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Uncle Marv's IT Business Podcast (Real Talk for IT Pros & MSPs)

Uncle Marv's IT Business Podcast (Real Talk for IT Pros & MSPs)

By: Marvin Bee
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Summary

 The IT Business Podcast is a show for MSPs (Managed Service Providers) and IT Professionals providing business network support and managed services. The podcast aims to provide actionable advice and tips that help IT businesses survive and grow in the competitive tech industry. The podcast features guest interviews with seasoned IT professionals, business owners, vendors and industry leaders who share their experiences, insights, and strategies for success. These discussions often cover topics such as: - Best Practices for Managed Services - Cybersecurity - Compliance - Business ownership - Cloud computingCopyright 2021-2024 - Uncle Marv Economics Leadership Management & Leadership Politics & Government
Episodes
  • MSP Billing, Margins And Growth (EP 1004)

    MSP Billing, Margins And Growth (EP 1004)
    May 8 2026

    I brought Colin back on because he’s one of the few people in our space who’s actually lived it all: tech, MSP owner, and now multiple vendor exits. We walk through how the “simple” stuff like billing reconciliation quietly drains profit from MSPs, with the average million‑dollar shop leaving a shocking amount of money on the table because they aren’t tracking seats, renewals, or vendor price hikes closely enough. Colin breaks down how Gradient’s Managed Billing Reconciliation works in practice and why treating billing like MDR for your finances can free up weeks of internal time while actually improving client trust instead of hurting it.

    From there, we shift into marketing, which is still the number one challenge I hear from MSPs that want to grow but hate content creation. Colin explains how MSP Studio started as free, canned marketing kits and evolved into MSP Studio Plus: an AI‑driven platform that creates fully branded, non‑cookie‑cutter social content and even runs in an “autopilot” mode so you just review and approve. We talk honestly about agency pricing, the rise of AI, why smaller MSPs can’t always justify $1,500–$2,500 per month on social media retainers, and what “good enough” looks like if you’re under $1M and trying to move up without losing your mind.

    Chapters

    • 01:10 Introduction to MSP Insights
    • 02:12 Billing Challenges for MSPs
    • 05:50 Price Adjustments and Customer Communication
    • 10:37 Revenue Opportunities in Software Migration
    • 11:19 Introduction to Managed Billing Reconciliation (MBR)
    • 15:04 Overview of Gradient's Pricing Structure
    • 16:30 Marketing Strategies for MSPs
    • 19:54 Launch of MSP Studio Plus
    • 22:52 AI-Driven Content Creation
    • 25:26 The Importance of Marketing Visibility
    • 35:29 Common Misconceptions Among MSPs
    • 40:28 Navigating MSP Growth Strategies
    • 45:19 Closing Thoughts and Future Prospects

    === GUEST: Colin Knox, Gradient MSP

    • Website: https://www.meetgradient.com
    • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/realityknox

    === COMPANIES / VENDORS / PRODUCTS / BOOKS

    • Passportal: https://www.passportal.com
    • N-able: https://www.n-able.com
    • Kaseya: https://www.kaseya.com
    • ConnectWise: https://www.connectwise.com
    • MSPCFO https://www.mspcfo.com

    === SPONSORS:

    • Livestream Partner, ThreatLocker: https://www.itbusinesspodcast.com/threatlocker
    • Technology Partner, NetAlly: https://www.itbusinesspodcast.com/netally/
    • Technology Partner: Bvoip: https://www.itbusinesspodcast.com/bvoip
    • Travel Partner: TruGrid: https://www.itbusinesspodcast.com/trugrid
    • Digital Partner, Designer Ready: http://itbusinesspodcast.com/designerready

    === SHOW MUSIC:

    • Item Title: Upbeat & Fun Sports Rock Logo
    • Item URL: https://elements.envato.com/upbeat-fun-sports-rock-logo-CSR3UET
    • Author Username: AlexanderRufire
    • Item License Code: 7X9F52DNML

    === Connect with Uncle Marv

    🌐 Website: https://www.itbusinesspodcast.com/
    🎙 Host: Marvin Bee
    🛒 Uncle Marv’s Amazon Store (gear & tools I recommend): https://amzn.to/3EiyKoZ
    ☕ Support the show: https://ko-fi.com/itbusinesspodcast

    If you found value in this episode, share it with another MSP, IT provider, or tech entrepreneur. Your support helps keep practical, no-nonsense IT business conversations coming every week.
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    47 mins
  • MSP Marketing for Real Growth (EP 1003)

    MSP Marketing for Real Growth (EP 1003)
    May 8 2026
    Laura walks me through her “Know, Grow, Scale” framework and how most MSPs are trying to jump straight to lead gen while their business is still “root bound” at the foundation level. We talk about diagnostics, digital health, differentiation, and why your website, offers, and content have to actually say something meaningful before you ever expect your marketing to convert. We also get into mindset: the difference between a 500K MSP and a 5M+ MSP, and what it really means to be “growth ready” as an owner. Laura shares some spicy takes on overhyped Google Ads, what “AI searchable” really means for MSPs, why you should talk about pricing, and how to move forward if you’ve already been burned by a marketing agency. Chapters 00:00 MSP Marketing for Real Growth: Month kickoff01:00 Why I brought Laura Johns on to talk real MSP growth02:30 Laura’s journey from telecom and MSPs to The Business Growers05:20 What actually makes this MSP marketing approach different07:50 The “health score” and the Know–Grow–Scale framework11:20 Why “set it and forget it” marketing fails most MSPs13:20 Cold calling myths and the 3–5% ready‑to‑buy reality14:35 Who this works for: from 500K MSPs to 25M providers17:10 2x vs 10x mindset: how serious are you about growth?19:40 Spicy take: why Google Ads won’t save a broken strategy22:30 What being “AI searchable” really looks like for MSPs23:50 Talking price, filtering bad leads, and better-fit clients26:30 Burned by a previous marketing agency? How to reset29:10 Competition, geography, and why differentiation wins36:00 Doing what works in your market vs staying stuck38:00 Laura’s final advice: get a real diagnostic before you scale Guest: Laura Johns, The Business Growers Website – https://thebusinessgrowers.comLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurapickardjohnsGet More MSP Leads (podcast): https://open.spotify.com/show/1Awr19JiyZz3UBJxXlPNg7 Shout-outs Lydia Walker,: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lydiaawalker Companies / Vendors / Products / Books Get More MSP Leads (podcast): https://open.spotify.com/show/1Awr19JiyZz3UBJxXlPNg7Endless Customers (Marcus Sheridan): https://amzn.to/42WJbvGThey Ask, You Answer (Marcus Sheridan): https://amzn.to/4dw7ExZ10X Is Easier Than 2X (Dan Sullivan): https://amzn.to/42ixXBA === SPONSORS: Livestream Partner, ThreatLocker: https://www.itbusinesspodcast.com/threatlockerTechnology Partner, NetAlly: https://www.itbusinesspodcast.com/netally/Technology Partner: Bvoip: https://www.itbusinesspodcast.com/bvoipTravel Partner: TruGrid: https://www.itbusinesspodcast.com/trugridDigital Partner, Designer Ready: http://itbusinesspodcast.com/designerready === SHOW MUSIC: Item Title: Upbeat & Fun Sports Rock Logo Item URL: https://elements.envato.com/upbeat-fun-sports-rock-logo-CSR3UETAuthor Username: AlexanderRufire Item License Code: 7X9F52DNML === Connect with Uncle Marv🌐 Website: https://www.itbusinesspodcast.com/🎙 Host: Marvin Bee🛒 Uncle Marv’s Amazon Store (gear & tools I recommend): https://amzn.to/3EiyKoZ☕ Support the show: https://ko-fi.com/itbusinesspodcastIf you found value in this episode, share it with another MSP, IT provider, or tech entrepreneur. Your support helps keep practical, no-nonsense IT business conversations coming every week.
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    41 mins
  • Money, Marketing And MSP Growth 2026 (EP 1002)

    Money, Marketing And MSP Growth 2026 (EP 1002)
    May 7 2026
    Chapters 01:08 Welcome to the IT Business Podcast05:47 Cloud Hosting Exploration19:41 Upcoming Conferences and Events20:53 Acronis Event Announcement23:43 Rant Warning: Caution Ahead27:47 Family and Business Challenges33:44 Vendor Relationships and Fairness39:40 Navigating Vendor Changes43:40 Industry Dynamics and Perspectives52:16 Conclusion and Future Content This one starts with a straightforward need: move a single line‑of‑business app into the cloud without spinning up a quarter‑rack, buying hardware, and babysitting it in a data center. I share how I landed on VULTR for this client, what the initial sales experience looked like, how fast I was able to spin up a Windows Server, and why the simplicity of their model was a breath of fresh air compared to my previous AWS journey. I also touch on Nerdio as a possible front‑end to AWS for those who want the power without the pain. From there, we zoom out into the bigger picture: evaluating SLIDE against Datto, why I sent the SLIDE appliance back even though the tech worked, and what aggressive sales, disappearing commissions, and shifting partner programs are doing to MSPs who are trying to run a stable business on a budget. I talk candidly about losing 150 endpoints, keeping the doors open, supporting family, and still planning for 30 years in business while vendors like AppRiver quietly change how they pay partners. We wrap with what Money Marketing and Growth Month will cover, a preview of the ACES Mac conference, and a few Florida Man stories to keep it all human. Acronis Event The Pivotal Point of IT: https://go.acronis.com/itbusinesspodcast Florida Man Florida Man Arrested for Plucking the Chicken at Chick-Fil-A Drive Thru: https://linkly.link/2iQiuFlorida Man Arrested at Walmart for Banana Trick: https://linkly.link/2iQioSecret Service Agent Arrested on Charges of Indecent Exposure: https://linkly.link/2iQiy Shout-outs Tom Wyant: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomaswyant/Chris Flusche: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-flusche-b391037b/Dave Scott, Scott Growth Strategies: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davescottTim Fitzpatrick, Rialto Marketing: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timpfitzpatrickLisa Shorr, Shorr Success: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisashorr/Colin Knox, Gradient: https://www.linkedin.com/in/realityknox/Laura Johns, The Business Growers: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurapickardjohns/Nate Friedman, Tech Pro Marketing: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natefreedman/Chris Wiser: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cwiser/Robin Robins: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robinrobins/Justin Esgar: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinesgar/ ACES Conference: https://acesconf.com/ Companies / Vendors / Products Mentioned MSP Unplugged Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/mspunpluggedSynology: https://www.synology.comNerdio: https://getnerdio.comVULTR: https://www.vultr.comSLIDE: https://slide.tech/Datto: https://www.datto.comKaseya: https://www.kaseya.comAppRiver: https://cybersecurity.opentext.com/legacy/appriver === SPONSORS: Livestream Partner, ThreatLocker: https://www.itbusinesspodcast.com/threatlockerTechnology Partner, NetAlly: https://www.itbusinesspodcast.com/netally/Technology Partner: Bvoip: https://www.itbusinesspodcast.com/bvoipTravel Partner: TruGrid: https://www.itbusinesspodcast.com/trugridDigital Partner, Designer Ready: http://itbusinesspodcast.com/designerready === SHOW MUSIC: Item Title: Upbeat & Fun Sports Rock LogoItem URL: https://elements.envato.com/upbeat-fun-sports-rock-logo-CSR3UETAuthor Username: AlexanderRufireItem License Code: 7X9F52DNML === Connect with Uncle Marv🌐 Website: https://www.itbusinesspodcast.com/🎙 Host: Marvin Bee🛒 Uncle Marv’s Amazon Store (gear & tools I recommend): https://amzn.to/3EiyKoZ☕ Support the show: https://ko-fi.com/itbusinesspodcastIf you found value in this episode, share it with another MSP, IT provider, or tech entrepreneur. Your support helps keep practical, no-nonsense IT business conversations coming every week.
    Show More Show Less
    53 mins
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