.png)
In this From the Trenches episode of the BMK Vision Podcast, Josh Peterson sits down with Jeff Wynn—founder and former owner of New River Computing—for an executive-level conversation about the part of MSP ownership most leaders postpone until the last minute: designing an exit that serves the owner, the team, and the client base. Jeff’s story is not “how to sell your MSP fast.” It’s a clearer, harder, more useful idea: every MSP owner exits—so the only real question is whether the exit is intentional, planned, and value-creating…or accidental, rushed, and value-destroying.
This is not a vendor conversation or a tactics showcase. It’s a leadership discussion about stewardship—treating a business as something you are responsible to build well, not merely something you “run” until you’re tired. Jeff walks through the long arc: starting with “walking around money,” learning the financial language of the business, narrowing the client profile, adopting EOS, and ultimately spending years shaping the organization into something worth buying. The deeper lesson is uncomfortable but liberating: profitability and clean operations aren’t accounting outcomes—they’re leadership behaviors.
If you’re an MSP owner who’s still carrying the burden of ownership in your body—stress, anxiety, constant mental load—this episode is a practical reframing. The goal is not to “sell someday.” The goal is to build a company that can stand on its own: a company you’d be proud to work for, a company your team can grow inside, and a company that creates options—whether that option is a sale, a lifestyle business, or a legacy. For MSP owners who want that kind of clarity and execution discipline, explore the Vision operating system.
Most MSP owners treat an exit like a future transaction: “Someday I’ll sell.” Jeff frames it differently: the exit is the consequence of years of decisions—about financial discipline, client fit, leadership maturity, and operational clarity.
If you’re building for optionality, you don’t wait until a buyer appears to become “ready.” You build readiness into the business:
Many MSPs grow into revenue before they grow into leadership. They wake up one day with real payroll, real responsibility, and real stress—but without the financial and operational infrastructure to scale cleanly or exit intentionally.
This episode addresses three common MSP traps:
Jeff’s arc is familiar: early success comes from technical competence and hustle. The turning point comes when the owner learns the business language—finance, positioning, process, and decision discipline.
His practical shift was not complicated, but it was decisive:
That’s the deeper leadership move: turning experience into repeatability.
One of the most valuable moments in the conversation is Jeff describing the discomfort—and then the freedom—of saying, “I don’t think we’re a good fit.” That decision is not “sales.” It’s leadership.
A focused MSP competes on fit, not on willingness:
When you choose your client profile, you are choosing your margin, your delivery model, and your future exit options.
Exit planning creates a brutal tension: the business may value transparency, but the transaction demands confidentiality—until it doesn’t. Jeff describes the emotional weight of carrying that secret, and then the relief of being able to tell the team truthfully and directly.
For MSP owners, this is the quiet standard worth adopting:
How early should an MSP owner start planning for an exit?
As early as possible. A strong exit is rarely a last-minute event—it’s the result of years of improving profitability, reducing owner-dependence, and building clean operational and financial systems.
Does EOS help an MSP prepare for an acquisition?
It can. EOS (or any strong operating cadence) helps create focus, accountability, and repeatability—exactly what buyers want when they assess risk and sustainability.
What increases MSP valuation the most?
Clean financials, consistent profitability, reliable service delivery, and leadership depth that doesn’t rely on the owner. Strong client fit and low churn matter because they reduce buyer risk.
Should MSP owners hire a salesperson to replace owner-led sales?
Not automatically. Many MSPs succeed with consultative, owner-led sales—but the goal is to build a machine that can sell and deliver without requiring the owner for every step.
How do you decide which clients to say “no” to?
Use a target customer profile: size range, expectations, security posture, and values alignment. Saying “no” is often the difference between growth that adds stress and growth that adds value.
For more leadership stories and conversations, visit the BMK Vision Podcast main page →
Jeff Wynn is the founder and former owner of New River Computing, a successful Virginia-based MSP. After nearly 20 years building and leading the company, Jeff completed a strategic exit and now mentors other entrepreneurs through operational frameworks like EOS and peer learning. His experience blends deep technical expertise with practical leadership wisdom, helping MSP owners align business value with personal vision.
🌐 Connect with Jeff on LinkedIn →
Josh Peterson is the CEO of Bering McKinley and host of the BMK Vision Podcast. Through the From the Trenches series, Josh sits down with MSP owners and leaders to discuss real-world experiences, growth strategies, and the personal journeys behind successful IT service companies.
🔗 Connect with Josh on LinkedIn →
%20(1).png)
4 min read
Josh Peterson : Sep 16, 2025 12:00:00 AM
There’s a specific kind of courage required to leave a stable, competent career and walk into a market that doesn’t owe you a single client. In this
.png)
4 min read
Josh Peterson : Dec 22, 2025 11:59:59 PM
In this episode of From the Trenches on the BMK Vision Podcast, Josh Peterson sits down with Luis Alvarez of Alvarez Technology Group for a grounded...
2 min read
Josh Peterson : Jul 25, 2025 12:00:00 AM
In this From the Trenches episode, Alex Farling—MSP veteran, co-founder of Empath MSP, and former owner of Delaware Micro—shares an...
Josh Peterson