Scaling smart: Documentation tips and growth lessons from the GlueXperience podcast panel

What happens when three seasoned MSP leaders and two industry veterans hit the stage at GlueXperience? You get an unfiltered, insightful look into how documentation, leadership and relationships drive real business growth.

During the Glue & Grow Cross-Over live podcast panel at GlueXperience, held April 28 as part of Kaseya Connect 2025, Erick Simpson and Rich Freeman sat down with a powerhouse lineup of MSP leaders:

• Chris Swecker – TAC Manager, Appalachia Technologies
• Tammy Baker – Founding Partner, New Orleans and South East Information Technology Group
• Nick Recker – Founder and CEO, Blue Alliance

Together, they unpacked their growth journeys, revealed the role IT documentation plays in operational success and shared hard-won advice for scaling and selling a modern MSP. Here are the most valuable takeaways for MSPs looking to grow smarter, not harder.

Documentation that drives business growth

Chris Swecker shared one of the panel’s standout success stories: by focusing on improving documentation, his team reduced response and resolution time by 60% in just one year.

His advice? Use documentation not just as a repository, but as a scalable system that accelerates technician onboarding, reduces knowledge gaps and ensures consistent service delivery. “Documentation is everything. If it takes you six months to get a tech up to speed, you’ve wasted half their salary,” said Swecker, pointing out that wasted ramp-up time is also wasted money that could be reinvested into growth initiatives that move the business forward.

When documentation is built to scale, your team can grow confidently without sacrificing quality or speed. That’s what transforms documentation from a task into a business growth engine.

Relationships over tools

The panelists emphasized that while documentation, automation and tools are essential, relationships remain the true foundation of long-term MSP success. Tammy Baker shared a compelling journey that included rebounding from Hurricane Katrina and later navigating a successful acquisition. She emphasized the power of strong client relationships, revealing that her firm retained 100% of clients post-acquisition, thanks to the trust she had built over the years.

Chris Swecker echoed this sentiment, reminding attendees that documentation isn’t just about technical processes, but more importantly, about preserving the human side of service. “It’s not just documenting your IT; it’s documenting relationships. What’s important to this client?” said Swecker, underlining the importance of capturing client context to deliver truly personalized and consistent service.

Scaling by embracing change

Change isn’t optional in the MSP world — it’s essential. The panelists emphasized that growth comes from continually evolving your business, your tools and your mindset.

Tammy Baker challenged MSPs to stay uncomfortable, explaining that complacency is the enemy of progress. “If you’re comfortable, then you’re not in the right business,” said Baker. “Technology is evolving at such a quick pace that you either stay current or future-proof, or you’re going to be evolved out of the equation.”

Nick Recker added that meaningful change must be intentional and data-driven. “If you can’t name three or four things you changed in the last quarter that were in response to data that you received, that doesn’t mean you were perfect; it just means you’re not getting the data,” he said. He also encouraged MSP leaders to reflect on their own routines: “Look at your calendar. Are you in the same meetings today that you were a year ago? If so, you might not be growing.”

Together, their insights highlighted a powerful truth: MSPs that scale successfully are the ones that embrace change, not just react to it. That means auditing your tools, rethinking workflows and aligning decisions with both data and future-readiness.

M&A insights from the front lines

If you’re thinking about selling your MSP or simply want to build long-term value, the panelists had one clear message: there’s never been a better time to make your business acquisition-ready.

“There are so many buyers just in this building,” said Nick Recker, referring to the packed halls of Kaseya Connect. “There’s never been a better time if you’re interested in selling the business because you’ve got tons of choices.”

But the right timing is only part of the equation. Building a sellable business takes intention, strategy and perspective. Rich Freeman advised MSPs to think differently when approaching M&A. “When you’re thinking about whether you’re going to sell or buy, wear the shareholder hat, not the CEO hat,” he said. In other words, focus on the long-term financial vision (team structure, recurring revenue, customer diversity), not just day-to-day operations.

Recker also emphasized the power of niche expertise in driving value. “If you have a lot of legal customers or healthcare, the more you can nurture that end market expertise, the better,” he said. Buyers are looking for MSPs that demonstrate a deep understanding of specific industries, as it signals stability, scalability and differentiated service.

Panelists also reiterated some key value drivers and red flags:

• High recurring revenue is a major plus
• Customer concentration is a liability
• Employee and client churn rates matter; buyers want consistent, loyal relationships

Tammy Baker and Recker both stressed the importance of setting clear post-acquisition goals, whether you plan to stay with the business, maintain brand continuity or ensure a smooth transition for your team.

The bottom line is, if you’re considering M&A, think beyond valuation. Consider what makes your business resilient, attractive and ready for the next chapter.

Ready to transform your documentation strategy?

The Glue & Grow Cross-Over live podcast panel offered a rare behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to scale and sell an MSP beyond the buzzwords. For attendees, it was a reminder that the foundation of growth is equal parts smart documentation, strategic leadership and meaningful relationships.

Want to put those insights into action? Book a free demo today to see how IT Glue can help your team work smarter, scale faster and deliver top-tier service with less effort.

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