The ground is shifting under MSPs—and everyone feels it.
While MSPs are optimistic that the shifts being driven by AI, cybersecurity and compliance demands, and savvier clients seeking strategic partners, will open up opportunities and new sources of revenue, there are challenges ahead too.
MSP Success went straight to the source and asked MSPs what they believe their biggest challenges will be in 2026. The answers weren’t scattered or uncertain. In fact, they clustered tightly around a few realities: Talent is harder to find than ever, AI is both the accelerator and the risk, security expectations are rising, and growth without operational maturity could be the downfall of even strong firms. And all of this is unfolding on the heels of a year that saw rising costs and economic uncertainty.
Here’s what MSPs identified as the hills they’ll need to climb in 2026 and the strategies they’ll use to get there.
Channel Chatter: Challenges in the New Year
“I believe our biggest challenge for 2026 will be finding the right talent that fits our culture while having the ability to deliver the level of service our clients expect. That is why we have invested in our own training process to level up new hires to meet the technical delivery requirements so we can focus on hiring individuals that fit our culture first and foremost.”
—Wayne Hunter, CEO, AvTek Solutions
“Upskilling. We need engineers who don’t just solve technical problems, but can think like consultants—who understand risk, business context, and how to use AI and security frameworks as tools to solve real business pain. It’s a different muscle, and it takes time. But if we get that right, combining deep tech skills with consulting mindset, it’s going to set us apart in a big way.”
—Natalia Scheidegger, CEO, 3rdmill; MSP Success Advisory Council Member
“Our biggest challenge will be helping business owners rein in Shadow AI before it becomes the next major security nightmare. Employees are already using AI tools whether companies approve them or not, and most business owners don’t even realize it’s happening. Our job as the Superheroes of IT is to shine a light on it, put guardrails in place, and help clients use AI the right way—safely, responsibly, and without accidentally turning their data into the villain.”
—Mike Bloomfield, President Geek, Tekie Geek
“Converting the efficiencies we’ve learned from AI into practical benefits our customer can use.”
—Jim Gast, Director of AI-Powered New Business Development, Valeo Networks; MSP Success Advisory Council Member
“Our biggest challenge in 2026 will be staying ahead of relentless innovation while guiding clients through complex change in a secure and sustainable way. As AI and cybersecurity threats continue to evolve, we must ensure every new capability is adopted with intention and aligns with our clients’ long-term goals. Scaling our operations without sacrificing service quality will require disciplined processes, ongoing education, and a steadfast focus on delivering proactive, high-trust support. Success will depend on our ability to adapt quickly while never losing sight of our core values.”
—Corey Kirkendoll, President and CEO, 5K Technical Services; MSP Success Advisory Council Member
“Our biggest challenge in 2026 will be acquiring more business in new, unique ways without breaking the bank. The cost of doing business has gotten very expensive not only in products, shipping, but labor as well. Minimum wage in NJ/NY is one of the highest in the country and finding good talent will be even harder even if you’re planning on hiring young, inexperienced talent. You have to be willing to either fire quick or pay more to train new employees.”
—Mario Zaki, CEO, Mazteck; MSP Success Advisory Council Member
“Time. And we don’t have this as a problem right now, but I am very concerned about the economy and the tariffs and just something outside our control happening and changing.”
—Dan Gilligan, CEO, IntegraMSP
“Finding people [technicians] that fit our culture and actually show up to work. We’re an office-based environment, so it’s just as much, if not more, about the culture than the skill set. So finding people that have a servant’s heart, that want to take care of the customer, and have the skills.”
—Doug Bates, President, CMIT Solutions of Southern Atlanta Crescent & Atlanta Northwest
“The biggest challenge in 2026 [will be] just growing as fast as we want to grow. We have maintained over 20% growth for four years in a row, but the bigger we get, and we’re nearing $5 million now, the harder that is to maintain. So I’ve hired salespeople and I’ve got them working the phones and we’re just about to launch a series of campaigns … we’re going to mix it up where every two months they’re getting a letter and then they’re getting something to put on their desk from us.”
—Charles Swihart, CEO, Preactive IT Solutions
“Navigating the growth as we onboard a lot more customers and need to grow our employee count. We’ve been pretty lucky in that regards to where we’ve grown without having to add too much. But as we continue to add more [customers], it’s pretty much every role that we’re going to need to add over the next 12 to 18 months. Being able to navigate that growth is probably our biggest challenge.”
—Bill Marshall, President and CEO, Moonshot Solutions
“Our biggest challenge in 2026 will be bridging the gap between legacy service models and today’s evolving technology needs. Many of our long-term customers remain on older offerings that don’t fully address modern security and operational requirements. While their loyalty is invaluable, helping them understand the current threat landscape and the benefits of adopting a more comprehensive tech stack will require ongoing education and engagement. Balancing this transition without disrupting trust or service continuity will be critical to keeping their businesses secure.”
—Thomas Lohr, Chief Growth Officer, Techworks Consulting; MSP Success Advisory Council Member
“Identifying the right seats on the bus and making sure we have them and have the right people in them. Staying with the commitment to assume nothing, question everything, ruthlessly eliminate what doesn’t serve, and to optimize and iterate the correct things as life and business happen.”
—Stuart Bryan, President, I-M Technology; MSP Success Advisory Council Member
