EPISODE · Jan 2, 2026 · 40 MIN
#70 – From the Trenches: Surviving Your First 90 Days as an MSP Owner (Chris Hart – Hart CTO Inc)
from The BMK Vision Podcast · host Josh Peterson
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 Chris Hart is the founder of Hart CTO Inc, a Florida-based fractional CTO and consulting firm serving law firms and professional services organizations. With more than two decades leading MSP teams and technology operations, Chris has supported thousands of end users, built cybersecurity practices, and guided firms through complex infrastructure and cloud transitions. In this conversation, he and Josh explore the realities of starting a new MSP in a saturated, acquisition-heavy market—and how fractional CTO work, assessments, and subcontract projects can bridge the early-stage gap. ⸻ What We Cover in This Episode Leaving a stable executive role to relaunch as an MSP owner Why the first 90 days were tougher and slower than expected Handling “you’re too small” objections with 75–200 user prospects Pricing realities around $85–$100 per user and why “full freight” is hard Using subcontract projects and residential work to keep cash flowing Building a referral “army” of part-time sales partners and ISPs Selling paid assessments into companies that already have MSPs Positioning fractional CTO services for legal and professional firms How consolidation and acquisitions change the local MSP opportunity Mindset, activity levels, and the long game of building a durable MSP ⸻ Guest Links Guest LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-hart863/ Company Website: https://hartcto.com ⸻ Subscribe and Follow BMK Vision YouTube (Video Podcast): https://www.youtube.com/@beringmckinleyvision?sub_confirmation=1 Learn More About the Vision Platform: https://beringmckinley.com/vision Apply to Be a Guest: https://beringmckinley.com/bering-mckinley-podcast-blog
What this episode covers
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 Chris Hart is the founder of Hart CTO Inc, a Florida-based fractional CTO and consulting firm serving law firms and professional services organizations. With more than two decades leading MSP teams and technology operations, Chris has supported thousands of end users, built cybersecurity practices, and guided firms through complex infrastructure and cloud transitions. In this conversation, he and Josh explore the realities of starting a new MSP in a saturated, acquisition-heavy market—and how fractional CTO work, assessments, and subcontract projects can bridge the early-stage gap. ⸻ What We Cover in This Episode Leaving a stable executive role to relaunch as an MSP owner Why the first 90 days were tougher and slower than expected Handling “you’re too small” objections with 75–200 user prospects Pricing realities around $85–$100 per user and why “full freight” is hard Using subcontract projects and residential work to keep cash flowing Building a referral “army” of part-time sales partners and ISPs Selling paid assessments into companies that already have MSPs Positioning fractional CTO services for legal and professional firms How consolidation and acquisitions change the local MSP opportunity Mindset, activity levels, and the long game of building a durable MSP ⸻ Guest Links Guest LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-hart863/ Company Website: https://hartcto.com ⸻ Subscribe and Follow BMK Vision YouTube (Video Podcast): https://www.youtube.com/@beringmckinleyvision?sub_confirmation=1 Learn More About the Vision Platform: https://beringmckinley.com/vision Apply to Be a Guest: https://beringmckinley.com/bering-mckinley-podcast-blog
NOW PLAYING
#70 – From the Trenches: Surviving Your First 90 Days as an MSP Owner (Chris Hart – Hart CTO Inc)
No transcript for this episode yet
Similar Episodes
No similar episodes found.
Similar Podcasts
No similar podcasts found.