The MSP Christmas List
Your 2026 “No More” List
As the year comes to a close, most MSP owners start planning what they’ll add next year.
New tools.
New services.
New projects.
But what if the real growth happens when you remove things instead?
Growing an MSP is hard.
Most people don’t want to admit that out loud, but it’s true.
And while a handful of MSPs are expanding, the majority aren’t growing at all.
Some are even shrinking.
Not because the owners are lazy or clueless—but because the model they run is too complex, too tool-heavy, too reactive, and too far removed from what clients actually need today.
So next year, instead of setting goals around what you want to add…
Let’s flip it.
When planning for 2026, don’t focus on what you’ll start doing.
Focus on what you’ll stop doing.
Because growth rarely comes from piling on more.
Growth comes from simplifying.
So here’s a list you can use—a gift to your future self.
The 2026 MSP Cut List
12 things to stop doing so your MSP can finally grow
1. Stop adding tools to your stack.
Every new tool adds complexity, cost, onboarding, training, and vendor drama.
You don’t need more tools—you need a cleaner model.
2. Cancel everything that isn’t part of your core service.
If it doesn’t help your clients or improve your margins, it’s noise.
3. Stop giving discounts.
Discounts feel kind… until you realize you’re paying for your client’s IT.
4. Stop outsourcing your marketing.
Owner-led content wins. Vendor-led “campaigns” don’t.
5. Quit your peer group.
Groupthink creates sameness. No one grows by copying the room.
6. Stop shopping for new tools.
Your stack isn’t the problem. Your offer design is.
7. Stop taking meetings with vendors you don’t already buy from.
If you’re not in the market, don’t lose an hour pretending.
8. Stop trying to implement CIS.
There’s a simpler path for small-business security.
Start where your clients actually are.
9. Stop selling “everything IT.”
Productize. Narrow. Specialize.
Clients don’t want everything—they want clarity.
10. Stop selling to non-ICP prospects.
If they not a fit in the first five minutes, they won’t magically become one after onboarding.
11. Stop competing with every MSP in town.
Most MSPs are competing in a race no one wants to win.
Carve your own lane.
12. Stop attending events that don’t bring you customers.
Networking isn’t what you think it is.
Most events are just lanyards and coffee.
Make 2026 the year your MSP gets lighter, not heavier.
Your business doesn’t need more tools, more services, or more complexity.
It needs less—but better.
Less chaos.
Less noise.
Less “we can do everything.”
Less running around trying to match what everyone else in the industry is doing.
This year, your growth won’t come from addition.
It’ll come from subtraction.
From cutting.
From simplifying.
From focusing your energy on the handful of things that actually move your business forward.
Your future self will thank you.
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