#69 – From the Trenches: Owner-Led Sales, Dispatch Discipline & Sustainable MSP Growth (Chad Kempt)

In this From the Trenches episode, Chad Kempt joins Josh Peterson for a practical conversation on what really drives sustainable MSP growth—especially for owner-led firms. Chad opens with a major milestone: winning the ASCII Member of the Year Award (and becoming the first Canadian to receive it), then walks through how he went from “walking into offices” in the late 90s to building a modern MSP that has evolved with the market.

The discussion gets tactical and operational fast: why owner-led sales is still the right move under ~$1M, why “hiring a sales team too early” is often a distraction, and how the MSP opportunity has shifted from legacy on-prem infrastructure to higher-reliance environments built around identity, security, and business continuity. Josh and Chad also go deep on dispatch discipline, the service manager role, and how a stable operation (not shiny tools) is what allows MSPs to scale without breaking. This aligns closely with the execution-first approach behind BMK Vision.

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Episode Highlights

• 00:00:26 – Chad wins ASCII Member of the Year (first Canadian recipient).
• 00:02:45 – Owner-led sales: why “just go talk to people” still works under ~$1M.
• 00:08:12 – Supply vs demand: why the “market is shrinking” take misses the demand shift.
• 00:10:54 – Moving upstream: why 50–150 seats becomes the new core target for many MSPs.
• 00:18:39 – Strategy vs tactics: where “muscle and feel” breaks (around $2.5M).
• 00:25:14 – Service management realities: scaling stalls without the right ops leader.
• 00:29:19 – Dispatch discipline: owning hours, schedule, and ticket follow-through.
• 00:39:16 – Reporting bloat vs useful data: need-first metrics and PSA fundamentals.

About the Guest

Chad Kempt is a long-time MSP owner and operator with nearly three decades of experience building and evolving a service business as technology—and client reliance—has changed. Chad is known for his practical, execution-first approach to growth, emphasizing owner-led sales, operational discipline, and building the right leadership structure before scaling aggressively.

🌐 Connect with Chad on LinkedIn →
🌐 Visit Fast Computers →

About the Host

Josh Peterson is the CEO of Bering McKinley and host of the BMK Vision Podcast. Through the From the Trenches series, Josh speaks candidly with MSP owners and operators about growth, execution, and the realities of building sustainable service businesses.

🔗 Connect with Josh on LinkedIn →