“Work-life balance” is often a topic of conversation amidst corporate America, but tends to fall by the wayside among the entrepreneurial crowd. With so much to do and so little time, it’s understandable how most owners get tunnel vision when it comes to their MSP.
Daryl D’Souza, managing partner of Technique LTD., an IT services firm based in Toronto, Ontario, fell victim to the same trap. However, he has since learned the importance of setting priorities. As he started his latest MSP venture, Technique, he kept these lessons in mind while setting his company’s values and creating a structure to grow business with carefully curated clients.
Grind, Grind, Grind
D’Souza started his first business at only 20 years old, after securing a $100,000 loan to start a dedicated hosting company. His days were filled with long hours building servers, answering support calls, and sending out login credentials as fast as possible. He says, “I remember sleeping with my phone on my chest because we advertised 24/7 support.”
After paying off this loan, D’Souza made a promise to himself—no more debt. D’Souza explains, “I took a job at Dell as a Technical Sales Representative, and this was my first experience with business infrastructure. I left after 2–3 years, then was asked back, so I returned for a while longer, but by then, I knew I was ready to do my own thing.”
Striking out on his own, Daryl endured early mornings, late nights, and little sleep as he spent long hours building his own IT firm. “At the time, my mindset was, ‘Hustle. Get it done no matter what. Don’t take no for an answer. Just go, go, go.’”
One Earth-Shattering Moment
That all changed after the tragic loss of D’Souza’s infant daughter, Adaline, due to birth complications. This devastating blow caused D’Souza to step back from his MSP and reassess his priorities.
“Afterwards, I disconnected from my business. My whole world had imploded, but I still had to be strong for my wife and son. It took about a year and a half, but eventually, I realized everything happens for a reason, and I needed to shift my focus to what was truly important—being present with my family,” says D’Souza. “For example, I was always physically present at my son’s soccer games, but I wasn’t mentally present. I’d still check emails or take calls on the sidelines. But now? I set my phone to ‘Do Not Disturb’ and prioritize my family time above all else. If I lose a deal, I lose a deal.”
Launching Technique
This drastic mindset shift is what prompted D’Souza to launch Technique in October 2023. “Coming out of this traumatic experience, I realized I no longer want to work on projects that don’t align with my values. I realized it’s not about hitting a certain sales quota or the materialistic side of things. If I was going to live a wholly successful life, I needed to change. And that started with redefining what success looks like to me,” states Daryl. “It’s not just monetary values; it’s other aspects of work-life balance that ensure you have a wholly successful life—your personal life, your health, religion, family.”
An instant connection on what success meant to them lead D’Souza and his business partner, Chee Lam, to found Technique together. “[Technique] gives us the ability and flexibility to do what we want and lead that successful life,” D’Souza says. “I had known Chee for about 3–4 years, and funny enough, we were competitors in the IT space. I would always ask him for tech help, and he would ask me for sales advice. Finally, we said, ‘Why don’t we combine forces?’ And that’s how this new venture, Technique, was born.”
Technique’s Differentiator
Technique is an IT firm that works with businesses that truly appreciate and want to utilize technology to drive growth. “It’s not meant to be a regular IT services company. Numbers aren’t our only motivating factor. For example, we recently turned down a contract that could generate $2M+ in sales because they didn’t align with what we look for in a client. I would rather forgo something like that and instead work with people who fit our values,” explains D’Souza. He adds, “We don’t have a magic wand, but we are prepared to help organizations in the financial, legal, and manufacturing sectors optimize their path to success by leveraging technology.”
Achieving Growth…
Technique has maintained 10% YoY growth since its launch in October. D’Souza explained that the biggest catalyst for growth has been word of mouth, largely through exposure at events: “I do some volunteer time, just to give back to the community. I’m in a couple of volunteer organizations—the local Chamber of Commerce, and I’m the chair of the local Crimestoppers branch. I don’t actively push the business there, but somehow things just work out and we get some exposure to the business.”
The MSP is also running some marketing campaigns to acquire new customers. One method they’re using is sending boxes of promotional materials to prospects, which include a book that D’Souza co-authored, as well as a magazine that features Technique.
When asked about advice he’d give to other MSPs looking to grow their business, D’Souza said that there’s no magic wand when it comes to scaling MSPs. “The key thing I’ve seen, across the board, is consistency. I know there’s a lot of online fluff around about Google ads and Facebook posts and whatnot, but there’s no silver bullet. There’s no set it and forget it. So having different marketing initiatives for every quarter and focusing on it and being consistent with it, regardless of what the success rate is, is key. Of course, look at other options if it’s not working, but giving it a fair shot and keeping at it is important.”
…While Maintaining Balance
When asked how he would recommend other MSPs find the work-life balance he’s achieved, D’Souza recommended niching down into a specific vertical. “We target private equity and asset management firms, with around five to 50 staff members specifically. When you narrow down to that level, you can achieve a lot more because you can then find out where these people hang, what they do, and then be present. I believe that sales is more about being there at the right time, at the right place, and having visibility for your business. I think that gives you a better chance of being successful, rather than being commoditized—our industry is already commoditized. You don’t be a commoditized offering or commoditized service in an already saturated market.”
Above all, D’Souza urges MSP owners to keep in mind that life doesn’t begin at retirement. “It’s important to have fun while you’re living because there’s more to life than just your 9 to 5.”
Technique is a culmination of everything D’Souza has learned throughout his entrepreneurial journey. It stands as a testament to what can be accomplished when you learn to live in alignment with your true inner values while bringing premium services to a hand-selected group of clients.
