Mark your calendars for December 4, when MSP Success will host the Titans of the Industry Gala, a red-carpet, black-tie event to honor the inaugural winners of the Titans of the Industry Awards. Robin Robins, founder and CEO of TMT and MSP Success, revealed the details of the awards and the gala on Day 2 of the 17th Annual IT Sales and Marketing Boot Camp taking place this week in Nashville.
The new MSP Success awards recognize and celebrate excellence, innovation, and commitment by MSPs of all sizes in the industry. The gala, which will be held at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California, a renowned hotel and long-time site of the Golden Globe Awards and the Daytime Emmy Awards, will feature special guests Jay Leno and Magic Johnson.
The Titans of the Industry Gala “is going to be the first red-carpet, black-tie affair for this industry and we’re going to do it right and we’re going to give you the recognition that you all deserve,” says Robins.
The awards categories include regional providers, vertical industry providers, and specialty categories such as veteran-led, women-led, minority, led, under 40, and more.
All MSPs are encouraged to apply. There will be 10 finalists named in each of 20-plus categories. Applicants can choose up to three categories in which to compete, so more than 200 MSPs are eligible to receive national recognition.
These categories are not restricted by size, revenue, or longevity in business. The winners will be chosen based entirely on the application and answers. MSPs can nominate themselves or another MSP they think is worthy of the award.
Nominations are open now. Applications will be accepted until June 30, 2024. Nominees will be judged and selected by a group of your peers. Finalists will be notified by July 31, 2024. Go here to apply now.
Other Groovy Dispatches From Day 2: Yeah, Baby!
High-Performing Better Your Best Finalists Reveal Their Growth Secrets
The finalists in TMT’s annual Better Your Best Contest took the stage to make their case for why they should be the TMT spokesperson of the year and the winner of a brand-new Jaguar. They each recounted how they used what they learned as members of TMT to propel revenue growth, profits, and influence for their MSP businesses, and shared advice on how others could implement those same strategies. The finalists are: Brandis Kelly of DigeTekS, Nathaniel Kemberling of BroCoTec, Hunter and Mike Farlow of ComTech Network Solutions, Mario Zaki of Mazteck IT, and Todd Clark of DenaliTEK. The attendees cast their votes after the presentations and the winner will be revealed later today.
Kaseya’s Fred Voccola On How MSPs Can Get To The Top 1% Of Their Industry
The CEO of Kaseya in a 1-to-1 on-stage interview with Robins shared some secrets to for reaching the top tier of business. “The first is, be really lucky and fortunate,” he said. “At least for our journey with Kaseya, a lot of it is hard work and talent. A lot of it’s luck. And luck plays a part in anyone’s success.”
In addition to luck, businesses that reach the 1% in achievement get there for a reason, he said, “and it’s sacrifice. You have to make the decision that is what we want the organization to be.”
Next, MSPs that reach that level, “whether it’s a four-person shop or a 400-person shop, are very self-aware about the right type of skill balance in the organization” and are comfortable with being uncomfortable and surrounding themselves with individuals who are strong in areas where the CEO may not be.
Finally, he advised, you really have to enjoy what you’re doing. “I don’t think it’s possible to consistently be among the best at whatever you’re doing if you genuinely don’t like it.”
As for what Kaseya has been teasing for its big announcement at Kaseya Connect Global taking place in Las Vegas at the end of the month, Voccola told attendees they’d have to wait for the news. But he did say this: It’s a $20 billion career bet that expects will change the dynamics of the MSP industry to make it “one of the most lucrative and rewarding industries on this plant. Period. We think we found the way of doing that.” Stay tuned.
StoryBrand’s Donald Miller On How To Use Storytelling to Grow Your MSP Business
Donald Miller, author and CEO of StoryBrand and Business Made Simple, spoke on using the art of storytelling to grow your MSP business. All too often, he noted, MSPs’ tech-focused sales pitches fly over their prospects’ heads. Getting those pitches to stick relies on simplifying the message and understanding—and exploiting—your prospects’ basic brain functions. Human brains are simply not designed to take in unnecessary information, like your MSP’s back story or which firewall you use, he said. That means you need to make your information vital.
You can do this by being empathetic to your prospect’s problems, make them the hero of their story, then position yourself as the trusted guide or advisor who can help them with their pain points. Simple, snappy soundbites will take your business much further than complex marketing ideas. “If you want to win in business, don’t make your customer think,” said Miller.
Why MSPs Need To Plan For ‘What’s Next’ After You’re No Longer Running A Business Full Time
“Retirement” is a scary word for many business owners—and for good reason. Many leaders feel lost and listless after they stop working, simply because they haven’t done the life planning beforehand. Breakout session presenter Sarah Friedell O’Connell, president of ChangePoint Advisors, teaches entrepreneurs to plan for post-work life—from finding a purpose separate from their business to figuring out what to do with the extra free time. O’Connell said, “Harvard Medical School has a study that showed that approximately a third of retirees report feeling some sort of depression in the first few years of retirement. And that’s a shame. That’s unnecessary. It’s supposed to be an amazing time in life.” And with a bit of pre-planning, it can be.
O’Connell suggests asking, “How do you spend your time today, versus how you’ll spend it in the future? Are you taking care of your health?” Considering how you’ll find fulfillment, purpose, and personal identity separate from your role as the leader can take you a long way towards a happy, satisfying retirement, she said.
Mike Michalowicz On How To Build An Unstoppable Team
Sharing advice from his new book All In, author Mike Michalowicz explained why the traditional hiring approach to building an all-star team doesn’t work. Typically, businesses look to hire the rockstar candidate with years of experience. But the problem with trying to hire a Van Halen, Michalowicz said, is that he already has a successful career. Rockstar candidates often don’t need your company! Instead, look at hiring the undiscovered employee; recruit based on ability rather than experience. This strategy ensures that you’ll end up with a great culture fit—an employee with a hunger to learn. When looking for potential, search for candidates with these qualities: curiosity, desire, and thirst. “Unstoppable teams are created through great leaders, not merely assembled,” Michalowicz stressed.
Once you’ve made the hires, it’s critical to meet your employees’ other essential needs: safety and ownership. Your staff can’t do their best work if they’re worried about their personal or financial safety. A sense of personal ownership ensures that your employees will take pride in their work, rather than seeking to exploit loopholes. Michalowicz said it’s human nature: “When we’re forced to comply, we will seek to defy.” Instead, you can trigger a sense of psychological ownership by giving your staff the ability to personalize their work and encouraging them to utilize their depth of intimate knowledge on the subject.
