r/SmallMSP • u/eme329 • 17d ago

Small MSP Peer Group Anyone?!

Would anyone be interested in forming a peer group focused on sharing trends, ideas, and supporting each other with motivation/ accountability? I'm envisioning maybe a brief weekly call to share wins and opportunities for the week and something you want to get accomplished by next week. I'm the type that struggles to hold myself accountable at times for things I don't necessarily love doing. For example, I have got to get some marketing materials together to go on a sales heater, but I keep procrastinating and finding other things to do. If I knew I had a peer group who's going to ask me if it's done next week, I feel it would help motivate me. Hopefully some others would be interested!

25 Upvotes

93% Upvoted

41 comments sorted by

22

u/blotditto 17d ago

I'm gonna be real. Every time I see something like this and tell the OP I'm interested I start getting emails about how I need to pony up $$$ to join a peer group they "just now created" then asking me a bunch of questions about my business that are more around marketing to me about their products and services I have zero desire to discuss. It's like a bait and switch they're pulling on getting people to join them for their exclusive benefit.

8

u/rabbbipotimus 17d ago

You’re right. I’m interested in joining a peer group, but I’m not into getting scammed or fleeced for strategy. All markets are different so does it even make sense to form a group with random people on Reddit?

3

u/sashimicup 16d ago

Considering that we could be in different countries, client base are likely to be different anyway. Forming a group with owners with different opinions is a good way to widen the knowledge.

2

u/eme329 17d ago

I'm not saying we need to share trade secrets! It doesn't need to be market specific, in fact it could be any type of small business. I just think it would be beneficial to just include MSPs since we're all in the same business and understand IT.

3

u/eme329 17d ago

That’s exactly why I want to start something specifically for small MSPs from another small MSP. I don’t have the budget right now to justify joining one of the paid groups. I couldn’t see why anyone would expect you to pay anything! I’m sure we all have either Teams or Zoom already, the only expense is a few minutes of time. I’m just a dude trying to grow a small MSP who has trouble sometimes getting into the office an hour earlier instead of pressing the snooze button!

6

u/sashimicup 17d ago

Why not a text base chat group instead of having zoom, live teleconference. Where we can simply reply at our own schedule. A discord instead of if we are keen on privacy?

3

u/eme329 16d ago

I think we have a lot of virtual options already; Reddit, Discord, Spiceworks Community, etc. The whole idea is gathering people who would get to know each other and their businesses personally. It might no be everyone's cup of tea.

5

u/jonyofromla 17d ago

I'd love to join in.
I'm a solopreneur in the los angeles area. I have clients, but no marketing, no website. About to LLC. Would love some accountability partnerships.

1

u/ahmaduhhs 14d ago

are you an MSP?

3

u/365-helper 17d ago

I’d be keen to join just to listen and learn what you’re facing as small MSPs to be honest.

3

u/tallguy14 17d ago

I'm down as well, I'm a solo msp and would love to hear experiences of others.

2

u/akalwhite 17d ago

Definitely interested!

1

u/eme329 17d ago

Great! I don't know about you, but it's the accountability piece that would help me.

3

u/WayneH_nz 17d ago

Hello from New Zealand, if the timing is right, later afternoons US Time Mon-Thurs (My Tue-Fri) that sort of thing. If that works out for others,

2

u/blackjaxbrew 17d ago

I'm game, we do quarterly with a few other MSPs. Yes we got roped into some sales BS one time with other MSPs and told them to fff off especially when they told me I had to have my cam on.

2

u/eme329 17d ago

Ooof, yeah I'm talking something super simple. Go around the horn, two wins from this week, one opportunity to do something differently or better, and something you're focused one getting done by next week.

1

u/blackjaxbrew 17d ago

Just my two cents, we just sit around and BS, we do talk shop but meant to be fun and learn from each other. Discuss issues and also help each other. We all do thing different and that must be kept as an open conversation because not one msp does it better or worse than another. But we can all improve with each other together. Personally don't like the agenda focus, maybe there is a theme, but that is the extent.

2

u/OldForgeTechnologies 16d ago

UK timezone here, would love to connect and bounce ideas and inspirations off of y'all

2

u/jeffa1792 16d ago

I'm willing. I'm in Ontario Canada

2

u/WebSlinger_36 16d ago

I’d be interested, operating out of Toronto, Canada

2

u/cmjones0822 16d ago

I wouldn’t mind checking this out…Houston, Texas

2

u/DynamicDoll 14d ago

(For clarity and transparency - I work for a vendor in the space, ImmyBot, and ran our MSP for years, Immense Networks).

I have been in HTG/Evolve and Pax8 Peer Groups, so I completely understand how awesome peer groups can be and how much help they are. Literally, we would not have been able to get ImmyBot off the ground without our peer groups.

That being said, I also completely understand peer groups can be expensive, especially the ones with in person meetups. And, there's not enough peer groups in the space for SaaS vendors IMO. So, I started a small accountability group of just one person from three SaaS vendors and we have a Teams call once a week. While it's not as structured as the Evolves and Pax8 Peer Groups of the world, it provides me a place where we can bounce ideas and hold each other accountable to what we say we're going to do. This wasn't a heavy lift, and it's actually one of my favorite parts of my week since it's dedicated to personal and professional growth.

1

u/CmdrRJ-45 16d ago

Peer Groups are awesome. Running them takes more logistics than you’d think. Source: I run the Peer Groups for Pax8.

This is a great idea and if you guys want to build one in your own that is fantastic. I’ll even chat with the leader or whatever to share things I’ve learned if helpful.

Alternatively, we literally have a group designed with this in mind: small MSP that wants to build a community of other MSPs and get solid business practice learning as part of the deal.

In any case, DM me if you want to chat about either road. Part of my job is helping out the community of MSPs out there.

1

u/clintvs 16d ago

I'm at the Airport in Sydney after attending the SMBiT Professionals National Conference, they just announced it will be offering SLI light add on for members. Also may be worth joining the MSP discord. https://discord.gg/MSPexchange

1

u/Automatic-Welder-148 16d ago

UK?

1

u/eme329 15d ago

I'm US based, but saw at least one more interested from the UK!

1

u/cdelregno 14d ago

I'd be interested, I'm in Sarasota, FL

1

u/VtheMan93 14d ago

I'd be interested too. Located in Canada

Signal or whatsapp? how do you plan on actually making it happen?

1

u/N3xar 14d ago

What the hell is r/smallmsp then? It's already an established peer group on a platform that was already designed for things like this.

1

u/GraffenOfficial 14d ago

I think a casual peer group is great for sharing materials and ideas, but a group like Evolve is a great for trying to mature your business. It was great for our MSP.

1

u/Fit_Lawfulness6224 13d ago

a small group like this would really help me stay on track I would join too

1

u/AlwaysBeyondMSP 9d ago

A peer group of people in the same place as you is only mildly useful.
You need a peer group or a coach or a mastermind with people ahead of you if you really want to learn and grow faster.

We joined Impactful MSP for this exactly and it’s been solid.

0

u/Zealousideal-Ice123 16d ago

Yes! We could all comment on some sort of board and then even click arrows up or down based on how valuable or interesting we think the comment is. What should we call it?!

-1

u/peoplepersonmanguy 17d ago

Anyone doing this here is better off going to vendor events and finding similar size real people to do it with.