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    How to Exponentially Scale the Value of Managed Service Providers Business

    TC
    Tim Conkle The 20 MSP — Founder & CEO
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    In this insightful episode of the ZINFI Partner Ecosystem Podcast, Sugata Sanyal, Founder & CEO of ZINFI, interviews Tim Conkle, Founder & CEO of The 20 MSP, to explore how managed service providers can scale effectively and profitably. Drawing from over three decades of experience, Tim walks us through transforming MSPs from 5-person shops to national powerhouses without losing agility or customer focus. He shares how The 20 MSP model leverages standardization, brand building, and a simplified business approach to tackle three significant challenges: lead generation, sales execution, and operational scale. The episode provides a roadmap for MSP leaders looking to move beyond technical excellence and build resilient, scalable business infrastructure. Tim also outlines the leadership mindset required to transition from “king” to “wealth creator” and how to lead teams through cultural transformation. Listen in to discover how MSPs can evolve, thrive, and dominate by doing less — but doing it better.

    TL;DR

    Tim Conkle , CEO of The 20, shares his journey from military service to building a dominant MSP group. He outlines the 'three-legged stool' of business success: lead generation via Google PPC, high-conversion sales processes, and operational scaling through standardization and shared resources to avoid 'growing broke.'

    "Most MSPs don't have a service problem; they have an 'oil well' problem. You need a consistent system to make the phone ring so you can focus on selling and scaling."

    — Tim Conkle

    What We Discussed

    The Evolution of an MSP Leader

    Tim Conkle shares his journey from serving in the military and working at Ross Perot’s EDS to acquiring Roland Technology and eventually founding The 20. His experience taught him that while technical skills are important, business systems are what truly drive success. He spent nearly two decades struggling to grow before discovering the specific marketing levers that allowed for exponential expansion and industry leadership.

    • •Tim started his professional journey in the military before entering the IT channel.
    • •He gained enterprise-level experience working at EDS for four years.
    • •He purchased Roland Technology, which served as the foundation for his MSP insights.
    • •For 18 years, the company faced the same growth struggles as most small IT firms.
    • •The shift to a growth mindset occurred when he prioritized marketing over technical tasks.
    • •He realized that marketing is often the Achilles heel for technical founders.
    • •The journey from a single firm to a national group required massive standardization.

    Cracking the Code on Lead Generation

    Success in the MSP space depends on the ability to generate high-quality leads consistently. Tim explains how he spent five years refining Google Pay-Per-Click (PPC) campaigns to act as a reliable 'oil well' for his business. By focusing on search intent, he was able to make the phone ring on demand, a breakthrough that most MSPs never achieve on their own.

    • •Lead generation is the first leg of the three-legged stool for business success.
    • •Most MSPs fail because they lack a repeatable system to attract new prospects.
    • •Google PPC acts as a predictable oil well when managed with precision and data.
    • •Tim taught hundreds of other MSPs how to forklift his campaigns into their markets.
    • •Successful marketing results in immediate phone calls and scheduled appointments.
    • •Consistent leads allow an owner to be selective about the clients they sign.
    • •The goal is to stop relying on word-of-mouth and start driving intentional growth.

    The Three-Legged Stool: Lead Gen, Sales, and Scale

    The core philosophy behind The 20 is built on three essential pillars: Lead Gen, Sales, and Scale. Tim discovered that even if an MSP gets leads, they will fail if they cannot close deals or if they 'grow broke' due to poor operational scaling. Founders must focus on these three things exclusively to move the needle and build a valuable company.

    • •An MSP must master Lead Gen to create the initial opportunity.
    • •Sales proficiency is required to ensure that leads turn into profitable revenue.
    • •Scale is the ability to handle growth without a linear increase in technician headcount.
    • •Many MSPs struggle with sales conversion, even when they have plenty of appointments.
    • •Without scale, an MSP will find themselves with more work but no additional profit.
    • •The 'mantra' for every IT business owner should be these three critical legs.
    • •Everything else in the business is secondary to the growth engine of these pillars.

    Scaling Without Losing the Bottom Line

    One of the biggest mistakes in the IT industry is increasing revenue while sacrificing profitability. Tim recounts stories of MSPs that grew from $700k to $3.5M in 18 months but made less money because of unmanaged overhead and poor hiring. To scale effectively, businesses must use a standardized approach and centralize their back-office and help desk functions.

    • •Rapid growth can be dangerous if the operational foundation is not ready for it.
    • •Profitability often drops during growth phases due to inefficient hiring practices.
    • •Outsourcing help desks without a plan can lead to poor service and higher costs.
    • •Standardization of the tech stack is the only way to achieve true efficiency.
    • •Centralized service delivery allows an MSP to support thousands of users easily.
    • •Building a business that can function without the owner is the definition of scale.
    • •The 20 helps members avoid the trap of 'growing broke' through shared expertise.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Key Takeaways

    Growth PillarsFocus on lead generation, sales, and scaling operations.
    Lead GenerationDeploy Google PPC campaigns effectively to generate leads.
    Marketing ChallengeOvercome marketing weaknesses common for technical owners.
    Profitability FocusStandardize service delivery to increase profit margins.
    Scalable OperationsUnify your tech stack across clients to simplify support.
    Ecosystem GrowthCollaborate with other MSPs to achieve faster growth.
    Leadership MindsetAdopt a CEO mindset to overcome revenue plateaus.
    Market