The Secret Weapon of Seven-Figure MSPs: Coaching

When I ran my MSP, I used to think I didn’t need a coach. I thought I had it all figured out. But wow, was I wrong! Every top performer has a coach. Michael Jordan had Phil Jackson. Tiger Woods had Butch Harmon. Even Steve Jobs had a coach. So why did I think I was the exception?

Why Most MSPs Resist Coaching

I hear the same objections over and over again:

1. Ego – “I’ve been doing this for years, I don’t need help.” But if you’re stuck, plateaued, or burned out, you do need help.
2. Money – Many MSPs see coaching as a cost instead of an investment. They’ll buy shiny new tools but hesitate to spend on something that could land six-figure accounts.
3. Time – “I’m too busy running my business.” But that’s like saying you’re too busy driving to stop for gas. Eventually, you’ll run out of fuel.

Sound familiar? If you’re saying any of these things, you’re locking yourself into the same hamster wheel year after year.

What a Coach Really Brings

• Accountability – You already know what you should be doing. But left to your own devices, you push it off. A coach keeps you on track.
• Perspective – You’re too close to your business to see everything clearly. A coach spots the bottlenecks and missed opportunities you’ve gone blind to.
• Shortcuts – A good coach has already tested what works. Instead of wasting years figuring it out, you get proven strategies now.

When we worked with Wendy Weiss, the “Queen of Cold Calling,” everything changed. She wasn’t just giving advice and disappearing. She held us accountable. She pushed us outside our comfort zone. She gave us structure and clarity. And you know what? It worked!

We went from chasing one or two prospects to having four or five every week. We landed six-figure accounts. We discovered opportunities that had been sitting under our noses. That’s the power of coaching.

How to Pick the Right Coach

Not every coach is the right fit. Here’s what I learned:

• Industry knowledge matters. If they don’t understand the MSP world, their advice might sound good but fall apart in practice.
• Look for results. Would you take fitness advice from someone who’s never been to the gym? Of course not. Same goes for coaching.
• Fit is everything. Some people need a drill sergeant. Others need a strategist or motivator. The wrong fit kills progress.
• Watch for red flags. Big talk with no plan, no proof, or one-size-fits-all answers are deal breakers.

Interview coaches like you would a key hire. Don’t just ask about wins: ask about failures and what they learned. A real coach has both scars and successes.

The ROI of Coaching

Here are the big wins I saw from investing in coaching:

1. Revenue growth – Directly landing bigger accounts.
2. Systems and delegation – Finally removing myself as the bottleneck.
3. Personal freedom – Breaking free from burnout and stress.

Coaching isn’t optional if you want to scale. It’s the accelerator that gets you where you want to go faster and with fewer mistakes.

So let me leave you with this challenge. Ask yourself: If I had a coach pushing me this year, where would my MSP be in 12 months? And what’s the cost of not having that accountability?

And here’s a quote that always sticks with me from Bill Gates: “Everyone needs a coach. We all need people who will give us feedback. And that’s how we improve.” – Bill Gates

Have a great week and weekend!