#8 – From the Trenches - From Dentists to CPAs - Jordan’s MSP Playbook (Jordan Hetrick)

In this episode of From the Trenches on the BMK Vision Podcast, Josh Peterson sits down with Jordan Hetrick for a grounded, experience-driven conversation about one of the most overlooked levers in MSP success: operational discipline. Not flashy tools. Not the newest vendor announcement. But the unglamorous systems, boundaries, and decisions that quietly determine whether an MSP compounds—or stalls.

This conversation is a study in contrast between what MSP owners think will move the needle and what actually does. Jordan’s insights are shaped by lived experience: navigating COVID-era volatility, learning when to say no to misaligned opportunities, consolidating tool sprawl, and building a firm designed for longevity rather than an exit check. The throughline mirrors what we emphasize inside Vision: predictable execution beats heroic effort every time.

The real “underrated tool” in MSP operations

Jordan challenges the assumption that MSP leverage comes from piling on more software. In fact, the opposite is often true. Tool sprawl introduces friction, confusion, and cost—especially when leadership hasn’t earned buy-in or established clear checkpoints for adoption.

The most underrated “tool” is not a platform at all. It’s the discipline to:

• Standardize before optimizing
• Say no to edge-case client demands
• Enforce process boundaries consistently
• Measure financial reality instead of top-line vanity

This is where many MSPs quietly lose margin and momentum—by confusing activity with progress.

Predictability beats hustle

One of the clearest contrasts Jordan draws is between the chaos of early-stage MSP life and the calm that comes with operational maturity. Predictability isn’t accidental—it’s earned through repetition, reflection, and an unwillingness to repeat the same mistakes twice.

COVID exposed this reality for many MSPs. Firms overly concentrated in a single vertical or growth motion found themselves exposed overnight. Jordan’s response wasn’t panic—it was adaptation: flexibility with clients, diversification of risk, and long-term relationship thinking over short-term enforcement.

The result? Clients stayed. Trust deepened. And the business emerged stronger.

Why boundaries are a leadership responsibility

One of the most practical lessons in this episode is deceptively simple: clients will always take the path of least resistance. If leadership allows texts, side-channel requests, or process bypasses “just this once,” the exception becomes the expectation.

Jordan explains why this isn’t about being rigid—it’s about protecting service quality, response consistency, and team sustainability. Mature MSPs don’t scale by being endlessly available; they scale by being reliably structured.

• Tickets protect visibility and prioritization
• Processes protect staff focus
• Boundaries protect leadership capacity

Growth without clarity is fragile

For MSPs crossing revenue milestones, Jordan offers a caution: growth is meaningless without profitability visibility. A million-dollar MSP that can’t confidently explain its service margin, payroll ratio, or cost structure is operating on borrowed time.

Success, in Jordan’s view, isn’t defined by exit multiples. It’s defined by building a firm that:

• Supports internal ownership paths
• Creates long-term client relationships
• Doesn’t depend on heroics or founder burnout
• Outlives any single leader

This philosophy runs counter to private-equity hype—but aligns closely with sustainable leadership.

What this episode solves for MSP owners

• Tool fatigue without operational leverage
• Unclear boundaries with high-touch clients
• Revenue growth without margin confidence
• Leadership exhaustion from constant exceptions
• Uncertainty about long-term succession and value

The takeaway is not to work harder—it’s to operate cleaner.

Episode highlights

• Why “professional laziness” is a virtue in MSP leadership
• The hidden cost of tool sprawl and constant switching
• How COVID exposed fragile growth models
• Why saying no is often the most profitable decision
• What sustainable MSP ownership actually looks like

About the guest: Jordan Hetrick

Jordan Hetrick is an MSP owner and operator with more than 15 years of experience building predictable, disciplined service organizations. Known for his candid perspective on tools, boundaries, and leadership responsibility, Jordan focuses on building firms designed to last—not flip.

Connect with Jordan Hetrick on LinkedIn →

Want to continue the conversation?

If you’re an MSP owner looking to replace chaos with clarity—and build an operation that compounds instead of reacts—explore Vision or apply to join the conversation on the podcast.

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