From Burnout to 25 Leads a Month: The YouTube Strategy That Transformed an MSP | with the Bearded 365 Guy

From Burnout to 25 Leads a Month: The YouTube Strategy That Transformed an MSP | with the Bearded 365 Guy

In this episode of Scale Up, Darren Strong and Mit Patel sit down with Jonathan Edwards, better known as The Bearded 365 Guy - to unpack how he went from MSP burnout to building a global lead-generating machine.Jonathan shares the raw, behind-the-scenes story of his transformation. After 15 years of running a small MSP and feeling stuck, he reignited a forgotten passion for video, committed to a simple but powerful strategy, and built a channel that now brings in 25+ high-quality inbound leads every month - from all over the world.But this isn’t just about YouTube. It’s about finding focus, building a brand, and creating content that genuinely connects. Jonathan and Darren dive into the mindset, mistakes, and micro-decisions that turned a tech support business into a global growth engine.This one is packed with actionable insights, laughs, and dinosaur hats 🦖Timestamps:Jonathan’s Turning Point – 00:30The 2-Year YouTube Rule – 05:05What MSPs Get Wrong About Video – 10:41From 0 to 25 Monthly Leads – 15:55Hiring an MD from a Beer Tent – 20:32Building a Global Personal Brand – 24:45Creating Content for Humans, Not Techies – 30:01Leads vs. Vanity Metrics – 35:40Props, Personas & Entertainment – 40:00Starting a Channel (Even if You Hate Video) – 44:45The Real Value of MSP Services – 50:10Monetising CoPilot with Strategy – 55:40The Power of Focus in MSP Marketing – 01:01:55Never miss an episode! Subscribe to Scale Up for monthly insights into how MSP leaders are scaling with clarity, culture and clients in mind.Connect with us: ScalableFind out more about Scalable: https://www.scalablemsp.co.uk/ Connect with Darren on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/darren-strong/ Follow Scalable on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/scalable-msp/ Subscribe to Scalable’s YouTube channel:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOvzDJxslhks8LbaZQzOb7g Jonathan EdwardsSubscribe to Jonathan (Bearded 365 Guy): https://www.youtube.com/@UCsv09iEutfmPwHGm40og7dg Connect with Jonathan on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanjedwards/ Find out more about Integral IT:https://www.integral-it.co.uk/ HaloPSAFind out more about HaloPSA:https://halopsa.com/ Follow HaloPSA on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/halopsa/ Subscribe to HaloPSA’s YouTube channel:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCm_FvVJl62V0p6ssWpWrQ5w Mit PatelConnect with Mit on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mit-patel-7334ba

Boost MSP Revenue with Targeted Marketing Strategies featuring Steph Hackney

In this episode of the ScaleUP Podcast, Darren Strong and Mit Patel are joined by Steph Hackney, Channel Marketing Manager at OpenText to explore marketing strategies for MSPs. Many MSPs rely on word-of-mouth but lack a structured marketing strategy. Steph shares practical insights on developing a plan, defining target audiences, and creating consistent, long-term marketing efforts that drive real business growth. Key Takeaways: • Where to start with MSP marketing • The power of vertical marketing for targeted success • Budget allocation – balancing online and offline strategies • How events and networking build trust with potential clients • Marketing Development Funds (MDF) – how to access vendor-sponsored budgets • Why consistency matters and how to measure success Steph also highlights common marketing mistakes, the importance of aligning sales and marketing, and why giving up too soon can hurt growth. The episode emphasises the importance of having a structured marketing plan, leveraging available resources like MDF, and maintaining consistency. The key message? Marketing isn’t optional for growth - it’s a necessity. If you’re an MSP looking to scale and improve marketing ROI, this episode is packed with actionable insights. Timestamps: 1️. Introduction & Common MSP Marketing Mistakes (0:00 - 2:30) Many MSPs hire marketing staff without a clear strategy. Businesses should first define their objectives and align marketing efforts with sales goals. 2️. Effective Marketing Strategies for MSPs (2:31 - 10:00) Successful MSPs focus on regional events, client relationships, and industry-specific marketing to build trust, attract clients, and drive business growth. 3️. Leveraging MDF Funds for Growth (10:01 - 19:00) Marketing Development Funds (MDF) are underutilized. 60% go unspent due to lack of awareness. MSPs should proactively apply and execute campaigns. 4️. Sales & Marketing Alignment for Success (19:01 - 27:00) Marketing and sales must collaborate. Defining client profiles, creating industry-specific messaging, and maintaining communication increases conversion rates and retention. 5️. Measuring Success & Knowing When to Pivot (27:01 - 32:14) Marketing requires patience and consistency. Evaluate effectiveness through revenue growth, client retention, and engagement—pivot if necessary but avoid premature abandonment. Never miss an episode! Subscribe to our podcast now to get early access to the latest insights and strategies for MSP success. Connect with us:Scalable• Find out more about Scalable:https://www.scalablemsp.co.uk/• Connect with Darren on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/darren-strong/• Connect with Mit on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/mit-patel-7334ba/• Follow Scalable on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/company/scalable-msp/• Subscribe to Scalable’s YouTube channel:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOvzDJxslhks8LbaZQzOb7g HaloPSA• Find out more about HaloPSA:https://halopsa.com/ • Follow HaloPSA on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/halopsa/• Subscribe to HaloPSA’s YouTube channel:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCm_FvVJl62V0p6ssWpWrQ5w Steph Hackney• Connect with Steph on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steph-hackney/• Find out more about OpenText:https://www.opentext.com/en-gb

Consistency, Community and Growth: Proven Sales Strategies for MSPs with Tracie Orisko from Huntress

In this podcast, Tracie Orisko from Huntress, Darren from Scalable and Tim from HaloPSA discuss effective sales strategies for MSPs.  Tracie highlights the importance of community and consistency in sales, emphasising her role in “surprise and delight” for partners and building seamless entry points for MSPs. She recounts her accidental start in the MSP space, transitioning from cold-calling to founding Managed Sales Pros, which grew into a top lead generation engine before integrating with Huntress. The discussion focuses on overcoming challenges small MSPs face when building a sales engine. Tracie underscores the need for consistency, stating that it takes 90 days to see results from cold outreach. Her advice for small businesses is to start with phone calls, ask open-ended questions, and document findings to identify target markets. The importance of a scalable process and structured follow-ups - combining calls, emails, and digital marketing is emphasised to nurture leads over time. Tim and Tracie discuss scaling sales teams, with Tracie stressing the value of hiring cultural fits with service-oriented attitudes. She advocates for clear career progression paths, documentation, and mentorship to ensure team growth. Tim shares Halo’s strategy of hiring and promoting internally, prioritising personality over experience. The podcast concludes with key takeaways: consistency in outreach and marketing, building strong teams through intentional hiring, and fostering a community that drives referrals.  Timestamps: • Introduction and Tracie’s Journey (0:00 - 4:00) Tracie shares her journey into the MSP space, starting with accidental cold-calling and building Managed Sales Pros into a lead generation leader. • Overcoming Sales Challenges for MSPs (4:01 - 12:00) Tracie and Darren discuss the need for consistency in outreach, building a prospecting engine, and nurturing leads for long-term success. • Scaling Sales Teams Effectively (12:01 - 20:00) The focus shifts to hiring strategies, including finding cultural fits, creating scalable processes, and mentoring teams to support business growth. • Community and Referral Strategies (20:01 - 28:00) Tim and Tracie highlight the importance of community-building, leveraging client referrals, and creating intentional networking opportunities to drive trust and sales. • Key Takeaways and Final Thoughts (28:01 - 36:06) The speakers emphasise consistency, hiring the right people, and fostering strong community relationships as cornerstones for sustainable growth.   Never miss an episode! Subscribe to our podcast now to get early access to the latest insights and strategies for MSP success.   Connect with us:  Scalable Find out more about Scalable: ⁠https://www.scalablemsp.co.uk/⁠ [https://www.scalablemsp.co.uk/] • Connect with Darren on LinkedIn:⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/darren-strong/⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/darren-strong/] • Follow Scalable on LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/scalable-msp/⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/scalable-msp/] • Subscribe to Scalable’s YouTube channel:⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOvzDJxslhks8LbaZQzOb7g⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOvzDJxslhks8LbaZQzOb7g]   HaloPSA • Find out more about HaloPSA:⁠https://halopsa.com/⁠ [https://halopsa.com/]   • Connect with Tim Bowers on LinkedIn:⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/halotimbowers/⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/halotimbowers/] • Follow HaloPSA on LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/halopsa/⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/halopsa/] • Subscribe to HaloPSA’s YouTube channel:⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCm_FvVJl62V0p6ssWpWrQ5w⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCm_FvVJl62V0p6ssWpWrQ5w] Tracie Orisko • Connect with Tracie on LinkedIn:   ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracie-orisko/⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracie-orisko/] • Find out more about Huntress:⁠ https://www.huntress.com/⁠ [https://www.huntress.com/]

AI vs Automation: Cutting Through the Fog for MSPs

In this episode, Darren Strong, founder of Scalable and Mit Patel, founder, and former owner of London-based MSP, Netstar, sat down with and Morgan Aspinall, Head of Product at HaloPSA, to delve into the hot topic of AI versus automation and how you as an MSP can cut through the fog.  The podcast explores the evolving role of artificial intelligence (AI) and automation in MSPs, emphasising their distinct capabilities and potential benefits. They highlight how AI, often mistaken for automation, is primarily a sophisticated tool for organising and analysing vast data, like an enhanced search engine. They contrast this with automation, which executes predefined tasks consistently, underscoring the challenges and opportunities in integrating these technologies effectively. Key discussion points include the tendency of MSPs to adopt new "shiny" tools without fully understanding their application, and the need for a structured evaluation process to ensure tools align with business needs and deliver value. The speakers stress that MSPs should focus first on refining automation, addressing mundane, repetitive tasks, and leveraging AI to enhance contextual understanding and efficiency where automation falls short. The conversation also addresses AI's potential to transform industries by increasing operational efficiency and reducing mundane workloads, thereby enabling employees to focus on more impactful roles. They caution, however, about data privacy concerns and emphasise the importance of secure and ethical AI usage. MSPs are encouraged to clean and standardise their data to maximise AI's future benefits. Lastly, the hosts foresee AI's role in improving customer interactions, enabling self-service, and facilitating better SLA management, while maintaining human-centric customer service. They advocate for intentional tool adoption, emphasising that AI is a tool—not a solution—to augment, not replace, human capability. Timestamps: 0:00 - Introduction to AI and Automation: 3:00 - AI vs. Automation in MSPs 9:00 - Practical Use Cases and Cautionary Insights 18:00 - AI's Impact on MSP Operations 31:04 - Mit talks about his Robot Mop 34:08 - Key Insights and Looking Forward: How AI can add value for MSPs’ customers.  Never miss an episode! Subscribe to our podcast now to get early access to the latest insights and strategies for MSP success. Connect with us: Scalable • Find out more about Scalable: https://www.scalablemsp.co.uk/ • Connect with Darren on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darren-strong/ • Follow Scalable on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/scalable-msp/ • Subscribe to Scalable’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOvzDJxslhks8LbaZQzOb7g HaloPSA • Find out more about HaloPSA: https://halopsa.com/ • Connect with Morgan Aspinall on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/morgan-aspinall-314b42153/ • Follow HaloPSA on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/halopsa/ • Subscribe to HaloPSA’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCm_FvVJl62V0p6ssWpWrQ5w Mit Patel • Connect with Mit on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mit-patel-7334ba

The Game-Changing MSP Shift: Leveraging Your Tech Background to Lead Sales and Build a Pipeline

In this episode, Darren Strong, founder of Scalable and Mit Patel, founder, and former owner of London-based MSP, Netstar, sat down with Tim Barton-Wines, Chief Commercial Officer at Halo Service Solutions, to deep dive into the unique journey of transforming technical MSP founders into effective sales leaders. Many MSPs start as tech experts with a passion for IT solutions but lack the commercial drive to sell effectively. Our guests share insights on transitioning from a technical focus to a sales mindset, breaking down each step from finding prospects to securing loyal clients . Drawing from years of experience, Mit, Darren and Tim discuss how MSPs can bridge the gap between technical knowledge and client communication, especially when sales doesn’t come naturally. They highlight the importance of intentional growth, understanding customer needs, and building rapport, likening successful sales to a doctor-patient relationship—where expertise fosters trust and confidence. Learn how to implement a structured sales process, use effective follow-ups, and make use of data-driven tools to track leads and maintain momentum. Whether you're an MSP looking to grow or a technical founder navigating the challenges of sales, this episode offers practical advice and actionable tips for enhancing customer acquisition, driving revenue, and ensuring long-term success. 0:00 - Introduction to Sales for MSPs: The challenge of shifting a technical MSP toward a sales-focused approach. Common scaling hurdles for small MSPs. Moving from “break/fix” work to a standardised service model.  06:00 - Sales Process & Lead Generation: Lead generation techniques, comparing effective and ineffective sales processes. Digital marketing and consistent follow-up are key themes, with persistence seen as essential for generating leads.  30:00 - Structuring the Sales Cycle: Managing the sales cycle, from the first contact to closing. Using CRM systems, scheduling tools, and regular follow-ups help keep prospects engaged and moving forward.  54:00 - Final Takeaways: The importance of refining current sales processes before adding new tactics and focussing on building strong sales foundations, gradually improving existing strategies.  Never miss an episode! Subscribe to our podcast now to get early access to the latest insights and strategies for MSP success. Connect with us:  Scalable  • Find out more about Scalable: https://www.scalablemsp.co.uk/ [https://www.scalablemsp.co.uk/] • Connect with Darren on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/darren-strong/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/darren-strong/] • Follow Scalable on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/scalable-msp/ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/scalable-msp/] • Subscribe to Scalable’s YouTube channel:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOvzDJxslhks8LbaZQzOb7g [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOvzDJxslhks8LbaZQzOb7g] HaloPSA • Find out more about HaloPSA: https://halopsa.com/ [https://halopsa.com/]   • Connect with Tim Barton-Wines on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-barton-wines [https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-barton-wines] • Follow HaloPSA on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/halopsa/ [https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/halopsa/] • Subscribe to HaloPSA’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCm_FvVJl62V0p6ssWpWrQ5w [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCm_FvVJl62V0p6ssWpWrQ5w]   Mit Patel  • Connect with Mit on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mit-patel-7334ba [https://www.linkedin.com/in/mit-patel-7334ba]