In this week’s MSPi PrimeCast, Joey Pinz sits down with James Kudla, former MSP owner and now founder of Kalutasan, a staffing solutions provider built exclusively for MSPs. James shares his journey from engineer to MSP leader to vendor, along with the lessons that helped him grow and eventually sell a $6M MSP. His insights give MSPs practical strategies for scaling smarter — without burning out.
Here are five strategies you can take from James Kudla’s playbook:
1. Learn from the Power of Peer Groups
James admits he spent his first 10 years muscling through as an MSP owner. The breakthrough came when he joined True Methods’ peer group, where he learned structured processes, role clarity, KPIs, and accountability. For MSPs, surrounding yourself with peers and mentors accelerates growth and prevents costly mistakes.
2. Redefine Roles to Eliminate Chaos
Early on, James fell into the trap of blended roles — asking staff to handle projects, proactive work, and help desk all at once. The result? Inefficiency and burnout. Through peer group coaching, he restructured his MSP into clear roles like Help Desk, TAM, VCIO, Projects, and Centralized Services. Defining responsibilities and KPIs was a game-changer in scaling.
3. Treat Sales as Relationship-Building, Not Features & Price
Like many technical founders, James underestimated sales. Over time, he realized MSP sales are not about features or the cheapest price, but about building trust and having tough conversations with prospects. By focusing on emotional connection and business outcomes, he consistently brought in new MRR every quarter — earning the nickname “La Machina” in his peer group.
4. Delegate or Hit a Plateau
James warns MSPs that growth stalls when owners fail to delegate. He candidly shares that his MSP plateaued around $6M because he didn’t hand off enough responsibility. His advice: assign real accountability, coach your team, and resist the urge to step in every time. True scaling only happens when leadership builds a management team and lets go of the day-to-day.
5. Use Outsourcing as a Growth Lever
After struggling with hiring in the U.S., James turned to the Philippines for help desk and proactive roles. The result was higher service levels, less burnout, and significant cost savings. Today, through Kalutasan (Tagalog for “solution”), he helps MSPs find top overseas talent to extend service hours, improve operations, and scale without the same staffing struggles.
Final Takeaway
James Kudla’s journey proves that scaling an MSP requires more than technical expertise. By leaning on peer groups, structuring roles, mastering sales, delegating effectively, and strategically outsourcing, MSPs can grow smarter, not just harder.
👉 Catch the full conversation with James Kudla on this week’s MSPi PrimeCast with Joey Pinz, dropping every Thursday at noon ET on MSPInfluencer.com.
