Let me tell you a story about a guy named JR.
JR owns an MSP called Tigerhawk Technologies out in the Tri-State area — Illinois, Iowa and Missouri. When he came into our world at Technology Marketing Toolkit, he was running a 100% break-fix shop. No recurring revenue. No MSP clients. Just the usual chaos of reactive IT work.
Subscribe To The TMT YouTube Channel Here
Fast-forward one year: JR is now billing over $45,000 in Monthly Recurring Revenue (MRR), has fired bad clients, dominated the healthcare vertical and built a marketing and sales engine that’s actually generating predictable results.
So what changed?
Shifting The Mindset From Break-Fix To MSP
First, JR recognized the inevitable.
As he put it, “MSP was the only way to stay alive.” He watched break-fix companies around him shut their doors, and he made a decision: either evolve or die.
But here’s the key — he didn’t jump in blind. He spent close to a year planning and getting clear on what his MSP offer needed to look like. He made sure he had the right people, the right product and the right foundation before he went to market.
That kind of strategic patience is rare — and it’s smart.
Too many owners rush into managed services without doing the work to define what they’re actually offering or how they’ll deliver it. JR avoided that mistake.
Then he got serious about marketing.
Using The TMT System As A Tool To Compress Time
JR said something during the interview that I think every MSP owner needs to hear:
“I looked at TMT as a tool we could use to go to market faster… what would’ve taken us 3 to 4 years, we did in 90 days.”
That’s it. That’s the whole point.
Yes, you could figure out MSP sales, packaging and marketing on your own — but how many years are you willing to burn doing it?
We give you the blueprint. JR followed it. And now he’s closing MSP contracts left and right.
Converting 24 Out Of 25 Break-Fix Clients To MSP Contracts
Let’s talk numbers. JR ran the Break-Fix to MSP campaign we provide and turned 24 out of 25 of those into paid managed services clients.
What changed?
He stopped “selling” and started educating.
Instead of walking into a meeting with a pitch, he walked in with a Technology Business Review and a diagnostic tool called Audit, which showed business owners the red, yellow and green status of their IT infrastructure.
He positioned himself on the same side of the table — as a partner, not a salesperson.
And yes, he customized that tool to make sure his Tigerhawk Complete package showed up green across the board. Smart move.
Firing Bad Clients
One of the things I tell MSPs all the time is that you’re allowed to fire clients. In fact, you should.
JR took that advice to heart. He started identifying clients who didn’t value IT, didn’t want to invest and frankly, were a liability waiting to happen.
His response?
“You’re one click away from ransomware and I don’t want to be liable for it.”
He’d then refer them to a break-fix competitor and move on.
That’s how you protect your margins and your sanity.
It’ll change how you think about client selection.
Dominating A Vertical: Healthcare
JR didn’t just settle for any clients. He went deep into the healthcare vertical — not because of some grand strategy, but because he looked at his client list and realized, “Hey, we’re already doing really well here.”
That’s all it takes.
He doubled down, built a HIPAA-focused outreach campaign, and used a checklist-driven offer to open doors with medical groups, clinics and nursing facilities. The best part? These weren’t cold, unqualified leads. These were real opportunities with contracts pending.
Final Words Of Advice From JR
JR said it best:
“Break-fix is working 60, 70, 80 hours a week and having very little to show for it.”
Managed services is stability. Predictable cash flow. Clients who listen to you. Peace of mind.
But it only works if you work the system.
Get clear on your pricing. Start marketing. Use the tools. Get your butt in motion — because trying to plan everything perfectly before doing anything will keep you broke and stuck.
