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PODCAST

Cogent Conversations

Joey Pinz Conversations Network

Straight Talk on IT Mergers & AcquisitionsWelcome to Cogent Conversations, hosted by Rick Murphy, CEO and founder of Cogent Growth Partners. In this series, we cut through the noise to deliver no-fluff, no-BS insights into the world of IT M&A.Whether you are looking to scale your firm or prepare for an exit, we explore what actually works, what doesn"t, and the specific steps required to build a business that buyers truly want. Join us for clarity, expert strategy, and a little bit of fun

business management

All Episodes

14:37

#23 🏦 Bank Financing vs. Private Equity for MSPs

Cogent Conversations ·

2026/10/07

🏦 Should you finance your next MSP acquisition with a bank—or surrender equity to private investors? In this episode of Cogent Conversations, Joe Pannone and Rick Murphy speak with Nick Padlo of Live Oak Bank about MSP acquisition financing, SBA loans, conventional lending, and private equity alternatives. Nick explains how bank financing can help MSP owners preserve ownership while using leverage to acquire businesses, increase EBITDA, and prepare for a future liquidity event. The

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13:36

#22 💰 How MSPs Fund Smarter Acquisition

Cogent Conversations ·

2026/09/30

💰 What if selling your MSP didn’t have to mean walking away? In this episode of Cogent Conversations, Rick Murphy and Joe Pannone welcome Nick Padlo, Senior Loan Officer specializing in MSP financing at Live Oak Bank, to explore smarter ways to finance MSP acquisitions and create multiple liquidity events. The conversation challenges the traditional “exit strategy” mindset. Instead, MSP owners can use recurring revenue, strong cash flow, and strategic bank leverage to acquire larger

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13:48

#21 🔍 What Buyers Really Want in an MSP

Cogent Conversations ·

2026/09/23

What makes an MSP attractive to the right acquisition partner—and which warning signs send buyers away? In Episode #21 of Cogent Conversations, Joe Pannone and Rick Murphy continue their conversation with Bruce Nelson and Jeff Hamons about MSP acquisition readiness. Bruce reveals why buyers prefer team-centered organizations with loyal employees, strong client relationships, scalable operations, and limited dependence on the founder. High employee turnover, weak culture, and a business built ...

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15:04

#20 🚀 The First 48 Hours After an MSP Acquisition

Cogent Conversations ·

2026/09/16

What should leaders do during the first 48 hours after announcing an MSP acquisition? In Episode #20 of Cogent Conversations, Joe Pannone and Rick Murphy continue their discussion with Bruce Nelson and Jeff Hamons about the real work of post-merger integration. Bruce explains how transparency reduces uncertainty, why employees should receive answers before rumors spread, and how leaders can acknowledge anxiety without sugarcoating the changes ahead. The conversation follows Computol’s team fr...

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13:08

#19 🤝 Why Culture Decides Whether an MSP Deal Works

Cogent Conversations ·

2026/09/09

What happens to your employees, clients, and company culture after selling an MSP? In Episode #19 of Cogent Conversations, Joe Pannone and Rick Murphy continue their conversation with Bruce Nelson and Jeff Hamons about the human side of MSP mergers and acquisitions. They reveal why cultural alignment must happen before financial negotiations—and how owners can determine whether a potential buyer genuinely cares about their people. Bruce explains the questions that expose an owner’s true inten...

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15:18

#18 🔥 MSP M&A: Why the Best Deal Isn’t About EBITDA

Cogent Conversations ·

2026/09/02

What makes an MSP acquisition truly successful—an attractive valuation or the right strategic partner? In this episode of Cogent Conversations, Joe Pannone and Rick Murphy speak with Vertilocity’s Bruce Nelson and Computol founder Jeff Hamons about building an MSP merger around people, culture, capabilities, and long-term opportunity. Jeff reveals why receiving constant acquisition calls made it difficult to know whom to trust—and how Cogent Growth Partners transformed that uncertainty into a...

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16:34

#17 Cogent Conversations: ⚠️ What Could Kill Your MSP...

Cogent Conversations ·

2026/08/19

⚠️ What could actually stop your MSP from selling? The answer may be closer than you think—and often tied directly to the owner. In this episode, we dive into the hidden risks that impact business sales, from owner dependency to operational maturity. If your clients rely heavily on you personally, that can introduce risk for buyers and potentially derail a deal. 💼 We also explore the realities of scaling a company to make it attractive for acquisition. Buyers want predictability, strong...

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13:27

#16 📊 The Real Math Behind Selling Your MSP

Cogent Conversations ·

2026/08/05

📊 How much is your MSP really worth? The answer is more complicated than most owners think—and getting it wrong can cost you millions. In this episode, we break down the real financial mechanics behind selling a business, including EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA, and why those numbers alone don’t determine your valuation. Many founders rely on simple formulas, but buyers look deeper—analyzing recurring revenue, growth trends, staffing structure, and future potential. 💰 One of the biggest mista...

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13:28

#15 Cogent Conversations: 💼 Why Selling Your MSP...

Cogent Conversations ·

2026/07/22

💼 Thinking about selling your MSP or tech company? This episode breaks down what “winning” actually looks like—and why it’s about far more than just the final number. In this conversation, we explore the real dynamics behind business exits, including deal structure, cultural fit, and personal readiness. Many founders focus only on valuation, but the reality is more complex: how you get paid, what happens to your team, and whether your company lands in the right environment all matter just as

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17:22

#14 💼 Why MSP Owners Really Sell

Cogent Conversations ·

2026/07/08

💼 Thinking about selling your MSP or tech company? This episode breaks down what really drives founders to exit—and what buyers are actually looking for behind the scenes. In this conversation, we explore the real motivations behind M&A decisions, from hitting leadership ceilings to navigating massive industry shifts like AI and cybersecurity. Many owners say they’re “not for sale,” yet the reality tells a different story once deeper conversations begin. 🚀 Buyers aren’t just looking...

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18:30

#13 Cogent Conversations: 📈 Why Most MSPs Leave Money...

Cogent Conversations ·

2026/06/24

💼 What separates a business that sells from one that gets overlooked? In this episode of Cogent Conversations, we break down the realities of IT mergers and acquisitions—what actually drives valuation, what buyers look for, and where most MSPs get it wrong. Rick Murphy shares direct insights from closing over 200 IT deals, challenging common assumptions around “exit strategy” and replacing it with a more practical concept: liquidity strategy. If you think you’ll “figure it out later,” this

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15:49

#12 Cogent Conversations: 🔥 What Actually Makes...

Cogent Conversations ·

2026/06/10

🧲 What actually makes a client stay—and what makes them leave? In this episode of Cogent Conversations, Rick Murphy breaks down the truth about client stickiness in MSP and IT services businesses. While many providers focus on tools, automation, and integrations, the real driver of retention is much simpler—and often overlooked. ⚠️ It’s not your tools. It’s your relationships. Rick explains why adding more services doesn’t guarantee retention, how over-reliance on technology can weaken

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11:26

#11 Cogent Conversations: 🚨 Lose One Person, Lose the...

Cogent Conversations ·

2026/05/20

🔗 What if your biggest client risk isn’t service… it’s who you know? In this episode of Cogent Conversations, Rick Murphy dives into a critical but overlooked issue in MSP and IT services businesses: single-threaded relationships. Many MSPs rely on one key contact—one “Bob”—to maintain an entire client relationship. ⚠️ And when that person leaves… everything changes. Rick explains how leadership turnover, internal restructuring, or even one key employee departure can instantly weaken—or

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14:15

#10 Cogent Conversations: 🤫 The Silent Churn Killing...

Cogent Conversations ·

2026/05/13

🤫 What if your clients aren’t complaining… because they’ve already decided to leave? In this episode of Cogent Conversations, Rick Murphy exposes one of the most dangerous threats in the MSP and IT services space: silent churn. Clients don’t raise issues, they don’t argue, and they don’t negotiate—they simply exit. ⚠️ And most MSPs never see it coming. Rick breaks down why customers stay quiet, how fear of difficult conversations holds MSPs back, and why traditional tools like CSAT surveys

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14:20

#9 Cogent Conversations: ⚠️ The Loyalty Lie in MSPs

Cogent Conversations ·

2026/04/29

💼 What if your most loyal client isn’t actually loyal? In this episode of Cogent Conversations, Rick Murphy breaks down a hard truth in the MSP and IT services world: long-term clients leave—and often without warning. Drawing from real M&A experience, Rick shares how even a single lost client can disrupt valuation, derail deals, and expose hidden risks in your business. 🚨 Many MSPs assume tenure equals security. It doesn’t. This conversation dives into why client relationships are often

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22:05

#8 Cogent Conversations: 💰 Exit Regrets Every MSP...

Cogent Conversations ·

2026/04/22

Selling your MSP isn’t just about valuation — it’s about structure, truth, and preparation. In this episode of Cogent Conversations, Rick Murphy, CEO of Cogent Growth Partners, breaks down what MSP owners regret most after selling — and how to avoid costly mistakes in deal structure, earnouts, staffing, and due diligence. With over 200 closed IT services transactions, Rick delivers direct insight into what works, what fails, and why honesty and proper financial structure matter more than ego ...

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18:52

#7 Cogent Conversations: 💰 Exit vs. Liquidity: What...

Cogent Conversations ·

2026/04/15

💰 Thinking about selling your MSP? Or just preparing for growth? This episode of Cogent Conversations delivers straight talk on MSP mergers and acquisitions, liquidity events, deal structures, and what really happens after closing. Too many technology service providers misunderstand the difference between an exit and a liquidity event. Not every sale means you walk away. In fact, many founders stay, roll equity, and experience multiple “bites of the apple.” In this episode, we break down: 🔥

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13:19

#6 Cogent Conversations: 🧠 Is It the Market… or Is It...

Cogent Conversations ·

2026/04/08

When is the right time to sell your MSP? Is it market conditions… or mindset? In this episode of Cogent Conversations, Rick Murphy of Cogent Growth Partners breaks down one of the biggest myths in IT M&A: waiting for the “perfect number” before selling. Many MSP owners anchor themselves to a valuation goal — a retirement number — without understanding what actually drives buyer interest and liquidity events. The truth? Timing is rarely about tariffs, interest rates, or the economy. It’s a...

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18:19

#5 Cogent Conversations: The Truth About MSP M&A

Cogent Conversations ·

2026/04/01

🏢 IT Mergers & Acquisitions. Real Talk. No Fluff. In this episode of Cogent Conversations, we break down what truly drives value in MSP mergers and acquisitions. If you’re a managed service provider considering growth, acquisition, or exit planning, this is essential listening. Rick Murphy and the Cogent team share practical insight from 200+ completed MSP transactions. They clarify the reality behind “mergers of equals,” explain how buyers evaluate profitability, and reveal why

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11:55

#4 Cogent Conversations: 📊 MSP Customer...

Cogent Conversations ·

2026/03/25

What makes an MSP truly valuable in today’s M&A market? In this episode of Cogent Conversations, Rick Murphy, CEO of Cogent Growth Partners, breaks down the real factors that determine whether your IT services company is positioned for growth — or vulnerable in a deal. From customer concentration risks to profitability traps, this episode delivers straight talk on how MSPs should structure revenue, manage risk, and operate with long-term exit strategy in mind. If you're M&A curious, p...

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23 results

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