#17 – From the Trenches - Calculated MSP Growth & Risk (Ron Oppermann)

Josh Peterson sits down with Ron Opperman of E3 IT Services to unpack a 35+ year journey from industrial engineering to running a growth-minded MSP in the Philadelphia market. Ron shares how calculated risk, a dedicated operations team, and consistent investment in sales, marketing, and training fueled E3’s next chapter.

In this From the Trenches episode, Josh Peterson talks with Ron Opperman of E3 IT Services (https://e3itservices.com) about moving from the factory floor to MSP leadership—and why the playbook still centers on efficiency, process, and disciplined execution. Ron’s career started as a CAD operator, evolved through project engineering for Fortune 500s, and ultimately shifted into managed services where the same industrial-engineering mindset powers growth.

Ron explains how E3 reshaped its operations with a stronger team, freeing leadership to build the sales and marketing engine and open clear advancement paths for staff. He stresses treating growth like an engineering project: write the plan, work the plan, measure results, and take calculated risks. That has meant hundreds of thousands invested in sales, marketing, and training, plus thousands of hours traveling, learning, and implementing—investments that compound only if you keep going.

You’ll also hear a great story about mentorship: Ron encouraged a networking contact (not technical, but sales-oriented) to pursue targeted certifications, helped him prep, and even got him in front of E3’s CEO—proof that contagious energy and clear guidance can change careers. Ron’s final advice to MSPs: don’t hold back on growth; if you’re solo, trust yourself, and if you have a partner, build real trust and accountability around the plan.

If you’re ready to professionalize pricing, pipeline, and service KPIs—or to turn intent into a repeatable operating system—grab resources, frameworks, and coaching at https://beringmckinley.com 

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