Understanding the metrics behind your business is what will keep you afloat amongst your competition. That’s a lesson Eric Rieger, president of WEBIT Services, learned more than 20 years ago, when he began his entrepreneurial journey as an IT provider.

If you attended Schnizzfest this year, you’re already aware of some of the exciting changes we’ve been making at TruMethods. Just in case you forgot where we’re heading as a company, I decided to dedicate this blog post to some of our major roadmap stops.

As an MSP your service offering is critical to your success. Your service offering “edges” should always evolve as your business grows and matures. If you haven’t taken a step back to assess your edges, then maybe you should begin today. With regard to edges, over time, you’ve learned what works, what doesn’t and why. Take the knowledge on pricing and packing you’ve acquired to redefine your edges.

Try not to look at delivery areas as silos within your organization. Yes, each delivery area has its own responsibilities — that’s true — but delivery areas also work collectively to propel you and your clients forward. Silos hinder communication within any business. It’s up to you to break them down and prevent them from rising back up in the future.

If sales isn’t your thing, I’ve got some good news for you: Starting today, you’ve got a new job description. You’re no longer selling managed services. You’re now in the business of determining whether prospects have long-term success potential. The better you get at honing this advanced skill, the more success you’ll find as a business owner.

Without a doubt, “trusted advisor” is one of the most overused and misused terms in the industry. We’ve all used it at some point or another. It’s how we’ve pitched ourselves to potential clients, right? “Think of us as your trusted advisor,” we’d say. It’s how we’ve been carrying out business for many years, but it’s about time we change our approach.

Not everybody’s cut out for awesomeness. Deciding to become awesome (or a virtuoso, someone who’s at the top of his craft) is the first step to leading a better life — and that’s good for business. While the journey to awesomeness is different for everyone, there are things all TruMethods members should consider before transitioning from coaster to virtuoso.

You’ve more than likely heard of Sam Bloedow. Like you, he’s a TruMethods member and a small business owner. More specifically, he’s the CEO and founder of Thriveon, an IT services company dedicated to producing better business results for Minnesota-based business owners by leveraging technology investments in a way to maximize revenues. He’s executive who’s been around the block a few times and knows the IT industry well.

Competition isn’t everything. There are times when coming together is what’s best for the community as a whole. In the channel’s case, it’s the relationship IT vendors have with their top competitors. Having an open ecosystem allows IT providers to thrive.

Sometimes selling requires you to shift your mindset. Not everything’s going to go according to plan. When it doesn’t, it’s best to adapt to the situation at hand by calling an audible and making the appropriate adjustments. None of this can happen without something I’ve been harping on for years (you know exactly what I’m talking about, and I know you’re probably sick of me saying it, but let me repeat it) — a positive mindset.