Building Better MSPs with Bret Erickson (EP 902)

If you want a truly no-BS look at life as a Managed Service Provider, this is the episode you can’t miss. I’m joined by Bret Erickson—owner of Passkey Technology up in Golden Valley, Minnesota, and a founding force within the National Society of IT Service Providers (NSITSP). Bret shares how he went from gigging as a musician all over the country to leading a tech business that’s thrived since the late ‘90s. Trust me, there’s some wisdom here you won’t find anywhere else.We dive into what it really means to run an MSP in today’s tech jungle: hybrid service models that actually work, why the “unlimited help desk” isn’t always smart, and how surviving vendor bundling is the new name of the game. Bret talks candidly about balancing old-school networking chops with new remote management platforms—plus the pros and cons of going all-in on Microsoft Intune versus keeping your stack best-of-breed.If you care about professionalism, industry reputation, and smart business moves, you’ll love hearing Bret’s take on joining NSITSP and working to standardize best practices for MSPs. He’s a committee veteran with real skin in the game.We also geek out over tools like Kaseya 365 Ops, ThreatLocker for application control, and the future of endpoint security. Bret brings up community topics like the CMMC framework and CIS Controls—essential reading for anyone who wants to step up their compliance game.Companies, Products and Books mentioned: Passkey Technology: https://www.passkeyinc.com/NSITSP: https://www.nsitsp.org/Kaseya 365 Ops: https://www.kaseya.com/resource/k365-ops-for-msps/Microsoft Intune: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/intune/Microsoft Defender for Endpoint: https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/security/business/endpoint-security/microsoft-defender-endpointSaaS Alerts: https://saasalerts.com/Huntress Security: https://www.huntress.com/CMMC (DoD Information): https://business.defense.gov/Programs/Cyber-Security-Resources/CMMC-20/CIS Controls: https://www.cisecurity.org/controlsPax8 Beyond Conference: https://www.pax8.com/events/beyond/SPONSORS:Livestream Partner, ThreatLocker: https://www.itbusinesspodcast.com/threatlockerLegacy Partner, NetAlly: https://www.itbusinesspodcast.com/netally/Internet Provider, Rythmz: https://www.itbusinesspodcast.com/rythmzProduction Gear Partner, Liongard: https://www.itbusinesspodcast.com/liongardTravel Partner: Bvoip: https://www.itbusinesspodcast.com/bvoipTravel Partner: TruGrid: https://www.itbusinesspodcast.com/trugridDigital Partner, Designer Ready: http://itbusinesspodcast.com/designerreadySHOW MUSIC: Item Title: Upbeat & Fun Sports Rock LogoItem URL: https://elements.envato.com/upbeat-fun-sports-rock-logo-CSR3UETAuthor Username: AlexanderRufireItem License Code: 7X9F52DNML === Connect with Uncle Marv🌐 Website: https://www.itbusinesspodcast.com/🎙 Host: Marvin Bee🛒 Uncle Marv’s Amazon Store (gear & tools I recommend): https://amzn.to/3EiyKoZ☕ Support the show: https://ko-fi.com/itbusinesspodcastIf you found value in this episode, share it with another MSP, IT provider, or tech entrepreneur. Your support helps keep practical, no-nonsense IT business conversations coming every week.