#24 – From the Trenches - Starting an MSP - Sales, Tools, Automation (Chris Hart)

New founder Chris shares the real playbook for launching (again): lean tools, aggressive outreach, and a focus on recurring revenue. If you’re an MSP owner or IT leader eyeing your next growth phase, you’ll learn concrete tactics you can reuse immediately.

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Chris, founder of IronGate MSP, joins BMK Vision “In the Trenches” to break down how he’s building a modern managed services practice from day one—without bloated software or guesswork. You’ll hear how his first tech gig at 18 set the course, why he sold an earlier MSP, and what’s different this time: a sales-led approach, disciplined proposals, and a ruthless focus on MRR stability. The episode is a candid look at tool selection, vertical targeting, outbound prospecting, and using automation to stay proactive for clients.

👉 Launching lean: choosing an all-in-one PSA/RMM to avoid heavy contracts and minimums while you scale
👉 Sales first, not “word of mouth”: cold email sequences, local chambers, targeted mailers, and structured discovery to book meetings
👉 Proposals that win: align pricing to the problems uncovered (e.g., internet reliability + SD-WAN) instead of cookie-cutter bundles
👉 Projects vs. MRR: take smart projects that lead to managed services while tracking recurring revenue as the North Star
👉 Automation & AI opportunities: process optimization (Zapier/Make) and documentation integration to deliver consistent, proactive service “Visit https://beringmckinley.com for more MSP resources.”

🔗 Resources & Links
• Chris Hart - IronGate MSP: https://irongatemsp.com
• Bering McKinley MSP Consulting: https://beringmckinley.com

⏱️ Chapters
00:00 – Why start an MSP (again) and family stakes
00:00:32 – First IT story: from printers to servers at 18
00:02:08 – SBS 2003, first client win, and the MSP spark
00:04:40 – Leaving a stable job to launch IronGate MSP
00:06:41 – Year-one goals: 15 clients and $100K revenue
00:09:55 – Avoiding pitfalls: sales process and proposal discipline
00:13:33 – Outbound engine: cold emails, social, chamber networking
00:15:27 – Funnel metrics and next-step mailers + call-downs
00:18:54 – Discovery and assessments that drive tailored proposals
00:20:42 – Projects as a bridge to recurring revenue
00:22:37 – Tooling on a budget: lean PSA/RMM strategy
00:25:43 – Being truly proactive: cadence, checklists, automation
00:28:59 – MSP role in client automation and AI enablement
00:33:11 – Check-in plan and big goal: Florida’s largest MSP
00:34:03 – Markets served and where to connect

🔍 Primary Keywords
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🔍 Secondary Keywords
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