Let's address the elephant in the room right off the bat: once you partner with a larger organization, you’re giving up some control, and this commonly leads to a fear of having no control over your day-to-day position and role.
It's a scary thought, especially for someone accustomed to wearing many hats and filling many roles on top of owning and running your MSP. Just imagining that you could end up with a job you don't want is enough to discourage many from pursuing a beneficial partnership. It's a valid concern.
However, if you're partnering with Intelligent Technical Solutions (ITS), you should understand one thing; we believe, as it aligns with business needs, people should be empowered to follow their passion.
In this article, we'll answer one of the most asked partnership questions we encounter: At ITS, what will be my role?
What Will Be Your Role at ITS?
One of our goals at ITS is to find partners who want to remain involved in growing the organization and competing in the marketplace. It's one of the very first things we discuss with curious MSP owners. Beyond “staying involved”, new partners face the opportunity of shedding tasks and roles they hate to focus on what they love. That means in joining ITS, we’re committed to supporting you in pursuing your business passion.
So, if you're asking what your role will be once the partnership comes together, a good place to start is by asking yourself: “What do I want to do?”
Finding Your Place at ITS
"What do I want to do?” might seem like an easy question to answer for some, but that's not always the case. Some find it hard to identify their passion because, as a business owner, it’s rare to have the indulgence of being selective because, as an owner, your job is to do whatever the business requires, irrespective of your passion! You could be handling sales one minute and solving tech issues the next. Over a long enough period, this can become draining and frustrating.
On the flip side, and sometimes unexpectedly, it’s not uncommon for new partners to also worry about committing to a passion that they’ll paint themselves into a corner.
"People typically aren't ready for it. As an owner, they haven't had the luxury of offloading ‘hats’ because they must do whatever is required," says Adam Kerrigan, an ITS partner himself. Adam was the CEO of EndevTec prior to partnering with ITS in 2018. Now our Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) Director at ITS, he has first-hand experience in finding his place. "Some people know exactly what they want to do. But for some, it takes time, and that’s okay," he said.
According to Adam, when talking with potential future partners, ITS will have several conversations focused on the future role, responsibilities, and how to transition tasks. These conversations can be helpful in drilling down to what brings the most satisfaction in a person’s work and leads to fulfillment in their professional endeavors.
Aligning with ITS Needs
While we would love to say that we can support a person with any role they desire, it’s important to remain mindful of the business needs. Naturally, our work must drive the organization forward, so alignment is key. Business success requires tending to the needs of our clients, the market, the economy, and the team.
Adam shared his experience when partnering with ITS five years ago. "Initially, when I came over, I was going to lead our technical team," he recalls. However, two weeks into the integration, Adam realized he was tired of technical work after doing it for 20 years. "I never want to close another ticket in my life," he admits.
Adam then had a conversation with his new partners and discussed where his interests aligned with the needs of ITS. "I wanted to pursue outside sales, and they were excited that I wanted to go that direction, so I did," he says.
“The culture here is collaborative, so every person I’ve seen join has the support to pursue and grow what matters most to them,” he adds.
On the rare occasion that the role you seek is out of alignment with the company's current needs, it doesn't mean things will stay that way. ITS is constantly growing and evolving. There are times when new opportunities open that allow partners to pursue their passions, such as cybersecurity, M&A, project integration, and more.
Three years after joining ITS, Adam found a new opportunity when the company opened its Mergers and Acquisitions division. "When it came up, I felt very passionate about it, having gone through that myself," he says. "I felt very lucky to be here at ITS and the benefits it has brought to my life. I feel fortunate that I get to do that work," he adds.
The Benefits of Choosing the Right Role
Before Adam even decided to partner with ITS, he led his own IT company. According to him, he had to work harder than everyone else because he knew no one would care about the company as much as he cared. The result was him shouldering the brunt of the work for over ten years. While the company rose through the ranks, Adam felt the toll and decided that he needed help.
"When I owned my company, I put in a minimum of ten hours a day. Now, ten-hour days are rare," Adam says. "I [also] don't worry at night because I know things are handled on the service side. If a client's server goes down, we have a dedicated team for that, which relieves me from worrying about those concerns. And instead of staying up late at night and worrying about payroll, I get better quality sleep."
Ready to Find Your Place in ITS?
It's okay to worry about what role you will play when you partner with a bigger company. A partnership brings many changes, which might feel uncomfortable, but it also brings new opportunities. If you're partnering with ITS, we care about finding the right role for you. We'll work with you to discover your passion.
Learn more about what role you could have at ITS, and schedule a meeting with us. You may also read stories from other business owners who have found their place in ITS:
- Breaking through the ceiling: Daniel Wang's success story
- How a Growing MSP Steered His Company in the Right Direction by Partnering with ITS
- Proactive Networks' Partnership with ITS and How It Changed Their Business
