Harry Brelsford interviews Matt Linn, co-founder and COO of Thread, an AI service desk that automates non-billable resources on the service desk, making them billable and reducing service costs through agentic workflows. Linn shares his background from a 10-year career with an MSP in New York City. Thread is announcing a new round of fundraising at the Series A stage to accelerate R&D and build faster. The company emphasizes its unique brand and customer-centric approach, showcasing this through creative booths at events. For 2026, Thread plans to enhance product offerings with better context for agents, more auto resolutions, and zero-touch tickets.

Mike Hanauer, a consultant specializing in MSPs, discussed his recent activities, including his role as Chief Revenue Officer at Total and the relaunch of his consulting firm, Green Lake. He focuses on interim leadership for MSPs and post-acquisition integration, emphasizing the importance of retention and proper pricing and packaging. Harry Brelsford, a board member of a community private equity group, shared his experiences with post-acquisition integration and the resilience of the MSP sector. They both highlighted the critical role of MSPs in protecting small and medium businesses, especially during economic uncertainties.

Dan King, from Clever Path IT in Wyoming, discussed his company's recent acquisition, transforming from K2 Technologies (not the skis lol) to a much broader mission, aiming to establish a platform in the Northwest United States. They focus on a diversified client base, including healthcare, accountants, attorneys, architects, and engineers. King emphasized the importance of adapting to technological changes, such as AI, and the ongoing consolidation in the industry. He also mentioned their participation in IT Nation and the Evolve event, highlighting the significance of these gatherings for MSPs. King plans to attend Channel Con again in July 2026 and the Right of Boom conference in February 2026.

Harry Brelsford and Jamar discussed their experiences at the M&A Lectures in Orlando, highlighting the importance of selecting which speeches to attend. They met Paul Daigle, who introduced his business advisory board specializing in MSPs. Daigle's company offers a business evaluation service for less than $500 and a tool that assesses an MSP's value to a strategic buyer in 15 seconds. They also provide a free 100 million dollar MSP scaling roadmap and collaborate with vendors to offer discounted evaluations. Daigle emphasized the importance of benchmarking and best practices for MSP growth.

Scott Scroggin, Director of Strategic Initiatives at ConnectWise, discussed the current M&A landscape for MSPs, highlighting high valuations and strong M&A activity despite some uncertainty due to AI and hyper-automation. He noted the scarcity of high-quality partners and the increasing role of private equity. Scroggin emphasized the importance of smaller MSPs leveraging AI for business consultancy to enhance their valuation. He introduced the Evolve Essentials program for MSPs with $7 million in revenue, providing an 18-month curriculum and benchmarking tools. The IT Nation Grow program focuses on business transition, aiming to help MSPs navigate transactions and secure positive outcomes.

George Sierchio from Cogent Growth Partners discussed the current market environment for MSPs, emphasizing that the 2025 market has returned to normal after the 2024 presidential election cycle. He highlighted the importance of staying updated with technology, particularly security and AI, for business viability. Sierchio advised MSP owners on the strategic timing of buying or selling, stressing the need for a good fit and opportunity. He recommended merging with similar-sized companies as a cost-effective strategy for growth, cautioning against bottom-feeder acquisitions. He also emphasized the importance of professional advice and proper preparation for M&A transactions.

Harry Brelsford and Danny Obaseki discuss Danny's role at K Zero, a company focused on passwordless authentication for MSPs and their clients. Danny explains K Zero's all-in-one authentication suite, which aims to improve password hygiene, integrate password managers, and eventually eliminate passwords through biometrics. K Zero offers NFR (Not for Resale) licenses to partners, allowing them to use and understand the product better. Harry expresses interest in trying the product, particularly for its mobile support. Danny provides contact information for further inquiries and mentions K Zero's recent activities, including attending a hockey game in Montreal.

Happy New Year! Just several days left to participate in our SMB MSP community survey! We’ve enjoyed a robust response and just need a few more participants to close it out and generate a final report. Why participate? First of all our SMB Nation community and ecosystem needs members and others to go old school and help! Second, you might learn a few things are you complete this. 

Harry Brelsford and Jesse Miller discuss the evolution of MSP (Managed Service Provider) events, noting a preference for smaller, interactive workshops over large conferences. Jesse, founder of Power PSA Consulting, explains their "Power Grid VC" operating system for MSPs, which includes go-to-market planning and risk management. Jesse also shares his dual life as a farmer with a hobby farm and a family. They touch on the impact of AI on MSP services, emphasizing the need for MSPs to evolve into business guides and profitably offer VCIO, VCISO, and AI consulting services. Harry concludes by wishing Jesse a safe trip to Orlando.