#6 – Don’t Be That Guy - MSP Project Management Playbook (Louis Bagdonas) & (Ryan Alter)

Projects make or break MSP profitability—and most firms struggle. In this episode, Josh sits down with Lewis from Milla and Ryan to unpack practical ways MSPs can set deadlines, template consistently, manage scope/changes, and protect margin. They share hard-won lessons on after-action reviews, PM resourcing, and when to use fixed fee vs. T&M.

Projects are where MSPs win (or lose) real money. In Ep. 12 of Don’t Be That Guy, Josh welcomes Lewis from Milla (a project-focused vendor) and Ryan to break down an MSP-specific project management playbook that actually works in the real world. From the first sales conversation to project closeout, they cover the essentials: set clear end dates, define durations, dependencies, and work estimates, and perform consistent after-action reviews to track what drove margin—good or bad.

You’ll hear why many teams avoid deadlines (and why that’s a mistake), how to use templates without over-administration, and the “Goldilocks” level of ticket/task granularity for reliable time capture. The crew tackles the perennial debate of fixed fee vs. time & materials, including how to price confidently, how to incorporate project management time (often 15–20% of engineering hours), and ways to communicate change orders without drama. They also dig into hiring: whether to homegrow a PM or recruit externally (hint: detail-oriented, calm-under-pressure profiles win), and when smaller MSPs should allocate PM hours vs. adding a dedicated role.

Highlights include: the top KPIs (margin, client satisfaction, on-time delivery), managing disengaged stakeholders, coordinating dispatcher and PM resource pulls, and the culture of transparent communication when things go sideways. If projects are 25–75% of your services revenue—or you want them to be—this episode gives you a crisp roadmap to protect margin and improve client experience.

For tools, templates, and MSP best practices, visit https://beringmckinley.com [MSP project management] [MSP profitability] [fixed fee vs time and materials] [project manager MSP] [ConnectWise PSA projects] [change orders MSP] [after-action review] [project templates MSP] [how to price MSP projects] [MSP project KPIs margin and CSAT] [dependencies durations work estimates] [charging for project management time] [managing disengaged project stakeholders] [MSP onboarding and cutover timelines] [scope of work vs statement of work MSP] [resource allocation dispatcher vs PM]

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