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PODCAST

MSP Chat

A look at the strategies, services, and success tips IT providers need to make it big in managed services from two of the industry’s most experienced MSP authorities, Erick Simpson and Rich Freeman of Channel Mastered

technology

All Episodes

27:59

Episode 81: Sewer Gators are Real!

MSP Chat ·

2025/06/27

This week, Erick flies solo and dives into the newly released 2025 MSP 501 rankings from Channel Futures—the industry’s gold standard for identifying top-performing managed service providers. He breaks down why this data-driven list matters, how it boosts credibility, attracts vendors, and fuels internal momentum, and highlights the top trends driving this year’s winners—like AI adoption, security-first service models, and compliance-driven growth. Next, he explains why the time is now to update

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42:13

Episode 80: This is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things

MSP Chat ·

2025/06/20

A staggering 16 billion credentials linked to major services—Apple, Facebook, Google, and more—have just been confirmed leaked and Erick explores the grim reality and potential aftermath, and what it means for MSPs, as well as the types of AI services MSPs can deliver to their customers to increase their strategic value to them as well as their recurring revenue. Then, Erick is joined by Pax8’s Chief Product Officer, Libby McIlhaney, at Pax8 Beyond 25, for a look at AI’s impact and opportunity for

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42:32

Episode 79: Pax8, Nerdio & Making AI Real for MSPs

MSP Chat ·

2025/06/13

Fresh from the floor at Pax8 Beyond 25, Erick and Rich break down one of the event’s biggest announcements: the launch of PAX8’s new Integrations Hub and what it reveals about the evolving role of distribution, marketplaces, and the push for vendor interoperability in the cloud-first era; and how MSPs are using AI to write RFPs, win funding, and transform their client relationships.Then Erick is joined by Nerdio CRO Joseph Landes on the floor at Pax8 Beyond 25 for a wide-ranging discussion on best

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63:37

Episode 78: The Holy Triangle

MSP Chat ·

2025/06/06

Speaking just after this week’s ConnectWise IT Nation Secure event, Erick and Rich discuss the simplified new ConnectWise Pro subscription plan and best practices for optimizing your client agreements before an exit. Then they’re joined by John Pagliuca, president and CEO of N-able, and Mike Adler, N-able’s chief technology and product officer, for a discussion about why N-able believes MSPs should invest in XDR and MDR solutions rather than SIEM systems of the kind recently introduced by

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75:52

Episode 77: 75 Days of Uptime

MSP Chat ·

2025/05/30

Erick and Rich ponder the tradeoffs of using an all-inclusive managed services platform versus going with best of breed as well as techniques for migrating managed service clients to a standardized services stack. Then they’re joined by Yoav Susz, general manager for the U.S. at Atera, to discuss Atera Autopilot, a fully autonomous AI-powered help desk tool now in general availability. And finally, one last thing: a look at Internet Roadtrip, the world’s slowest massive multiplayer online

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42:10

Episode 76: Human to Human

MSP Chat ·

2025/05/23

Erick and Rich discuss why vendors are introducing partner loyalty programs and how MSPs can cement their position as trusted advisors while locking in revenue by aligning IT budget discussions with a client’s financial planning cycles. Then they’re joined by Jessica McDowell, TD SYNNEX’s senior vice president of North American marketing and digital customer success, for a conversation about AI, community, marketplaces, and the changing relationship between partners and distributors. And finally,

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62:08

Episode 75: Dropping the AI Bomb

MSP Chat ·

2025/05/16

Inspired by the panel discussion they led at a recent conference, Erick and Rich discuss how real MSPs are making real money in AI, as well as three proven techniques for increasing the value of your managed services business in a crowded M&A market. Then they’re joined by Jason Beal, Americas president at Exclusive Networks, and Andrew Warren, the company’s North America vice president of sales and marketing, for an insightful conversation about the value of distribution in the age of

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82:27

Episode 74: No Timmies Allowed

MSP Chat ·

2025/05/09

Erick and Rich discuss efforts by Kaseya and Syncro to eliminate the seams between “seamlessly integrated” products by fusing them all into one solution, as well as strategic, non-salesy ways to upsell your clients. Then they take you live to the panel session they co-moderated at this year’s IT Glue GlueXperience event in Las Vegas in which three MSPs shared their hard-earned growth and success tips. And finally, one last thing: Why Australians are better off eating sausages on election day than

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50:03

Episode 73: Naked Farm to Table

MSP Chat ·

2025/05/02

Erick and Rich discuss the long-term implications for MSPs of new research on agentic AI from Microsoft and N-able, as well as how and why MSPs should get back to often forgotten sales basics. Then they’re joined live from the Kaseya Connect conference in Las Vegas by Mike Puglia, GM of Kaseya’s security suite, for a conversation about why MSPs need fully managed SIEM solutions. And finally, one last thing: An annual gardening ritual from Rich’s hometown of Seattle that could be dangerous to people

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66:58

Episode 72: Certificate Tsunami

MSP Chat ·

2025/04/25

Erick and Rich discuss how economic uncertainty is affecting IT spending plans, as well as what MSPs can do to navigate declining markets, supply chain disruptions, and other challenges to service delivery and profits. Then they’re joined by Mark Bloom, senior director of North America channel sales at Sectigo, for a look at the TLS certificate management opportunity and why MSPs not already providing that service will need to soon thanks to forthcoming changes to certificate lifecycles. And

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66:11

Episode 71: Don’t Buy Voldemort

MSP Chat ·

2025/04/18

Erick and Rich discuss why AI might be the spur MSPs need to take SaaS app management as seriously as they do device management, as well as why and how to avoid the dangers that come with letting too few clients account for too much revenue. Then they’re joined by Matt Lee, Pax8’s senior director of security and compliance, for a thought-provoking conversation about everything from the impact of agentic AI to why SMBs will soon have even better security than large businesses. And finally, one last

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69:01

Episode 70: Cheer Not Fear

MSP Chat ·

2025/04/11

Erick and Rich discuss the tailwinds and headwinds that Slide, Datto founder Austin McChord’s new BDR venture, is likely to face in the MSP marketplace as well the secrets to charging user-based prices that reflect your service delivery costs accurately and get you the margins you deserve. Then they’re joined by Sanjib Sahoo, president of the global platform group at Ingram Micro, for a thought leader’s take on platforms, marketplaces, and using AI to drive operational efficiency. And finally, one

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72:32

Episode 69: Bad News Quickly, Good News Slowly

MSP Chat ·

2025/04/07

Erick and Rich discuss the gap between how much business leaders want AI solutions and how unsatisfied they are with the solutions they’re getting, and why most MSPs should have at least one tech doing nothing but Level 1 help desk work. Then they’re joined by Xavier Gonzalez, chief communications officer at Kaseya, for a look at what communications professionals do and why MSPs need one. And finally, one last thing: 7-Eleven’s April Fool’s mystery donut, and why we’re all still waiting for

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60:28

Episode 68: Throwing Flags

MSP Chat ·

2025/03/28

Erick and Rich discuss HP’s solution-focused strategy for avoiding hardware commoditization and three tactics for improving MRR predictability. Then they’re joined by Tim Golden of Compliance Scorecard for an expert’s take on why and how to get into the burgeoning market for compliance services. And finally, one last thing: Why investment firm Aberdeen renamed itself Abrdn and then came to regret it. Discussed in this episode:Don’t Sell HardwareVowel movement: Abrdn renames itself Aberdeen to

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57:20

Episode 67: The North Star

MSP Chat ·

2025/03/21

Erick and Rich discuss new pricing options coming this summer from ConnectWise and techniques for prodding reluctant clients to adopt security best practices. Then they’re joined by Peter Bretton, vice president of product strategy at NinjaOne, for a look at the managed services market through the eyes of a vendor that pays unusual attention to partner feedback. And finally, one last thing: New frontiers in TSA security check fails. Discussed in this episode:New details about ConnectWise’s

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67:28

Episode 66: It Takes a Community to Secure an End User

MSP Chat ·

2025/03/14

Erick and Rich discuss Evergreen Services Group’s M&A alternative to centralized MSP rollups and three strategies for enhancing your client onboarding process. Then they’re joined by Huntress CEO Kyle Hanslovan for a wide-ranging look at the current threat landscape, the role of community in strengthening security, and what software vendors should be doing to harden their products. And finally, one last thing: the incredible sum paid at auction for a Cheeto shaped like a Pokemon

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62:15

Episode 65: Game Over, Man!

MSP Chat ·

2025/03/07

Erick and Rich discuss why it’s not at all too early to be taking the security implications of quantum computing seriously and three tips for achieving competitive differentiation. Then they’re joined by Nancy Henriquez, CEO of Sibyl Consulting, for an expert’s take on marketing, sales, and operations for MSPs. And finally, one last thing: employers weigh in on whether AI agents or humans do better work, and the results aren’t pretty for the humans. Discussed in this episode:Quantum Computing Isn’t

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66:37

Episode 64: Wonderful Synergy

MSP Chat ·

2025/02/28

Erick and Rich discuss the five new products from ThreatLocker and what they say about the company’s future direction as well as avoiding the dangers of relying too heavily on a few big clients. Then Rich, flying solo for an interview recorded during Erick’s vacation, speaks with Sophos CEO Joe Levy about all things managed security. And finally, one last thing: why a lot more Americans than you might think are open to working for an AI boss. Discussed in this episode:Learning From

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82:14

Episode 63: There’s No Patch for Stupidity

MSP Chat ·

2025/02/21

And trust us, there’s no stupidity in this episode. Just Erick and Rich talking about what New Charter Technologies buying a vendor that specializes in AI-based service desk optimization says about the future of managed services and three critical service desk KPIs every MSP should be tracking. Then they’re joined by Michael George, CEO of Syncro, for an insider’s look at the future of AI-powered management for MSPs. And finally, one last thing: Why a popular beer maker probably now wishes it had

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71:58

Episode 62: Rough is Enough

MSP Chat ·

2025/02/14

Erick and Rich discuss Atera’s agentic AI RMM feature and how to avoid burning out your technicians. Then they’re joined by Nigel Moore of The Tech Tribe for an insider’s look at trends and opportunities this year in managed services. And finally, one last thing: The criminal consequences of today’s sky-high egg prices. Discussed in this episode:Has Atera Gone Full Agentic?The Tech Tribe home pageInformation about ScaleCon 2025Book by Nigel Moore: Package, Price, Profit: The Essential Guide to

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