Get the Value Creation Blueprint that shows you the exact levers that drive growth and valuation:

https://brianhoppe.com/blueprint

Private equity is one of the biggest flashpoints in the MSP world: some welcome it, others dread it.

Today’s guest offers a perspective that’s less emotional and more practical. Brian sits down with Jake Levine, CEO of Robo, an MSP that’s grown from nearly $10M in revenue at acquisition to an expected $23M this year.

Jake has worked with private equity his entire career, first getting hooked on the challenge in grad school, then joining NextGen Growth Partners and never looking back.

Jake shares how he first got introduced to the MSP space, what truly sparked his interest in PE, and the real differences between running a founder-led company and a private equity–backed one. From discipline and execution to leadership traits and inevitable tradeoffs, this conversation lays out the pros, cons, and misconceptions so you can decide what actually fits your business.

Whether you’re PE-backed, PE-curious, or firmly opposed, you’ll walk away with a clearer lens for what it takes to win under either model.

Episode Highlights:

0:00 - Introduction

1:06 - Episode open

1:33 - What it takes to run a PE-backed MSP

5:58 - The difference in decision-making

8:25 - Jake’s story

17:07 - Where is Robo at today?

20:05 - The reality of being a CEO

25:54 - Building credibility (w/ an already established team)

29:44 - Tensions between an owner and private equity

33:32 - “Healthy tension”

37:48 - “How has your leadership grown?”

41:37 - The ‘squishy’ concepts and replacing yourself

45:17 - Biggest mistake Jake has made as a CEO

50:04 - Rapid fire

56:23 - Episode wrap-up

Connect with Brian Hoppe

https://brianhoppe.com/

linkedin.com/in/brianhoppe

Like Our Guest? Check out more on Jake Levine

Jake@robo.net

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacob-levine-85999720/

Get the Value Creation Blueprint that shows you the exact levers that drive growth and valuation:

https://brianhoppe.com/podcast/

Welcome back to the $10 Million MSP Podcast — in this episode, Brian sits down with Bill Tyndall, Founder & CEO of Tynrose and Techvera (and former co-founder of Electric AI, one of the earliest pioneers of IT-as-a-Service).

Bill brings a rare perspective across the MSP world: operator, acquirer, investor, and builder, shaped by hundreds of conversations with MSP owners and firsthand experience scaling companies with automation and systems.

Bill and Brian unpack what it takes to scale the right way, including:

1. The mindset and culture signals that tell you a founder “gets it”
2. Why internal cybersecurity is the MSP industry’s biggest blind spot
3. How “artificial capacity constraints” silently crush margins
4. Why your “best client” might actually be your worst and how gross margin by client reveals the truth
5. The leadership shifts required at scale: communication systems, accountability, and protecting your mental health as the org grows

Bill also shares the personal side of entrepreneurship, including the myth that money equals happiness, and why coaches, therapists, and boundaries aren’t optional if you want to build something big without burning out.

If you’re building toward $10M (or beyond) and want a behind-the-scenes look at growth, M&A, operational leverage, and where the industry is actually going, this episode will challenge the way you think.

0:00 - Introduction

1:17 - Episode open

1:39 - What Bill has learned about MSP owners

4:48 - Bill’s journey and how he got to this space

16:52 - Traits of savvy MSP owners

19:38 - What Bill looks for in owners

23:54 - Bill’s red flags

28:55 - Post-acquisition, what Bill looks to align or fix

33:44 - Bill’s biggest shift he’s made as a leader

37:19 - Mental-health, well-being and the power of coaches

42:40 - Where Bill sees the industry heading

46:31 - Rapid fire

51:04 - Episode wrap-up

Connect with Brian Hoppe

https://brianhoppe.com/

linkedin.com/in/brianhoppe

Like Our Guest? Check out more on Bill Tyndall

linkedin.com/in/bill-tyndall

Get the Value Creation Blueprint that shows you the exact levers that drive growth and valuation:

https://brianhoppe.com/podcast/

In this episode of The $10 Million MSP Podcast, Brian sits down with Dave Sagraves — former MSP operator turned growth architect — for a straight-shooting conversation about what actually drives sustainable revenue growth in the MSP space.

Dave has lived the full evolution: from being the sales guy at a fast-growing MSP, to buying into ownership, scaling to $20M, navigating a private equity exit, and helping grow a larger platform to $143M. Today, he leads MSP Growth OS, where he and his team help MSPs build repeatable revenue engines built on discipline, consistency, and real-world sales execution — not gimmicks.

Brian and Dave unpack why so many MSPs stall once they hit the $8–$12M range, and why the “easy button” mindset keeps owners trapped in a loop of buying marketing, outsourcing prospecting, or hiring the wrong salespeople and hoping it magically works. Instead, Dave lays out a clear framework that owners can easily keep top-of-mind

You’ll also hear Dave’s candid perspective on the emotional side of an exit, why money doesn’t automatically create fulfillment, and the leadership shift required to scale.

If you’re serious about breaking through a growth plateau, building a real pipeline, and creating consistent new-logo momentum, this episode is a must-listen.

Episode Highlights:

0:00 - Introduction

1:11 - Episode open

1:32 - The biggest lie MSP owners believe

3:03 - Dave’s background

5:10 - Dave’s exit (and what he learned)

7:57 - Unlocking growth, what do most get wrong?

10:45 - Leading indicators, sales in MSPs

16:43 - “A” sellers, commission plans

20:16 - Developing sales people, leads

24:20 - Sales quotas

28:03 - Managing sales people, “hunting vs. farming”

33:02 - Jumpstarting growth

36:01 - 3 key ingredients to make growth sustainable

38:56 - Dave’s evolution as a leader

43:31 - Patterns Dave sees in leaders who fail

45:58 - “I’m an MSP owner and I want to grow, what do I do?”

47:36 - Rapid fire

51:14 - Episode wrap-up

Connect with Brian Hoppe

https://brianhoppe.com/

linkedin.com/in/brianhoppe

Like Our Guest? Check out more on Dave Sagraves

linkedin.com/in/dsagraves