Tales From the Trenches: Wisdom from the Frontlines of Managed Services

Join my newsletter here: https://adamhannemann.com/newsletter If you're telling yourself that chatting with your techs throughout the day counts as a 1-on-1, it doesn't, and this episode is going to make that uncomfortably clear. Natalie and I sit down for an honest conversation about how often MSP owners and service managers are actually meeting with their people one-on-one, and why most of us aren't doing it nearly enough. The short version of our take: more often, shorter, and let the employee lead. - What the spectrum of 1-on-1 frequency actually looks like across MSPs, from never to weekly, and what each of those really signals about your team culture - Why frequent short meetings beat infrequent long ones, and what a good 15 to 20 minute 1-on-1 should actually look like - The difference between a 1-on-1 and a status update, because this is about the person, not the tickets - How consistent 1-on-1s quietly solve your performance review problem by building a real-time record of how someone is doing across the whole year - The hidden cost of skipping them, including why owners who avoid 1-on-1s to save time often end up spending way more on retention and rehiring Interested in the Pax8 Peer Groups? You can find out more info here: https://www.pax8.com/en-us/academy/groups/ Interested in the Pax8 Instructor Led Training? You can find out more info here: http://pax8.com/en-us/academy/training/ 👇 Like what you see? Don’t forget to: 📧 Join the MSP newsletter for tools, tips, and templates → https://adamhannemann.com/newsletter 🔔 Subscribe for weekly MSP insights → https://youtube.com/@Adam-Rambles 🌐 Learn more or connect with me at https://adamhannemann.com 🌐 Connect with Adam on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/ahannemann 🌐 Connect with Natalie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalie-hell/ 

Join my newsletter her: https://adamhannemann.com/newsletter Hiring in an MSP sounds simple until you’re actually in the middle of it. In this episode, Natalie and I dig into one of the most common challenges we see in Peer Groups: knowing when to hire, who to hire, and how to do it without creating bigger problems for your business. This is one of those areas where a bad decision can set you back months, and a good one can unlock real growth. We talk through practical signals you can watch for, including financial readiness, utilization, and what your team actually looks like day to day. We also get into the realities of early-stage hiring, why your first hire matters more than you think, and how to avoid the trap of bringing on the wrong level of technician or role too early. If you’ve ever wondered whether it’s time to hire, struggled with figuring out the right position, or just want a more structured way to think about growing your team, this conversation will give you a clearer path forward without overcomplicating it. If you are looking for an MSP recruiter we'd both recommend reaching out to Troy Gelsky: https://www.linkedin.com/in/troy-gelsky-bb522b93/ Interested in the Pax8 Peer Groups? You can find out more info here: https://www.pax8.com/en-us/academy/groups/ Interested in the Pax8 Instructor Led Training? You can find out more info here: http://pax8.com/en-us/academy/training/   👇 Like what you see? Don’t forget to: 📧 Join the MSP newsletter for tools, tips, and templates → https://adamhannemann.com/newsletter 🔔 Subscribe for weekly MSP insights → https://youtube.com/@Adam-Rambles 🌐 Learn more or connect with me at https://adamhannemann.com 🌐 Connect with Adam on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/ahannemann 🌐 Connect with Natalie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalie-hell/ 

In this episode of Tales from the Trenches, Natalie and I dig into something that sounds simple but is often missing in MSPs: routines. We break down what a strong cadence actually looks like for both owners and service managers, and why so many businesses get stuck reacting to fires instead of running with intention. From daily dashboard reviews and sales discipline to weekly one-on-ones and client check-ins, we talk through the habits that keep things from slipping through the cracks and how easy it is to lose momentum when those habits aren’t in place. We also spend time on the bigger picture rhythms that tend to get ignored. Monthly financial reviews, tracking profitability, and making sure your key initiatives are actually moving forward are all critical. On the service side, we dive into ticket management, SLA performance, and capacity planning, along with how small misses today can turn into big problems next week. There’s a strong theme throughout the conversation around visibility, whether it’s into your numbers, your team, or your client experience. The big takeaway is that routines are not about restriction, they are about clarity and control. Without them, it becomes incredibly difficult to lead, make decisions, or scale effectively. We talk about building these habits early, refining them over time, and making sure you are not the bottleneck in your own business. If you’ve ever felt like your MSP is constantly reacting instead of operating with purpose, this is a conversation worth tuning into. Interested in the Pax8 Peer Groups? You can find out more info here: https://www.pax8.com/en-us/academy/groups/ Interested in the Pax8 Instructor Led Training? You can find out more info here: http://pax8.com/en-us/academy/training/ 👇 Like what you see? Don’t forget to: 📧 Join the MSP newsletter for tools, tips, and templates → https://adamhannemann.com/newsletter 🔔 Subscribe for weekly MSP insights → https://youtube.com/@Adam-Rambles 🌐 Learn more or connect with me at https://adamhannemann.com 🌐 Connect with Adam on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/ahannemann 🌐 Connect with Natalie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalie-hell/ 

Account management is a key process and role in your MSP. In this episode Natalie and I talk about all things Account Management. Interested in the Pax8 Peer Groups? You can find out more info here: https://www.pax8.com/en-us/academy/groups/ We even have an Account Manager Peer Group. Interested in the Pax8 Instructor Led Training? You can find out more info here: http://pax8.com/en-us/academy/training/ 👇 Like what you see? Don’t forget to: 📧 Join the MSP newsletter for tools, tips, and templates → https://adamhannemann.com/newsletter 🔔 Subscribe for weekly MSP insights → https://youtube.com/@Adam-Rambles 🌐 Learn more or connect with me at https://adamhannemann.com   Looking for a Bookkeeper for your MSP? Check out https://nordicsky.us 

Join my newsletter here: https://adamhannemann.com/newsletter Over the past week I've talked to a bunch of MSPs about Lead Generation and Finance. These topics come up a lot in my travels in the MSP Peer Groups. These two things are topics that few MSPs didn't get in the business to learn. Most MSPs start as techs that start a business didn't plan on becoming a sales person, a marketing person, and a financial wizard. The reality is that you need to get good enough at these things. This is what I'm talking about in today's Tales from the Trenches. Natalie is on PTO so I'm flying solo. This week's Tales from the Trenches is all about finance and lead generation. Here is my playlist on Lead Generation and Sales: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4Oa0PmgihVt9vZaDAcDQkxxNKNvFdjDl Here is my playlist on MSP Finance: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4Oa0PmgihVuDYdh5K84EHtJrj8ZlSjA3 Interested in the Pax8 Peer Groups? You can find out more info here: https://www.pax8.com/en-us/academy/groups/ Interested in the Pax8 Instructor Led Training? You can find out more info here: http://pax8.com/en-us/academy/training/ 👇 Like what you see? Don’t forget to: 📧 Join the MSP newsletter for tools, tips, and templates → https://adamhannemann.com/newsletter 🔔 Subscribe for weekly MSP insights → https://youtube.com/@Adam-Rambles 🌐 Learn more or connect with me at https://adamhannemann.com 🌐 Connect with Adam on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/ahannemann 🌐 Connect with Natalie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalie-hell/ 

Join my newsletter here: https://adamhannemann.com/newsletter Let’s be honest... raising prices is scary. Most MSPs avoid it because they don’t want to lose clients or rock the boat. But here’s the truth: nothing in your business is getting cheaper, and avoiding that hard conversation will quietly eat away at your margins. In this Tales from the Trenches episode, Natalie and I share how MSPs can raise prices the right way — from timing and communication to dealing with client pushback. We’ll talk about how to identify which clients are profitable, which ones aren’t, and why an annual price review should be part of your growth strategy. If you’ve ever wondered how to raise rates without losing your mind (or your clients), this one’s for you. Interested in the Pax8 Peer Groups? You can find out more info here: https://www.pax8.com/en-us/academy/groups/ Interested in the Pax8 Instructor Led Training? You can find out more info here: http://pax8.com/en-us/academy/training/ 👇 Like what you see? Don’t forget to: 📧 Join the MSP newsletter for tools, tips, and templates → https://adamhannemann.com/newsletter 🔔 Subscribe for weekly MSP insights → https://youtube.com/@Adam-Rambles 🌐 Learn more or connect with me at https://adamhannemann.com 🌐 Connect with Adam on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/ahannemann 🌐 Connect with Natalie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalie-hell/ 

Join my newsletter: https://adamhannemann.com/newsletter In this episode of Tales from the Trenches, Natalie Hell and I dig into one of the most overlooked (and under-profitable) parts of running an MSP: Projects. From scoping to pricing to client communication, projects can make or break your margins, and too often, they end up being loss leaders instead of profit drivers. We’ve both been deep in the trenches running project teams, and we’ve got some stories — and lessons — that every MSP owner or project manager should hear. We walk through the five biggest things we’d focus on if we were running an MSP project team today. Many of these lessons we learned the hard way in our former MSPs. We talk about what goes wrong when your scope isn’t tight, what happens when communication slips, and how your Statement of Work (SOW) can either protect your profitability or completely sink it. If you’ve ever wondered why your MSP projects aren’t hitting the margins you expect — or why clients get cranky halfway through a rollout — this is a conversation you’ll want to listen to all the way through. Because sometimes the difference between a successful project and a financial mess isn’t the tech… it’s the process. Interested in the Pax8 Peer Groups? You can find out more info here: https://www.pax8.com/en-us/academy/groups/ Interested in the Pax8 Instructor Led Training? You can find out more info here: http://pax8.com/en-us/academy/training/ 🌐 Connect with Adam on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/ahannemann 🌐 Connect with Natalie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalie-hell/ 

In this episode, we're diving into a side of business continuity that often gets overlooked in the MSP space: What happens to your business if you, the owner, can’t be there. This isn’t about data backups or disaster recovery tools. Instead, it’s about building a plan so your MSP can keep running if you need to step away for a vacation, face an unexpected illness, or even in the worst-case scenario, if you’re no longer around to lead.   Interested in the Pax8 Peer Groups? You can find out more info here: https://www.pax8.com/en-us/academy/groups/   Interested in the Pax8 Instructor Led Training? You can find out more info here: http://pax8.com/en-us/academy/training/   👇 Like what you see? Don’t forget to: 📧 Join the MSP newsletter for tools, tips, and templates → https://adamhannemann.com/newsletter 🔔 Subscribe for weekly MSP insights → https://youtube.com/@Adam-Rambles 🌐 Learn more or connect with me at https://adamhannemann.com 🌐 Connect with Adam on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/ahannemann 🌐 Connect with Natalie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalie-hell/ 

Every lost client is a lesson to be learned in your MSP. In this episode, Natalie and I talk about things we've learned along the way from the clients that got away. Interested in the Pax8 Peer Groups? You can find out more info here: https://www.pax8.com/en-us/academy/groups/ Interested in the Pax8 Instructor Led Training? You can find out more info here: http://pax8.com/en-us/academy/training/ 👇 Like what you see? Don’t forget to: 📧 Join the MSP newsletter for tools, tips, and templates → https://adamhannemann.com/newsletter 🔔 Subscribe for weekly MSP insights → https://youtube.com/@Adam-Rambles 🌐 Learn more or connect with me at https://adamhannemann.com 🌐 Connect with Adam on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/ahannemann 🌐 Connect with Natalie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalie-hell/

As we talk to MSPs each week we find ourselves talking about several processes on a regular basis. Natalie and I took a little bit to come up with our top 5 processes that all Managed Service Providers should have in their business. We had a little bit of overlap so our top 5 processes each turned into a total of top 8 processes. Our top processes are (in no real particular order are): 1. Invoicing and Accounts Receivable 2. Backup and Disaster Recovery 3. Lead Generation https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4Oa0PmgihVt9vZaDAcDQkxxNKNvFdjDl 4. Incident Response 5. Documentation and an SOP for your SOPs https://youtu.be/YIyfIl-eNB4 6. Triage and Dispatch https://youtu.be/dTebauCEi3o & https://youtu.be/zmr0SQ5AG7o 7. Account Management https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4Oa0PmgihVt9vZaDAcDQkxxNKNvFdjDl 8. Client Onboarding https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4Oa0PmgihVtIrvJ5frGEafvWErKj48iu&si=IQ5xCtZHBobcOwIO We've put out some videos about several of these topics so those links are above as well. Interested in the Pax8 Peer Groups? You can find out more info here: https://www.pax8.com/en-us/academy/groups/ Interested in the Pax8 Instructor Led Training? You can find out more info here: http://pax8.com/en-us/academy/training/ 

Join my newsletter here: https://adamhannemann.com/newsletter Your Triage and Dispatch process is vital for your MSP. This process (and the people that perform the process) setup the tickets coming into your MSP for success. This sets a number of other pieces in motion. If you set the ticket up for success, you set the tech up for success, and ultimately this helps set the client up for a great experience with your service. You MUST have a Triage and Dispatch process, and someone needs to own this process. Natalie and I walk through this process and concept in this week's Tales From the Trenches.

One important thing to keep your eye on at your Managed Service Provider is keeping your team up-to-speed with learning new skills. From tech skills to soft skills to leadership skills your team all needs to continue getting smarter. This isn't just for the MSP techs, but for the whole company - including the owner. In our podcast this week Natalie and I talk about building a professional development plan and some ideas around how to motivate your team, and level up the skills for your MSP employees.   Check out the Pax8 Peer Groups: https://www.pax8.com/en-us/academy/groups/ Check out the Pax8 Instructor Led Training: https://www.pax8.com/en-us/academy/training/    🌐 Connect with Adam on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/ahannemann 🌐 Connect with Natalie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalie-hell/ 

Join my newsletter here: https://adamhannemann.com/newsletter Natalie and I don't really coordinate our topics that carefully, but often we land on the same topic each week. This week was finance. Our conversations throughout the week led us to how important it is to understand your MSP financial situation properly and make decisions on your finances. Join our conversation as we talk about the importance of understanding finance. Links from the conversation: Getting Your Finances in Order course: https://www.pax8nebula.com/m/77466a2f3be8d3e1/original/Getting-your-finances-in-order.pdf Leveling Up Your Finances: https://www.pax8nebula.com/m/7b1d6ff209a002f8/original/Leveling-up-your-finances.pdf Finance for Service Managers: https://www.pax8nebula.com/m/37d5d9f8d0c12278/original/Finance-for-Service-Managers.pdf Chart of Accounts (Organizing Your Financial Data): https://www.pax8nebula.com/m/46ca006363dca972/original/Organizing-your-Financial-Data-Syllabus.pdf If you're looking for more information about Peer Groups check this link out: https://www.pax8.com/en-us/academy/groups/ Connect with Adam on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/ahannemann  Connect with Natalie on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/natalie-hell 

New client onboarding is one of those vital processes for your MSP. Managed Service Providers MUST onboard new clients well. When client onboarding is done well everyone wins. When client onboarding isn't done well, everyone loses. Onboarding sets your team up for success with the new client, it sets the client up to know what to expect, and it's often the first work you do for the client. Natalie and Adam will cover the important pieces of onboarding new MSP clients in this week's episode of Tales from the Trenches. More Onboarding Content: 1️⃣ Adam's onboarding process: https://youtu.be/KwwLSklQjGY 2️⃣ Adam's onboarding slides: https://youtu.be/1hoksunMatc 3️⃣ Adam's Blog post about Onboarding: https://adamhannemann.com/mastering-msp-client-onboarding-a-repeatable-path-to-success/

Join Adam's Newsletter: https://adamhannemann.com/newsletter   One of the most common sayings we have in Peer Groups is that "You must be present to win." When you try and attend a meeting that is largely in person, but you attend remotely it really inhibits the value you gain from being in the group in the first place. So, in short, you get more from your Peer Group from being there and fully engaged than attending remotely.   Check out the Pax8 Peer Groups: https://www.pax8.com/en-us/academy/groups/

We made this podcast/video series to talk about all things Peer Groups. It makes sense for us to tell you a little bit about how each of us got our Peer Group start. Welcome to Tales from the Trenches: MSP Peer Group Origin Stories.   Check out the Pax8 Peer Groups: https://www.pax8.com/en-us/academy/groups/  Join Adam's Newsletter: https://adamhannemann.com/newsletter  Connect with Adam: https://linkedin.com/in/ahannemann Connect with Natalie: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalie-hell/ 

Every week (or every other week at least) we have conversations around marketing. Specifically, how do I generate more leads? Many MSPs approach this with what I call "random acts of marketing" where they try a bunch of different things without anything approaching a plan. This week's podcast is all about building up your core marketing muscle. You must do a few things well, and we're covering the MOST IMPORTANT pieces of your marketing puzzle. Related videos: Target Client Profile: https://youtu.be/aGXSy0PbitU LinkedIn Thoughts: https://youtu.be/AXwl-6IeaAI  Check out the Pax8 Peer Groups: https://www.pax8.com/en-us/academy/groups

Join Adam's newsletter: https://adamhannemann.com/newsletter What do you do when you have a key employee that gives their notice? Do you have a backup plan? Are you doing what you can to keep them from even wanting to leave? Keeping your people happy is one of those important things that you must think about as a people leader and MSP Business Owner. In this episode we talk about keeping your key employees and strategies for handling when the inevitable happens and they want to leave. We also talk about hiring your first Service Manager. Both solid topics, and we're likely to revisit over time. Check out the Pax8 Peer Groups: https://www.pax8.com/en-us/academy/groups/ Connect with Adam: https://linkedin.com/in/ahannemann Connect with Natalie: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalie-hell/ 

Many MSPs wonder how many packages they should have. Should you have 1 package to rule them all or should you have the age old bronze, silver, and gold packages? Should you have different security offerings on your different packages? What's the right call? If you have any of those questions today's episode is for you.  You can watch the video version of this episode on the Ramblings of a Geek YouTube channel here: https://youtube.com/@Adam-Rambles

Tales from the Trenches is a brand new Podcast about life in the Managed Services (MSP) space. We will be releasing new content each Thursday about conversations from the week that we've had with MSPs in the space. Join Adam and Natalie while they navigate through the issues MSPs face on a daily basis. New episodes each Thursday.  There will be video versions available on YouTube as well. You can find them here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4Oa0PmgihVtFKYAZcNHKHGOtbRhSjxpB