Navigating Growth and Strategic Planning for MSPs
SMB Community Podcast by James Kernan
Release Date: 04/30/2025
How To Attract & Retain Top Talent
SMB Community Podcast by James Kernan
Overview: In this episode of the SMB Community Podcast, hosts James and Amy have a jam-packed agenda. They start off discussing the ongoing heatwave affecting various parts of the country before diving into critical cybersecurity concerns related to the U.S.'s recent conflict with Iran. They emphasize the importance of securing critical infrastructure against potential cyberattacks. They then tackle the challenge of attracting and retaining top talent, highlighting the importance of work-life integration, competitive compensation, and a strong company culture with unique perks. Additionally,...
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CloudFlare Outage: Facing IT Challenges and Market Competition
SMB Community Podcast by James Kernan
Overview: In this episode of the SMB Community Podcast, hosts James and Amy are back to delve into a series of key topics for IT professionals and managed service providers (MSPs). They discuss the recent CloudFlare outage and its relatively minimal impact on businesses, emphasizing the importance of adaptability. The episode's main focus is on how MSPs can stand out and provide value in a competitive and commoditized market by emphasizing unique selling propositions and customer-centric strategies. They also touch on the implications of leadership changes at Southwest Airlines and their...
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Navigating Modern Challenges and Opportunities: Borrowing Funds
SMB Community Podcast by James Kernan
Overview: In this episode of the SMB Community Podcast, hosts James and Amy discuss various topics relevant to the IT and MSP community. The hosts delve into a listener's question on the advisability of borrowing money for business growth, discussing potential pitfalls and safer investment strategies, particularly in mergers and acquisitions. The episode also covers significant industry news, such as the surprising appointment of Rania Sukar as the new CEO of Kaseya, speculating on what changes she might bring to the company. Amy and James share further insights into differentiating MSPs...
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Strategies for Retaining Key Employees During Acquisitions
SMB Community Podcast by James Kernan
Overview: In this episode of the SMB Community Podcast, hosts Amy and James discuss how to retain key employees during company acquisitions, sharing real-life experiences and effective strategies such as retention bonuses and clear role definitions. They also delve into the benefits of a four-day workweek, the importance of NFR programs for software vendors, and advancements in AI for ad generation and management. Additional topics include the emotional impact on employees during an acquisition and recent tech industry news, including AI adoption and its governance challenges. ---...
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The Future of MSPs and AI's Impact on the Industry
SMB Community Podcast by James Kernan
Overview: In this episode of the SMB Community Podcast, hosts James and Amy discuss their Memorial Day experiences before diving into a deep discussion about the future of Managed Service Providers (MSPs) and the impact of AI on the industry. They examine predictions for 2026, including the staggering forecast that 75% of MSP services will be delivered by AI within the next few years. They emphasize the importance for MSPs to innovate and adapt to stay relevant. The episode also covers recent news, including a significant partnership between Qualcomm and Dell, updates on legal issues faced by...
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Where is the Market: Where do I sell my MSP Practice?
SMB Community Podcast by James Kernan
Overview: In this episode of the SMB Community Podcast, hosts James and Amy discuss the viability of selling small MSP practices, emphasize the growing market for small MSP sales, and suggest dual strategies for business growth through acquisitions and marketing. The conversation covers Berkshire Hathaway CEO Warren Buffett's step down and the impact of AI on the job market. They also highlight updates in Microsoft Windows 11 and new features in the Office suite. Lastly, the hosts introduce 'Fizz,' a new party planning app by Instacart, tailored for shared orders and delivery, aiming to...
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MSP Industry Trends: Interview with Rich Freeman of Channelholic
SMB Community Podcast by James Kernan
Overview: In this episode of the SMB Community Podcast, host James Kernan interviews industry guru Rich Freeman of Channelholic. Rich discusses his background in covering the SMB channel and managed services, along with his insights on current industry trends. They delve into the impacts of supply chain uncertainties, AI adoption and its implications for MSPs, and the trend of larger MSPs acquiring smaller ones. Rich shares data on AI's role in business, security implications, and the emerging need for new roles such as 'agent boss.' The conversation also highlights the opportunities and...
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Exploring the Four-Day Work Week
SMB Community Podcast by James Kernan
Overview: In this episode of the SMB Community Podcast, hosts Amy & James dive into the concept of a four-day work week for IT professionals. They explore the pros and cons, including staggering staff schedules and focusing on productivity. The hosts also discuss how the current economic climate might impact tech spending and business operations. Additionally, Amy and James share their top recommended business and personal growth books, emphasizing the importance of execution, giving, and maintaining a strong personal philosophy in business. Tune in to gain insights on modern work...
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Strategies For Selling Your Business
SMB Community Podcast by James Kernan
Overview: Join hosts Amy and James in this episode of the SMB Community Podcast as they delve into the best practices for selling your Managed Service Provider (MSP) business. Learn about the emotional and financial facets of selling an MSP, the importance of having a clear exit strategy, and ensuring a good fit with potential buyers. The hosts also discuss the recent technical issues with Zoom and Spotify and provide insights into Microsoft break glass accounts. Stay updated with the latest on the antitrust cases involving Meta and Google. Additionally, James shares information about upcoming...
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Navigating Growth and Strategic Planning for MSPs
SMB Community Podcast by James Kernan
Overview: In this week's episode of the SMB Community Podcast, hosts James and Amy are back to discuss various aspects of running a successful MSP. They start by diving into the MSP question of the week about creating an org charts for small teams. Both hosts emphasize the importance of delineating responsibilities and using the EOS accountability chart for better team structure. They also talk about the challenges and opportunities in selling security solutions and the importance of offering a strategic value to clients. Later, James interviews Max Miller from Workland Partners about current...
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In this week's episode of the SMB Community Podcast, hosts James and Amy are back to discuss various aspects of running a successful MSP. They start by diving into the MSP question of the week about creating an org charts for small teams. Both hosts emphasize the importance of delineating responsibilities and using the EOS accountability chart for better team structure. They also talk about the challenges and opportunities in selling security solutions and the importance of offering a strategic value to clients. Later, James interviews Max Miller from Workland Partners about current M&A trends in the IT and cybersecurity sectors, offering valuable advice for MSPs considering selling their business. The episode wraps up with a reminder to stay connected and share questions or comments with the hosts.
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Chapter Markers:
00:00 Introduction and Greetings
02:09 MSP Question of the Week: Creating an Org Chart
03:18 The Importance of Accountability Charts
09:40 Challenges in Selling Security
11:56 Value-Based Selling and Strategy
18:02 Data Security Concerns
21:12 Facebook Breaches and Data Theft
23:53 Retail Store Privacy Concerns
25:46 5 Minutes w/ a Smart Person: Max Miller of Worklyn Partners
26:10 Max Miller's Background and Workland Partners
30:46 M&A Activity in the MSP Space
34:06 Advice for MSP Owners Considering Selling
40:49 Final Thoughts and Contact Information
43:18 Podcast Wrap-Up and Future Plans
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New Book Release:
I'm proud to announce the release of my new book, The Anthology of Cybersecurity Experts! This collection brings together 15 of the nation's top minds in cybersecurity, sharing real-world solutions to combat today's most pressing threats.
Whether you're an MSP, IT leader, or simply passionate about protecting your data, this book is packed with expert advice to help you stay secure and ahead of the curve.
Available now on Amazon!
https://a.co/d/f2NKASI
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Sponsor Memo:
Since 2006, Kernan Consulting has been through over 30 transactions in mergers & acquisitions - and just this past year, we have been involved in six (6).
If you are interested in either buying, selling, or valuation information, please reach out.
There is alot of activity and you can be a part of it.
For more information, reach out at kernanconsulting.com