#6 – Don’t Be That Guy - MSP Project Management Playbook (Louis Bagdonas & Ryan Alter)

In this episode of Don’t Be That Guy on the BMK Vision Podcast, Josh Peterson sits down with Louis Bagdonas (Moovila) and former MSP owner Ryan Alter for a practical, no-fluff conversation about why MSP projects go sideways — and what it actually takes to run projects that finish on time, protect margin, and don’t burn out your team.

This is not a “tool tips” episode. The throughline is discipline: time entry, ticket hygiene, clear end dates, after-action reviews, and structured templates. Ryan frames it perfectly: projects are the “capstone course” — if your day-to-day operations are sloppy, projects will magnify the chaos.

If your MSP is tired of fixed-fee projects that turn into margin disasters, timelines that drift forever, or clients who disengage mid-stream, this conversation gives you a playbook that’s grounded in reality — not theory.

Projects don’t fail in the project tool — they fail in operations

Ryan’s early point is the one most MSPs don’t want to hear: you can’t “project-manage your way out” of undisciplined delivery. If technicians aren’t entering time consistently and tickets are messy, you’ll never get reliable visibility into project health — and you’ll never get clean feedback loops to improve pricing and process.

• Time entry and ticket hygiene are prerequisites, not “nice-to-haves”
• Projects amplify operational weakness — they don’t hide it
• Project maturity is a capstone built on day-to-day discipline

End dates aren’t risky — they’re what clients actually buy

Louis shares a surprise from coming into the MSP world: many providers avoid giving customers due dates because they don’t want something “held over their head.” But from a buyer’s perspective, the first two questions are always the same: what will it cost and when will it be done.

• Customers need an end date to plan their business around the work
• Without a due date, projects drift and margins erode quietly
• Clarity builds trust — vagueness creates friction

After-action reviews are the real “profit system”

Josh calls out a common gap: MSPs finish a project, bill it, and move on — without a consistent review of what happened. Ryan’s analogy lands: skipping reviews because the last project went fine is like quitting brushing your teeth because the dentist didn’t find a cavity.

• Reviews don’t need to be complex — they need to be consistent
• Ask what went right, what went wrong, and what changed the estimate
• Profitability improves when learning is built into the closeout

Fixed-fee doesn’t hurt you — unknowns do

The group digs into why fixed-fee projects “kick MSPs in the chops.” The real issue isn’t fixed-fee itself — it’s selling fixed-fee without the feedback loop to validate your assumptions. If you don’t know your true durations, task windows, and recurring sources of scope creep, you’re gambling.

• Fixed-fee works when your estimates are continuously validated
• Know your client variability (e.g., workstation “setup” can be 2 hours or 8)
• Use your reviews to decide when to revert to T&M temporarily

Templates and dependencies reduce chaos — not autonomy

Louis makes a strong case that every project should start from a template — even if the template is just the consistent start and consistent close. Dependencies matter because they prevent rework and help you build a realistic critical path. If teams grab tasks out of order, you may feel “busy,” but you’re often creating backtracking.

• Start with consistent structure (kickoff, comms, closeout review)
• Use durations (work windows) so timelines stop being fantasy
• Dependencies help sequencing and reduce “do it twice” work

Client disengagement: put it on hold (professionally)

A live audience question hits a common pain: what do you do when the client goes quiet? The answer is not to chase forever while your budget evaporates. Put the project on hold after a defined threshold — and keep a simple cadence so it doesn’t disappear into limbo.

• Define a response threshold (number of attempts or time window)
• Pause the project clearly and document it
• Maintain a light, consistent cadence until the client re-engages

Change orders are just customer communication

Josh frames change orders as a maturity marker — and Ryan challenges the fear: if change orders feel scary, rename them mentally as customer communication. When scope shifts (or new risk is discovered), the right move is clarity: what was agreed, what changed, and what the new plan requires.

• Good scope and exclusions make change conversations easier
• Transparency strengthens relationships when handled well
• The goal is trust and margin — not “never upsetting anyone”

Episode highlights

• 00:00:15 – Why projects are hard in every industry — and why MSPs feel it more.
• 00:03:25 – Time entry and ticket hygiene as prerequisites for project success.
• 00:06:15 – Setting firm end dates — and why customers actually need them.
• 00:10:00 – After-action reviews: the habit that protects profitability.
• 00:15:41 – What to do when stakeholders disengage on the client side.
• 00:19:05 – Dependencies, durations, and why “critical path” matters.
• 00:36:20 – Change orders reframed as healthy customer communication.

About the guests

Louis Bagdonas works with Moovila, a firm dedicated to helping MSPs improve project management systems, tools, and workflows. His focus is helping teams build predictable delivery by combining process discipline with practical software execution.

🌐 Explore Moovila’s website → | Connect with Louis on LinkedIn →

Ryan Alter is a former MSP owner who grew his company from a solo operation into a 25-person team before selling. He’s passionate about operational maturity, project discipline, and building systems that scale without relying on heroics.

🌐 Connect with Ryan on LinkedIn →

Frequently asked questions

Why do MSP projects keep running over budget?
Usually because the process lacks visibility and feedback loops: inconsistent time entry, unclear scope, missing durations, and no after-action review to correct estimates.

Should MSPs avoid giving end dates to clients?
No. Clients buy outcomes and timelines. End dates create trust and prevent projects from drifting into margin loss.

Do we need a dedicated project manager at $1.5M revenue?
Not always, but you do need clearly allocated project ownership and protected time. Many MSPs grow past $2M faster once project coordination becomes a real function.

How much project management time should we include in project pricing?
A common starting point is adding ~15–20% on top of engineering hours, then validating it through consistent after-action reviews.

What do we do when the customer isn’t responding?
Pause the project after a defined threshold, document it, and maintain a simple cadence until they re-engage — don’t burn budget chasing indefinitely.

Related resources from Bering McKinley

• ConnectWise project management for MSPs: from quote to completion
• Using templates and budgets to improve project outcomes
• Project indicators that protect MSP profitability

Want to continue the conversation?

If you’re an MSP owner who wants project delivery that’s predictable, profitable, and system-driven, explore Vision or apply to be a guest on the podcast.

👉 Apply to be on the BMK Vision Podcast
👉 Learn more about Vision