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

In this episode of From the Trenches on the BMK Vision Podcast, Josh Peterson sits down with Nelson Archila—an emerging MSP founder in Los Angeles—to explore the most underestimated part of starting an MSP: not the tech, but the personal and operational risk that shows up the moment you become the one responsible for outcomes. Nelson’s story is a reminder that early-stage MSP leadership is rarely a knowledge problem; it’s a discipline problem. When you don’t yet have team depth, process maturity, or financial margin for error, “small” decisions—how you prospect, how you scope, how you invoice, how you specialize—become existential. For MSP owners who want to build something stable instead of something fragile, this conversation reinforces why structure matters early—and why the leap from technician to owner is exactly the kind of transition managed service provider consulting support is designed to accelerate. It also connects directly to the financial clarity gap most founders discover too late—where strategic MSP financial consulting and an execution framework like the BMK Vision Operating System stop being “nice to have” and start being survival infrastructure.

This is not a conversation about finding the next tool, building the perfect stack, or copying someone else’s playbook. It’s about what founders actually face in “round one”: the moment you realize the work is not just solving technical problems, but selling trust, pricing responsibility, and sending the invoice without apologizing for the value you created. Nelson explains how he learned—sometimes the hard way—that confidence in delivery must be matched by confidence in billing, and that specialization (in his case, law firms) is not a marketing tactic—it’s a strategic choice that forces clarity in messaging, scoping, and service design. For MSP owners who feel busy but not in control, the lesson is blunt: if you can’t consistently convert effort into margin, you don’t have a scalable service business—you have a personal job with unpredictable risk.

What’s the real risk when you start an MSP?

Most founders assume the risk is technical—security incidents, outages, mistakes, or not knowing enough. In reality, the most immediate risk is operational: inconsistent prospecting, fuzzy scoping, and financial hesitation.

Nelson’s “round one” experience shows how quickly an MSP can become unstable when confidence lives only in delivery, not in leadership. The business begins to wobble the first time you delay invoicing, underprice responsibility, or avoid specialization because a vertical feels intimidating.

• Technical skill earns credibility, but execution discipline creates stability
• Billing hesitation is a margin leak disguised as humility
• Early structure is not bureaucracy—it’s protection

The MSP problem this episode solves

Early-stage MSP owners often feel trapped between two realities: they can do the work, but they can’t reliably convert the work into predictable growth. They’re “busy,” but the business doesn’t feel controlled.

This episode addresses three common founder bottlenecks:

• Prospecting friction: knowing you need new clients, but avoiding outreach
• Confidence gaps: being great technically, but uncertain in sales conversations
• Invoice avoidance: doing the work, agreeing on scope, then hesitating to charge

Nelson’s story highlights a leadership truth: if you can’t send the invoice confidently, you don’t yet own the risk—you’re still reacting to it.

Why selling is harder than serving

Almost every MSP can serve a client well once the client exists. The harder problem is crossing the invisible line from “stranger” to “trusted advisor.” Nelson describes the simplest (and most uncomfortable) version of business development: starting the conversation, staying in it, and becoming credible without overtalking.

For many founders, this is not a strategy issue—it’s an identity issue. If you still see yourself as “not a people person,” you will unconsciously cap your pipeline.

• Trust precedes buying, and likeability often precedes trust
• Prospecting is not charisma—it’s repetition and consistency
• Confidence can be trained, but only through exposure

Specialization: why “law firms” is more than a niche

Vertical focus is not about being clever; it’s about being clear. When Nelson commits to law firms, he’s choosing an environment that forces precision: clearer questions, clearer scope, clearer expectations, and clearer messaging.

Specialization also changes the economics. Repetition creates speed, speed creates margin, and margin creates the breathing room founders need to hire, document, and mature the operation.

• Vertical focus builds a repeatable service design instead of custom chaos
• Clear positioning reduces price pressure by increasing perceived relevance
• Learning one business deeply is often faster than learning ten businesses shallowly

The invoice button: where founder psychology shows up

One of the most revealing moments in the episode is Nelson describing the hesitation to press “send” on an invoice—even after the client already agreed to the work. That hesitation is common, and it’s rarely about math.

It’s about responsibility. The invoice represents a claim: “This work mattered, and I’m willing to be paid for owning the outcome.” MSP owners who don’t practice that stance often end up discounting their own labor, writing off time, and creating a culture where margin is optional.

• If the scope is clear and the delivery is solid, billing should be routine
• Invoice avoidance turns into underfunded operations—and eventually burnout
• Accountability is easier when you involve a trusted financial partner

Episode highlights

• 00:00:11 – Nelson’s boss gives him a one-month deadline to find an IT job, pushing him out of his comfort zone and into a real tech career.
• 00:01:46 – How Nelson’s bachelor’s degree in computer technology with a Homeland Security track laid the foundation for MSP work.
• 00:05:21 – Growing up in Inglewood: daily choices, strong parental boundaries, and avoiding the pitfalls of a tough neighborhood.
• 00:09:22 – The scanner-company story: calling, visiting, and following up until persistence finally turns into a job offer.
• 00:16:48 – Naming sales, confidence, and trust-building as the hardest parts of starting and growing an MSP.
• 00:23:24 – Choosing law firms as his primary vertical and how that focus shapes his service offering and messaging.
• 00:34:44 – Casting a three-year vision: office space, employees, and a people-first culture built on respect and growth.

About the guest: Nelson Archila

Nelson Archila is an emerging MSP founder based in Los Angeles. After earning his degree in Computer Technology with a Homeland Security concentration, he entered the IT world through a warehouse role supporting government contracts, visiting military bases, and handling critical equipment. His first dedicated IT job came through sheer persistence with a scanner company—an experience that set the tone for how he approaches opportunity, resilience, and career growth.

Nelson stepped into the MSP space in 2019 and quickly discovered how much he loves client service, solving real-world problems, and continuously learning new environments. Now preparing for “Round Two” of his own MSP, he is focused on building a verticalized practice serving law firms, developing confident sales and billing habits, and creating a small, people-first company where employees are treated well and clients feel genuinely supported.

Connect with Nelson on LinkedIn →

About the host: Josh Peterson

Josh Peterson is the CEO of Bering McKinley and host of the BMK Vision Podcast. Through the From the Trenches series, Josh helps MSPs strengthen financial clarity, leadership maturity, and operational excellence using the BMK Vision Operating System, turning real-world stories into practical, standard-driven guidance. Connect with Josh on LinkedIn →

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Frequently asked questions

What’s the hardest part of starting an MSP?
For many founders, it’s not delivery—it’s prospecting, selling trust, and developing the discipline to scope and bill confidently.

Why do MSP owners hesitate to send invoices?
Because invoicing often triggers doubt about value and responsibility, even when the client already agreed to the scope.

Is vertical specialization worth it for a small MSP?
Yes—specialization reduces chaos, increases repeatability, and often improves margin by making your service design and messaging clearer.

How do I get better at MSP sales if I’m not a “salesperson”?
Treat it like a skill: consistent outreach, structured conversations, and repetition that builds confidence through exposure.

What should an MSP owner focus on in the first year?
Clarity in service scope, consistent time and workflow discipline, basic financial structure, and a prospecting cadence you can sustain.

Want to continue the conversation?

If you’re an MSP owner building toward a more disciplined, focused future—and want help creating clarity, financial visibility, and execution discipline—explore the Vision operating system or apply to be a guest on the podcast.

👉 Apply to be on the BMK Vision Podcast
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