOS framework focuses on aligning teams and driving execution  What the Heck is EOS? (shorter book)  AMYS NEW BOOK!!!   Top 20 questions - Should you run your business like you're going to sell it? Image of Amy's book  Amy's Book: https://amzn.to/4dSYOcR MSP struggle hiring good people – what do you do when you hire a mediocre employee?  Article reference: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/timothykoirtyohannsphr_their-new-hire-was-fired-after-28-days-share-7361376947848843264-5UwS/ What is your quote turnaround time? Tales from the Field: I was doing a valuation this week and shared the results with the owner --  Good revenue 1.5m, good NI 375K, GREAT MRR 75%, good location and team.   No contracts, no office, no employees only 1099, 1 client represents 50% of revenues, and owner wants full exit. Amy and James Events: SMB Online Conference- June 25th panel. Free registration for SMB Online Community members. Register at www.smbonlinecommunityconference.com Mastermind Event – July 30-31st, 2026 in Omaha, NE. Register at  https://kernanconsulting.com/mastermind-event/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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Send us Fan MailWhat happens when a former elementary school teacher steps into the fast-paced world of tech sales and MSP project management?In this episode of Joey Pinz Conversations, Andrea McGlothin shares a powerful journey from teaching first graders how to read to helping MSPs structure projects for real profitability and success.

Send us Fan MailWhat separates a strong operator from a true leader—and how do you scale success across multiple companies?In this episode of Joey Pinz Conversations, Joey Pinz sits down with seasoned tech executive Jim Lippie to break down decades of experience across MSPs, SaaS companies, and multiple successful exits. From early days in the MSP space to leading SaaS growth and navigating acquisitions, Jim shares practical insights on leadership, metrics that matter, and what most operators overlook.

Platform vendors are transferring liability and delivery responsibility for AI services onto MSPs by building structured AI practice frameworks, training programs, and service delivery methodologies. This approach is motivated by mounting economic pressures on vendors, as seen with large-scale infrastructure investments and the need for sustainable revenue models. PAX8, Ingram Micro Cloud, ConnectWise, and others are formalizing AI partner programs that enroll MSPs to deliver vendor-defined services, while shifting operational complexity and accountability downstream. The episode highlights PAX8's Managed Intelligence initiative, aimed at helping small and midsize MSPs deliver AI services to SMB clients with minimal prior expertise. PAX8 cites its own research, which notes that 62% of SMBs view AI as essential for competitiveness and 74% plan to increase AI spending in the coming year. The economics of AI scaling are underscored by data on projected data center buildout costs—up to $15 trillion by 2030 and requiring $1.75 trillion annually just to maintain. OpenAI's public offering, with an $850 billion valuation and $180 billion in funding, is attributed to the need for capital that private markets can no longer supply, prompting vendors to leverage channel partners for both revenue generation and market validation. Supporting developments include expanded programs at the distribution and platform levels: a PAX8-Nocdoc partnership providing managed NOC/SOC services for smaller MSPs, Ingram Micro Cloud's collaboration with PartnerStack to formalize AI service delivery infrastructure, and ConnectWise's introduction of an AI-native platform for predictive and autonomous IT operations. Research from Omnia and the IBM Institute for Business Value indicates underutilization of vendor market development funds and widespread deployment of AI frameworks despite only 11% of tech leaders feeling prepared—demonstrating the gap between vendor offerings and operational readiness. The implications for MSPs are significant. By enrolling in these vendor-driven AI programs, providers take on delivery risk, contractual accountability, and potential liability for AI outcomes they did not design. The structural split is clear: MSPs can either create and govern their own AI methodologies—pricing accountability as a service—or become vehicles for vendor frameworks, absorbing complexity without full compensation or control. Practical recommendations include updating service agreements for AI-related risks, building internal governance around AI deployments, and not allowing vendor or community consensus to substitute for explicit accountability for outcomes. 00:00 Channel AI Shift  03:59 Enrollment, Not Enablement 06:55 Methodology vs. Liability 10:01 Why Do We Care?  Supported by:  Zero Networks  CometBackup 

In the spirit of recording content at Conferences, we want to replay a special episode with Ryan Walsh, Chief Strategy Officer, Pax8. Enjoy and be in the look out for exciting episodes from Beyond 26. Success doesn't happen by accident—it's a journey we must own, and that begins with the right mindset. Ryan Walsh, Co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer at Pax8 discusses the power of strategic leadership, embracing innovation, and the importance of cultivating community within the channel. From his rock-climbing analogy of navigating challenges to his passion for helping MSPs grow through “guided growth” and “amplifying uniqueness,” Ryan underscores the need for focused vision and teamwork.   Highlights also include: A glimpse into the Voyager Alliance partner program. The expanding influence of AI, agents, and a shift to managed intelligence partners (MIPs). To be competitive means owning a niche, staying connected, and thinking collaboratively. Family and basketball as foundational to his leadership philosophy.   His leadership philosophy, rooted in enabling others and fostering shared success, offers valuable lessons for anyone seeking to lead with purpose in a rapidly changing tech landscape. Follow Ryan on LinkedIn and visit Pax8.com to stay informed about the marketplace.   Timestamps: [08:21] Father modeled passion [18:03] Voyager Alliance Growth Tracks [18:57] Owning your niche [23:05] Power of Team   --- more ---   If you want to master the art of audience engagement while learning how to conquer speaking anxiety, deliver persuasive presentations, and close more deals, this is the program for you. Twins Talk It Up is hosted by identical twin brothers Danny Suk Brown and David Suk Brown, who share leadership communication strategies designed to help professionals embrace the power of their authentic voice.   Together, we'll explore tips and tools to unlock the full potential of your voice, dominate every stage you step onto, and elevate your influence and value. Along the way, we'll crush goals and share plenty of laughs.   Book a Free 15-minute discovery call: dsbleadershipgroup.com/schedule-a-call/ Website: appmeetup.com/twinstalkitup/ Community: facebook.com/groups/publicspeakingpoints Patreon: patreon.com/twinstalkitup

In this episode of Machine Shop Mastery, I got to sit down with Kenny Williams of Native Aerospace and Defense. Kenny has a really interesting background because he did not come into manufacturing through the traditional path. He started in technology, worked with major ERP companies, served as a CIO for several manufacturing companies, and saw firsthand how deeply connected systems, process, people, and business really are. What I really appreciated about this conversation is that Kenny has lived the lessons he shares. He started a shop, grew it from zero revenue into a seven-figure aerospace and defense business in less than two and a half years, and eventually sold it. Now, through Native Aerospace and Defense, he is looking at his next chapter: acquiring and growing shops with the right foundation, systems, and opportunity. We talked about the realities that many new shop owners do not fully understand when they first get started. Kenny shares how he and his partner expected some large purchase orders to materialize early on, only to realize that relationships, trust, cash flow, capacity, and execution matter far more than simply having machines on the floor. His perspective on starting with the right size work, asking for money up front, managing cash, and growing at a sustainable pace is full of hard-earned wisdom. We also dug into what it takes to build a real business instead of just creating a job for yourself. Kenny shares why he fired roughly a third of his early customers, how he thought about moving into more complex and higher-value work, and why systems are the backbone of a scalable shop. Toward the end, we also got into CMMC, IT infrastructure, cloud platforms, and why Kenny believes machine shops should stay focused on their core competency: making great parts, serving customers, and building strong teams. You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in... (0:00) Kenny Williams and his journey from IT, ERP, and manufacturing systems into machine shop ownership (2:51) Kenny shares how his background in technology and ERP shaped his understanding of people, process, systems, and change management (7:43) How Kenny and his partner launched Phoenix Products through Kickstarter before growing into aerospace and defense work (10:14) High end parts, high end capability, and high end thinking with DN Solutions  (11:25) The importance of proper change management in an organization (16:03) The early startup lessons Kenny learned (relationships, cashflow, execution, etc.) (18:46) The hidden costs of outgrowing a facility and why moving a machine shop is far more disruptive than most owners expect (21:42) Your buyers have technical questions. Navu delivers reliable, accurate answers. (22:54) Why small purchase orders can create just as much work as larger ones, and how young shops should think about sustainable growth (25:18) How large purchase orders can become a cash flow problem if the shop is not prepared to fund materials, labor, and delivery (27:56) Why Kenny recommends asking for money up front, charging for NREs, and building deposits into quotes (30:50) How Kenny learned to identify the right customers, fire the wrong ones, and move toward better-fit work (34:32) Why strong systems are the backbone of a scalable shop and help turn a job into a real business (35:13) What Kenny is looking for as he searches for shops to acquire through Native Aerospace and Defense (39:10) Why you need to join us at IMTS 2026! (40:02) The challenge of buying shops that are still completely dependent on the owner (44:55) Why Kenny believes manufacturing needs to be positioned as a technology-driven career path for younger workers (46:50) How shop owners can support workforce development by engaging schools, offering internships, and speaking up about opportunity (48:49) Kenny explains why CMMC and IT decisions should start with a question about a shop's true core competency (51:00) Why Kenny believes shops should lean on experienced MSPs and major government cloud providers instead of trying to build everything themselves (54:43) Why MSPs need configurable CMMC solutions that actually fit small and midsize manufacturers (58:12) How to connect with Kenny and what types of shops he is interested in acquiring Resources & People Mentioned High end parts, high end capability, and high end capability with DN Solutions  Your buyers have technical questions. Navu delivers reliable, accurate answers. Learn more at Navu.co/MakingChips Why you need to join us at IMTS 2026! Connect with Kenny Williams Native Aerospace and defense Kenny@NativeAeroDef.com Connect with Kenny on LinkedIn Connect With Machine Shop Mastery The website LinkedIn YouTube Instagram Subscribe to Machine Shop Mastery on Apple, Spotify

The episode identifies a growing governance gap as a central structural issue for MSPs and IT service providers, driven by rapid AI adoption through subscription-based tools and platforms. Rather than being introduced as controlled, IT-led initiatives, AI services are entering organizations piecemeal—often through end users and business units—undermining established accountability and management practices. This dynamic is exemplified by ConnectWise's dismantling of its ASIO platform in favor of a new AI-native operating layer designed to unify PSA, RMM, security, and automation functions, and by clients independently layering on AI-powered tools without centralized oversight or cost control. A primary example of ungoverned risk involves unsustainable AI cost exposure. According to Axios and TechCrunch, an enterprise amassed around $500 million in a single month on Anthropic's Claude due to unlimited, unmonitored usage. Freshworks' survey of over 12,000 IT professionals quantifies the industry's operational friction, finding mid-market companies waste about 25% of AI budgets on complexity, for a total of $16 billion in annual waste. Despite 89% of respondents planning to increase AI spend, only 15% have actively integrated these tools into daily workflows—revealing widespread governance lag behind adoption. Supporting developments highlight the breadth and persistence of this governance deficit. Organizations such as the Linux Foundation have responded by forming the Tokenomics Foundation to standardize AI cost tracking. Meanwhile, AI tool adoption is occurring outside IT, leading to agent sprawl, unclear permissions, and cost scaling linked to agent behavior rather than headcount. Roll-up strategies in adjacent sectors—such as Thrive Holdings' $1 billion commitment to consolidate accounting firms under an AI operational platform—demonstrate capital's move toward operationally governed, AI-enabled service models, suggesting a parallel risk for IT providers. For MSPs and IT leaders, these trends underscore the urgency of operationalizing AI governance as a billable, contractual service rather than an informal or embedded support task. Risks include absorbing liability for unmanaged AI usage, exacerbated operational complexity, and relinquishing margin to platform or capital entrants. Practical steps involve conducting AI tool audits, inventorying agent access and spend, instituting usage controls, and reframing account segmentation around governance and liability exposure. MSPs who define, price, and contract for governance can mitigate inherited risk and avoid being displaced by vendors or capital-backed consolidators. 00:00 ConnectWise Rebuilds  03:59 Ungoverned Agents 06:06 Roll-Up Warning 09:38 Why Do We Care?    Supported by:  Moovila  ScalePad 

A central structural mechanism highlighted in this episode is the exposure and amplification of technical and organizational weaknesses by enterprise AI initiatives, particularly as organizations pursue rapid AI adoption without adequate investment in data and process fundamentals. The episode draws on findings from an MIT Media Lab report, which found that 95% of enterprise AI pilots had no measurable impact on profit and loss, despite $30–40 billion in investment. Michael Privat, representing the healthcare technology firm Availability, discusses the consequences for organizations that apply “thin” AI overlays on top of unaddressed legacy data infrastructure and processes. The most consequential data point centers on AI's amplifying effect. According to the MIT Media Lab report cited by Michael Privat, 74–75% of companies expect revenue growth from AI, but only 20% are realizing gains. The root cause identified is not AI itself, but foundational failures: organizations use pilots as procurement exercises rather than outcome-driven initiatives and neglect to address data consistency and process integrity. Pilot projects, in many cases, simply accelerate the visibility and scale of existing dysfunctions rather than creating new value. Further evidence is provided through discussion of operational methodologies and organizational approaches. Michael Privat details a shift from pre-AI process benchmarks, such as DORA metrics focused on predictability and velocity, toward new models that account for AI's speed and amplification risks. He points to increasing investments in engineering capacity—in particular, tripling headcount in India—while emphasizing that efficiency gains from AI only materialize where discipline, standardization, and solid engineering “plumbing” is already in place. Both the need for audit trails and rigorous governance, especially in regulated sectors like healthcare, are flagged as structural safety requirements rather than optional layers. Operationally, the implications for MSPs and IT leaders include the risk of exposing latent deficiencies when implementing AI-driven offerings, particularly when layering automation and analytics atop fragmented or inconsistent infrastructure. Key areas of impact are the need for robust governance frameworks—especially with agentic AI, where dynamic system behaviors require ongoing accountability and auditability—and the risk that AI investments made without process and data “spring cleaning” can actually accelerate failure modes. For IT service providers, the material risks are in unexamined process debt, tool misalignment, and the temptation to prioritize velocity over resilience, ultimately increasing operational and contractual exposure. Supported by:NerdioScalePad  

Can businesses still rely on cybersecurity strategies that were designed for a very different threat environment? In this episode of Tech Talks Daily, I speak with Matt Knell from ESET about why many managed service providers and businesses are being forced to rethink what effective cybersecurity looks like in 2026. As cybercriminals become faster, more sophisticated, and increasingly powered by AI, many of the approaches that once provided reassurance are struggling to keep pace. Matt shares why the idea of "good enough" security is becoming increasingly difficult to defend. While endpoint protection remains an important part of any security strategy, he explains why technology alone is no longer enough. Organizations must continually review, update, and strengthen their defenses rather than assuming that yesterday's protections will be sufficient tomorrow. Our conversation explores the lasting impact of ransomware and the lessons businesses continue to learn from high-profile incidents. From major retailers to global manufacturers, attacks are creating operational disruption, financial losses, and reputational damage on a scale that few organizations would have imagined a decade ago. We also discuss one of the industry's most persistent challenges: the cybersecurity skills gap. Finding experienced security professionals remains difficult, while retaining talent has become equally challenging. Matt explains how managed detection and response services are helping MSPs extend their capabilities without having to build and maintain large security operations teams. AI naturally plays a major role in the discussion. While cybersecurity vendors use AI to improve threat detection and response, attackers are also leveraging the technology to accelerate and sophisticate phishing campaigns, social engineering, and other forms of cybercrime. Matt explains why businesses must remain realistic about both opportunities and risks. Another theme throughout the episode is the growing expectation that cybersecurity should be treated as a business issue rather than purely an IT concern. Regulations, cyber insurance requirements, supply chain scrutiny, and customer expectations are all increasing pressure on organizations to demonstrate stronger security practices and greater resilience. We also discuss ESET PRIVATE and why more organizations are seeking security services tailored to their specific operational needs. Rather than relying on a standard package, many businesses are looking for solutions that align with their industry requirements, compliance obligations, risk profile, and long-term objectives. Finally, Matt reflects on the conversations emerging from ESET's recent partner conference and shares his perspective on the topics shaping cybersecurity priorities for the coming year. AI, resilience, compliance, and business education continue to dominate discussions as organizations look for practical ways to strengthen their defenses. If you're an MSP, IT leader, business owner, or anyone responsible for protecting digital operations, this episode offers a timely look at the challenges facing organizations today and the steps many are taking to prepare for what comes next. Is your organization still relying on security strategies designed for yesterday's threats, or have you adapted to today's cyber risks?

The current structural shift centers on the transfer of accountability for AI risk from vendors and regulators to managed service providers (MSPs). Vendors such as Anthropic and Microsoft are expanding their enterprise-focused AI channel programs and services tracks, while regulators pull back from enforcement, leaving MSPs as the de facto accountable parties for AI deployments. Reports and data indicate that vendor-driven channel expansion and regulatory laxity are converging to make service providers the liable layer in AI delivery. Anthropic is broadening its CLAUDE partner network from around 100 to several thousand partners, organized in tiers with outcome-based incentives and a dedicated services track targeting MSPs and system integrators. Microsoft, responding to low Copilot adoption rates (reported at 3.3% of eligible users), is allowing full removal of Copilot from systems. An IDC/Expereo survey of 800 companies found 70% are budgeting for AI, but investment is driven more by competitive anxiety than proven results. Additionally, a concentrated group—top 5% of users—accounts for the bulk of enterprise AI-related risk, according to a separate analysis. Supporting developments include the emergence of Lemhi, an early-stage platform aimed at enabling MSPs to package and sell AI transformation as a recurring service, and warnings from lawmakers about cuts to CISA that undermine federal cyber defense capacity. The episode also highlights a consistent theme: government agencies such as the White House and NIST are shifting toward voluntary measures and measurement frameworks, declining to create enforceable accountability standards for AI in production environments. For MSPs and IT leaders, these developments translate to increased contract and operational risk. Without renegotiated agreements specifying usage ceilings, approval workflows, and liability terms, providers may inherit unpredictable financial exposure and compliance gaps. The absence of effective governance requirements from both vendors and authorities places the operational burden on MSPs to define, monitor, and enforce safe use of AI, including recurring governance services such as data boundary enforcement and audit evidence. Failure to address these issues may result in MSPs acting as uninsured support for unmanaged AI deployments they cannot fully control or price. 00:00 MSP AI Play  04:24 AI's Accountability Gap 06:50 MSP Risk Transfer 09:49 Why Do We Care?  Supported by:  ScalePad Moovila 

AI oversight arrives at the White House. A Cyber Force gains momentum. Critical infrastructure comes under cyberattack. Acer faces zero-day trouble. A stock exchange executive gets spied on for months. HTTP/2 Bomb threatens web servers. Quantum's classical side grows bigger. Britain's military chooses Starshield. Spain's infamous hacker gets sentenced. Our guest is Benjamin Morrell, Vice President, Security Strategy at Coro Cybersecurity, discussing the role of MSPs. Meta's productivity panopticon pauses for personal pitstops.  Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Miss an episode? Sign-up for our daily intelligence roundup, Daily Briefing, and you'll never miss a beat. And be sure to follow CyberWire Daily on LinkedIn. CyberWire Guest On today's Industry Voices, we are joined by Benjamin Morrell, Vice President, Security Strategy at Coro Cybersecurity, discussing the role MSPs are playing in cybersecurity. If you enjoyed this conversation be sure to check out the full conversation here.  Selected Reading Trump Signs Executive Order Seeking Oversight of A.I. Models (The New York Times) New cyber force would cost up to $11 billion to start, commission says (The Record) CISA Warns of Cyberattacks Targeting U.S. Tank Gauge Systems (GB Hackers) Acer working to patch max severity zero-days in Wave 7 routers (Bleeping Computer) Espionage Campaign Targeted Stock Exchange Executive for Five Months (Security.com) 'HTTP/2 Bomb' Exploit Knocks Web Servers Offline in Seconds (SecurityWeek) The Classical Advances Needed to Make Quantum Computers Tick (IEEE) Alcasec, "Robin Hood of Spanish Hackers," Jailed for 31 Months Over Data Theft (Hackread) Exclusive: UK adopts SpaceX's Starshield for military operations, sources say (Reuters) Meta will reportedly let employees take 30-minute breaks from its tracking program (Engadget) Share your feedback. What do you think about CyberWire Daily? Please take a few minutes to share your thoughts with us by completing our brief listener survey. Thank you for helping us continue to improve our show.   Want to hear your company in the show? N2K CyberWire helps you reach the industry's most influential leaders and operators, while building visibility, authority, and connectivity across the cybersecurity community. Learn more at sponsor.thecyberwire.com. The CyberWire is a production of N2K Networks, your source for strategic workforce intelligence. © N2K Networks, Inc. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices