Exit On Your Own Terms - Succession Planning with Jamie M. Waldren, Founder and CEO of JN Private Wealth

Exit On Your Own Terms - Succession Planning with Jamie M. Waldren, Founder and CEO of JN Private Wealth

Most MSP founders spend years building value but almost zero time thinking about life after the deal. That’s exactly why I sat down with Jamie Waldren—author of Exit on Your Own Terms—to unpack what real succession planning looks like. Questions We Tackled: * When should you actually start planning your exit?  * What’s the first step if you’re starting from zero?  * Why do most founders only think about exiting when a buyer shows up?  * How does your exit vision impact the type of buyer you choose?  * What makes succession planning harder for sub-$10M MSPs?  * Where do things go wrong without a plan?  Key Insights (Don’t Miss These): An exit needs a Succession Plan like a road trip needs a Map  You can do one without the other, but you’ll probably get lost.  Start earlier than you think 1–3 years minimum. 3–5 years is ideal.  Work backward from your life—not your valuation Your retirement goals should drive your deal structure. Owner dependency kills value If all key relationships run through you, buyers get nervous. ~50% of exits are forced Death, disability, or unexpected events—planning isn’t optional.  ESOPs are underrated (especially < $10M MSPs) A powerful, tax-efficient way to reward loyal teams. Your plan determines your buyer PE vs strategic vs employees vs family—this isn’t random. One Action to Take Today: Ask yourself:  “Who is the right next owner of my business—and what does my life look like after?” That single question changes everything. If you’re an MSP founder thinking about an exit in the next 3–5 years, this episode is a must-listen. Happy to share the episode—just drop a comment or DM. This podcast is hosted by Madhur Duggar.  Madhur is a Senior M&A Advisor at Excendio Advisors and focuses on IT Services Reach out to Madhur at Madhur@excendio.com or 212.731.4230   Book an Appointment with him on his LinkedIn at (34) Madhur Duggar | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/madhur-duggar/] Check out Excendio Advisors and our amazing content at www.excendio.com Reach out to Jamie Waldren on his LinkedIn at Jamie M. Waldren, CFP® | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jwaldren/]  www.linkedin.com/in/madhur-duggar www.linkedin.com/in/madhur-duggar

Financing the MSP Roll-Up: What Lenders Actually Look For, With Reed Van Gorden, Head of Origination at Deerpath Capital

Private credit has quietly become one of the biggest drivers behind MSP growth and consolidation — yet few founders truly understand how lenders think. In this episode of M&A Insights, Madhur Duggar sits down with Reed Van Gorden, Head of Origination at Deerpath Capital, to unpack IT services financing from the lender’s perspective. Reed shares how private credit firms evaluate MSPs, why lenders are increasingly attracted to the IT services sector, and what separates a financeable business from one that struggles to secure capital. The conversation covers Deerpath’s lending model, underwriting frameworks, and the key metrics lenders focus on — including recurring revenue quality, contract structures, customer concentration, and management dependency. Reed also explains how private equity sponsors and lenders work together during acquisitions and growth phases, typical deal structures and loan terms, and what MSP owners can do today to position themselves for better financing outcomes. If you’re an MSP owner thinking about acquisitions, growth capital, or a future exit, this episode offers a rare look inside the credit playbook behind today’s deals. Topics covered: * Why private credit lenders like IT services businesses? * How MSPs are evaluated during underwriting * Recurring vs. re-occurring revenue from a lender’s lens * Contract length and revenue visibility * Why are sponsors so important for Lenders when doing their due diligence? * Common financing structures and terms in MSP transactions * Practical advice for founders seeking capital * The state of private credit lending and what could cause it to turn  This podcast is hosted by Madhur Duggar.  Madhur is a Senior M&A Advisor at Excendio Advisors and focuses on IT Services Reach out to Madhur at Madhur@excendio.com or 212.731.4230   Book an Appointment with him on his LinkedIn at (34) Madhur Duggar | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/madhur-duggar/] Check out Excendio Advisors and our amazing content at www.excendio.com Reach out to Reed Van Gorden on his LinkedIn at Reed Van Gorden | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/rvgcfa/]  www.linkedin.com/in/madhur-duggar

Built in Crisis: How Carl Mazzanti, Founder of eMazzanti, Turned Chaos into an MSP Advantage

This episode features Carl Mazzanti, Founder & CEO of eMazzanti Technologies—a leader who believes that great MSPs are built on relationships first, technology second. For more than 25 years, Carl has invested deeply in clients, employees, MSP partners, vendors, and the local community, earning a reputation for trust, loyalty, and showing up when it matters most. That commitment was formally recognized in 2025, when Carl received the Corporate Citizenship Award from the Hudson County Chamber of Commerce. Carl is also widely respected for his hands-on expertise in backup, disaster recovery, and business continuity, shaped by real-world crises—from 9/11 to Hurricane Sandy and beyond. In this conversation, he shares how strong partner ecosystems, decisive leadership, and preparation for worst-case scenarios helped eMazzanti grow through adversity, support fellow MSPs, and build a firm designed to last well beyond its founder. Here are the highlights: Q: Can you walk us through eMazzanti Technologies today and the MSPs you support? A: Carl explains how eMazzanti has grown into a nationally trusted MSP and MSP-partner, supporting clients and fellow MSPs across the U.S., Canada, and internationally—often without formal marketing—by being reliable, partner-friendly, and excellent at what they do.  Q: How did founding the firm just weeks before 9/11 shape your leadership? A: Carl recounts being inside the World Trade Center on 9/11 and how the experience permanently shaped his mindset around decisiveness, responsibility, and showing up for clients when everything is falling apart.  Q: What did crises like Hurricane Sandy and the Joplin tornado teach you about MSPs? A: The biggest lesson wasn’t technical—it was human. In disasters, clients struggle to make decisions. The MSP’s real value is helping them regain clarity, momentum, and confidence under extreme stress.  Q: Why do MSP partnerships matter so much in disaster recovery? A: Carl explains how long-standing MSP partner relationships allowed firms to fly in, share infrastructure, and restore services quickly, proving that no MSP should try to handle major incidents alone.  Q: How do you think about backup, disaster recovery, and preparedness today? A: Drawing from decades of real-world failures, Carl outlines why he keeps idle infrastructure, standing contracts, and redundant systems ready even if they’re only needed once every ten years. Preparation beats improvisation.  Q: Your culture inspires extreme loyalty—how is that built? A: Carl believes people are the only real asset. He discusses long employee tenures, a strong alumni network, and why treating staff well ultimately drives retention, client trust, and long-term performance.  Q: How do you approach MSP M&A and long-term partnerships? A: “Date before you marry.” Carl shares why alignment, trust, and shared battle experience matter more than deal speed and why some partnerships naturally evolve into acquisitions over time.  Q: What’s your view on AI in MSP operations today? A: AI is an extension of automation, not magic. Carl supports practical use cases but warns against hype-driven vendors especially in security and healthcare—where trust, durability, and survivability matter most. He also states the healthcare industry has been slow to adopt AI and eventually may find itself falling behind unless it figures out ways to safely adopt AI.  Q: How are you preparing for leadership succession at eMazzanti? A: Carl explains how he’s spent 25 years systematizing himself out of the business—building leaders, documenting decisions, and creating a firm that runs effectively without its founder. www.linkedin.com/in/madhur-duggar

Inside an AI-Enabled MSP – What’s Working What’s Next with Ed Correia CEO of Sagacent Technologies

AI isn’t a future problem for MSPs — it’s today’s competitive divide. In this episode, I sit down with Ed Correia, CEO of Sagacent Technologies, a 26-year MSP based in Silicon Valley, to break down exactly how managed service providers can harness AI to create value, boost margins, and protect their clients. Ed shares how Sagacent is helping clients crawl–walk–run into AI safely — from writing governance policies and securing Shadow AI, to deploying tools like Copilot and ChatGPT for real productivity gains. We explore: * Why Shadow AI is already inside your clients? * Where most businesses fail with AI (95% see no financial benefit)? * How MSPs should package, train, secure, and operationalize AI? * Why pricing pressure is coming fast — and how the right AI strategy protects margins? * What types of clients get the most benefit (hint: maturity matters)? * Whether MSPs should build, partner, or buy AI capability? * What happens to firms that ignore AI over the next 12–18 months? Ed also shares tactical advice for MSP owners: Start with your internal workflows, build governance first, iterate fast — and don’t wait for perfection. If you're an MSP thinking about offering AI services — or wondering what changes are coming to your stack, pricing, and client conversations — this is one you can’t miss. This podcast is hosted by Madhur Duggar.  Madhur is a Senior M&A Advisor at Excendio Advisors and focuses on IT Services Reach out to Madhur at Madhur@excendio.com or 212.731.4230   Book an Appointment with him on his LinkedIn at (34) Madhur Duggar | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/madhur-duggar/] Check out Excendio Advisors and our amazing content at www.excendio.com Reach out to Ed Correia on his LinkedIn at (29) Ed Correia | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/edcorreia/]  www.linkedin.com/in/madhur-duggar www.linkedin.com/in/madhur-duggar

OBBBA Explained: The Tax Changes Every MSP Should Care About with Dave Wanis, Principal at Weaver

Episode 3 of our four-part tax series with Dave Wanis, Principal at Weaver, focused on how the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) reshapes tax planning for MSPs and IT service providers. If you’re an MSP owner preparing for growth, evaluating an exit, or just trying to lower your tax bill, this episode breaks down the most important OBBBA updates you need to know. Key Topics Covered: • QSBS (Qualified Small Business Stock) Changes – Learn how the new 3-, 4-, and 5-year holding periods, the increased $75M asset limit, and the higher $15M exclusion can dramatically improve after-tax proceeds for MSP owners planning a sale. • QBI Deduction for S-Corp MSPs – The 20% Qualified Business Income deduction is now permanent. We explain how MSPs qualify, how W-2 wages affect your deduction, and how to optimize salary vs. distribution strategy to maximize your QBI benefit. • R&D Expensing for MSPs and IT Service Firms – The return of immediate R&D expensing has the potential to significantly reduce taxable income for MSPs investing in internal software tools, automation, cyber capabilities, and AI development. • 163(j) Interest Deductibility (EBITDA Is Back) – OBBBA restores EBITDA for interest-deduction calculations, making leveraged acquisitions and growth financing more attractive. This matters for MSPs doing roll-ups or selling to buyers using debt. Why This Matters for MSP Owners OBBBA’s tax changes affect annual cash flow, business valuation, deal structure, and exit readiness. Whether you're planning an acquisition, considering QSBS before a sale, or optimizing tax strategy inside an S-Corp, the new law offers significant opportunities—if you know how to use them. Hosted by Madhur Duggar, Senior M&A Advisor at Excendio Advisors, specializing in MSP M&A, valuations, and exit preparation. To learn how we help MSPs grow or exit, reach out at madhur@excendio.com or connect on LinkedIn.  Madhur Duggar is a Senior M&A Advisor at Excendio Advisors and focuses on IT Services Reach out to Madhur at Madhur@excendio.com or 212.731.4230   Book an Appointment with him on his LinkedIn at (34) Madhur Duggar | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/madhur-duggar/] Check out Excendio Advisors and our amazing content at www.excendio.com Reach out to Dave Wanis on his LinkedIn at (39) Dave Wanis | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/davewanis/]  www.linkedin.com/in/madhur-duggar