The BMK Vision Podcast

Many MSP owners reach a stage where progress slows, not because of a lack of effort—but because everything still depends on them.   In this BMK Roundtable, Josh Peterson, Gary Boyle, and Ryan unpack the real reasons founder dependence reappears as MSPs grow. From broken buy-in and stalled initiatives to internal projects replacing billable work, this conversation tackles the leadership and operati...

Most MSPs don’t get stuck because they lack skill, tools, or effort. They get stuck because they’ve never clearly answered one foundational question:   What do you actually want?   In this episode of the BMK Vision Podcast, Josh Peterson (CEO, Bering McKinley) and Gary Boyle (Partner, Bering McKinley) continue the conversation about why MSPs stall—and go deeper into the question that unlocks real...

Most MSPs don’t get stuck because they lack technical skill. They get stuck because the business reaches a point where brute force stops working — and the owner hasn’t made the shift from operator to CEO. In this weekly BMK Vision Roundtable, Josh Peterson (CEO, Bering McKinley) is joined by Gary Boyle (Partner, Bering McKinley) and Ryan Alter (Former MSP Owner) to break down why so many MSPs plat...

Most business owners assume the R&D tax credit is only for labs, scientists, or massive corporations. In reality, many MSPs and service-based businesses qualify every year without realizing it. In this episode of the BMK Vision Podcast, Josh Peterson sits down with Val Majewski, Partner at American Incentive Advisors, to break down what the R&D tax credit really is, why most companies self...

In this episode of From the Trenches on the BMK Vision Podcast, Josh Peterson sits down with Steve Brickner, Founder/CEO of Kraken Technology Solutions, for a grounded conversation about where MSPs are headed next—and why the market is rewarding leadership more than ticket throughput.   Steve shares his path from construction into IT, why early-stage MSPs need the ability to pivot quickly, and how...

Most MSPs delay hiring a dispatcher because they believe it will slow response times or distance clients from technical help. In reality, the lack of dispatch is one of the biggest reasons MSPs struggle with inconsistent service, forgotten tickets, poor utilization, and burned-out technicians.   In this episode of the BMK Vision Podcast, Josh Peterson breaks down why dispatch is not administrative...

In #75 of From the Trenches on the BMK Vision Podcast, Josh Peterson talks with Jocelyn Gorman (President, DSI) about building an MSP inside a copier-dealer ecosystem—and why the real advantage isn’t the client list, it’s credibility, infrastructure, and a willingness to take smart risks.    They cover the “big contract first” origin story, why large accounts can fund growth without delivering pro...

Your MSP business is doing more right than you think—but the industry rarely pauses to say it. In this episode, Josh Peterson is joined by Gary Boyle and Ryan Alter for a “Don’t Be That Guy” conversation that flips the script: why the MSP business model is awesome, why it’s often more resilient (and sellable) than other SMB categories, and what owners must do to protect margin as the market tighte...

In this Don’t Be That Guy webinar episode of The BMK Vision Podcast, Josh Peterson sits down with Fletcher Wimbush of Discovered for a direct, no-nonsense conversation MSP owners need to hear: you suck at hiring—and it’s costing you more than you think.   Fletcher breaks down why most MSP hiring processes fail before the first interview even happens, how relying on “gut feel” leads to expensive mi...

Kevin Kahn joins Josh Peterson to share the real story behind scaling an MSP through mentorship, relationship-driven growth, and operational discipline. Kevin explains how a pivotal early mentor changed his trajectory, how IntelliComp grew organically for years, and what shifts when you modernize your stack to get better visibility, reporting, and business control.   Guest Introduction Kevin Kahn...

In this BMK Quick Takes episode, Josh Peterson teaches the most important—and most misunderstood—sales principle in the MSP industry: the correct order of selling. Josh explains why selling yourself first, your company second, and your services last leads to stronger trust and better outcomes. He also breaks down the four essential components of a First-Time Appointment: budget, timeframe, next st...

Leaving a stable role to launch your own MSP is exciting—and brutally hard. In this episode, Josh Peterson talks with Chris Hart, founder of Hart CTO Inc and longtime IT executive, about what his first 90+ days back in the MSP saddle have really looked like: slow leads, pricing pressure, doubts about size, and the surprising lifelines that are keeping the business moving.    Guest Introduction Chr...

Growing an MSP from “computer guy” to a multi-technician, acquisition-ready business isn’t about hacks or hype—it’s about talking to more people, building real systems, and avoiding the wrong hires at the wrong time. In this episode, Josh Peterson is joined by Chad Kempt, founder and president of Fast Computers, an Ontario-based MSP that’s been serving clients since 1998 and recently merged with a...

What happens when a long-time MSP owner finally admits he can’t keep being the only salesperson—and decides to build a truly accountable, automation-ready organization? In this episode, Josh Peterson talks with Charles Swihart, Founder & CEO of Preactive IT Solutions, about implementing EOS, scaling sales beyond the owner, and preparing for the next wave of AI and automation in the MSP world....

What does it really look like to build a mountain of cash between your MSP and the next crisis? In this episode of the BMK Vision Podcast, Josh Peterson sits down with Bryan Currier, Founder & CEO of Advantage Technologies, to unpack the systems, disciplines, and mindset that took his dental-focused MSP from a near cash disaster during the Great Recession to a multi-state, Hassle Free IT platf...

Are you building a business you love—or flying a plane with no destination?   In this Don’t Be That Guy episode of the BMK Vision Podcast, Josh Peterson and former MSP owner Ryan Alter dig into one of the hardest questions in ownership: Should you sell your MSP or keep running it—and on what terms? Together they explore burnout, lifestyle businesses, valuations, and what it really takes to land th...

In this BMK Quick Takes episode, Josh Peterson explains why most MSP goals fail before they ever begin. Goals are not dreams, affirmations, or intentions—they are math.   Josh walks through how purpose statements create clarity, how SMART objectives actually work in real businesses, and how revenue targets must be reverse-engineered into proposals, meetings, prospecting activity, and daily behavio...

In this episode of the BMK Vision Podcast, Josh Peterson talks with Stephanie Peace, founder of Goldroot Strategies, about what it really takes to build a marketing engine that feels human in an AI-driven world. From grassroots outreach and “smarketing” alignment to data hygiene and social content, they walk through how MSPs can stop spraying and praying—and start building real relationships that...

Most small-business and MSP owners know hiring is mission-critical, yet still rely on gut feelings, rushed interviews, and contingency recruiters whose incentives don’t align with quality. In this episode, Josh Peterson talks with Fletcher Wimbush, CEO of Discovered, about how to replace guesswork with a proven, science-based hiring process that consistently produces A-players.   Guest Introductio...

James Sanford, President and founder of Teamspring Technologies in North Georgia, joins Josh Peterson to talk about what the next evolution of MSP work really looks like when automation and AI are at the center. From his beginnings as a software engineer to building a family-run MSP serving Atlanta-area SMBs and nonprofits, James explains how recurring revenue, advisory work, and automation are re...

This episode dives deep into one of the most important conversations in the MSP industry today: the decision every owner must make—transform or exit. Josh Peterson is joined by James Davis, a strategy advisor and fractional CSO helping APAC technology companies modernize their business models and unlock new growth.   James breaks down why MSPs remain stuck at the $1–2M ceiling, how mindset and ide...

What happens when an MSP owner takes dispatch seriously, insists on real-time time entry, and uses data instead of gut feel to run the business? In this episode, Luis M. Alvarez, President & CEO of Alvarez Technology Group, sits down with Josh Peterson to walk through 25 years of lessons building a security-focused MSP on the California Central Coast.    Luis shares how he moved from break-fix...

Operational truth. Financial clarity. The real future of MSPs. In this episode, Josh Peterson and Mordy (Morty) Hackel explore the foundations and philosophies that determine whether an MSP thrives, stagnates, or collapses under complexity. Morty brings more than two decades of New York–based MSP experience, blending technical depth with strategic insight.   Guest Introduction   Morty Hackel is Pa...

What really happens after the deal closes? In this episode of the BMK Vision Podcast – From the Trenches, Josh Peterson sits down with David Spire, Chief Transformation Officer at Entech, to talk about scaling through M&A, re-signing legacy clients, and building a sales engine that actually supports enterprise value—rather than just buying your way to a number.    David shares his journey from...

What happens when an MSP owner decides that growth has to serve life—not the other way around? In this From the Trenches conversation, Josh Peterson talks with Brian Welch, founder and president of Welch Technology Services, LLC, about building a sustainable MSP in New Jersey, choosing the right clients, and setting a clear 15-year path to an eventual exit.   Brian shares how he left an acquired I...