#40 – From the Trenches: Starting an MSP & Owning the Risk (Nelson Archila)

In this From the Trenches episode of the BMK Vision Podcast, Josh Peterson sits down with Nelson Archila — a driven young MSP founder whose journey from Inglewood to entrepreneurship is built on resilience, persistence, family support, and a determination to build something of his own.

 

Nelson shares how growing up in a challenging part of Los Angeles shaped him early, forcing him to choose who he wanted to be long before adulthood. With strict, loving parents and high-achieving older sisters guiding him, he learned to stay focused, stay accountable, and keep his goals in front of him. Technology quickly became his passion, and studying computer technology and Homeland Security at Cal State Dominguez Hills set the foundation for his career.

 

He talks about his first exposure to IT through a warehouse job that took him into military bases, and how his curiosity for technology eventually led him to pursue IT full-time. Nelson tells the story of landing his very first IT role at a scanner company — a job he earned only after calling more than 30 times and showing up repeatedly until they agreed to interview him. That same persistence led him into the MSP world in 2019, where he fell in love with helping clients and learning different environments.

 

The conversation digs into Nelson’s decision to start his own MSP and the moment he asked himself, “Why not me?” He explains how fear of selling, shyness with new prospects, and anxiety around billing nearly held him back — and how overcoming those fears became the key to unlocking his confidence. He also shares how his father became his accountability partner, how the chart of accounts changed his understanding of the business, and why he now believes he’s ready for “Round Two.”

 

Nelson outlines his plan to specialize in law firms as his primary vertical, how early legal clients gave him clarity, and why choosing a niche will help him grow faster. He talks through prospecting, building trust, pricing properly, and learning from every business owner he meets. He also shares his long-term dream of opening his first office — a milestone he wants to reach within three years.

 

This episode is an honest, relatable look at what it takes to start an MSP from scratch. Nelson’s story is proof that success in this industry doesn’t come from perfection — it comes from persistence, belief, learning, and the willingness to keep going.

 

👉 Learn more about the BMK Vision Operating System: https://beringmckinley.com/vision

Topics Covered

• Growing up in Inglewood and overcoming early challenges

• Parents, accountability, and staying focused

• Discovering technology and entering the IT world

• Landing his first IT job through persistence

• Joining the MSP world in 2019

• The “Why not me?” moment that sparked entrepreneurship

• Overcoming sales fear, shyness, and billing anxiety

• Using the chart of accounts to gain financial clarity

• Specializing in law firms as a vertical

• Prospecting with confidence and building trust

• Pricing properly and learning to hit “send” on invoices

• Building toward a future office, team, and culture

🎙️ Guest Bio — Nelson Archila

 

Nelson Archila is an emerging MSP founder based in Los Angeles. After earning his degree in Computer Technology with a Homeland Security track, he entered the MSP industry in 2019 and quickly fell in love with client service, problem-solving, and learning new environments. Nelson is now preparing for “Round Two” of launching his own MSP, specializing in law firms and building a company focused on people, service, culture, and long-term growth.

🎤 Host Bio — Josh Peterson

 

Josh Peterson is the CEO of Bering McKinley and host of the BMK Vision Podcast. With decades of experience coaching MSP owners around the world, Josh helps companies grow through operational maturity, financial clarity, leadership development, and the BMK Vision Operating System.

🌐 Learn more: https://beringmckinley.com/vision