We’re saying “thank you” to the individuals and teams behind 10 free MSP resources that we couldn’t stand being without.
With this post we’re shining a spotlight on 10 amazing resources that are free, open to the community, and clear indications that their creators and contributors genuinely care about giving back. We’re insanely grateful for them, and hope you’ll agree they deserve a good shout-out!
- CyberDrain
- ITProMentor
- Paul Green’s MSP Marketing Blog
- The MSP Initiative
- The TechBar
- Lawrence Systems Business Talks
- The Cyber Call
- MSPs R Us
- IT Pool Party
- IT & MSP Business Owners Group
CyberDrain
Author: Kelvin Tegelaar
It’s hard to overstate Kelvin Tegelaar’s contributions to the MSP community. As author of CyberDrain, he regularly shares PowerShell scripts he’s developed to help make his and other MSPs’ jobs easier.
Whether it’s monitoring admin logons or password changes, documenting mobile devices, conducting basic port scanning, or notifying clients when their email addresses are in data breaches, chances are if you have a task then Kelvin has a script for it.
Kelvin received significant recognition when he was named an official Microsoft MVP (being included in this list is basically right up there with that in terms of achievements, right?).
But to fully appreciate his work’s real-world impact, see this Reddit post from an MSP thanking Kelvin (u/Lime-TeGek) for essentially saving his business.
In addition to reading his blog, you can also find Kelvin actively contributing to MSPs R Us, IT Pool Party, and other MSP community groups. I also regularly feature his posts in our weekly MSP Bento emails (ctrl-f for “Tegelaar” on this page).
ITProMentor
Author: Alex Fields
Alex Fields is another Microsoft MVP, but the more important point he stresses in his bio is that he’s also a “real, actual human being.” The point shines through, not only in his writing, which is infused with personality, but also in his topic selection at ITProMentor.com. Alex is devoted to helping IT pros solve real challenges and eager to share the kind of walkthroughs and best practices he wishes he’d had access to.
Highlights:
- Microsoft 365 Licensing Guide: Ever get confused about what’s included and what’s not in M365 and O365 licenses? Me, too. Alex’s breakdown is great.
- Microsoft O365 Email Security Checklist: This is one of the most popular free resources we’ve ever shared in MSP Bento.
- Migration Guides: Extremely helpful material here related to Exchange, SharePoint, and more.
Paul Green’s MSP Marketing Blog
Author: Paul Green
So many sales and marketing-focused resources can come across as all sizzle and no steak. Paul Green’s blog is a great exception. He doesn’t shy away from getting detailed and tactical, and the topics he covers are rooted firmly in real-world experience and application. If you like Paul’s posts, you can also check out his weekly podcast.
Highlights:
- Craig’s Story: How to Do a Multi-Touchpoint Marketing Campaign During Lockdown
- How Can You Make Your MSP’s Website Better at Generating Leads?
- Get More Leads from Your MSP’s Website Using Google Optimize
The MSP Initiative
Host: George Bardissi
In a year where just about anyone would be excused for downshifting, bvoip CEO George Bardissi instead solidified his case for being the hardest working man in the channel. Not only did he launch and steadily maintain The MSP Initiative — a video series where he interviews other channel experts twice a week — he somehow also found time to launch the Channel Strong Tour, a series of socially distanced outdoor MSP community events that saw him and other vendors travel all over the country. Not once but twice!
That’s 9,000 miles in total, with food drive donations at every stop.
Highlights:
- Scaling Your MSP Past the $1M Plateau (Even in These Times) featuring NinjaOne Channel Chief Advisor Tom Watson
- A Real World Journey Through the Evolution of an MSP with Kevin Clune from MSP Growth Hacks
- Any of the Channel Strong Tour recaps with George & Ken Patterson from Pax8
The TechBar
Hosts: Ray Orsini and Sean Lardo
We all knew 2020 would be different without the conferences that give everyone in the MSP community the chance to reconnect (drink) with each other. Into the booze-free void boldly stepped Ray Orsini and Sean Lardo from OIT. With The TechBar, every other Thursday they re-capture the often ridiculous and occasionally profound magic of staying at the hotel bar for just one more round. Then another. And another.
Highlights:
- The Friendsgiving episode featuring Amy Luby from Acronis (and many more)
- The episode that started it all with Dave Cole and Corey Eberly of Castle Rock Sky
Fair warning: I feel hungover just watching these things.
Lawrence Systems Business Talks
Host: Tom Lawrence
15customer-count YouTube subscribers? Can’t be wrong. Tom Lawrence, owner of Lawrence Systems, has built a massive following thanks to a refreshingly candid and highly informative approach. The man is prolific (he publishes multiple new videos every week), and he’s also a completely open book. Some of his most popular videos are product reviews and tutorials, but the ones I appreciate most are his fully transparent walkthroughs of how his business operates (see his “Business Talks” playlist).
Most MSP owners would be hesitant to share anything close to the level of detail Tom shares on topics ranging from pricing structure to accounting process. But Tom is genuinely devoted to giving back and sharing any experience others can learn from.
Highlights:
- History of How I Started My Tech Business
- How We Generate B2B Sales Leads & Our People Process
- Invoicing and How We Get Paid Using Stripe, InvoiceNinja, & YouCanBookMe
The Cyber Call
Organizer: Andrew Morgan
The Cyber Call is a weekly one-hour gathering of channel experts and cybersecurity professionals designed to keep MSPs in the know and constantly raising their game. Regular guests include Huntress Labs founder Kyle Hanslovan, Perch Security CISO Wes Spencer, TruMethods owner Gary Pica, and series moderator Andrew Morgan. Each week features new guests and topics, though, and you can keep the conversation going at The Cyber Nation, a community Morgan has created around the weekly sessions.
MSPs Я Us (Discord)
MSPs Я Us is an active Discord community of MSPs discussing everything from products and troubleshooting to security, business operations, and how I’m their favorite vendor representative (or not). It’s the place to go for second opinions, sanity checks, and random conversations with smart folks who’ve seen it all and somehow have still managed to keep their sense of humor.
IT Pool Party
Missing conferences and meetups? IT Pool Party is another community picking up the… slack (ok, I’m sorry — I’ll show myself out). The group is closing in on 2,000 members, and is healthy and active without being crowded or chaotic. It’s another great peer go-to for exchanging ideas, feedback, and commiseration on practically anything you can imagine running into.
IT & MSP Business Owner’s Group
Run by: Chris Wiser
Membership in IT & MSP Business Owners Group skyrocketed. Started and managed by former MSP owner and current sales and marketing consultant Chris Wiser, the group is an active hub for MSPs sharing recommendations, asking and answering questions, and connecting with peers.
Best Practices NinjaOne
Here’s a bonus resource specifically for Ninja partners created by Ninja partners. Best Practices NinjaOne is a Facebook group that customers independently launched to share tips, ask questions, and help each other out. There’s also an effort to collect scripts shared with the group here on GitHub.
A big thanks to all the creators and contributors behind these resources, and that make the MSP community great. We hope you’ll join us in singing their praises and letting them and others know you appreciate them!
