#1 – Don’t Be That Guy - Managed Services Sucks - Here’s Why (Ryan Alter)

In this kickoff episode of the Bering McKinley Vision Podcast, host Josh Peterson, CEO of https://beringmckinley.com, sits down with Ryan Alter, a former MSP owner who successfully exited after running a contrarian, hourly-based model. Together, they unpack why the business of managed services often underperforms—and what MSP owners can do to fix it.

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With two decades of consulting experience across 5,000 MSPs, Josh shares hard-won insights into profitability, pricing, and process discipline, while Ryan reveals the levers that made his service department outperform industry norms.

👉 Redefine success beyond predictable cash flow
👉 Fix the “agreement gross profit” blind spot
👉 Use data-driven levers—time entry, ticket hygiene, dispatch, and pricing—to drive true margin

You’ll learn how Josh and Ryan:
• Diagnose managed-services profit leaks using AGP and EHR formulas
• Train dispatchers and techs to identify out-of-scope work and recover lost revenue
• Structure service buckets—recurring, project, and hourly—for balanced growth
• Prepare clean metrics and systems that boost valuation at exit

Whether you’re an MSP owner tired of razor-thin margins, a service manager seeking clarity in your numbers, or an operations leader chasing sustainable profit, this episode breaks down the formulas, frameworks, and mindset shifts to make managed services work for you.

🔗 Resources & Links
• Josh Peterson - Bering McKinley: https://beringmckinley.com
• Ryan Alter - Silverstream AV: https://www.silverstreamav.com/

⏱️ Chapters
00:00 – Welcome & why “managed services sucks”
04:26 – Meet Ryan and his hourly model success
11:30 – Understanding AGP and EHR for profitability
18:45 – Why perfection matters in PSA setup and time entry
26:10 – Using hourly pull-through as a profit lever
33:40 – Training dispatchers & techs on out-of-scope work
41:05 – Projects, pricing discipline & client education
48:20 – The real math behind margin and valuation
52:09 – Selling your MSP & being exit-ready
55:49 – Wrap-up and next episode preview

🔍 Searchable Topics & Tags
managed services profitability, agreement gross profit, effective hourly rate, ConnectWise, dispatch training, time entry discipline, MSP consulting, service department margins, project profitability, MSP exit planning

#msp #managedservices #profitability #connectwise #BeringMcKinley #AGP #EHR #MSPConsulting #MSPOperations #mspgrowth