#1 – Don’t Be That Guy - Managed Services Sucks - Here’s Why (Ryan Alter)

In this kickoff episode of the Bering McKinley Vision Podcast, host Josh Peterson, CEO of https://beringmckinley.com, sits down with Ryan Alter, a former MSP owner who successfully exited after running a contrarian, hourly-based model. Together, they unpack why the business of managed services often underperforms—and what MSP owners can do to fix it. ✅ Enjoyed this episode? Like, subscribe, and share your biggest takeaway below. For more MSP resources and expert consulting, visit https://beringmckinley.com/bering-mckinley-podcast-blog https://beringmckinley.com With two decades of consulting experience across 5,000 MSPs, Josh shares hard-won insights into profitability, pricing, and process discipline, while Ryan reveals the levers that made his service department outperform industry norms. 👉 Redefine success beyond predictable cash flow 👉 Fix the “agreement gross profit” blind spot 👉 Use data-driven levers—time entry, ticket hygiene, dispatch, and pricing—to drive true margin You’ll learn how Josh and Ryan: • Diagnose managed-services profit leaks using AGP and EHR formulas • Train dispatchers and techs to identify out-of-scope work and recover lost revenue • Structure service buckets—recurring, project, and hourly—for balanced growth • Prepare clean metrics and systems that boost valuation at exit Whether you’re an MSP owner tired of razor-thin margins, a service manager seeking clarity in your numbers, or an operations leader chasing sustainable profit, this episode breaks down the formulas, frameworks, and mindset shifts to make managed services work for you. 🔗 Resources & Links • Josh Peterson - Bering McKinley: https://beringmckinley.com • Ryan Alter - Silverstream AV: https://www.silverstreamav.com/ ⏱️ Chapters 00:00 – Welcome & why “managed services sucks” 04:26 – Meet Ryan and his hourly model success 11:30 – Understanding AGP and EHR for profitability 18:45 – Why perfection matters in PSA setup and time entry 26:10 – Using hourly pull-through as a profit lever 33:40 – Training dispatchers & techs on out-of-scope work 41:05 – Projects, pricing discipline & client education 48:20 – The real math behind margin and valuation 52:09 – Selling your MSP & being exit-ready 55:49 – Wrap-up and next episode preview 🔍 Searchable Topics & Tags managed services profitability, agreement gross profit, effective hourly rate, ConnectWise, dispatch training, time entry discipline, MSP consulting, service department margins, project profitability, MSP exit planning #msp  #managedservices  #profitability  #connectwise  #BeringMcKinley #AGP #EHR #MSPConsulting #MSPOperations #mspgrowth