Building a Security‑First MSP With Jerem (EP 984)

If you’ve ever felt stuck between vendor noise, compliance pressure, and clients who only see you as “the computer guy,” this conversation is for you. Jerem and I dig into culture, cybersecurity, AI, and backup design—plus the uncomfortable stuff like staff training and saying no to shiny tools—so you can run a calmer, more profitable MSP. Chapters 00:00 Intro – Live show setup and community update for Jason 04:46 Sponsor Segment – ThreatLocker, NetAlly, OneStream, TruGrid 07:56 Guest Intro – Meet Jerem Morris and Datatek in Mesa, Arizona 10:20 Building Datatek – Referral-only growth and people‑first IT 12:16 From Tech to Business Owner – Early lessons and first hire 14:32 Shifting to Security‑First – Becoming a true technology partner 19:20 Deep Client Relationships – No client‑facing tickets and more QBRs 29:36 Training & AI Guardrails – Staff education, AI policy, and user training 36:21 Backup Strategy – Beyond 3‑2‑1 with Synology and layered recovery 44:12 Tool Stack & Future of AI – Avoiding shiny objects and preparing MSPs for AI Guests: Jerem Morris Datatek Website: https://datatekaz.com  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremmorris Shout-outs:  Jason Percival, NEPA Geeks: https://www.nepageeks.com Companies / Vendors / Products Mentioned NEPA Geeks: https://www.nepageeks.com Synology: https://www.synology.com Microsoft 365: https://www.microsoft.com/microsoft-365 Microsoft Copilot: https://www.microsoft.com/microsoft-copilot ChatGPT: https://chat.openai.com Arizona Tech Week (Mesa): https://www.aztechweekmesa.com Boeing: https://www.boeing.com Meta (Meta Platforms): https://about.meta.com Netgear: https://www.netgear.com === SPONSORS:  Livestream Partner, ThreatLocker: https://www.itbusinesspodcast.com/threatlocker Technology Partner, NetAlly: https://www.itbusinesspodcast.com/netally/ Technology Partner: Bvoip: https://www.itbusinesspodcast.com/bvoip Travel Partner: TruGrid: https://www.itbusinesspodcast.com/trugrid Digital Partner, Designer Ready: http://itbusinesspodcast.com/designerready === SHOW MUSIC:  Item Title: Upbeat & Fun Sports Rock Logo  Item URL: https://elements.envato.com/upbeat-fun-sports-rock-logo-CSR3UET Author Username: AlexanderRufire  Item License Code: 7X9F52DNML === Connect with Uncle Marv🌐 Website: https://www.itbusinesspodcast.com/🎙 Host: Marvin Bee🛒 Uncle Marv’s Amazon Store (gear & tools I recommend): https://amzn.to/3EiyKoZ☕ Support the show: https://ko-fi.com/itbusinesspodcastIf you found value in this episode, share it with another MSP, IT provider, or tech entrepreneur. Your support helps keep practical, no-nonsense IT business conversations coming every week.