How do you transform your business from a MSP to an MSSP and capture your unfair share of the projected 2018 $96B Cyber Security market?*

Take some advice from those that have taken the leap!  This past week, I had the honor of speaking and moderating a panel during  CP’s Cyber Security Summit in Philadelphia. The panel included Ryan Weeks, CISO Datto, Jim Turner, Founder and CEO of Hilltop Consultants and Dan McCoy, Founder of TechSubluxation.

During the hour long discussion, all three talked about their business challenges, their  focus on hiring talent and resources they use to keep current on the cyber security industry. The conversation that generated the most interest was when they shared their advice with the audience (their peers) on what helped them be successful as they transformed their business from break fix to MSSP.

5 Guidelines from the group:

  1. Make the Decision. Then follow through with your decision and execute against it.
  2. Hire Talent.
    • Hire the right people and put them in the right role.
    • This includes changing your role. If you were the CEO/Founder/lead Tech before, now you have to decide what your new role is going to be going forward depending on your best skill set.
    • Then hire where you have gaps. That may mean that you have to hire a VP of Engineering, or COO or both.
  3. Choose a Vertical Market.
    • This is a word coined by Achieve’sPrincipal, Bob O’ Malley, specifically it means the sweet spot for MSSP’s is where MSSP applies their horizontal security knowledge to a vertical market.
    • Read more about The 5 Forces Impacting The Success of Tomorrow’s Channel.
    • Become a specialist not a generalist.
  4. Market Yourself.
    • If you don’t market yourself or create your own message, someone else will.
    • It may be a competitor, so take the initiative and create your marketing message.
    • Social media is a favorite and heavily used and effective marketing tool.
    • Go where their clients go; network and attend events that are specific to that vertical.
  5. Be Prescriptive.
    • Be prescriptive in the contracts that you have your clients sign.
    • Be prescriptive in your processes and methodologies.

For more information about AchieveUnite and our team and services, please contact us!

*(Source: Gartner 2017)