#69 – From the Trenches: Owner-Led Sales, Dispatch Discipline & Sustainable MSP Growth (Chad Kempt)

In this From the Trenches episode, Josh Peterson sits down with Chad Kempt, founder and president of Fast Computers, a Canadian MSP that’s been serving Southern Ontario businesses since 1998.  Chad shares how he went from “computer guy” walking into offices cold to building a multi-technician MSP, merging with another provider, and being named ASCII Member of the Year—the first Canadian ever to receive the award. 

Josh and Chad dig into why most sub-$1M MSPs should stop fantasizing about sales teams and instead double down on owner-led selling, documenting processes, and talking to more people. They explore the changing MSP market (from 5–25 seat SBS clients to 50–150 seat cloud-first organizations), the real role of dispatch vs. service management, and how to scale without burning out your techs or destroying margins.

If you’re an MSP owner or leader wrestling with growth, service chaos, or the “do I hire a salesperson or not?” question, this is a grounded, candid playbook on building slow-and-steady, high-quality growth.

👉 Learn more about the BMK Vision Operating System: https://beringmckinley.com/vision

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🔗 Connect with Our Guest & Host

Chad Kempt (Fast Computers)
• Website: https://fastcomputers.ca/ 
• LinkedIn:   / chadkempt   

Josh Peterson (Host, CEO – Bering McKinley)
• LinkedIn:   / joshdpeterson   
• Bering McKinley: https://beringmckinley.com/
• Vision Platform: https://beringmckinley.com/vision

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🔥 Topics We Cover

• Why Chad still believes in “just go talk to people” as the first sales motion
• The shift from 5–25 seat SBS shops to 50–150 seat, cloud-first clients
• How Fast Computers grew from break-fix to a true MSP and then through acquisition 
• Dispatch vs. service management: what each role really owns day to day
• Why hiring a service manager too early can hurt your margins and morale
• How owner behaviors create operational bottlenecks (and how to unwind them)
• Using systems and processes to avoid “cowboy IT” as you scale
• Data, dashboards, and reports: what you actually need from your PSA vs. shiny extras
• Surviving client attrition from M&A and why you must keep your pipeline full
• Building a business you can run at 25–35 people without losing your sanity

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⏱️ Chapters / Timestamps

00:00 – Cold open & intro
00:26 – Chad’s ASCII Member of the Year win and why it matters
01:10 – From “computer guy” to MSP owner in the late ’90s
03:15 – Owner-led sales vs. hiring a salesperson too early
05:40 – Are there “too many MSPs” or just a different kind of demand?
08:10 – Why 5–25 seat server clients are disappearing
10:55 – Targeting 50–150 seat organizations and specializing your stack
13:25 – Should MSPs sell business process consulting too?
15:15 – Chad’s growth goal: 25–35 employees, not 200+
18:00 – When the wheels fall off: hitting $2–2.5M with no real plan
20:30 – Service management, dispatch, and protecting tech focus time
24:00 – Why an admin/dispatcher is often the first non-tech hire you need
29:00 – Owners who do everything and train clients to expect it
32:00 – Client expectations after an acquisition and how to reset them
36:30 – Data discipline: the few reports that actually matter
40:10 – Shiny object syndrome and saying “no” to new tools
43:40 – Co-opetition and why helping other MSPs helps everyone

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🎙️ Guest Bio — Chad Kempt

Chad Kempt is the founder and president of Fast Computers, a managed service provider based in Southern Ontario that’s been serving businesses since 1998 with managed IT, cybersecurity, and cloud solutions.  Under his leadership, Fast Computers has grown from a one-man “computer guy” operation into a mature MSP known for reliable service, strong security posture, and long-term client relationships. Chad is an active member of The ASCII Group and was recognized as the 2025 ASCII Member of the Year, becoming the first Canadian recipient of the award.  He’s a frequent contributor to MSP community conversations on operations, co-managed IT, and sustainable growth. 

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🎤 Host Bio — Josh Peterson

Josh Peterson is the CEO of Bering McKinley and host of the BMK Vision Podcast. For more than two decades, Josh has advised MSPs on operational maturity, financial modeling, service leadership, and building businesses that owners actually enjoy running. Through the From the Trenches series, he brings real-world stories from MSP leaders to help owners improve profitability, structure their teams, and scale with intention.

👉 Learn more about the BMK Vision Operating System: https://beringmckinley.com/vision

📺 Subscribe on YouTube for full video episodes and shorts:
   / @beringmckinleyvision