#38 – From the Trenches: Early MSP Days & Growth Mindset (Tim Taylor)

In this episode of the From the Trenches series, Josh Peterson sits down with Tim Taylor — a 40-year IT veteran, early MSP pioneer, author, and founder of Tim Taylor Consulting.

 

Tim shares what the industry looked like before the term “MSP” even existed, including mainframe programming, Novell networks, pagers, handwritten timesheets, and selling hardware before managed services became the standard.

 

Through decades of experience, Tim explains why hourly work used to be highly profitable, how he transitioned into managed services, what broke profitability for so many MSPs, and why mindset, pricing confidence, and focus are the biggest drivers of growth today.

 

This is a rare, candid conversation full of history, perspective, and practical wisdom for any MSP trying to grow past the early stages and operate with intention.

 

👉 Learn about the BMK Vision Operating System: https://beringmckinley.com/vision

Topics Covered

• Early career in mainframes and PC installation

• Building Novell networks in the 80s and 90s

• Starting a break-fix IT business with only $500

• The first managed services contract

• Why hourly billing was profitable and predictable

• The shift from hardware margin to service margin

• The rise of MSP tools and “shiny object syndrome”

• Copier dealers entering MSP and disrupting the market

• Why so many MSPs stay under $1M

• Pricing confidence and overcoming limiting beliefs

• The owner’s real job: selling and building relationships

• Three KPIs every MSP should track

• Growth mindset vs. technician mindset

• Why constant PSA/RMM switching destroys profitability

About This Episode

 

This conversation offers an unfiltered look at the early days of the IT services industry and the lessons that still apply today. Tim’s perspective on pricing, sales, mindset, utilization, focus, and leadership gives MSP owners a roadmap for building a healthy, sustainable, and profitable business.

🎙️ Speaker Bios

 

👤 Guest: Tim Taylor

 

Founder, Tim Taylor Consulting

Tim Taylor is a 40-year IT veteran and pioneer of the early MSP movement. He built his MSP from scratch in the late 1990s, scaling it with break-fix, hourly work, and eventually managed services. Today he runs Tim Taylor Consulting, helping small MSPs (typically under five employees) stabilize, price confidently, and grow with structure and clarity.

🌐 Website: https://www.timtaylorconsulting.com

📬 Email: [e-mail]

🎤 Host: Josh Peterson

 

CEO, Bering McKinley

Josh Peterson is the CEO of Bering McKinley and host of the BMK Vision Podcast. A leading consultant to MSPs worldwide, Josh helps owners scale by improving operations, service delivery, financial structure, leadership, and strategic planning through the BMK Vision Operating System.

🌐 Learn more: https://beringmckinley.com/vision

🌐 Bering McKinley: https://beringmckinley.com